Everything is in order (Col B’Seder)
Calendar questions, especially spring holiday questions, can be really interesting. We hope that anyone with ideas on this topic can contribute their thoughts. Especially helpful would be not only the “what happened” type of facts, but also the “whys”. Ideally, we will trace every divergence back to its root, and at that point determine Yahweh’s will from his word.
Can we disagree co-operatively and fruitfully? Hope so. This will be a preliminary report, and will address questions that we have of these topics, and weaknesses that are perceived in some popular teachings. Do not expect this study to result in widespread unity on this topic, but let’s hope that if we can enjoy better understanding of the roots of our own convictions, and walk in Yahweh’s instruction as we see it, we will be well served by our participation.
Early considerations had erroneously indicated that the traditional Rabbinic “Seder” observation, with preparations on the “14th” of aviv, with the meal and ceremony lasting then well into the night of the 15th, was an accommodation to the expediency of the untimely destruction of the Temple. Truth appears to be, though, that this schedule preceded the destruction by at least 40 years, as it appears to have been the typical Jewish practice in the time of Yahshua’s offering up on Golgotha. What are the roots of this tradition, Torah, or expediency?
Was it a result of the observation moving from an individual family function to a community center function, and a “bottleneck” occurring in the Temple, as it was found that the original “between the two evenings” was simply not enough time for the Levites to do lambs for all Israel? Was there a better way to spread the burden among the general community of Israel, and so make more efficient use of the limited time?
How does this schedule differ from the Passover at the exodus from Egypt, and why, if at all? It is well known that the Egyptian passover was unique in history. It appears that subsequently, variations in the observation theme were permitted, even approved by Yahweh. Perhaps a discussion of these trends is in order, and how it culminated in the observation as taught by Yahshua.
Perhaps the most interesting point of research for this study was the understanding gained of the extreme fluidity of the politics in the temple over the last two or so centuries of it’s existence, from the time of the Maccabees till its destruction. Power was contested continually between the Pharisees and Sadducees, with much violence and intrigue. We should not be surprised there were some bizarre doctrinal consequences.
This study will be posted on the web, at www.schwenkcarpentry.com , under “Miscellaneous Materials”, page name, “Holy Day Issues”. Accessible through the home page, spiritual development “News!” page, or the Site Map. In the text of the study, links will be active to referenced web pages of resource material. Therein and herein, we hope to promote answers to the questions on the spring holidays and their respective traditions. Several of the pages were found by a “google” search of “Pharisee Sadducee passover controversy 14th 15th abib”, or variations. There’s a lot more info out there if you have the time to look.
One of the webs listed below makes the allegation that since the bread used in Yahshua’s last supper was “ordinary bread”, and not specified to be matzo, that it could not have been a passover observance. That is not altogether convincing, as even in English, we have a neutral term for “ordinary bread”, namely, “bread”. To specify, we would use the explicit terms of either “sourdough”, or “unleavened”. That follows in the Hebrew language; with unleavened being “matzo”, neutral being “lechem”, and leavened being “chametz”. Presumably the Aramaic and Greek languages would have parallel configurations. Is there any reason, to out of hand disqualify the “last supper” from being a passover commemoration on the basis of the bread used thereat?
In support, the Hebrew word “lechem” used for the last supper bread, is also used to designate the bread used for the “showbread” on the table of Yahweh in the tabernacle and temple. “Lechem haPanim”, or “the bread of the faces” (show bread, or “shew bread”) was to be kept continually before Yahweh, as leaven could not have been, especially considering the days of unleavened bread. The bread was changed on Shabbath; and the old eaten by the priests. If it was leavened the week before passover, its eating would have been forbidden during passover. If it was leavened during Unleavened Bread, its presence would have been forbidden. Since there is no scriptural record of the recipe or method of preparation changing for the Passover, from the rest of the year, does it seem reasonable to assume that the “Lechem haPanim” was unleavened all year?
For the record, considerable merit is seen in the traditional understanding of the sequence of events and days for the Passover season, with the modification of seeing additional merit in regulating the season by the new moon observable from the Jerusalem area, as is the aviv barley. This is but one of four views we should try to understand. The majority appears to favor a new moon from where it is seen first, with a death angel visit midnight the 14th aviv. Second may be the same new moon observation with a death angel pass midnight the 15th. The 3rd and 4th views would be the same as 1 and 2, but with an Israeli sighted new moon. Are other views being seriously considered in this congregation?
Of course, the “Jerusalem New Moon” idea is still a novelty, but hopefully everyone will give it some thought. What would Yahshua do, sitting on his throne in Jerusalem, waiting for the Feast of Trumpets report to come in?
Web pages read in research of this topic include:
http://biblicalholidays.com/Passover/messiah_in_passover.htm
http://www.doig.net/NTC21.htm
http://ad2004.com/prophecytruths/Articles/Yeshua/lastsupper.html
http://judaism.about.com/library/3_askrabbi_o/bl_simmons_passoverlamb.htm
http://www.keithhunt.com/passover21.html
http://users.aristotle.net/~bhuie/pharsadd.htm
http://yahstruth.org/Beliefs/ ( points 12 and 13)
http://www.paleotimes.org/articles/passoverEaten.htm
http://www.karaite-korner.org/abib.shtml (aviv & new moon)
http://www.michaelroodministries.com/maidenmoon-brill.html
Many of the points of view on these pages will be unorthodox, several heretical. Some are just plain flakey. The truth will be there if we look for it. Sort the good from the bad, enjoy. We didn’t invent divergence of opinion; we will probably need to wait on Yahshua’s return to see it resolved. Any information on how these variations originated would be appreciated. Also, any complementary, supplementary, or even substantiated contradictory information will be added to this study to make it more useful. It seemed the more words went on this page, the less conclusive they became! Help! Please bring info, or send to:
whrschwenk@verizon.net , or send to
W. Schwenk, 92 SAL Rd, Pine Grove PA, 17963.
Thanks! To all participants.
20 mar 2008