What every Christian needs to know about Passover [Passover starts this evening]

It was the Passover sacrifice of the Lamb of God, the Messiah of Israel, that brings forgiveness of sins for all who choose to avail themselves of that offer that the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob gives freely to all who will.

I want to take this opportunity to wish those here of the Jewish faith a truly blessed Passover.

This Gentile would also like to thank you for Passover Coca-Cola. :)

Zola Levit shows how an actual Passover is done, and explains it as he goes along...

Zola Levitt died a few years ago, but his ministry, Zola Levitt Ministries, is still active and Jeffrey Seif was chosen by Zola to continue it -- along with Zola's wife, as part of the ministry.

It's a good website to look over ...

Well, we have arrived at Passover, starting this evening ... today, Nissan 14, 5770 - going into Nissan 15, 5770 this early evening ...

Why does the Jewish day start at sundown?
by Rabbi Mendy Hecht
A. Think about it--what makes more sense: for a new day to begin when the old day ends, or in the middle of the night? That’s basically why the Jewish day begins at sundown--it follows the laws of nature. But a fuller understanding of why the Jewish day starts at sundown requires a quick examination of time.
B. When G-d created the universe, He created time, space and matter simultaneously. At the very beginning of Creation, the clock began ticking at 00:00 at the precise moment space and matter burst into being. Twenty-four hours later, Day One was complete. What does the Torah say? "It was evening and it was morning, one day." That first 24-hour day began with night and ended with day--and it’s been that way ever since.
C. Later, on Day Four, G-d assigned the sun and the moon as day and night markers, setting up the solar system the way it is today, but the Jewish day begins with night, because that's how time began.

Sunday	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Shabbat
Nissan 5770 (March / April 2010)
		1 Nissan March 16 Rosh Chodesh	2 Nissan March 17	3 Nissan March 18	4 Nissan March 19	5 Nissan March 20 Parashat Vayiqra
6 Nissan March 21	7 Nissan March 22	8 Nissan March 23	9 Nissan March 24	10 Nissan March 25	11 Nissan March 26	12 Nissan March 27 Shabbat Ha-Gadol Parashat Tzav
13 Nissan March 28	14 Nissan March 29 Fast of the Firstborn	15 Nissan March 30 Pesach	16 Nissan March 31 Pesach Begin Counting the Omer	17 Nissan April 1 Chol ha-Moed Pesach	18 Nissan April 2 Chol ha-Moed Pesach	19 Nissan April 3 Chol ha-Moed Pesach
20 Nissan April 4 Chol ha-Moed Pesach	21 Nissan April 5 Pesach	22 Nissan April 6 Pesach Yizkor	23 Nissan April 7	24 Nissan April 8	25 Nissan April 9	26 Nissan April 10 Shabbat Mevarekhim Parashat Shemini
27 Nissan April 11 Yom ha-Shoah	28 Nissan April 12	29 Nissan April 13	30 Nissan April 14 Rosh Chodesh Iyar

The Jewish Calendar has the following months ...

English	Number	Length	Civil Equivalent
Nissan	1	30 days	March-April
Iyar	2	29 days	April-May
Sivan	3	30 days	May-June
Tammuz	4	29 days	June-July
Av	5	30 days	July-August
Elul	6	29 days	August-September
Tishri	7	30 days	September-October
Cheshvan	8	29 or 30 days	October-November
Kislev	9	30 or 29 days	November-December
Tevet	10	29 days	December-January
Shevat	11	30 days	January-February
Adar I (leap years only)	12	30 days	February-March
Adar (called Adar Beit in leap years)	12 (13 in leap years)	29 days	February-March

OK, For the ignorant like me, what is Passover Coca-cola? Is this turning into a red state/blue state thing? Assume Pepsi is blue state.

BTTT

what is Passover Coca-cola?

It is Coca-Cola that is flavored with sugar and not high-fructose corn syrup. God banned corn for Passover, so HFCS is a no-no.

This is my post from almost ten years ago, here on Free Republic, about "The Seven Festivals of the Messiah"

The link works sometimes for me, but most of the time, it won't work on Free Republic (something about this post being too far back and before Free Republic changed the way posts were made). So, you may get it if you repeatedly hit refresh (as I have done before) and maybe not. But, the following is that post from about ten years ago...

