Passover Holidays Start Out As No
Holiday

            In years to come, Passover will be considered by Jews
around the world as one of their happiest and most fun-filled holidays. But there was certainly nothing happy or fun
about the Exodus for Egypt that started the tradition, nor about the events
leading up to this historic event.

            The Jews were slaves in Egypt, and if the Pharoah’s
treatment wasn’t bad enough, he suddenly ordered their first-born male babies
to be killed. Sources close, who wish to
remain unnamed, suggest the Pharoah became convinced a Jew would one day
overthrow him.

            Pleas by Moses, leader of the Jews, failed to change the
Pharoah’s mind. And finally, when Moses
warned that it would be Egyptian babies, not Jewish ones, who would die, the
crisis came to a head.

            Angered by the Pharoah’s refusal to free his people from
slavery, Moses arranged with God for a visit from the Angel of Death. He then advised the Jews to dab lamb’s blood
on their doors so that the Angel of Death would pass over their homes and spare
their children. And then, as Egyptian
babies were dying in the nights, Moses led his people into the desert.

            The trip was no picnic. 
No one was allowed to take more than he could carry. Even food was scarce. As there was no time to make real bread,
unleavened bread called Matzah was hastily made.

            As we expected, the Pharoah sent his soldiers after the
Jews, determined to bring them back. 
Instead, the Egyptians drowned in the Red Sea and the Jews were at last
free from slavery…at least in Egypt.

For More Information,
Call:

Andy Spiegel or Rabbi
Barton Lee

1012 S. Mill Ave, Tempe, AZ 85281

Tel 480.967.7563

Fax 480.966.5402

Hillel@Hillelasu.org

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