Note: Passover 2015 

1st of Aviv - the ReNEWed Year - 3/21/2015

A number of people have asked me to write a Passover article. I have asked Abba to help me write this to the best of my ability. With that said, I by no means intend to be exhaustive. Yah’s Spirit must guide you into all Truth. This, as everything I write, is meant to be a primer or a beginner -- to point you in the right direction. Yah may even show you things I have not yet discovered, as His Torah is depthless and we continue to mine more treasures from His Precepts each and every time we dig!

First -- a timeline of the Passover Feast.

1. 1st day of Aviv -- the ReNEWed Year -- happened from sunset 4/14 to sunset 4/15
This was confirmed by TWO MAJOR signs -- a meteor so large and brilliant, it streaked across several states in the midwest, flooding 911 call centers, and captured live on CNN. It was major headline on Drudge. Also, the Iceland volcano had erupted so incredibly by 4/15, that a vast portion of airspace was declared a no fly zone. Yah was making it very clear that the rabbinic “new year” everyone kept last month, a day on which NOTHING of any significance happened, was not His reNEWed year.

2. 10th day of Aviv -- Lamb Day -- will happen from sunset 4/23 to sunset 4/24
Actually occurs on a weekly shabbat this year. This is the day we are to select and purchase our 1 year old without blemish lambs (or goats) in preparation for the Passover Feast. Even though it occurs on a shabbat this year, a day in which we usually do not buy and sell, it is commanded to “profane” the shabbat in order to select the lamb.

3. 14th day of Aviv -- Passover -- will happen from sunset 4/28 to sunset 4/29
This is a WORK DAY -- a busy preparation day of slaughtering and cooking the lamb!

4. 15th day of Aviv - 1st day of Unleavened Bread -- will happen from sunset 4/28 to sunset 4/29 -- High Shabbat -- the sunset of 4/28 is the Passover Feast. Where we eat the lamb, the bitter herbs and the unleavened bread. The whole 24 hour period is a high shabbat -- a day of rest and a most solemn feast day.

5. 7 Days of Unleavened Bread -- sunset of 4/28 -- sunset of 5/5

6. Feast of the Bikkurim -- Feast of FirstFruits -- sunset of 5/1 to sunset of 5/2 -- this is the day all the Children of Israel, in accordance with Lev 23:10 would bring the firstfruits of their barley harvest to the High Priest to wave in the Temple. YahShua is the FirstFruit from among the dead.

7. 21st day of Aviv -- 7th Day of Unleavened Bread -- will happen from sunset 5/4 to sunset 5/5 - High Shabbat -- This is the closing celebration of Passover week -- and probably also the day the walls of Yericho came a tumbling down! VICTORY DAY!

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Now that we have the timeline firmly established -- let’s go into what we do for this celebration.

Personal Tradition --

This is NOT commanded in the Torah, however what I like to do is on the evening going into the 14th of Aviv (this year will be Tues night at sunset, 4/27), is to set out 5 pieces of unleavened Bread and 5 cups of wine/grape juice. With the music from the movie Schlinder’s List playing in the background, I read through the 4 gospel accounts of YahShua’s last supper with His disciples. I also read the 5th gospel -- the Book of Revelation -- from Rev 19, in which the Marriage Supper of the Lamb occurs and YahShua at last drinks the wine with us anew in His Kingdom. I eat a piece of unleavened bread and drink a cup for each of the 5 readings.

Torah Commands --

10th of Aviv -- Selecting the Lamb. Exodus 12:3-6
1. Can pick a lamb or goat
2.1 year old Lamb or Goat -- without blemish
3. Get to know it, pet it, snuggle with it, etc for next 4 days

MAKE SURE ALL LEAVEN -- BREAD PRODUCTS OR ANYTHING WITH LEAVEN IS REMOVED FROM YOUR DWELLING PLACE, CAR, BEFORE THE EVENING OF 4/28.

