1.         Passover is a spring festival held during NISAN (Mar/Apr). Preparations are made in the home.

2.         All ordinary food (CHAMETZ) is eaten/removed and the special passover meal (SEDAR) is prepared.

3.         On the table is unleavened bread (MATZAH), bitter herbs (MAROR) and a piece of lamb (PESACH). In the centre of the table is the SEDAR plate with bitter herbs, greenery, a shankbone of lamb and a boiled egg. Also four cups of wine and the cup of Elijah. Then the head of the family says:

’Let all who are hungry come and eat. Let all who are in need come and celebrate Passover.’

4.          First the boiled egg is eaten with salt water – as the foods are eaten four questions are asked by the youngest member:-

¬ ‘Why is this night different from other nights?’  
­ ‘Why do we eat unleavened bread?’
- ‘Why must we eat bitter herbs?’
- ‘Why must we dip vegetables into salt water & bitter herbs into sauce?’

A further question is then asked:-
Q – ‘Why do we learn?’
A – ‘We were slaves’ – followed by Deuteronomy 26.5

’And according to the understanding of the son, his father instructs him. He begins with the disgrace and ends with the glory; and he expounds from: A wandering Aramean was my father…..’

After the meal, the cup of Elijah is filled and the door is opened for the prophet.  

5.         After the meal the parents may tell the story of the release from Egypt as they come to the plagues everyone spills a drop of wine to mark the suffering. 

6.          After the meal they greet each other with – ‘Next Year in Jerusalem’, in Israel they say – ‘Next year in Jerusalem rebuilt.’

7.         The meal has the following significance:

¨      The bitter herbs – Remind them of slavery in Egypt.

¨      The unleavened bread – The flight from Egypt.

¨      The egg & salt – of new life after suffering
.
¨      The 4 cups of wine – Symbolise 4 stages of the journey; the release from slavery, the entry into the promised land, becoming Gods people and being redeemed.