To view the English translation, please scroll down to the bottom.
逾越節（Passover ；或希伯來文 פֵּסַח “Pesach”）是猶太人的歷史，是他們幾千年來世代相傳、刻骨銘心、意義重大的節日（請參部落格：逾越節的羔羊）。每年到了逾越節年，猶太家庭都會共聚一堂吃逾越節晚餐（Seder）。逾越節佳餚一定會包括幾樣最具代表性的食物，以紀念當年摩西帶領猶太人脫離在埃及法老王手下多年的奴役生活，來到迦南應許之美地。逾越節晚餐會包括：
1. Zeroah（羊腿骨）：這是逾越節晚餐唯一的肉類。它有兩個象徵：一是提醒猶太人當年上帝施行的“殺長子之災”──把埃及人所有的長子都擊殺了。神對以色列民說：「這血（註：羊羔的血）要在你們所住的房屋上作記號；我一見這血，就逾越（פָסַח ”Pasach”）你們。我擊打埃及地的時候，災殃必不臨到你們身上施行毀滅。」（出12：13）；二是象徵猶太人在古耶路撒冷的聖殿中為逾越節祭獻的羔羊。
2. Beitzah（熟雞蛋）：雞蛋在猶太教中是哀悼的象徵。圓形的蛋代表生命持續的循環。
3. Charoset：一種水果和堅果的糊狀物。這個字來自希伯來文 חרס（cheres），意思是“粘土”。它象徵當年猶太奴隸用砂漿和血汗為法老王辛勤勞動的辛苦年日。
4. Mar'or（一種苦菜）：代表猶太人在埃及苦役多年奴隸生活的苦澀與艱酸。
5. Karpas 青菜（通常會用歐芹 “parsley"）：這是苦菜的相反。Karpas 的綠色代表春天所帶來的希望與更新。
6. 鹽水：象徵奴隸所流的眼淚。
7. 紅酒：象徵猶太人的自由。
8. Matzah（無酵餅）：代表猶太人在曠野40 年中隨身攜帶的無酵餅。 當猶太人逃離埃及時，他們沒有太多時間為再來的漫長旅途準備食物，只好被迫帶著沒有發酵的餅離開家園。
此篇文章會將重點放在第八個項目──無酵餅。
舊約聖經記載：
「... 不可吃有酵的餅；七日之內要吃無酵餅，就是困苦餅，（你本是急忙出了埃及地）要叫你一生一世記念你從埃及地出來的日子。」（申命記16：3）
「…當夜要吃羊羔的肉；用火烤了，與無酵餅和苦菜同吃。」（出埃及記 12：8）
「無酵餅和調油的無酵餅，與抹油的無酵薄餅；這都要用細麥麵做成。」（出埃及記 29：2）
「… 守逾越節。要用無酵餅與苦菜，和逾越節的羊羔同吃。」（民數記 9：11）
聖經裏有許多經節指示猶太人關於無酵餅的命令，因此猶太人至今仍在逾越節用無酵餅來紀念耶和華當年給他們的命令。
在現今的時代，只要在有夠多猶太人口的地區，一般的商店裡都可以買得到現成的無酵餅。若要在家自製，它的材料也非常簡單：麵粉、水、粗鹽和橄欖油。在擀麵的時候有點類似做餃子皮，麵團需擀得相當薄。在烤之前會用叉子快速刺穿麵團約 25 次，翻面再穿刺25次。這些孔主要就是讓它烤的時候，蒸汽可以穿透麵團，以防止麵團膨脹。做出來的成果應該是像蘇打餅一樣的扁脆餅，而不是蓬鬆的麵包。
猶太人在家享用逾越節晚餐時有一個習俗，就是在飯前會先重述出聖經埃及記故事。在述說故事之前，他們會先把三片無酵餅疊在一起，然後把夾在中間的那片擘成兩半。之後，先將擘下來較小的一半放回原位──夾在剛剛那兩片無酵餅之間；然後，將較大的那一半放入一個特製的白色亞麻小布袋子中（或者用乾淨白布包起來）擱置一旁。有的家庭喜歡把這餅暫時先藏起來，以作為孩子們飯後的“尋寶”遊戲，找到的小朋友還有獎品可領呢！這片“寶藏餅” 叫做 “afikomen”。把“afikomen”包起來、收藏起來是象徵猶太人當年帶著無酵餅離開埃及地時，他們如何將這些麵團包在衣服裡：「百姓就拿著沒有酵的生麵，把摶麵盆包在衣服中，扛在肩頭上。」（出埃及記12 ：34）這個尋寶遊戲除了有它的意義之外，也給小朋友一種期待的興奮感，不會因為晚餐時間拖延太長而昏昏欲睡，也讓他們在小小年紀就能參與這項有意義的節慶。
至於這三塊曡在一起的無酵餅究竟代表了什麼不同層面的意義？猶太人有一些不同的解釋。以下列出三點：
1. 它象徵祭司、利未人和以色列人──從埃及的奴役中解放出來的三個族群。
2. 紀念亞伯拉罕在三位天使拜訪他們時，亞伯拉罕要他的妻子撒拉將三份細麵粉烤成餅招待天使（創世記18： 6）。
3. 代表猶太人所敬仰的三位列祖──亞伯拉罕、以撒和雅各。
猶太人慶祝逾越節算是猶太歷史中最古老、持續最久的慶祝節日。自從猶太人從埃及法老手中獲得自由之後（約西元前1300年），這三千多年來，他們世代相傳、無間斷地持守著這一個非常特殊的節日。然而在慶祝一千年後，耶穌降生，基督教興起，突然反客為主，猶太人逾越節宴席原有的意義竟然被基督徒曲解到 “面目全非”的地步。在彌賽亞猶太會堂裡（請參部落格：披狼皮的羊），基督徒會如此教導猶太人：「你們不知道逾越節無酵餅的真正含義。其實它背後隱藏“真正”的意義如下」：
1. 三個無酵餅重疊在一起代表聖父、聖子、聖靈，象徵三位一體的上帝。
2. 中間被擘半的餅代表聖子（耶穌）被殺。「（耶穌）祝謝了，就擘開，說：這是我的身體，為你們捨的，你們應當如此行，為的是記念我。」（哥林多前書11 ：24）
3. 無酵餅上面的刺穿刺的洞代表主耶穌在十字架上被釘的傷痕。
4. 把半片無酵餅用亞麻白布包起來，象徵耶穌死的時候就是用同樣材質的布裹在身上的（請參部落格: 香料與墳墓）。
基督教把猶太人原有無酵餅的意義，用這如此“有創意”的神學論點做來類比，很不幸，它是建立在一個對猶太人歷史的不解與扭曲上（請參部落：披羊皮的狼）
