Do you wish someone a happy Passover? Here’s what to know about the holiday

One of the most widely observed holidays in the Jewish religion is upon us.

Passover, which is known as Pesach in Hebrew according to the Chabad-Lubavitch Media Center, is an eight-day festival celebrated each spring. Its exact date depends on the Hebrew calendar.

Passover marks the Exodus of the Israelites from Egypt, as told in the Torah.

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Here’s what you need to know about the holiday:

Why do they call it Passover?

Passover celebrates the emancipation of the Israelites from slavery in ancient Egypt.

According to Chabad.org, the word is a contraction of “pass” and “over.” It’s also a translation of the Hebrew word Pesach, which means “skip” or “jump.”

The Jewish holiday celebrates the events of the 10th and final plague, which the Torah says God sent against Pharoah to persuade him to free the Israelites.

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God instructed Moses to tell the Israelite people to bring a lamb into their homes on the same night that God said he would strike down the firstborn child of the Egyptians.

The Israelites then slaughtered the lambs and ate them with matzah (unleavened bread) and maror (bitter herbs). Afterward, they were instructed to smear the blood of the lamb on their doorposts as a sign to God that this was an Israelite home to be “passed over” while death visited the homes of the other firstborns.

When does Passover start in 2023?

In 2023, Passover starts at sundown Wednesday, Apr. 5 and ends on either Wednesday, April 12 or Thursday, April 13, depending on family tradition.

Not all eight days are spent the same way: The first two days and last two days are celebrated with the lighting of candles and eating of holiday meals. Some Jews do not work these days, according to the Chabad-Lubavitch Media Center. This is not the case for the middle four days, which are called Chol Hamoed.

Do you wish someone Happy Passover?

Yes. You may wish someone a kosher and joyous Passover, according to the Chabad-Lubavitch Media Center. In Hebrew, you may say “chag Pesach kasher vesame’ach.”

Here’s how that’s pronounced: CHAG PEH-sach kah-SHER ve-sah-MAY-ach.

What happens on the first day of Passover?

On the first two nights of the holiday, a ceremonial meal called Seder is observed.

The 15-step tradition includes eating matzah and maror, drinking wine or grape juice, and reading from a Haggadah, according to the Chabad-Lubavitch Media Center. 

Unleavened bread is eaten to signify what Jews brought along for food when quickly leaving Egypt. A Haggadah tells the story of the Exodus and describes rituals.

What night is Seder in 2023?

The first Seder in 2023 will be on April 5 and the second Seder will be on April 6.  Both are observed after nightfall.

What food is allowed for Passover?

During Passover, Jews are not allowed to consume grains, such as wheat, barley, spelt, oats and rye, that can ferment or become leavened, Chabad.org says. So, they cannot eat breads, pastas, cakes, cookies, pizza, beer, certain types of liquor and other foods. 

Wheat flour can only be eaten during Passover if it is baked into matzah.

Even dishes must be cleaned thoroughly to remove any trace of the forbidden leavened food — called chametz — if that dish is to be used to cook kosher food for the holiday. 

What is the Hebrew year in 2023?

Passover for 2023 in the Gregorian calendar occurs in the year 5783 in the Hebrew calendar.

The Hebrew calendar aligns with both the solar year and lunar year, according to the Israeli newspaper Haaretz. Some years in the calendar have a 13th month.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Do you wish someone a happy Passover? Here’s what to know about the holiday