This is a "chart overview" of The Seven Festivals of the Messiah ... and below that is the one about Passover

HISTORICAL APPLICATION OF THE FEASTS

FEAST                   HISTORICAL APSECT

1. Passover             Israel's deliverance out of Egyptian bondage

2. Unleavened Bread     The going out of Egypt

3. First Fruits         Crossing the Red Sea

4. Pentecost            Giving the Commandments at Mount Sinai

5. Rosh HaShanah        Blowing the 'Shofar' (trumpet)
  (Feast of Trumpets)   Jewish New Year

6. Day of Atonement     Priest entered the Holy of Holies
                        Cleansing of the people's sins

7. Tabernacles          Entering the Promised Land/Great Rejoicing


MESSIANIC APPLICATION OF THE FEASTS

FEAST                   MESSIANIC FULFILLMENT

1. Passover             Death of Christ on the Cross (tree)

2. Unleavened Bread     The burial of Jesus

3. First Fruits         The resurrection of Jesus

4. Pentecost            Pouring out of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2)

5. Rosh HaShanah        The resurrection of the dead/
  (Feast of Trumpets)   Rapture of the believers

6. Day of Atonement     The day of Christ's Second Coming

7. Tabernacles          The Messianic Era/Millennium


SPIRITUAL APPLICATION OF THE FEASTS

FEAST                   SPIRITUAL APPLICATION

1. Passover             Repent and trust by faith in
                        the shed blood of Jesus

2. Unleavened Bread     Sanctification and separation from evil
                        represented by water immersion (baptism)

3. First Fruits         Walking in newness of life

4. Pentecost            Immersion (baptism) in the Holy Spirit
                        and faith in God

5. Rosh HaShanah        Hear the calling (shofar (trumet)) of
  (Feast of Trumpets)   God for our lives

6. Day of Atonement     Yielding ourselves to God so that we may
                        live (face to face) in His Presence

7. Tabernacles          A daily rest in the Messiah and having the
                        rest of His Kingdom in our hearts


SIGNIFICANCE IN BRIEF

1. Passover             Reminds us that God is the forgiver of sin who
                        grants us eternal life in His Kingdom through
                        the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, our Passover

2. Unleavened Bread     Depicts putting sin out of our lives

3. First Fruits         Christ, the firstfruits risen from the dead,
                        afterward, those who are Christ's at His Coming

4. Pentecost            Serves to remind us that our Creator still works
                        miracles, empowering us to carry out His work
                        in this world

5. Rosh HaShanah        Looks forward to the return of Jesus Christ
  (Feast of Trumpets)   (rapture of the Church), and to the resurrection
                        of the "dead in Christ" -the hope of Christians

6. Day of Atonement     Pictures the loving reconciliation we have with
                        God, made possible through Christ's sacrifice
                        It also shows the remarkable truth that Satan
                        will eventually be removed so that humanity can
                        at last attain reconciliation with God on a
                        universal basis

7. Tabernacles          Represents the Millenium, the reign of Christ on
                        Earth for 1,000 years of true happiness and
                        utopia

AND, the following is my original post from ten years ago, and I've included only "Part II" -- which is the one about the Passover...

I did include the whole thing, in this other post on this thread (if you want to see it).

The Pesach (Passover) Mystery [Stan Deyo's musings re possible Rapture implications]

My post listing the whole thing is Post #25

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/religion/2430989/posts?page=25#25

The Feasts of the Lord--Part II


THE PASSOVER

The Feast of Passover was given by God to be a rehearsal of the First
Coming of Jesus Christ.

Jesus' sacrifice is the pivotal event in God's plan to save humanity.
Speaking of His certain death, Christ said that He, as the Son of Man,
must be "lifted up" (crucified) even as "Moses lifted up the serpent in
the wilderness," so that "whoever believes in Him should not perish but
have eternal life."

We see here that Jesus' sacrifice, the central message of the Passover,
was a supreme act of love for humanity.  This important event laid the
foundation for the remaining annual Holy Days and Festivals.  It is the
most momentous step in God's plan.

The Passover in the Old Testament foreshadowed Christ's crucifixion.

