Every year I ask my friend Elizabeth Applebaum what I should say to her when Passover comes. Passover starts on the 20th of April, so I have my annual problem again because I can't remember from one year to the next what she told me to say.
You can't just say 'Happy Passover,' can you?
Last year Elizabeth wrote me: "Passover starts soon, and I'm not ready at all. In fact, I should be cleaning this very moment but I just don't want to. We start the seders late and continue throughout the night (last year I think Yitz and Phil and Adina made it until 3 a.m. It's very fun, just talking and discussing all kinds of issues)."
From the website Judaism 101, I learned this about Passover (Pesach):
"Of all the Jewish holidays, Pesach is the one most commonly observed, even by otherwise non-observant Jews. According to the 1990 National Jewish Population Survey (NJPS), more than 80% of Jews have attended a Pesach seder.
The name "Pesach" comes from the Hebrew root Pei-Samekh-Cheit , meaning to pass through, to pass over, to exempt or to spare. It refers to the fact that G-d "passed over" the houses of the Jews when he was slaying the firstborn of Egypt. In English, the holiday is known as Passover. "Pesach" is also the name of the sacrificial offering (a lamb) that was made in the Temple on this holiday."
This website still didn't tell me what to say to Jewish friends when it's Passover. If anyone can help me, please do so I'll know what to say to Elizabeth A.
And this day shall become a memorial for you, and you shall observe it as a festival for the L-RD, for your generations, as an eternal decree shall you observe it. For seven days you shall eat unleavened bread, but on the first day you shall remove the leaven from your homes ... you shall guard the unleavened bread, because on this very day I will take you out of the land of Egypt; you shall observe this day for your generations as an eternal decree. - Exodus 12:14-17
Addendum:
People have been searching for how to say Passover and landing on my site then leaving quickly because I don't actually tell them what to say, so here it is in Hebrew:
"Pessah sameakh": In Hebrew, 'Happy Passover'.
"Hag sameakh": which means 'Happy Holiday'
For more info on celebrating Passover and how to say Happy Passover in Russian, look here.
Friday, 18 April 2008
Happy Passover??
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7 comments:
I forgot to add Yom Kippur to the list of holidays that I don't know what to say when they arrive. I know for sure that you can't say Happy Yom Kippur!
No one said anything bad, don't worry; I had to delete because I entered the same comment twice. DUH.
I know Passover is on Monday (how long is passover? Several days, isn't it) because silly uni has an exam on that day. :)
There's an alternative exam for Jewish people.
It says for seven days in that Exodus quote I put up. I used to eat that unleavened bread with Elizabeth A when I was in college and it was kind of fun.
I think either "Happy Passover," "Have a nice Passover," or simply, "Enjoy the holiday" is just fine. Passover is the biggest family celebration holiday on the Jewish calendar, so any sort of good wishes is appropriate.
As is always the case, your friends will be happy that you have the impulse to say something nice. The exact words aren't so important. Good luck!!
PS
I didn't write that comment above but was posting it on behalf of someone else then forgot to change the name, sorry.
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