Passover facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Quick facts for kids Passover

Official name	Hebrew: פסח (Pesach)
Observed by	Jews, Samaritans, some Christians including Malayali Nasrani Christians, Knanaya and followers of Messianic Judaism.
Type	One of the Three Pilgrim Festivals
Significance	Celebrates the Exodus, the freedom from slavery of the Children of Israel from ancient Egypt that followed the Ten Plagues. Beginning of the 49 days of Counting of the Omer
Celebrations	In Jewish practice, one or two festive Seder meals – first two nights; in the times of the Temple in Jerusalem, the Passover sacrifice. In Samaritan practice, men gather for a religious ceremony on mount Gerizim that includes the ancient cow Sacrifice.il (7th day)
Begins	15th day of Nisan
Ends	21st day of Nisan in Israel, and among some liberal Diaspora Jews; 22nd day of Nisan outside of Israel among more traditional Diaspora Jews.
Date	Lua error in Module:Wikidata at line 132: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value).
Related to	Shavuot ("Festival of Weeks") which follows 49 days from the second night of Passover.

Passover, also called Pesach, is a special holiday celebrated by Jewish people. It remembers when God helped Moses free the Israelites from slavery in ancient Egypt. This amazing story is told in the Bible's book of Exodus. God told Moses to set aside this special week, originally called "the feast of unleavened bread." (Leaven is yeast, which makes bread rise.) During Passover, people eat special foods, do special traditions, and sing songs. Passover usually happens around the time of Easter (March or April). Some Christians also celebrate it.

When is Passover Celebrated?

Passover starts on the 15th day of the month of Nisan in the Hebrew calendar. This usually falls in March or April on our regular calendar. The 15th day begins in the evening, after the 14th day. The main Seder meal is eaten that evening.

Passover is a spring festival. The 15th day of Nisan often starts on the night of a full moon after the spring equinox. Sometimes, because of extra months added to the Hebrew calendar, Passover starts on the second full moon after the spring equinox.

In ancient Israel, people made sure Passover didn't start before spring. They waited until the barley was ripe. If it wasn't ready, they added an extra month. Today, the date is figured out using math.

In Israel, Passover lasts for seven days. The first and last days are special holidays. People have holiday meals, go to special prayers, and do not work. The days in between are called Chol HaMoed, which means "Weekdays of the Festival."

Outside of Israel, many Jewish people celebrate Passover for eight days. This means the first two days and the last two days are major holidays. Reform and Reconstructionist Jews usually celebrate for seven days. Some groups, like Karaites and Samaritans, use slightly different calendars. This can make their Passover start a day or two later.

The Story of Passover

Illustration of The Exodus from Egypt, 1907

The idea of Passover began even before the the Exodus from Egypt. Some believe it started as a way to protect homes from bad spirits. People would put the blood of a sheep on their doorframes. This was to keep evil away from their families.

Later, this tradition joined with an ancient spring festival. This festival was about the barley harvest and eating unleavened bread. As the story of the Exodus became more important, these older meanings changed.

The Hebrew Bible calls Passover "the festival of the matzot." The book of Leviticus gives rules for celebrating:

In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at dusk is the LORD's Passover. And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the feast of unleavened bread unto the LORD; seven days ye shall eat unleavened bread. In the first day ye shall have a holy convocation; ye shall do no manner of servile work. And ye shall bring an offering made by fire unto the LORD seven days; in the seventh day is a holy convocation; ye shall do no manner of servile work. (Leviticus 23:5–8)

The Bible says that all leavened bread must be gone before the 15th of Nisan. A perfect lamb or goat, called the "Paschal Lamb," was chosen on the 10th of Nisan. It was then sacrificed on the 14th of Nisan. It was eaten roasted on the night of the 15th of Nisan. It had to be eaten with unleavened bread (matzo) and bitter herbs (maror). Nothing from the sacrifice could be left until morning.

The Bible also describes how the first Passover meal was eaten. People ate it quickly, ready to leave Egypt. They had their shoes on and staffs in hand.

After the Israelites left Egypt, the rules changed. The Paschal lamb was sacrificed at the Tabernacle (a holy tent) and later at the Temple in Jerusalem. The blood was no longer put on doorframes.

