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In Jewish tradition and history, Pesach or Passover is one of the festivals noted for its diversity and many meanings. It is a festival that commemorates the emancipation of the Jewish slaves from Egypt. The name Pesach comes from the fact that the houses of the Israelites were 'passed over' during the plague that killed the first born sons of Egypt. During this celebration there are many traditions that the Jewish culture follows: from the food that they eat to the stories that they tell. (Pesach 1)
Taking place the first 2 nights of the 8 day holiday, the Seder meal is the most important event in the Passover celebration. Usually gathering the whole family and friends together, the Seder is steeped in long held traditions and customs. Leading up to the first night of Passover, the home is cleaned and cleared of all yeast foods, called hametz. All hametz is either eaten before Passover begins or "sold" to non-Jewish neighbors and friends. The rules surrounding Passover are strict and many, with only special foods, utensils, and dishware allowed. Kitchen utensils and dishware normally used in the home are not be used during Passover. Special dishes and utensils for the Passover holiday are taken out of storage, cleaned and used. Only foods that are "Kosher for Passover" are allowed. No leavened (containing yeast) foods or grains are eaten. In their place matzoh and foods containing matzoh are eaten. This is to commemorate the Israelites who fled quickly into the desert with no time for their breads to rise and were forced to bake the dough into hard crackers in the desert sun. All foods prohibited during Passover must be disposed of the morning of the first night of Passover. With its Passover dishware and silverware, the Seder table is different than the regular dinner table. The centerpiece of which is the Seder plate, a special plate containing the 5 foods that remind us of the struggle of the Israelites in their quest and journey to freedom Three pieces of matzoh are placed in a Matzoh Cover (a cloth ...
The founder of Christianity is unknown. The religion is not really defined by any beginning dates, but it does still exist in the world today. The total amount of followers in this religion is around 1.7 billion people. Around 4 BC a child was born to the Virgin Mary and Joseph. An angle told Mary to name the child 'Jesus'. Though Mary was a...
Jesus Christ. These words identify the most significant person in human history. Who is this person Jesus? Christians may identify Jesus as the one Yahweh promised, the savior who came to rescue all people from sin and from death. The whole Christian religion rests on this person. However, doubts of his existence and teachings have been created and...
has been a historical mystery for centuries. Very little facts have been uncovered in the origin of or the truth behind its authors. Not until 1993 on an archeological site in Dan has there been any solid evidence. A flat basalt stone with Aramaic letters etched into its surface had a reference to King David and it dated back to the ninth century...
The 66 books which make up the Holy Bible were originally written in ancient languages; Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek by men who were inspired by God. The Bible itself tells us that all scripture is by inspiration of God. Old Testament The Pentateuch (the Law) Geneses, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy Historical Writings Joshua, Judges, Rut...
A blaze of fire and dispair is what most people think about the underworld. This is far from what the ancient egyptians believed. The ancient egyptians believed that after a person dies his sole may travel to the underworld, known as Tuat . Although Tuat is referred to as the underworld, it was not believed to be under the earth, but rather away...
At the time of the Spanish conquest, the religion of the Aztecs was polytheistic, based on the worship of a multitude of personal gods, most of them with well-defined attributes. Nevertheless, magic and the idea of certain impersonal and occult forces played an important role among the people. There was, in addition, among the uneducated classes te...
Used as one of the most torturous execution devices in history, the cross is now one of the most treasured symbols in Christian culture. Men and women alike wear crosses of silver, gold, platinum, and other precious metals, many encrusted with fine jewels around their necks, wrists, and dangling from their ears. I am sure that in Roman times, thi...
Buddhism is one of the major religions of the world. It was founded by Siddhartha Guatama (Buddha) in Northeastern India. It arose as a monastic movement during a time of Brahman tradition. Buddhism rejected important views of Hinduism. It did not recognize the validity of the Vedic Scriptures, nor the sacrificial cult which arose from it. It also...
In December 1945, Gnostic books containing many secrets of the early Christian religion was found near the town of Nag Hammadi in upper Egypt. Undisturbed since their concealment almost two thousand years ago, these manuscripts from rank in importance with the Dead Sea Scrolls. The first extensive translation into English did not appear until 1977...
Religion 101 Out of the myriad of religions that encompass the earth, one of the least understood is Buddhism. In the pursuit of a higher plane of existence, a Buddhist monk will renounce his worldly secular life, instead embracing a life of meditation and study. While attempting to achieve enlightenment, and therefore nirvana, a Buddhist must fir...
was actively involved in social justice as she was woman who not only promoted and helped to prevent social issues but she also had engaged and encouraged others to live likewise. For those who could not pay for tuition to schools in India, initially developed a school in Motijhil, Calcutta. 's main aim was to tend to those who were amongst the...
Today, Canada is a country known for its mosaic of cultures, as well as its promise to provide protection to all cultural groups regardless of origin and equal opportunity for all. Unfortunately, these multicultural ideals did not always exist within Canadian society. As Canada grew as an independent nation the roots of anti-Semitism began to gro...
The Holy Trinity by Masaccio was done approximately 1428. It is a superb example of Masaccio's use of space and perspective. It consists of two levels of unequal height. Christ is represented on the top half, in a coffered, barrel-vaulted chapel. On one side of him is the Virgin Mary, and on the other, St. John. Christ himself is supported by...
in the larger sense deals with a common factor which is sin. The definition is a making at on which points to a process of bringing those who are enstranged into a unity(Douglas, 107). It is a theological term which derives from the Anglo-Saxon. The word appears eighty seven times in the Old Testament in the RSV Bible(Nelson, 55). According to...
