\\\. Rabbinical Regulations. — After the return of the Jews from the captivity, where they had been weaned from idolatry, tlie si)iritual guides of Israel reorganized the whole religious and political life of the nation, and defined, modified, and expanded every law and jmctpt of the Mosaic code, so as to adapt them to the aUered condition of the peojde. The celebrati(m of the Pass- over, therefore, like that of all other institutions, be- came more regular and systematic during this )rrriod, wliile the dilVerent colleges which were now established, and which were attended by numerous disciples [see
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Education], have faitlifuUy transmitted to us all the sundry laws, rites, manners, and customs connected with "this and all other festivals, which it was both impracticable and impossible to record in the limited space of the canonical books of the O. T. Hence it is that the manners and customs of this period, which were those of our Saviour and his apostles, and which are therefore of the utmost importance and interest to Christians, and to the understanding of the N. T., can be more easily ascertained and more minutely described. Hence, also, the simple summary notice of the fact that the Israelites kept the Passover after their return from Babylon, contained in the canonical Scriptures (Ezra vi, 19-22), may be supplemented by the detailed de- scriptions of the manner in which this festival was cel- ebrated during the second Temple, given in the non- canonical documents. The various practices will be better understood and more easily followed if given in connection with the days of the festival on which they were respectively observed.
1. The Great Sabhath (biiriri nsd, Shahhuth Ilag- Gadul) is the Sabbath immediately preceding the Pass- over. It is so called in the calendar because, according to tradition, the tenth of the month on which the Lord commanded every head of a family to select the paschal sacrifice (Exod. xii, 3) originally happened to fall on the Sabbath ; and though in later legislation the animal was not required to be set aside four days beforehand, yet the Jewish canons determined that the Sabbath shoidd be used to instruct the people in the duties of this great festival. Hence special prayers (mi^I'l'i) bearing on the redemption from Egypt, the love of God to Israel, and Israel's obligations to keep the Passover, have been ordained for this Sabbath, in addition to the ordinary ritual. Mai. iii, 1-18; iv, 1-G, was read as Maphtir (~i'i::S'2) = the lesson for the day [see Haphtaraii], and discourses were delivered by the spiritual guides of the comnumity explanatory of the laws and domestic duties connected with the festival {Tiir Orach Chajim, sec. 430). Though the present synagogal ritual for this day is of a later date, yet there can be no doubt that this Sabbath was alrea<ly distinguished as the great Sabbath (fisydXt] >'/ yfupa rov (TalifSciTov, John xix, 31) in the time of the second Temple, and was used for preparing the people for the ensuing festival.
See SABBATPf.
2. The loth of Nisan. — On the evening of the 13th, which, until that of the 14th, was called the prejm- ration for the Passover (HQS 3"^?, TrapaaKivi) -ov ■Kaaxa, John xix, 14), every head of the family search- ed for and collected by the light of a candle all the leaven (Mishna, Pesa^ldm, i, 1). Before beginning the search he pronounced the following benediction : " Bless- ed art thou, O Lord our God, King of the universe, who hast sanctified us with thy commandments, and hast enjoined us to remove the leaven" (Talmud, Pe- sachim, 7 a; Maimonides, Yad Ha-Chezaka, Hilchoth Chamez U-Maza, iii, 6). After the search he said, "Whatever leaven remains in my possession which I cannot see, behold it is null, and accounted as the dust of the earth" (Maimonides, ibid.}. What constituted leaven will be understood when the ancient definition of unleavened bread is known. According to the Jew- ish canons, the command to eat unleavened bread (Exod. xiiijG; xxiii,15; xxxiv,18; Lev.xxiii,f); Numb.xxviii, 17 ; Deut. xvi, B) is executed by making the cakes (niS?3) which are to be eaten during the seven days of this festival of wheat, barley, spelt, oats, or rye (Mishna, Pesachim, ii, 5). They appear to have been usually made of the finest wheat Hour (Buxtorf, Syn. Jnd. e. xviii, p. 397). It was probably formed into dry, thin biscuits, not unlike those used by the modern Jews. From these five kinds of grain (nO^DPl "."iT '^3''2), which can be used for actual fermentation, the cakes are to be prepared before the dough begins to ferment ;
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anything else made from one of these five kinds of corn with water constitutes leaven, and must be removed from the house and destroyed. Other kinds of produce and preparations made therefrom do not constitute leaven, and may be eaten. Thus we are told, " Noth- ing is prohibited on the Feast of Passover because of leaven except the five kinds of corn, viz. wheat, barley, spelt, oats, and rj'e. Leguminous plants, such as rice, millet, beans, lentils, and the like, in these there is no leaven ; and although the meal of rice or the like is kneaded with hot water and covered with cloths till it rises like leavened dough, yet it may be eaten, for this is not leaven, but putrefaction. Even the five kinds of corn, if simply kneaded Avith the liquor of fruit, without water, are not accounted leaven. Though the dough thus made stands a whole day and rises, yet it may be eaten, because the liquor of fruit does not engender fer- mentation but acidity. The fruit-liquor, oil, wine, milk, honey, olive-oil, the juice of apples, of pomegranates, and the like, but no water, is to be in it, because any admixture of water, however small, produces fermenta- tion" (Maimonides, Yad Ha-Chezaka, Hilchoth Chamez U-Muza, V, 1,2).