Remembering the Exodus is a key part of Passover. The Bible says:

"And thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in Egypt; and thou shalt observe and do these statutes" (Deuteronomy 16:12).
"And this day shall be unto you for a memorial, and ye shall keep it a feast to the LORD; throughout your generations ye shall keep it a feast by an ordinance for ever." (Exodus 12:14)
"Remember this day, in which you came out of Egypt, out of the house of bondage, for by strength the hand of the LORD brought you out from this place." (Exodus 13:3)

The Passover Offering

The main part of Passover, according to Jewish tradition, used to be the sacrificial lamb.

When the Tabernacle and later the Temple in Jerusalem existed, the Passover festival focused on the Passover sacrifice (korban Pesach). This was a lamb eaten during the Passover Seder on the 15th of Nisan. Each family would offer a young lamb or goat at the Temple. They would eat it that night. If a family was too small, they would share with another family.

This sacrifice could not be offered with anything leavened. It had to be roasted whole and eaten with unleavened bread (matzo) and bitter herbs (maror). No bones from the offering could be broken. None of the meat could be left until morning.

Only those who were required to bring the offering could eat it. This included people who were not ritually impure. People who were not Jewish or uncircumcised could not eat it.

Passover Today

Today, since the Temple was destroyed, sacrifices are no longer offered. The Korban Pesach is remembered in a special reading called Seder Korban Pesach. This is read after the afternoon prayer on the 14th of Nisan.

A symbolic food, called the zeroa, is placed on the Seder Plate. This is usually a roasted shankbone or a chicken wing. It is not eaten. Eating the afikoman (a piece of matzo) at the end of the Seder meal takes the place of eating the Korban Pesach. Many Sephardi Jews eat lamb or goat meat during the Seder to remember the sacrifice.

Removing Leaven (Chametz)

Burning chametz on the morning before Passover begins

Leaven, called chametz in Hebrew, is made from five types of grains mixed with water and left to rise for more than 18 minutes. During Passover, it is forbidden to eat, keep, or own chametz. Yeast itself is not forbidden; for example, wine is allowed.

Chametz does not include things like baking soda or baking powder. These make food rise using chemicals, not yeast. So, foods made with baking soda and matzo meal are allowed. But bagels or pancakes made with yeast are not.

The Torah commands about chametz are:

To remove all chametz from your home before Passover starts. You can use it up, throw it out, or sell it to non-Jews.
To not eat chametz or foods with chametz during Passover.
To not have chametz in your home, office, or car during Passover.

Observant Jews spend weeks before Passover cleaning their homes very carefully. They remove every bit of chametz. Jewish law requires removing olive-sized or larger amounts. But most people clean even more thoroughly. They scrub kitchen counters to remove any flour or yeast. Any kitchen tools that touched chametz are put away for the holiday.

Some hotels and resorts also clean their places to be "kosher for Pesach." This means they are ready for observant Jews to stay there.

Blessing for Searching for Chametz

Before searching for chametz, a special blessing is said:

Blessed are You, Hashem our God, King of the universe, Who has sanctified us with his commandments and has commanded us concerning the removal of chametz.

In Hebrew: ברוך אתה יהוה אלהינו מלך העולם אשר קדשנו במצותיו וצונו על בעור חמץ

The search is usually done by the head of the family, with children helping. It's common to search by candlelight, using a feather and a wooden spoon. The candle helps see crumbs in corners. The feather brushes crumbs out. The wooden spoon collects them and can be burned with the chametz later. Some people use a flashlight instead for safety.

Because the house is usually very clean, people hide 10 small pieces of bread. This makes sure that some chametz will be found. After the search, with all the pieces gathered, this is said:

Any chametz or leaven that is in my possession which I have not seen and have not removed and do not know about should be annulled and become ownerless like the dust of the earth.

Original declaration in Aramaic: כל חמירא וחמיעא דאכא ברשותי דלא חמתה ודלא בערתה ודלא ידענא לה לבטל ולהוי הפקר כעפרא דארעא

Morning of the 14th of Nissan

If the 14th of Nissan is a Shabbat, some of these traditions happen on the 13th instead. This is because of rules during Shabbat.

Fast of the Firstborn

On the day before the first Passover Seder, firstborn sons have a special fast. This is called the Fast of the Firstborn. It remembers when God saved the Hebrew firstborns. The Bible says God struck down all Egyptian firstborns, but the Israelites were safe. However, many synagogues have a special meal after morning prayers. This meal cancels the need for the firstborn to fast.