God declared Passover to be a permanent celebration for all eternity.
(Exodus 12:13-14)  Historically, Passover celebrates God's deliverance
of the children of Israel from bondage in Egypt, where they were slaves
to the Egyptians (Exodus 6:5-8, 13:3,14).

The spiritual application that God wants us to understand can be seen as
this:  Egypt is a type of the world and the world's system.  Its ruler,
Pharoah, was a type of satan.  The bondage people are in when they live
according to the ways of the world's system is sin (John 8:34).

Historically, the children of Israel were delivered from the bondage in
Egypt by putting the blood of a lamb upon the doorposts of their houses
(Exodus 12:13).  Spiritually, this is a picture of Jesus and how those
who believe in Him are delivered from the bondages of sin and the rule
of satan in their lives.  Jesus is the Lamb of God (John 1:29).  Jesus
is also our Passover (1 Corinthians 5:7).  Those who follow Christ are
the house of God (Hebrews 3:6).  The doorposts are our hearts.  It is
only through trusting by faith in the shed blood of Christ, our
Passover, that we are free from the bondage of sin (Galatians 5:1).
This is because the blood of Christ redeems us from sin (Leviticus
17:11, Ehesians 1:7, Colossians 1:14, 1 Peter 1:18-19, 1 John 1:7,
Revelation 1:5)

During Passover, the head of each household was to take a lamb of the
first year on the tenth day of the first month known as Nisan and set it
aside until the fourteenth day (Exodus 12:3-6).  In the evening of the
fourteenth day, at exactly 3:00 p.m., the lamb was to be killed (Exodus
12:6)  The blood of the lamb was to be sprinkled on the lintel and two
side posts of the household door.  The lamb was to be roasted with fire,
with bitter herbs, and with unleavened bread, and the entire household
was to feast upon the body of the lamb (Exodus 12:7-8).  The people were
instructed by God to eat the lamb with haste and to be dressed and ready
to leave Egypt at the midnight hour.  This would be the fifteenth day of
Nisan (Exodus 12:10-11).

At midnight on that fateful evening in Egypt, the death angel passed
through the land.  Every house tht did not have the token of the blood
on the doorposts and lintel suffered the judgment of God (Exodus
12:12-15).  The Hebrew word for Passover is 'Pesach', which means "to
pass or hover over."  This word speaks to us about two things.  First,
it shows the passing over in judgment from death and sin to life in
Jesus.  Second, it tells us about allowing, by faith, the blood of Jesus
to hover over our lives and give us divine protection from the evil one.


GOD'S COMMANDMENTS FOR PASSOVER

Exodus 12:

vs.2--This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be
the first month of the year to you

vs.3--Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth
day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to
the house of their fathers, a lamb for an house

vs4.--And if the household be too little for the lamb, let him and his
neighbour next unto his house take it according to the number of the
souls; every man according to his eating shall make your count for the
lamb

vs5.--Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year: ye
shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats

vs.6--And ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same
month: and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill
it in the evening

vs.7--And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side
posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat
it

vs.8--And they shall eat the flesh in that night, roast with fire, and
unleavened bread; and with bitter herbs they shall eat it

vs.9--Eat not of it raw, nor sodden at all with water, but roast with
fire; his head with his legs, and with the purtenance thereof

vs.10--And ye shall let nothing remain until the morning; and that which
remaineth of it until the morning ye shall burn with fire

vs.11--And thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on
your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: it
is the Lord's passover

vs.12--For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will
smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and
against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the Lord.


PASSOVER WAS THE BEGINNING OF MONTHS (vs.2)

Nisan is the first month of the Religious Calendar.  When we receive
Jesus into our lives it is the beginning of a New Covenant relationship
with God (Jeremiah 31:31-33, 2 Corinthians 5:17).  Passover is the first
of the Feasts.  Likewise, repenting of our sins and believing in the
shed blood of Jesus is the first step in our walk with God.

THE LAMB WAS HIDDEN FOR FOUR DAYS (vs.3,6)

God commanded Israel to take a lamb on the tenth day of Nisan and set it
aside until the fourteenth day.  These four days were fulfilled by Jesus
during the Passover week.  Remember, Jesus is the Lamb of God (John
1:29).  He entered Jerusalem and went to the temple, which was the house
of God, and went on public display there for four days from Nisan 10 to
Nisan 14 (Matthew chapters 21-26).