我們打個比方。華人吃粽子，通常多少都會知道端午節的由來──「屈原五月五日投泊羅而死，楚人哀之，遂以竹筒貯米，投水祭之。」 屈原投汨羅江雖是西元前278年的事了，包粽子的文化相沿成俗已經流傳民間2500年了。如果今天一個墨西哥人來教導我們：「其實你們吃粽子的歷史跟屈原完全無關。吃粽子的習俗要追溯到瑪雅人（Mayan）和阿茲特克人（Aztecs ）──14至16世紀的古墨西哥文明時代。粽子的原名應該是Tamale（塔馬利），包的材料應用玉米葉而不是竹葉；包的內容應該是玉米、肉、奶酪、水果、蔬菜等、而不是糯米。」他們甚至還篤定的說：「“塔馬利”粽子是神聖的，應用來祭拜視為眾神的食物。」華人一定會為這位墨西哥老兄扭曲歷史事實感到荒誕不經而嗤之以鼻。
每個國家、文化、民族、信仰都有他們引以為豪的遺產。 猶太人按照神的指示，小心翼翼地將無酵餅的意義薪火相傳給他們的子孫，一一遵循；但每一個要素，卻都被基督教下了新的定義，被賦予了基督教的色彩。為了走更長遠的路，盼望基督徒能夠以尊重的態度來對待猶太人淵源長流、燦爛的文化及其真實的信仰。基督徒在學習對自己圈外的廣博世界時，可以多出去接觸不同文化、思維與信仰。不僅有助於增廣視野，也是一種謙卑的美德。
Passover (or Hebrew: פֶּסַח "Pesach") is a historically significant festival for the Jewish people, a deeply meaningful holiday passed down through generations for thousands of years (please refer my blog post: Passover Lamb). Each year during Passover, Jewish families gather to partake in the Passover meal ( or Seder ). The Passover feast always includes several symbolic foods to commemorate the ancient Israelites led by Moses, who escaped from years of slavery under the Pharaoh in Egypt to the promised land of milk and honey in Canaan . The Passover meal includes:
1. Zeroah (lamb shank bone): This is the only meat served in the Passover meal. It symbolizes two things: firstly, it reminds the Jewish people of the "Plague on the Firstborn" that God carried out, where every firstborn of the Egyptians was killed. God told the Israelites: "The blood (note: the blood of the lamb) on the houses where you are staying shall be a sign for you; when I see the blood, I will pass over (פָּסַח 'Pasach') you. No destructive plague will touch you when I strike Egypt." (Exodus 12:13); secondly, it symbolizes the sacrificial lamb offered in the ancient Temple in Jerusalem during Passover.
2. Beitzah (Cooked Egg): Eggs are a symbol of mourning in Judaism. The round shape of the egg represents the continuous cycle of life.
3. Charoset: A pasty mixture of fruits and nuts. This word comes from the Hebrew חֶרֶס (cheres), meaning "clay." It symbolizes the hard labor years the Jewish slaves endured under Pharaoh, working with clay and bricks.
4. Mar'or (Bitter Herbs): Represents the bitter and harsh conditions of the Jewish people during their years of slavery in Egypt.
5. Karpas (Green Vegetable, usually parsley): This is the opposite of bitter herbs. The green color of Karpas represents hope and renewal brought by spring.
6. Salt Water: Symbolizes the tears shed by the slaves.
7. Red Wine: Symbolizes the freedom of the Jewish people.