Burning Leaven

On the morning of the 14th of Nisan, any remaining leavened products are burned. This includes the 10 pieces of bread found the night before. The head of the household says a declaration again. This declares any chametz that might still be hidden to be worthless, "like the dust of the earth."

Any chametz or leaven that is in my possession which I have not seen and have not removed and do not know about should be annulled and become ownerless like the dust of the earth.

Original declaration in Aramaic: כל חמירא וחמיעא דאכא ברשותי דלא חמתה ודלא בערתה ודלא ידענא לה לבטל ולהוי הפקר כעפרא דארעא

If more chametz is found during Passover, it must be burned right away. Foods that are "kosher for Passover" can be eaten all year. They do not need to be burned after the holiday.

The ancient "Paschal lamb" sacrifice is no longer done. This is because the Jewish Temple was destroyed almost 2,000 years ago. However, some groups like Falashah, Karaite, and Samaritan still do this sacrifice.

Special Passover Kitchenware

Because eating chametz is forbidden during Passover, many observant families have special dishes, glasses, and silverware. These items have never touched chametz and are only used during Passover.

Sometimes, regular kitchen tools can be made ready for Passover. This involves putting them in boiling water to remove any traces of chametz. Many Sephardi Jews simply wash their regular glass dishes very well. They believe glass does not absorb food traces easily. Ovens can also be made ready by using a self-cleaning function or heating them until they glow red hot.

Matzah: The Unleavened Bread

Machine made shmura matza

A main symbol of Passover is matzo. This is a flat, unleavened bread made only from flour and water. It is worked continuously so it doesn't rise. Matzo can be made by machine or by hand. The Torah says to eat matzo on the first night of Passover. It also says to eat only unleavened bread during the whole week of Passover. Matzo is a very important part of the Passover Seder.

There are a few reasons for this. The Torah says the Hebrews left Egypt so quickly that their bread didn't have time to rise. So, matzo reminds them of their fast departure. Others say matzo was a good travel food because it lasted long and was light. This suggests it was made on purpose for their long journey.

Matzo is also called Lechem Oni, which means "bread of poverty." This reminds Jews what it was like to be poor slaves. It helps them feel humble and appreciate freedom.

Hand made shmura matzo

Shmura matzo means "watched" or "guarded" matzo. This is the preferred bread for the Passover Seder in Orthodox Jewish communities. It is made from wheat that has been watched carefully. This ensures it doesn't touch anything that could make it leaven. This watching happens from the summer harvest until it's baked, many months later.

In the weeks before Passover, matzos are made for the holiday. In many Orthodox Jewish communities, men gather to bake handmade matzo. The dough is rolled by hand, making large, round matzos. People also work together in factories that make the square-shaped matzo sold in stores.

Baking matzo takes a lot of work. There are less than 18 minutes allowed from mixing the flour and water to finishing the baking. Only a few matzos can be baked at once. The bakers must work the dough constantly so it doesn't ferment and rise. A special tool is used to prick bubbles in the dough. This creates the familiar dotted holes in the matzo.

After baking, the whole work area is cleaned. This makes sure no old dough pieces remain. Any stray pieces would now be chametz and could spoil the next batch. Some machine-made matzos are finished within 5 minutes of being kneaded.

The Passover Seder Meal

Table set for the Passover Seder

Jewish families traditionally gather on the first night of Passover for a special dinner. This meal is called a Seder. (In some communities outside Israel, it's done on the first two nights.) Seder means "order" in Hebrew. This refers to the very specific order of the meal. The table is set with nice dishes to show how important the meal is.

During the Seder, the story of the Exodus from Egypt is retold. A special book called the Haggadah guides the meal. Four cups of wine are drunk at different times during the story. The Haggadah divides the Seder into 15 parts:

Kadeish – Saying a blessing and drinking the first cup of wine.
Urchatz – Washing hands without a blessing.
Karpas – Dipping a green vegetable (like parsley) in salt water.
Yachatz – Breaking the middle matzo. The larger piece is saved for later as the afikoman.
Maggid – Retelling the Passover story, including "the four questions." Drinking the second cup of wine.
Rachtzah – Washing hands again, this time with a blessing.
Motzi – A blessing before eating bread products.
Matzo – A blessing before eating matzo.
Maror – Eating bitter herbs.
Koreich – Eating a sandwich made of matzo and maror.
Shulchan oreich – The holiday meal is served.
Tzafun – Eating the afikoman.
Bareich – Blessing after the meal and drinking the third cup of wine.
Hallel – Saying special prayers of praise. Drinking the fourth cup of wine.
Nirtzah – The conclusion of the Seder.