In eschatology, the study of last days, these four days that the lamb
was hidden is prophetic of the people's expectations that the Messiah
would come 4,000 years from the creation of Adam as part of the 7,000
year plan of God to redeem both man and the earth back to how things
were in the Garden of Eden.  These four days are prophetic of the
Messiah being hid from the world and not coming to earth for four days
or 4,000 years from the creation of Adam.  A day is understood to be
prophetic of a thousand years, based upon Psalm 90:4 and 2 Peter 3:8.
Linking Psalm 90:4 to each day in creation, God ordained each day in
creation to be prophetic of a thousand years of time and the entire
redemption to take 7,000 years to complete from the fall of man in the
Garden of Eden (Genesis 1:1,5,8,13,19,23,31, 2:1-3).

THE LAMB WAS TO BE WITHOUT BLEMISH (vs.5)

Jesus was the Lamb of God (John 1:29) without spot or blemish (1 Peter
1:18-20).

THE LAMB WAS OF THE FIRST YEAR (vs.5)

Jesus was the firstborn of Mary naturally (Matthew 1:21-25), and the
firstborn of God spiritually (Colossians 1:15).

IT IS A MALE (vs.5)

It was through one man's sin that sin came into the world (Romans 5:12).
Because Adam, the firt male, sinned, so a male, Jesus, must die to atone
for tht sin (Romans 5:17-19)

IT IS A LAMB FOR A HOUSE (vs.3-4)

God's intention was that all (households) experience salvation.  The
lamb was a lamb for the house.  By believing in the Lord Jesus, we
become members of the household of faith (Ephesians 2:19).  Salvation
for a household is available to all who believe in the Messiah, the Lamb
of God (Genesis 7:1, Joshua 24:15, John 4:46-53, Luke 19:5-10, Acts
16:31, 18:8).

There is a progressive revelation of the Lamb in the Bible.  First,
there is a lamb for a house (Exodus 12:3-4) second, a lamb for a nation
(John 11:49-52) and finally, a lamb for the world (John 1:29).

A PASSOVER LAMB WAS TO BE KILLED IN THE EVENING (vs.6)
('evening' translated as twilight or between the evenings)

The Biblical day goes from evening to evening, from sundown to sundown,
which is roughly 6:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. (Genesis 1:5)
The day (6:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.) is divided into two 12-hour periods.
-The evening runs from 6:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m.
-The morning runs from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
-Each 12-hour period is divided into two smaller portions.
-From 6:00 a.m. to noon is the morning part of the day.
-From noon to 6:00 p.m. is the evening part of the day.
The phrase, "between the evening" (vs.6) refers to the period of the day
that goes from noon to 6:00 p.m., which is exactly 3:00 p.m.  This would
be the ninth hour of the day, counting from 6:00 a.m.

Jesus died at the ninth hour of the day (Matthew 27:45-50).  This would
be 3:00 p.m., the ninth hour, counting from 6:00 a.m.

THE WHOLE ASSEMBLY SHALL KILL IT (vs.6)

Every person who has ever lived on planet Earth and sinned is guilty of
killing Jesus because He died for all sinners (Romans 3:10,23).

A whole congregation of people was involved in the death of Jesus.  The
Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John show how the Sanhedrin, the
priests, the Romans, and the people of Israel all clamored for the
crucifixion of Jesus and for His blood to be shed (Acts 4:26-28).

THE BLOOD MUST BE APPLIED TO THE DOOR (vs.7)

Those who believe in the Lord Jesus are the house of God (Hebrews 3:6).
The only way into the house of God is through the shed blood of Christ,
who is the Door (John 10:7-9).

THE BODY OF THE LAMB MUST BE EATEN (vs. 8-10)

Both the body and blood of the lamb speak of the body and blood of
Christ (Matthew 26:26-28).  We spiritually eat of the body of the Lamb
when we eat of His body (today represented by the bread).

IT MUST BE EATEN THE SAME NIGHT (vs.8)

Jesus was crucified, suffered, and died the same night.

