Passover

The biblical story

According to the Book of Exodus, God sent ten plagues upon Egypt after the Pharaoh refused to free the enslaved Israelites. Before the final plague, which took the lives of all firstborn sons, Moses instructed Hebrew households to sacrifice a lamb and brush its blood across their doorframes. Seeing the blood, God passed over those dwellings, keeping the families safe. Pharaoh subsequently allowed the Israelites to leave. The holiday serves as an enduring memorial to this divine redemption. The commandment urges every generation to remember that their ancestors were once slaves in Egypt and were brought out by divine power.

The Seder table

The central ritual occurs during the opening evening at a festive gathering called the Seder. Family and guests gather around a table to read from the Haggadah, a liturgical text outlining the Exodus story in response to the scriptural command to teach one's children. Participants recount the departure from Egypt during the Magid section, recite blessings, sing traditional hymns, and share specific symbolic foods. In historical times, the feast featured roasted lamb alongside unleavened bread and bitter herbs. Today, the Seder continues to bring generations together over shared liturgy, storytelling, and ceremonial dining.

Unleavened bread and dietary rules

Throughout Passover, Jewish law strictly prohibits owning, eating, or benefiting from leavened grain foods, known as chametz. Before the festival begins, homes are thoroughly cleaned to ensure all traces of leaven are removed or disposed of. In place of leavened bread, observers eat matzah, a flat, crisp bread made purely of flour and water baked without rising. The biblical text links this practice to the rapid departure from Egypt, where the departing multitude lacked time to let their dough ferment. The holiday also marks the start of the ancient barley harvest and the counting of forty-nine days toward the festival of Shavuot.

Calendar and duration

Passover starts on the fifteenth day of Nisan, the first month of the Hebrew calendar, coinciding with a spring full moon between late March and late April. In Israel, the festival lasts seven days, while traditional communities elsewhere observe eight days. The opening and closing days are full holy days featuring special liturgical services, festive banquets, and a rest from ordinary labor. The intermediate days, known as Chol HaMoed, retain festive elements while allowing routine weekday activities. Historically, Passover was one of three major pilgrimage occasions when worshipers traveled to Jerusalem.

How Passover is kept

Before the holiday begins, households clear away all leavened items. On the opening night, families gather for the Seder meal. They follow the Haggadah, retelling the Exodus account through readings, questions, and songs. Observant households eat matzah and bitter herbs while abstaining entirely from leaven for the entire festival. In Israel, the observance spans seven days, while diaspora communities observe eight. The first and final days include dedicated synagogue services, holiday meals, and rest from work, while the middle days allow everyday tasks under a festive atmosphere.

When and where

The festival begins at sundown on the fourteenth of Nisan, marking the start of 15 Nisan in the Hebrew spring. Because the Hebrew calendar adjusts to match the solar cycle, the date falls on a full moon between late March and late April.

Passover is observed by Jewish communities around the world. In Israel, the holiday spans seven days, whereas traditional diaspora communities abroad celebrate for eight days. Historically, it was a pilgrimage festival centered on Jerusalem.

What Passover means

Passover represents divine deliverance, national rebirth, and the transition from bondage to freedom. Marking the doorposts with blood originally signified household protection, while consuming flat matzah and bitter herbs recalls both the suffering of enslavement and the haste of the miraculous departure from Egypt. The festival commands each generation to personally identify with the experience of liberation.

On the table

• Matzah
• Maror
• Roasted lamb

Days Passover is marked

Passover dates: 2026, 2027, 2028

Questions people ask about Passover

See also

HarissaA spicy chili pepper paste from Tunisia, used as a condiment and ingredient across North Africa.Isra and Mi'rajAn Islamic observance marking the prophet Muhammad’s night journey and ascent through the heavens.Krishna JanmashtamiA Hindu festival celebrating the birth of Krishna with fasting, singing and night vigilsGhost FestivalA full-moon night in the seventh lunar month for feeding ghosts and guiding souls home

Good reading and sources

• Encyclopaedia BritannicaArticle
• The very ancient Passover of the tiny Samaritan religionNational Geographic, Article
• The very ancient Passover of the tiny Samaritan religionNational Geographic, Article

• Passover on WikipediaEncyclopedia
• More photos on Wikimedia CommonsPhotos and video
• Wikidata recordOpen data

It may contain mistakes. Traditions differ from one family, village and community to the next, and the people who keep them know them best. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-10-04.