14th of Aviv -- (this all comes from Exodus 12)
1. Have lamb or goat slaughtered, blood drained, skinned -- no bones broken
2. Roast with fire -- the whole lamb as a body roasted over fire -- no water used
3. Eat with the lamb, bitter herbs (example -- horse radish, parsley) and unleavened bread
4. Place blood on the door of your dwelling place, on both sides and the top (often as the blood trickles down, it forms a cross)
(While the killing and cooking of the lamb is done during the afternoon of the 14th, the actual Passover meal occurs that evening, at it transitions into the 15th of Aviv -- this year it will be Wed evening 4/2.

5. Any “lamb left overs” must be completely burned -- anything left over by the morning of the 15th of Aviv -- Thurs morning 4/29, needs to be completely burned. (Ex 12:10) 

6. Exodus 12:48 -- And when a stranger shall sojourn with you, and will keep the passover to YHVH, let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come near and keep it, and he shall be as one that is born in the land: for NO uncircumcised personal shall eat thereof. (49) One Torah shall be to him that is homeborn and unto the stranger, that sojourns with you.” -- Any male which wishes to eat the Passover Lamb must be circumcised in heart and flesh.
7. Eat the lamb in haste -- staffs of wood in your hands, as if about to go on a journey!
8. As you do the above things, explain to your children why you are doing these things. You can learn “the why” by reading and praying over Exodus 12.

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7 Days of Unleavened Bread --
Eat NOTHING with leaven in it. Absolutely nothing. This symbolizes the purity Messiah fills us with through His precious Blood Atonement.
1st day of Unleavened Bread -- High Shabbat -- a Holy Gathering -- Eating the Passover and then making sure all left over lamb is burned before the 16th of Aviv. No work is to be done.
7th Day of Unleavened Bread -- High Shabbat -- a Holy Gathering -- I sincerely believe the 7 days of Unleavened Bread coincided with the 7 days the Children of Israel marched around Yericho, so this would be a day of shouting, praise and victory! No work is to be done.
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Feast of FirstFruits

Feast of Firstfruits -- on the morrow after the shabbat within the 7 days of Unleavened Bread -- since there is no Temple -- this is difficult to celebrate. However, this would be a day to remember that Messiah ascended to the Father as the first fruit wave offering. I Corinthians 15 should be read. While this is not a shabbat, it is definitely a significant day, as it marks the countdown to Shavuot (Pentecost). Having some barley and dancing with it is fun. Or dipping it in oil and laying it somewhere special.

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Fun Traditions To Do For Passover --
The Passover Feast itself should be a solemn occasion as it is observing the death and burial of the Messiah of Israel. However, with children present, some “lightness” can be done -- such as having the children removing the last of the leaven, and having them go on a treasure hunt to plunder the Egyptians (gold wrapped chocolate coins). Singing hymns is also encouraged.

During Passover Week -- ENJOY YOURSELF. This is a celebration! It is the beginning of Spring -- so go outside and enjoy nature. Treat yourself. Spend time with the saints. This is a time of revival and purity. The Resurrection should be celebrate on Shabbat! 5/1/2010, as that is the day YahShua AROSE!!!

As long as the above things are done in Torah -- the sky is the limit on what you may want to do during the 7 days of Passover. Have fun! This is supposed to be a vacation!
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Conclusion: If you cannot get the lamb or do all that is stipulated in Torah -- do the best you can. Yah extends much mercy to those who have pure hearts wanting to please the Father. Maybe you can just buy some lamb from the local grocery store. That’s fine. Just do the best you can. While we are in exile, that is all Yah expects!
I have intentionally left out much of the symbolism and meanings in Passover, because this is something YOU are to see by reading the Torah and the Brit Chadasha and faithfully teaching this to your children. I refuse to take the place of Yah’s Spirit -- and those who love Yah will hear His Voice and be diligent to study His Word.

Scriptures to meditate on during the 7 days of Passover --
1. Exodus 12
2. Leviticus 23:5-14
3. Numbers 28:16-25
4. Deut 16:1-8 -- special note -- Since no Temple exists, the place Yah has placed His Name is in our hearts. The Lamb can be done where we gather. This is does not apply to any other animal sacrifice because this is the only sacrifice which the “common” people can eat.
5. Joshua 5:2-6:27
6. 4 Gospel Accounts of Last Supper
7. I Cor 15:20-22
8. Rev 19:7-10