IT MUST BE EATEN WITH UNLEAVENED BREAD (vs. 8)

Leaven speaks of sin (1 Corinthians 5:6-8).  Unleavened bread is without
sin.  As believers, we are instructed to live holy (unleavened) lives
before God (Leviticus 19:2, 1 Peter 1:15-16).

IT MUST BE EATEN WITH BITTER HERBS (vs. 8)

To those who have accepted Jesus into their lives, bitter herbs speak of
the bondage and burdens we experience while living in this world ( a
type of Egypt) before we accepted Jesus into our lives.  This burden of
sin is placed on us by satan when we yield to his lies and deception,
and then sin because of our own evil desires.

For Christ, dying on the cross was a bitter experience because He had to
pay for man's sin with His sinless life.

THE LAMB MUST BE ROASTED IN FIRE (vs.8)

Fire speaks of judgment, refining, and purification.  Our faith is
judged and tested by fire so it can be refined and purified and come
forth as pure gold (Zechariah 13:9, James 1:12, 1 Peter 1:7).

IT MUST NOT BE SODDEN WITH WATER (vs.9)

The Gospel of Jesus must not be watered down (Mark 7:9,13).

THE HEAD, LEGS, AND OTHER PARTS OF THE LAMB MUST BE EATEN (vs.9)

Those who believe in the Lord Jesus must feed on the mind of Christ
(Philippians 2:5, 1 Corinthians 2:16, Romans 12:2, Ephesians 4:21-23,
Hebrews 8:10).  The legs speak of our walk (Colossians 2:6).  How are
we, the believers in Christ to walk?  See, Romans 6:4, 8:1,4, 2
Corinthians 5:7, Galations 5:16, Ephesians 5:2,8, Colossians 1:10, 4:5,
1 Thessalonians 4:1, 1 John 1:7, and 2 John vs.6.

THE LAMB MUST BE EATEN IN HASTE (vs.11)

Bible believers must be quick to leave Egypt (the influences of the
world) and run toward the life that is in the Savior, Jesus Christ (Luke
19:5-6).

IT MUST BE EATEN WITH OUR LOINS GIRDED (vs.11)

Our loins being girded speaks about our hearts desire to eagerly serve
and obey God.  Our spiritual loins are the truth of the Word of God
(Ephesians 6:14).  There are other Scriptures that speak about our loins
being girded.  They are- 1 Kings 18:46, Luke 12:35 and 1 Peter 1:13.

SHOES MUST BE ON OUR FEET (vs.11)

Shoes on our feet speaks about our walk with God.  Scriptures that speak
about this are- Nahum 1:15, Romans 10:15 and Ephesians 6:15.

A STAFF MUST BE IN OUR HAND (vs.11)

A staff in our hand speaks about the believer's authority in the Kingdom
of God by the name of Jesus  The following Scriptures speak about a
staff being in our hand- Genesis 38:17-18, Psalm 23:4 and Mark 6:7-8.

IT IS THE LORD'S PASSOVER (vs.11)

If we follow Christ with all of our hearts, we will pass from death to
life, and from judgment to divine protection (John 5:24, 1 John 3:14, 2
Corinthians 5:17).

IT IS A MEMORIAL (vs.14)

Passover is a memorial or a remembrance (Luke 22:13-15,19).  There are
two elements of remembrance:
-God remembers us (Genesis 8:1, 9:5-16, Exodus 2:24-25, 6:2,5 Leviticus
26:38-45, Numbers 10:9, Psalm 105:7-8, 42-43, 112:6).  In fact, God has
a book of remembrance (Malachi 3:16-18).
-We must remember God (Exodus 13:3, Deuteronomy 7:17-19, 8:18, 16:3,
Numbers 15:37-41).

IT IS TO BE OBSERVED AT THE GOING DOWN OF THE SUN (Deuteronomy 16:2,6).
This was fulfilled by the Lord at His crucifixion (Matthew 27:45-46).

IT IS THE PLACE WHERE GOD WOULD PUT HIS NAME (Deuteronomy 16:2,6)

The place where God has put His name is Jerusalem (2 Kings 21:4).  Jesus
was crucified in Jerusalem.

NOT A BONE OF THE LAMB WAS TO BE BROKEN (Exodus 12:43-46)

Not a bone of our Lord was broken while He hung on the cross (John
19:33).

