The Passover Story

A Summary of the Passover Story

The holiday of Passover, which is also known as Pesach, Pesah and Peysekh, is one of the most important holidays on the Jewish calender.  It is a holiday for a celebration of freedom and for the telling of a very important part part of Jewish history, and even small children can appreciate the meaning behind the story and how it relates to them.

Passover commemorates the departure of the Jews from Egypt.  At the time, the Jewish people were enslaved by the pharaoh, the great king of Egypt.  He saw that they grew powerful, and because of this, the Jews were repressed and kept in suffering.  They were forced to work in harsh conditions and under the rule of the Pharaoh, the Jewish people suffered very greatly.  There came a time when a Jewish couple sought to protect their newborn son from oppression, and so they floated him down the river on a basket of reeds.  This baby was Moses and he was picked up the pharaoh's daughter and reared as an Egyptian.

When Moses discovered his heritage, he came to the Pharaoh and asked that the Jewish people be released.  The Pharaoh, in his arrogance and pride, refused, and because of this, Egypt was stricken with ten plagues, each one more dire than the last.  The final plague called upon the Angel of Death, who slew every first born son in Egypt, save those of the Jews, who had sprinkled their lintels with lamb's blood, prompting the Angel to pass them over.  This is what gives the holiday its name.

After the tenth plague, the pharaoh released the Jews, but when the Jews were on their way out, decided against his former decision.  He and all his cavalry chased the Jews to the Red Sea.  In front of his people, Moses caused the waters to open up to allow them safe passage.  As the pharaoh's army attempted to follow behind them, the waters came crashing down, ending the Egyptian threat and signaling a new day for the Jewish people.

One of the signature events of Passover is the recounting of the Passover story of these events, and the seder dinner, which occurs on the first night of Passover, is intended as a reminder of the experiences of the Jewish people during this difficult but ultimately hopeful time.