These 15 parts are like the 15 steps in the Temple in Jerusalem. The Levites stood on these steps during Temple services. They are also remembered in 15 Psalms (120–134) called Shir HaMa'alot (Songs of Ascent).

The Seder has many questions, answers, and unusual actions. These are meant to make children curious. Children are often given nuts and candies when they ask questions and join in the discussion. They are also encouraged to search for the afikoman, which is the last thing eaten at the Seder. Everyone participates, and many families' Seders last late into the night with lively talks and singing. The Seder ends with more songs of praise and faith from the Haggadah, like Chad Gadya.

Maror: Bitter Herbs

Types of maror: grated horseradish, romaine lettuce, whole horseradish root

Maror (bitter herbs) symbolize the harshness of slavery in Egypt. The Torah says: "And they embittered (Hebrew: וימררו ve-yimareru) their lives with hard labor, with mortar and with bricks and with all manner of labor in the field; any labor that they made them do was with hard labor" (Exodus 1:14).

Silver seder plate

Four Cups of Wine

Jewish law requires drinking four cups of wine during the Seder meal. This applies to both men and women. Even the poorest person must drink. Each cup is for a different part of the Seder:

The first cup is for the opening blessing.
The second cup is for telling the story of the Exodus.
The third cup is for the blessing after the meal.
The fourth cup is for the prayers of praise.

The Four Questions and Children's Role

Children have a very important role in the Passover Seder. The youngest child traditionally asks questions about the Seder. They start by saying, Mah Nishtana HaLeila HaZeh (Why is this night different from all other nights?). These questions encourage everyone to talk about the meaning of the Seder symbols. The questions the child asks are:

Why is this night different from all other nights?

On all other nights, we eat either unleavened or leavened bread, but tonight we eat only unleavened bread?

On all other nights, we eat all kinds of vegetables, but tonight, we eat only bitter herbs?

On all other nights, we do not dip [our food] even once, but tonight we dip twice?

On all other nights, we eat either sitting or reclining, but tonight we only recline?

The Seder leader and other adults use answers from the Haggadah. It says, "The more one talks about the Exodus from Egypt, the more praiseworthy he is." Many readings, prayers, and stories are used to tell the Exodus story. Families often add their own thoughts and connect the story of the Jews to the idea of freedom around the world.

Afikoman: The Hidden Matzo

14th century Haggadah

The afikoman is a key part of the Seder. It helps keep children interested and excited. During the fourth part of the Seder, called Yachatz, the leader breaks the middle piece of matzo in half. The larger piece is set aside as the afikoman. Many families hide the afikoman and offer a prize for its return. This keeps children awake and involved. Or, children might "steal" the afikoman and ask for a reward to give it back. Either way, the afikoman must be eaten during the twelfth part of the Seder, Tzafun.

Concluding Songs

After the Hallel prayers, the fourth cup of wine is drunk. Participants then say a prayer that ends with "Next year in Jerusalem!" This is followed by songs that talk about God's kindness. They also give thanks for the Jewish people's survival through hard times. "Echad Mi Yodea" ("Who Knows One?") is a fun song that tests everyone's knowledge. Some songs, like "Chad Gadya", are like riddles with hidden meanings.

Counting of the Omer

Starting on the second night of Passover, the 16th day of Nisan, Jews begin the Counting of the Omer. This is a daily reminder of the holiday of Shavuot, which comes 50 days later. Each night after evening prayers, people say a special blessing and count the day of the Omer. For example, on the first night, they say, "Today is the first day in the Omer." On the seventh day, they say, "Today is the seventh day, which is one week in the Omer."

When the Temple stood in Jerusalem, a bundle of newly cut barley was brought to the altar on the second day of Unleavened Bread. This offering is now remembered through words.

One reason for counting the Omer is to show the link between Passover and Shavuot. The freedom from slavery in Egypt was just the start. The spiritual freedom came with receiving the Torah (God's law) at Mount Sinai. Another reason is that the new nation of Israel needed time to learn their new duties before accepting God's law. The difference between the barley offering (animal food) and the wheat bread offering (human food) for Shavuot shows this change.