THERE WAS TO BE AN EXPLANATION OF THE SERVICE (Exodus 12:25-28)

Jesus explained each part of the Passover as He did the service (Luke
22:14-20, 1 Corinthians 11:23-26)

THE EGYPTIANS WERE SPOILED AT THE EXODUS (Exodus 12:31-36)

Satan was spoiled when Jesus entered hell and rose again (Colossians
2:15)

YOU MUST BE CIRCUMCISED TO EAT THE PASSOVER (Exodus 12:48, Joshua
5:2-10)

The physical act of circumcision was only a picture of the inward or
spiritual circumcision that God wanted us to have (Romans 2:28-29).  God
has always desired for His people to be circumcised in the heart
(Deuteronomy 10:12-16, 1 Corinthians 7:18-19, Galatians 6:12-15).

THE PASSOVER FEAST WAS TO BE A HOLY CONVOCATION, AND NO WORK WAS TO BE
DONE (Exodus 12:16)

A believer finds true rest in ceasing from his own works and resting in
the finished work of Christ, God's Passover Lamb (Genesis 2:1-2, Matthew
11:28-30, Hebrews 4:1-10).

THE PASSOVER MUST BE KILLED OUTSIDE THE GATES OF THE CITY (Deuteronomy
16:5)

Our Lord was crucified outside of the city walls of Jerusalem at a place
called Golgotha (John 19:16-19, Hebrews 13:10-13).

THERE IS HEALING POWER IN THE LAMB (Exodus 15:26)

Christ, is the Healer sent from God (Isaiah 53:1-5, 1 Peter 2:24, 1
Corinthians 11:26-30).

THE EXODUS WAS ON EAGLE'S WINGS (Exodus 19:4)

Scriptures associated with this are Deuteronomy 32:9-13, Isaiah 40:31,
Luke 17:33-37 and Revelation 12:6,14.

THEY SANG A SONG OF REJOICING TO THE LORD (Exodus 15:1, 19-21)

Whenever a believer experiences and understands the meaning of Passover,
there is a spirit of rejoicing to the Lord for his or her deliverance
from sin, and for experiencing the newness of life in the Savior.
NOTE:  The Passover Seder, which is the service and meal that celebrates
the Passover, always ends with songs of rejoicing.  This can be seen in
Mark 14:26.

ISRAEL IS THE FIRSTBORN OF GOD (Exodus 4:22-23)

All those who accept Jesus as Lord and Savior are called the firstborn
of God even as Jesus is called the firstborn of God (Romans 8:29,
Colossians 1:15,18, Hebrews 12:22-23).


On the fourteenth of Nisan, at the third hour of the day (9 a.m.), the
high priest took the lamb and ascended the altar so he could tie the
lamb in place on the alter.  At the same time on that day, Jesus was
nailed to the cross on Mount Moriah (Mark 15:25).  At the time of the
evening sacrifice (3 p.m.) for Passover (Exodus 12:6), the high priest
ascended the altar, cut the throat of the lamb with a knife, and said
the words, "It is finished."  These are the exact words said after
giving a peace offering to God.

At this same time, Jesus died (the ninth hour, 3:00 p.m., Matthew
27:46), saying these exact words in John 19:30- "IT IS FINISHED."

Coca Cola made with real sugar not high fructose corn syrup

no corn? does that mean no grain alcohols?!?

Thanks for sharing this wonderful info about the Passover ST!

Didn’t know that. Is it much better? Is it marked on the can, so you can tell? They should mark it up with some Hebrew on the outside. That would be cool.

It’s the yeast, not the corn, per se.

Corn ferments by nature (although given today’s technolgy, one could stop it now, but the tradition remains).

As Christ was our (Christians) ‘passover’ it is Christian to remember and keep the ‘passover’... Easter is NOT Christian, even though the peoples are told and taught differently. The word Easter was never uttered by the writer of the New Testament, it is a tradition of man. Now either Christ was as foretold or none of the Bible matters to anybody.

THANKS THANKS.

Is it much better?

That of course is subjective. On the few occasions I drink Coca-Cola I much prefer it to be flavored with sugar instead of HFCS. I just think it tastes better. Ususally though I purchase Coca-Cola made in Mexico for this purpose.

Is it marked on the can, so you can tell? They should mark it up with some Hebrew on the outside.

