Guide Note: Passover (or Pesach) is a Jewish holiday that commemorates the journey of the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt. The observance of Passover festival on the 15th of the first month in the Hebrew calendar, known as Nisan. The holiday actually spans a total of seven days, and is followed immediately by the Hebrew Feast of Unleavened Bread.

The origins of the observation and elements of Passover are traced back to the book of Exodus in the Jewish Tanach, or the Christian Old Testament. It is listed there as a commemorative event to record the incident when the final and tenth plague was upon the land of Egypt. Later in the book of law, or Leviticus, the festival is laid out in more of a statute manner:

"In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at dusk, is the LORD'S passover. And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the feast of unleavened bread unto the LORD; seven days ye shall eat unleavened bread. In the first day ye shall have a holy convocation; ye shall do no manner of servile work. And ye shall bring an offering made by fire unto the LORD seven days; in the seventh day is a holy convocation; ye shall do no manner of servile work." - Leviticus 25:5-8

The origin of the name itself comes from the Hebrew word "pasach" which literally means "to pass over". This is a reference to the tenth plague recorded in Exodus upon the land of Egypt, where the spirit of God passed over the houses of the Israelites that were marked with the blood of a Lamb. All other homes experienced the death of the firstborn male, according to the Biblical record. In other examples throughout the Hebrew usage in the Bible, the word can also actually refer to the physical lamb that would be slain as a sacrifice and eaten at the Passover seder, or supper.

Fast Facts:

1. Holy day observed by Jews and Messianic Christians
2. 2008 Dates: Sunset on April 19 to sunset on April 26
3. Fast of the Firstborn takes place the morning before
4. Seder consists of 14 parts
5. Children are engaged in the Seder
6. Matzo bread is used because yeast is not allowed
7. Separate dinnerware is usually owned for the occasion

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