Knowra Passover Passover Passover is a Jewish festival commemorating the Israelites’ liberation from slavery in Egypt. Its rituals center on the retelling of the Exodus and the eating of unleavened bread.
Exodus : The biblical narrative of the Israelites’ departure from slavery in Egypt and journey toward the promised land. Passover commemorates the liberation at the heart of this narrative.
Bedikat chametz : A search for leavened food performed on the night before Passover begins. It begins the ritual process of removing chametz from the home.
Book of Exodus : The second book of the Hebrew Bible, narrating Israel’s enslavement in Egypt, liberation, and covenant at Sinai. Its account supplies the foundational story commemorated at Passover.
Collective memory : Shared representations of the past through which a group sustains identity across generations. The seder makes the Exodus a story each generation is instructed to remember.
Seder : A ritual meal held on the first nights of Passover, structured around readings, questions, symbolic foods, and blessings. It is the festival’s main setting for retelling the Exodus.
Bi'ur chametz : The traditional destruction or disposal of chametz before Passover. It completes the removal of leavened food required for the festival.
Book of Deuteronomy : The fifth book of the Hebrew Bible, presenting Moses’ speeches and laws before Israel enters the promised land. Its festival laws link Passover observance with Israel’s liberation from Egypt.
Jewish peoplehood : A sense of shared identity among Jews grounded in history, culture, religion, and communal belonging. Passover’s repeated story connects Jewish communities across time and place.
Haggadah : A Jewish text that guides the Passover seder and recounts the Exodus through readings, songs, questions, and blessings. Its readings shape how the seder tells the liberation story.
Four Questions : A set of questions traditionally sung at the seder, asking why that night differs from other nights. The questions prompt the seder’s explanation of Passover customs and history.
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