8. Matzah (Unleavened Bread): Represents the unleavened bread that the Jews carried with them during their 40 years in the wilderness. As the Israelites fled Egypt, they did not have time to prepare provisions for their journey and were forced to take unleavened bread.
This article will focus on the eighth item—Matzah (or unleavened bread).
The Old Testament says:
"You must not eat any bread made with yeast; for seven days you shall eat unleavened bread, the bread of affliction, because you left Egypt in haste—so that all the days of your life you may remember the time of your departure from Egypt." (Deuteronomy 16:3)
"On that night they are to eat the meat of the lamb, roasted over the fire, along with unleavened bread and bitter herbs." (Exodus 12:8)
"Unleavened bread and cakes mixed with oil, and unleavened wafers anointed with oil; all made with fine wheat flour." (Exodus 29:2)
"Observe the Passover and eat unleavened bread and bitter herbs, and the Passover lamb." (Numbers 9:11)
There are many Bible passages that contain commands to the Jewish people about the use of unleavened bread; therefore, to this day, Jews still partake unleavened bread during Passover to commemorate the commands given by God to their ancestors. Nowadays, in areas where there are enough Jewish populations, it is generally quite convenient to buy ready-made matzah in stores. If you want to make it at home, the ingredients are very simple: flour, water, coarse salt, and olive oil. The dough is rolled out somewhat like making Chinese dumpling wrappers, and needs to be very thin. Before baking, the dough is quickly pierced with a fork approximately 25 times on each side. These holes primarily allow steam to escape during baking, preventing the dough from puffing up. The finished product should be like a flat, crisp cracker, not a fluffy loaf of bread.
Jewish people have a custom during the Passover meal at home which involves recounting the Biblical story of Exodus before eating. Before telling the story, they stack three pieces of matzah and then break the middle piece in half. Afterward, they place the smaller half back between the two whole pieces; the larger half is then placed in a special white linen pouch (or wrapped in a clean white cloth) and set aside. Some families like to hide this piece temporarily as part of a "treasure hunt" game for the children after the meal, with a prize available for the child who finds it. This piece is called the "afikomen."
