Does anyone know any interesting facts about passover??

I guess if you know a lot about the passover then maybe this isn't news to you, but I just made the connection and I think it's very interesting. keeping the passover was God's first command to his people. it's His first contact. before anything else; the 10 commandments, keeping sabbath days, or any other edicts of God, he said to His people if you want to live and be free, keep the passover.

In the caucus MTs the Jews used to celrbate in the synagogue or the rabbis house, they went in there best close and armed with swords. during the Seder they would send a young man out dressed as a traveler who would then beg entry to the synagogue latter. They wont let him in at frist questioning his intentions- if he was a Jew what was he doing not at Passover. So he trys again and again. Finally he would "cry" and they would let him and e would say he was from the Holy Land and that singed point to the Messiah coming soon.

In the old days in the sehettlae both genders works together making matzoh ion communal factory's singing as they worked

The Warsaw Ghetto Uprising happened at passover

In the Middle ages Matzoh was made in molds and decorated but the rabbi forbid this because it was hardy the bread of the poor that way.

he rabbi who stayed up all night studying the Exoduses are said to have been plotting a revolt against the Romans (which was may related to the exodus in their minds).

"Passover" in the Torah usually means the day before Passover, when they brought the passsover lamb.

Interesting facts... hmmm...

It was forbidden to break the bones of the Paschal lamb when you were eating it.

The tenth plague really made a dent in Egypt's population. Adultery was rampent, so a family could have several firstborns from different fathers.

Moses was only born because of his sister, Miriam. When Pharoah made the decree that all firstborns had to be thrown in the Nile, Moses's parents got divorced. They figured it was better to not have children than to have children who'd die. Since Moses's father was the chief rabbi of Egypt, the other Jews followed his example and got divorced.

Miriam sternly told her parents that their decree was worst than Pharoah's, because Pharoah was only getting rid of the boys, but they were getting rid of the girls, too. Her parents listened to her, and got remarried, and Moses was born.

African-Americans were freed from slavery at Passover.

Chabad has a great site - I highly recommend it:

http://www.chabad.org/holidays/passover/default.as...

http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids....

here is a video o=from Max Lucado's church - it is only 10 minutes but wonderfully revealing

PASSOVER ( PESSACH) is full of many interesting facts. Pessach which means pass over in hebrew, came to take place once Jacob and his children had arrived in Egypt to be close Joseph; he was second in command to King Pharaoh, and with his ingenuity had saved the people of Egypt, and by extension those from neighboring countries, from death by famine. Jacob and his children were settled in the city of Goshen and prospered wonderfully--their numbers grew and grew.

The Egyptians' way of dealing with their "Jewish Problem" is to enslave the Jews. They are all forced into backbreaking labor, compelled to build cities of treasure houses for Pharaoh.

Moses ( Moishe is born)

Jocheved, the wife of the Levite Amram, gives birth to a son. Because he is born three months early, she is able to conceal him for that amount of time. When she can no longer hide him, she builds a small water-proof cradle and puts her child on the brink of the Nile. The child's sister, Miriam, hides among the brush to watch the child.

Pharaoh's daughter comes to bathe in the river when she sees the floating cradle. When she opens it and sees the weeping baby, she realizes that this is a Jewish child, but her compassion is aroused and she resolves to take the baby home. She names him Moses "he who was drawn from the water."

Miriam approaches the princess and offers to find a wet-nurse for the baby. When Pharaoh's daughter accepts, Miriam brings her Jocheved, whom Pharaoh's daughter hires to nurse and care for the child. When Moses grows older, he is returned to the palace, where Pharaoh's daughter raises him like a son.

As a young man, Moses leaves the palace and discovers the hardship of his brethren.

Moses can no longer bear the pain of his brethren; he turns to G-d saying, "Why have You done evil to this people?" G-d promises that the redemption is close at hand, "Now you shall see what I will do to Pharaoh; for with a strong hand shall he let them go, and with a strong hand shall he drive them out of his land."

G-d then reveals Himself to Moses. Employing the "four expressions of redemption," He promises to take out the Children of Israel from Egypt, deliver them from their enslavement, redeem them and acquire them as His own chosen people at Mount Sinai; He will then bring them to the Land He promised to the Patriarchs as their eternal heritage.

Pharaoh still refuses to let the Jews go. Moses warns him that G-d will smite Egypt. Pharaoh remains impervious. G-d begins to send a series of plagues upon the Egyptians. In the throes of each plague, Pharaoh promises to let the Children of Israel go; but he reneges the moment the affliction is removed.

1) Aaron strikes the Nile, the waters turn to blood;

2) Swarms of frogs overrun the land;

3) Lice infest all men and beasts. Still, Pharaoh remains stubborn;

4) Hordes of wild animals invade the cities,

5) a pestilence kills the domestic animals,

6) painful boils afflict the Egyptians.

7) Fire and ice combine to descend from the skies as a devastating hail. Still, "the heart of Pharaoh was hardened and he would not let the children of Israel go; as G-d had said to Moses."

The people of Egypt have suffered too much. They beg Pharaoh to let the Jews go. When Moses comes to warn Pharaoh of the eighth plague, Pharaoh says: You say that you want to go serve your G-d? I'll let the men go, as long as the women and children stay behind. No, says Moses, we must all go, men women and children, cattle and herds. Pharaoh once again refuses.

The next plagues descends upon Egypt.

8) a swarm of locusts devours all the crops and greenery;

9) a thick, palpable darkness envelops the land.

The Israelites are instructed to bring a "Passover offering" to G-d: a lamb or kid is to be slaughtered and its blood sprinkled on the doorposts and lintel of every Israelite home, so that G-d should pass over these homes when He comes to kill the Egyptian firstborn. The roasted meat of the offering is to be eaten that night together with matzah (unleavened bread) and bitter herbs.

Then G-d brings the tenth plague upon Egypt,

10) all the firstborn of Egypt are killed at the stroke of midnight of the 15th of the month of Nissan.

On the evening before Passover, we conduct a careful search of the home for chametz. It is done by candlelight and is a memorable experience for the whole family. Any remaining chametz is either burned the next morning, or is sold to a non-Jew for the week of Passover. The sale must be serious and legally binding; it should be done only through the assistance of a qualified rabbi. Any food that is sold must be put in a cabinet and taped shut.

Finally, we "nullify the chametz," declaring that any chametz which may inadvertently in our possession should be considered as mere "dust."

"Seder" literally means "order." The activities and mitzvot of Pesach night were codified into a specific order, because otherwise we could get confused and forget!

There are actually seven different mitzvot that we perform at the Seder. Two are from the Torah:

1) telling the Exodus story

2) eating matzah

The other mitzvot are rabbinical:

3) eating Marror (bitter herbs)

4) eating the Afikomen (an extra piece of matzah for dessert as a reminder of the Passover offering)

5) saying Hallel (Psalms of praise)

6) drinking the Four Cups of wine

7) demonstrating acts of freedom and aristocracy -- e.g. sitting with a pillow cushion and leaning as we eat and drink, and beginning the meal "with a dip."

The 15 steps of our Seder were composed in the 11th century by Talmudic commentators, either Rashi or Tosfot.

One interesting thing is that one has to feed a pet with human kosher for Passover food, since one can't own chametz in the house. it is permitted to feed pets kitniyot -- rice, corn, soy beans, etc. -- which Ashkenazi Jews do not eat on Passover.

based on text (www.aish.com) and you can check any curiosities and basis on passover on other sites below !

Happy and healthy PASSOVER !