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Erica's Corner
Happy Pesach 5768 / 2008
Welcome to Erica's Corner, an information
blog to help you with all your Judaica queries.
The festival of Pesach is a joyous one. Hard
work, but uplifting, as it comes in the spring
season. We are filled with light and warmth
after the winter, feeling rejuvenated, and ready
to clean out our houses. Cleaning is very
therapeutic, good for the mind as well as the
body, and leads to clearer thinking. Our
thoughts can then focus on the Pesach story - an
inspiring tale of Ancient Egypt, the Pharoahs,
and a people enslaved so that Pharoah's mad
building urges and fear of death could be
transformed into the pyramids and other Egyptian
structures, that amazingly survive even today.
Our story begins with a humble Hebrew family.
We hear about Jocheved and her daughter Miriam,
and son Aaron. However, Pharoah has decreed that
all new-born male Hebrews are to be killed by
throwing them into the river Nile, so Jocheved's
new-born baby, Moses is in great danger. In
desperation, she hides him in a basket in the
bullrushes of the Nile, with Miriam keeping
watch. Baby Moses is found by Pharoah's
daughter, who takes pity on him, and takes him
back to the palace to live. Miriam offers the
services of Jocheved to the princess as a
wet-nurse, and Moses is saved. He grows up as
Pharoah's son, unaware of who he is. He has an
affinity with the Hebrews, however, and when he
sees one being beaten by an Egyptian guard, he
kills the guard.
Now Moses has to flee, and for many years
lives in the wilderness, taking a wife, Zipporah.
One day, whilst tending his sheep, the voice of
G-d appears to him through a burning bush, and
he learns that he must return to Pharoah's court
to help free his people, for he too is a Hebrew.
Moses does this with great fear, but G-d is with
him, and gives him the words to speak to Pharoah.
Pharoah is told that if he does not release the
Hebrews, great plagues will fall on Egypt. He
does not listen, and so begin the ten terrible
plagues - blood, frogs, lice, wild beasts,
animal deaths, boils, hail, locusts, darkness,
and the killing of the first-born. The night
after the last plague, the Children of Israel
pack their possessions in a hurry. Their bread
is flat, as it had no time to rise, like today's
Matzah. They reach the Red Sea, but then see
Pharoah's army chasing them. Moses, with G-d's
help, raises his staff and parts the sea, just
long enough for the Children of Israel to cross
through. The waves then crash down on Pharoah
and his men, killing them all.
We celebrate our freedom each year by
retelling the Passover story. We are told that
it really is our freedom, for if we had not come
out of Egypt with Moses, we would all still be
slaves today. It is most important to teach our
children this story, and pass it on down the
generations. We eat foods to symbolize different
parts of the story, and it is a special family
time.
Pesach
Recipe
Charoset
Makes 20 1/2-teaspoon
servings
Keeps 3 days under
refrigeration
Ingredients:
- 3 ounces (75g/3/4-cup)
walnuts
- 1/4 large cooking apple
Kosher wine to moisten
- 2 level teaspoons
cinnamon
- 2 level teaspoons sugar
Mince the walnuts and the
apple. (You can use the food processor for
this.) Moisten with the kosher wine and flavor
with cinnamon and sugar. The consistency should
be that of mortar.
I would like to wish you all a Chag Kasher
Vesameach - a joyful, Pesach!
I hope you enjoyed reading
my Judaica blog. Check back here again soon to
read more of my blogs. For more information
about what we do or to see more products from
our extensive range of Judaica, Jewish Gifts or
Israeli Art why not visit our sister company's
website at
www.bluewhite.co.uk.
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