It is sold in 2L bottles, my guess is at supermarkets in areas where a lot of Jews live. The caps are yellow, not red, and there is Hebrew text on the bottle cap itself. Sadly though this is only sold around the time of Passover so if you really do like it, it is best to stock up now.

Pesach: Passover

Significance: Remembers the Exodus from Egypt

Observances: Avoiding all leavened grain products and related foods; Family or communal retelling of the Exodus story

Length: 8 days (Some: 7 days)

And this day shall become a memorial for you, and you shall observe it as a festival for the L-RD, for your generations, as an eternal decree shall you observe it. For seven days you shall eat unleavened bread, but on the first day you shall remove the leaven from your homes ... you shall guard the unleavened bread, because on this very day I will take you out of the land of Egypt; you shall observe this day for your generations as an eternal decree. - Exodus 12:14-17

Of all the Jewish holidays, Pesach is the one most commonly observed, even by otherwise non-observant Jews. According to the 1990 National Jewish Population Survey (NJPS), more than 80% of Jews have attended a Pesach seder.

Pesach begins on the 15th day of the Jewish month of Nissan. It is the first of the three major festivals with both historical and agricultural significance (the other two are Shavu'ot and Sukkot). Agriculturally, it represents the beginning of the harvest season in Israel, but little attention is paid to this aspect of the holiday. The primary observances of Pesach are related to the Exodus from Egypt after generations of slavery. This story is told in Exodus, Ch. 1-15. Many of the Pesach observances are instituted in Chs. 12-15.

The name "Pesach" (PAY-sahch, with a "ch" as in the Scottish "loch") comes from the Hebrew root Pei-Samekh-Cheit, meaning to pass through, to pass over, to exempt or to spare. It refers to the fact that G-d "passed over" the houses of the Jews when he was slaying the firstborn of Egypt. In English, the holiday is known as Passover. "Pesach" is also the name of the sacrificial offering (a lamb) that was made in the Temple on this holiday. The holiday is also referred to as Chag he-Aviv , (the Spring Festival), Chag ha-Matzot , (the Festival of Matzahs), and Z'man Cheiruteinu , (the Time of Our Freedom) (again, all with those Scottish "ch"s).

Pesach Laws and Customs

Probably the most significant observance related to Pesach involves the removal of chametz (leaven; sounds like "hum it's" with that Scottish "ch") from our homes. This commemorates the fact that the Jews leaving Egypt were in a hurry, and did not have time to let their bread rise. It is also a symbolic way of removing the "puffiness" (arrogance, pride) from our souls.

Chametz includes anything made from the five major grains (wheat, rye, barley, oats and spelt) that has not been completely cooked within 18 minutes after coming into contact with water. Orthodox Jews of Ashkenazic background also avoid rice, corn, peanuts, and legumes (beans) as if they were chametz. All of these items are commonly used to make bread, thus use of them was prohibited to avoid any confusion. Such additional items are referred to as "kitniyot."

We may not eat chametz during Pesach; we may not even own it or derive benefit from it. We may not even feed it to our pets or cattle. All chametz, including utensils used to cook chametz, must either be disposed of or sold to a non-Jew (they can be repurchased after the holiday). Pets' diets must be changed for the holiday, or the pets must be sold to a non-Jew (like the food and utensils, the pets can be repurchased after the holiday ends). You can sell your chametz online through Chabad-Lubavitch. I have noticed that many non-Jews and non-observant Jews mock this practice of selling chametz as an artificial technicality. I assure you that this sale is very real and legally binding, and would not be valid under Jewish law if it were not. From the gentile's perspective, the purchase functions much like the buying and selling of futures on the stock market: even though he does not take physical possession of the goods, his temporary legal ownership of those goods is very real and potentially profitable.

The process of cleaning the home of all chametz in preparation for Pesach is an enormous task. To do it right, you must prepare for several weeks and spend several days scrubbing everything down, going over the edges of your stove and fridge with a toothpick and a Q-Tip, covering all surfaces that come in contact with food with foil or shelf-liner, etc., etc., etc. After the cleaning is completed, the morning before the seder, a formal search of the house for chametz is undertaken, and any remaining chametz is burned.

