PASCH
513
PASCH
hold. On the evening of the thirteenth, after dark,
the head of the house makes the "search for leaven"
according to the manner indicated in the Mishna
(Tractate "Pesachim", i), which is probably the cus-
tom followed by the Jews for at least two thousand
years. The search is made by means of a lighted
wax candle. A piece of ordinary, or leavened, bread
ia left in some conspicuous place, generally on a win-
dow-sill. The search begins by a prayer containing
a reference to the command to put away all leaven
during the feast. The place of the piece of bread just
mentioned is first marked to indicate the beginning of
the search. The whole house is then carefully exam-
ined, and all fragments of leaven are carefully col-
lected on a large spoon or scoop by means of a brush
or bundle of quills. The search is ended by coming
back to the piece of bread with which it began. This,
also is collected on the scoop. The latter, with its
contents, and the brush are then carefully tied up in a
bundle and suspended over a lamp to prevent mice
from scattering leaven during the night and necessitat-
ing a fresh search. The master of the house then pro-
claims in Aramaic that all the leaven that is in his
house, of which he is unaware, is to him no more than
dust. During the forenoon of the next day (four-
teenth) all the leaven that remains is burnt, and a sim-
ilar declaration made. From this time till the evening
of the 22nd, when the feast ends, only unleavened
bread is allowed. The legal time when the use of
leavened bread was prohibited was understood to be
noon on the fourteenth Nisan; but the rabbis, in order
to run no risks, and to place a hedge around the Law,
anticipated this by one or two hours.
On this day, the fourteenth, the first-born son of each family, if he be above thirteen, fasts in memory of the deliverance of the first-born of the Israelites, when the destroying angel passed over Egypt. On the evening of the fourteenth the male members of the family, attired in their best, attend special services in the synagogue. On their return home they find the house lit up and the Seder, or Paschal Table, prepared. The head of the family takes his place at the head of the table, where there is an arm-chair prepared for him with cushions or pillows. A similar chair is also ready for the mistress of the house. The meal is called Seder by the Ashkenazaie Jews, and Hagc/adah (because of the story of the deliverance recited during it) by the Sephardic Jews. All the members of the Jewish family, including servants, sit round the table. In front of the head of the family is the Seder-dish, which is of such a kind as to allow three unleavened cakes or matzoth, each wrapped in a napkin, to be placed in it one above the other. A shank bone of iamb (with a small portion of meat attached) which has been roasted on the coals is placed, together with an egg that has been roasted in hot ashes, on another dish above the three unleavened cakes. The roasted shank represents the paschal lamb, and the roasted egg the chagigah, or free-will offerings, made daily in the Temple. Bitter herbs, such as parsley and horse- radish, a kind of sop called charoselh, consisting of various fruits pounded into a mucilage and mixed with vinegar, and salt water, are arranged in different vessels, sometimes disposed like candelabra above the unleavened bread. The table is also furnished with wine, and cups or glasses for each person, an extra cup being always left for the prophet Elias, whom they expect as the precursor of the Messiah.
When all are seated around the table the first cup of wine is poured out for each. The head of the house rises and thanks God for the fruits of the vine and for the great day which they are about to celebrate. He then sits down and drinks his cup of wine in a reclining posture, leaning on his left arm. The others drink at the same time. In the time of the Temple the poorest Jew was to drink four cups of wine during this joyful meal; and if he happened to be too poor, it was XI.— 33
to be supplied out of public funds. Though four cups
are prescribed, the quantity is not restricted to that
amount. Some water is generally added to the wine.
In early days red wine was used ; but, on account of the
fear of fostering the groundless blood accusations
against the Jews, this usage was discontinued. Un-
fermented raisin wine or Palestinian wine is now gen-
erally used. After drinking the first cup the master
rises and washes his hands, the others remaining
seated, and Edersheini is of opinion that it was at this
point of the supper that Christ washed the disciples'
feet. After washing his hands, the head of the family
sits down, takes a small quantity of bitter herbs, dips
them in salt water, and eats them, reclining on his left
elbow. Jewish interpreters say that only the first
Passover was to be eaten standing, and with circum-
stances of haste. During the Passovers commemora-
tive of the first they reclined "like a king [or free
man] at his ease, and not as slaves" — in this probably
following the example of the independent Romans
with whom they came into contact. After the head
of the family has eaten his portion of bitter herbs,
he takes similar portions, dips them in salt water,
and hands them round to be eaten by the others.
He then takes out the middle unleavened cake, breaks
it in two, and hides away one-half under a pillow or
cushion, to be distributed and eaten after supper. If
this practice existed in the time of Christ, it is not
improbable that it was from this portion, called
afikoman, that the Eucharist was instituted. As soon
as this portion is laid aside, the other half is replaced,
the dish containing the unleavened cakes is uncovered,
and all, standing up, take hold of the dish and solemnly
lift it up, chanting slowly in Aramaic: "This is the
bread of affliction which our fathers ate in Egypt. . . .
This year here, next year in Jerusalem. This year
slaves, next year free." The dish is then replaced,
and the shank bone, roasted egg, etc. restored to
their places above it. All sit down, and the youngest
son asks why this night above all other nights they
eat bitter herbs, unleavened bread, and in a reclining
posture. The head of the house then tells how their
fathers were idolaters when God chose Abraham, how
they were slaves in Egypt, how God delivered them,
etc. God is praised and blessed for His wondrous
mercies to their nation, and this first part of the cere-
mony is brought to a close by their breaking forth
with the recitation of the first part of the Hallel (Pss.,
cxiii and cxiv) and drinking the second cup of wine,
which is triumphantly held aloft and called the cup
of the Haggadah or story of deliverance.
The ceremony so far has been only introductory. The meal proper now begins. First, all wash their hands; the president then recites a blessing over the unleavened cakes, and, after having dipped small fragments of them in salt water, he eats them re- clining. He next distributes pieces to the others. He also takes some bitter herbs, dips them in the charoselh, and gives them to the others to be eaten. He next makes a kind of sandwich by putting a portion of horse-radish between two pieces of un- leavened bread and hands it round, saying that it is in memory of the Temple and of Hillel, who used to wrap together pieces of the paschal lamb, unleavened bread, bitter herbs, and eat them, in fulfilment of the command of Ex., xii, 8. The supper proper is now served, and consists of many courses of dishes loved by Jews, such as soup, fish, etc., prepared in curious ways unknown to Gentiles. At the end of the meal some of the children snatch the afikoman that has been hidden away, and it has to be redeemed by presents — a cus- tom probably arising from a mistranslation of the Talmud. It is then divided between all present and eaten. Oesterley and Box think that this is a survival from an earlier time when a part of the paschal lamb was kept to the end and distributed, so as to be the last thing eaten. When the afi.koman is eaten the