Wrapping and hiding the "afikomen" symbolizes how the Jewish people carried unleavened bread with them when they left Egypt, as they wrapped the dough in their clothes: "The people took their dough before the yeast was added, and carried it on their shoulders in kneading troughs wrapped in clothing." (Exodus 12:34) This treasure hunt not only carries symbolic meaning but also provides excitement for the children, ensuring they stay awake and engaged during the lengthy meal and allowing them to participate meaningfully in the festival from a young age.
Regarding the three pieces of matzah stacked together during the Passover Seder, Jews have several different interpretations of its symbolic meanings:
1. They represent the priests, the Levites, and the Israelites—the three groups that were liberated from Egyptian slavery.
2. They commemorate Abraham's hospitality to the three angels, as told in Genesis, where Abraham asked his wife Sarah to prepare bread made from three measures of fine flour for the angels (Genesis 18:6).
3. They symbolize the three patriarchs of the Jewish people: Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
Passover is considered the oldest and most continuously celebrated Jewish festival, commemorating the liberation of the Jewish people from Pharaoh's Egypt (around 1300 BCE). Over thousands of years, they have faithfully maintained this very special holiday. However, a thousand years after the initial celebration, with the birth of Jesus and the rise of Christianity, the original meaning of the Jewish Passover feast was significantly reinterpreted by Christians, who taught the Jews in Messianic Jewish temples as follows (please refer to my blog post: Wolves in Sheep's Clothing). The following is the Christian interpretation of matzah:
1. The three pieces of matzah represent the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, symbolizing the Christian doctrine of the Trinity.
2. The middle piece that is broken symbolizes the crucified Jesus. The act recalls Jesus' words during the Last Supper: “… he broke it (note: the bread) and said, ‘This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.’” (1 Corinthians 11:24)
3. The piercings in the matzah represent the pierced wounds of Christ on the cross.
4. Wrapping the half-piece in a white linen cloth symbolizes the burial of Jesus, who was wrapped in a similar fabric at the time of his death (please refer to my blog post: The Spices and the Tomb).
5. The hiding and subsequent retrieval of the afikomen (the half-piece of matzah) represent Jesus' burial and resurrection three days later (please refer to my blog post: Zombie Apocalypse).
Christianity “creatively” reinterprets the original meaning of the unleavened bread in Jewish tradition with theological concepts that, unfortunately, are built on misunderstandings and distortions of Jewish history (see article: Wolf in Sheep's Clothing).
For analogy, consider the Chinese tradition of eating zongzi* during the Dragon Boat Festival, which commemorates the death of the poet Qu Yuan who drowned himself in the Miluo River in 278 BCE. This cultural practice has been passed down for about 2500 years. Imagine if a Mexican were to instruct the Chinese that their historical understanding of eating zongzi has nothing to do with Qu Yuan. Instead, the Mexican claims it traces back to the Mayans and Aztecs from the 14th to 16th centuries, where "zongzi" originally called “Tamale”, should be made with corn leaves instead of bamboo leaves, and filled with corn, meat, cheese, fruits, and vegetables instead of glutinous rice. They might even assert that "Tamales" are sacred and should be used as offerings to gods. Such a misrepresentation would understandably be seen as absurd and dismissible by the Chinese.
Every nation, culture, ethnicity, and belief system cherishes its legacies. The Jewish people carefully preserve the significance of unleavened bread as instructed by God, passing it from generation to generation; however, Each element of matzah has been reinterpreted within Christianity, infused with a Christian perspective. For the path to greater understanding and longer journeys, Christians should learn to respect the ancient, vibrant culture and authentic beliefs of the Jewish people. In learning about the broader world outside their own circle, Christians could benefit from engaging with different cultures, thoughts, and beliefs. This not only broadens one's horizons but is also a humble virtue.
*Zongzi is a traditional Chinese rice dish made of glutinous rice stuffed with different fillings and wrapped in bamboo leaves
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