Next Wednesday, April 21, 2027, when the sun sets, the Passover holiday for the Jewish year 5787 will begin.
This holiday commemorates the liberation of the Hebrew people from slavery in the Egypt of the pharaohs and their emergence as a nation.
The main Passover celebration takes place primarily within the family.
It is a ritual dinner known as the Seder, a word that means "order," since each of the rituals must be performed in a predetermined sequence that cannot be altered.
These are the five precepts observed on Seder night:
1) To recount the Exodus from Egypt
2) Eating matzah (unleavened bread)
3) Eating maror (bitter herbs)
4) Drink the four glasses of wine
5) Eating the Passover sacrifice as was done in the days of the Temple in Jerusalem
The story of the Exodus from Egypt is read from the Haggadah (a book that recounts the history of the Jews in Egypt) by the person leading the Seder.
Matzah (unleavened bread) symbolizes the bread the Israelites ate during their journey to the Land of Israel, when there was no time to let it rise.
Maror is the bitter herb that symbolizes the bitterness of slavery.
The four cups of wine correspond to each of the four forms of liberation: "I will bring them out, I will save them, I will redeem them, and I will take them."
Passover is the first biblical festival of the Jewish people, and it is one of the three occasions during the days of the Temple in Jerusalem when Jews would go up to the Temple to offer their finest livestock as a sacrifice.
The Passover Seder is rich in symbolism, intended to faithfully preserve the memory of a historical event steeped in moral and spiritual values.
The Jewish people have celebrated Passover in this way since time immemorial.
It has never relinquished the privilege of paying tribute to individual freedom, even in times of uncertainty for its existence as a nation.
That is why Passover is also known as the Festival of Freedom.
As the date approaches, hope is renewed for a better future for humanity, in which men and women can see their justifiable aspirations for peace, freedom, and well-being fulfilled.
Universidad ORT Uruguay members of the ORT family a happy Passover with their families, filled with peace, freedom, and well-being.