The grain product we eat during Pesach is called matzah. Matzah is unleavened bread, made simply from flour and water and cooked very quickly. This is the bread that the Jews made for their flight from Egypt. We have come up with many inventive ways to use matzah; it is available in a variety of textures for cooking: matzah flour (finely ground for cakes and cookies), matzah meal (coarsely ground, used as a bread crumb substitute), matzah farfel (little chunks, a noodle or bread cube substitute), and full-sized matzahs (about 10 inches square, a bread substitute).

Some people observe an additional strictness during Pesach known as gebrochts, from a Yiddish word meaning "broken," although I'm not sure what brokenness has to do with this restriction. Those who observe gebrochts (or more accurately, "no gebrochts") will avoid any matzah product that has come into contact with liquid after being baked. The rule arises from a concern that matzah may contain bits of flour that were not completely cooked and that would become leavened upon contact with liquid. People who observe this strictness cannot eat many common traditional Pesach dishes, such as matzah ball soup, and cannot even eat charoset on matzah at seder. They are careful not to spill seder wine on their matzah, and promptly remove the wine spilled as part of the seder. Observance of this additional restriction is not common, but many people become exposed to it because it is followed by the Chabad-Lubavitch, who are active in Jewish education. Some have criticized gebrochts for unnecessarily complicating Pesach and taking some of the joy out of this celebration of freedom for no good reason, noting that the premise of this rule contradicts codes of Jewish law that explicitly say it is impossible for matzah to become chametz once it is baked. Nevertheless, this effort to more fully observe G-d's law is worthy of respect, even if you are not inclined to add this restriction to your own Pesach experience.

The day before Pesach is the Fast of the Firstborn, a minor fast for all firstborn males, commemorating the fact that the firstborn Jewish males in Egypt were not killed during the final plague.

On the first night of Pesach (first two nights for traditional Jews outside Israel), we have a special family meal filled with ritual to remind us of the significance of the holiday. This meal is called a seder , from a Hebrew root word meaning "order," because there is a specific set of information that must be discussed in a specific order. It is the same root from which we derive the word "siddur" , (prayer book). An overview of a traditional seder is included below.

Pesach lasts for seven days (eight days outside of Israel). The first and last days of the holiday (first two and last two outside of Israel) are days on which no work is permitted. See Extra Day of Holidays for more information. Work is permitted on the intermediate days. These intermediate days on which work is permitted are referred to as Chol Ha-Mo'ed, as are the intermediate days of Sukkot.

When Pesach Begins on a Saturday Night

Occasionally, Pesach begins on a motzaei Shabbat, that is, on Saturday night after the sabbath has concluded. This occurs in 5768 (2008). This complicates the process of preparing for Pesach, because many of the preparations normally undertaken on the day before Pesach cannot be performed on Shabbat.

The Fast of the Firstborn, normally observed on the day before Pesach, is observed on Thursday instead. The search for chametz, normally performed on the night before Pesach, is performed on Thursday night. The seder should be prepared for as much as possible before Shabbat begins, because time should not be taken away from Shabbat to prepare for Pesach. In addition, there are severe complications dealing with the conflict between the requirement of removing chametz no later than mid-morning on Saturday, the prohibition against eating matzah on the day before the seder, and the requirement of eating three meals with bread during Shabbat! For further details, see an excellent summary from the Orthodox Union, the world's largest, oldest and perhaps most respected kosher certification agency.

The word Easter was never uttered by the writer of the New Testament, it is a tradition of man.

That's because they spoke Greek and called it "pascha", just like Greeks call it "pascha" today.

Thanks. I’m not likely to see it. Not many Jews in my area, unfortunately.

Jesus was the Passover Lamb of God... and he was sacrificed on the cross for our sins.

However, I wouldn’t forget about Easter, in that Jesus was raised from the dead... you see...

A dead Passover Lamb of God is one thing, but a resurrected Lamb of God, is quite another... :-) ... and that happened on Easter Sunday morning...

I wouldn’t be “throwing out the baby with the bathwater” ... doncha know...

What every Christian needs to know about Passover

Zola Levitt Presents: The Miracle of Passover, part 1

Zola Levitt Presents: The Miracle of Passover, part 2

Nissan 5770 (March / April 2010)

Pesach: Passover