johnr@azure.UUCP (John Rutis) (08/08/84)
I've gotten the impression that Jews who try to observe the festivals found in Leviticus 23 usually try to be very careful in their observance. I am puzzled, therefore, by an anomaly I see: Lev. 23 5 In the fourteenth day of the first month at even is the LORD'S Passover. 6 And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the feast of unleavened bread unto the LORD: seven days must ye eat unleavened bread. 7 In the first day ye shall have an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein. The Passover began at sunset on the 14th and the feast of unleavened bread began at sunset on the 15th. Unless I've got my signals crossed, Jews today celebrate the Passover on the night of the fifteenth. Num: 33 3 And they departed from Rameses in the first month, on the fifteenth day of the first month; on the morrow after the passover the children on Israel went out with an high hand in the sight of all the Egyptians. Ex. 12 22 ... and none of you shall go out of his house until morning. (Passover night, Abib 14) 41 ... even the selfsame day it came to pass, that all the hosts of the LORD went out from the land of Egypt. 42 It is a night to be much observed unto the LORD for bringing them out of the land of Egypt: this is that night of the LORD to be observed of all the children of Israel in all their generations. Deu. 16 1 ... for the LORD God brought thee forth out of Egypt by night. (Abib 15) It appears to me that the Passover and the "night of the LORD to be observed" are two different festivals on two successive nights. Yet they seem to have been combined. When and why were they combined? Do any Jews today keep them separate? I would sincerly like to know what you know or think concerning this apparent anomaly. Thank You, John Rutis