Chol HaMoed: The Middle Days of Passover

In Israel, Passover lasts for seven days. The first and last days are major Jewish holidays. In Orthodox and Conservative communities, no work is done on these days. Most rules for Shabbat apply.

Outside Israel, in Orthodox and Conservative communities, the holiday lasts for eight days. The first two days and last two days are major holidays. During the middle days, called Chol HaMoed, necessary work can be done. Reform Judaism observes Passover for seven days, with the first and last days being major holidays.

Like the holiday of Sukkot, the middle days of Passover have a semi-festive feeling. It's a time for family outings and picnics. People eat matzo, hardboiled eggs, fruits, vegetables, and Passover treats like macaroons.

Passover cake recipes use potato starch or special Passover cake flour instead of regular flour. They also use many eggs to make them fluffy. Cookie recipes use matzo farfel (broken matzo bits) or ground nuts. For families from Eastern Europe, borsht (a soup made with beets) is a Passover tradition.

A Passover brownie cake baked in a Wonder Pot.

While you can buy kosher for Passover foods in stores, some families prefer to cook everything from scratch. In Israel, families without special Passover ovens can bake cakes and other dishes on the stovetop using a Wonder Pot. This is an Israeli invention that helps bake on the stove.

Seventh Day of Passover

Shvi'i shel Pesach (seventh day of Passover) is another full Jewish holiday. It has special prayers and festive meals. Outside of Israel, it is celebrated on both the seventh and eighth days of Passover. This holiday remembers the day the Children of Israel reached the Red Sea. They saw the amazing "Splitting of the Sea" and the drowning of the Egyptian army that was chasing them. The story says only the Pharaoh was saved to tell about the miracle.

Hasidic leaders often hold a special gathering on the night of Shvi'i shel Pesach. They place a cup of water on the table. They talk about the Splitting of the Sea and sing songs of praise to God.

Second Passover

The "Second Passover" (Pesach Sheni) is on the 14th of Iyar in the Hebrew Calendar. It is mentioned in the Hebrew Bible's Book of Numbers. It was a chance for people who couldn't offer the Passover sacrifice at the right time. This might be because they were ritually impure or too far from Jerusalem. Just like the first Passover, you couldn't break bones from the sacrifice or leave meat until morning.

Today, Pesach Sheni is a very minor holiday. Many Jewish people have not even heard of it. It mostly exists in Orthodox and traditional Conservative Judaism. There are no special prayers or rules that are Jewish law. The only change is that a prayer called Tachanun (a prayer of sadness) is not said. There is a custom, but not a law, to eat one piece of matzo on that night.

Traditional Passover Foods

Matzah brei (fried matzo and egg), a popular Passover dish

Since the house is free of leaven (chametz) for eight days, Jewish families usually eat different foods during Passover week. Some popular dishes include:

Ashkenazi Foods

Matzah brei – Matzo softened in milk or water, then fried with egg and fat. It can be savory or sweet.
Matzo kugel – A baked dish made with matzo instead of noodles.
Charoset – A sweet mix of fruits, nuts, spices, honey, and sometimes wine. It symbolizes the mortar the Israelites used as slaves in Egypt.
Chrain – A relish made from horseradish and beets.
Gefilte fish – Cooked fish patties or balls made from ground fish, often carp.
Chicken soup with matzah balls (kneydlach) – Chicken soup served with dumplings made from matzo meal.
Passover noodles – Noodles made from potato flour and eggs. The batter is fried like thin crepes, then rolled and sliced.

Sephardi Foods

Kafteikas di prasa – Fried balls made of leeks, meat, and matzo meal.
Lamb or chicken leg – A symbol of God's strong hand and the korban pesach (Passover sacrifice).
Mina (pastel di pesach) – A meat pie made with matzos.
Spring green vegetables – Like artichokes, fava beans, and peas.

Images for kids

Washing dishes for passover (1657)
The President of Israel Reuven Rivlin sells the leaven of the Beit HaNassi (the official residence of the president), to Shlomo Amar, the Sephardic Chief Rabbi of Israel and the Rishon LeZion, so Amar can later sell it to a non-Jew.
Chametz foods blocked from purchase during Passover in a Jerusalem supermarket
Passover glass, interwar period
Pesaha appam (unleavened bread) and Pesaha milk prepared for Maundy Thursday by Saint Thomas Christians of Kerala, India.