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Hello again, all!
If the picture didn't tip you off, I'm writing in the honor of Passover--today! Now, I don't plan on writing a long post on this; there are many great posts and videos explaining the spring holidays/how to do them/why to do them, etc. Rather, I'd just like to give you some tips for making your Passover and spring feasts easy and fun.
Passover/Unleavened Bread/First Fruits Sources
Passover is the first of the spring feasts--its name comes from when God passed over the Israelites during the last plague of Exodus. If you're unfamiliar with the story, I'd highly suggest you check it out; it has everything--family drama, marriage, love, strife, death, betrayal.
If you're interested in just the specifics of the Feasts, the rules for this day are given in a couple places in the Bible. Firstly, in Exodus 12. This section focuses on the food prep and rules and story of the first Passover. Secondly, Leviticus 23 gives the timeline of all the holidays and the Sabbath rules of each. Numbers 9 gives greater detail on who can and can't celebrate Passover. The story of Yeshua's last days (which took place during the time of the spring feasts--lots of parallels there) is told in the New Testament, in the Gospels.
I'll provide a link at the bottom to a very detailed video explaining the spring holidays.
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| Always practice proper fire safety, kids, no matter how small your grill! |
Tips
In short, for we modern Israelites, the time of the spring feasts is about remembrance and appreciation. We remember how our people were rescued from the Egyptians and how Yeshua rescued us from punishment. For me, it's a bit like Thanksgiving. There's something about it that makes one appreciate just how good things are for us. With that in mind, here are some tips for having a great spring holiday:
- Know your sources for lamb and do your research. Where we live is a rather small and country-fied place--any meat other than beef, pork, and chicken is rare and far between. However, every once in awhile, one of the local stores will sell lamb for a limited time and (rather) exorbitant price. The key is pouncing when the right opportunity arises. And if it doesn't? Never fear! You can also order the meat off the internet! That's what we had to do last year. The shipping was very high, but the meat arrived promptly and still chilled. Depending on where you live, you may also be able to call in an order with a local butcher/farmer ahead of time.
- Make your own unleavened bread! Many people buy it in boxes for Passover/Unleavened bread, and it tends to be dry and tasteless. I suggest looking up a simple recipe. Many of them only have 3 or so ingredients, and the result will taste fresher than anything from a box. If you're going to be eating it for a week, it should taste good.
- Know about the sneaky sources of yeast in your house: part of the Feast of Unleavened Bread is removing all yeast-containing things from your home to avoid accidentally eating them. Now, "bread" is what most people think about when yeast is brought up, but many surprising foods contain yeast or yeast extract! Make sure you check all your food labels, especially the foods listed below:
- Soups--many soups contain yeast extracts, especially your heartier stews-in-a-can.
- Tortillas--though a flour tortilla is a flatbread, most of them have yeast! The same goes for pita, naan bread, and other flat breads you'd buy in the store. Corn tortillas, however, are usually yeastless.
- Instant noodles--instant noodles like ramen, cup o' noodle, and microwave noodles may contain yeast extract in the flavor packets.
- Bullion cubes--bullion cubes are used to add some zazz to broths and rice dishes, but the cubes often have yeast or yeast extracts included.
- Flavored spreads/cheese dips--even though it is surprising, foods like chive-sour cream sometimes have yeast in them.
- Be creative with your side dishes and desserts! Vegetable side dishes and sauces are easy to make and hardly ever require yeast. For desserts, cakes, brownies and cookies may be out, but pies, ice cream, and fruit dishes are in! This is a great time to test out Greek and Middle-Eastern style dishes.
I hope these tips help you in celebrating your spring feasts!
| Homemade flour tortillas, grilled corn, salsa, and tzatziki sauce all make delicious sides during the spring feasts! |
Additional Resources for Curious Minds
More Info Links:
Recipe Links:
Yeastless Flour Tortilla (Do substitute vegetable shortening or butter for the lard)
Fun Music Links:
Hava Nagila (aka "Let us Rejoice") for all your dancing needs
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