The voice, the pen

I have often noticed how, what one feels, another thinks. Why, then, should we not share those thoughts and feelings? It might make things clearer for all... Here, I am offering snippets on whatever gets me thinking, with the intention of sharing these moments with you, hoping for a dialogue of sorts. Whether a word, a sentence, a whole text, please, share.

Monday 22 April 2019

Matzah, consecrated bread and wine, and chocolate eggs

Last Friday was Leila Seder, the beginning of Pesach, also known as 'Passover'. For Jews, it is one of the major holidays, when they celebrate leaving slavery behind in search of their Promised Land. It is thus additionally known as 'The Holiday of Freedom', although among the more lay of the community, it is often referred to as 'The Holiday of Spring', given it usually falls around the time the weather warms up and winter wanes.

Last Friday was also Good Friday, when Christians remember The Crucifixion. This took place after Jesus was captured when he and his disciples were celebrating Leila Seder, which is also probably why the bread given out during communion in mass is flat. During Pesach, there is no leavening agents used in cooking - no sodium bicarbonate, no rising agents, nada. This is to commemorate that, as the Israelites were fleeting Pharaoh's lands, they had no time to sit and wait for the dough to rise for bread. Instead of yummy, airy bread, Jews eat matzah, flat and unleavened, for the eight days of Pesach, and Christians partake in it.

I grew up in Spain, where on Good Friday one can witness one of the most important procesiones - large groups known as cofradías, dressed in robes and hoods to forgo pride, follow a millennial tradition taking large effigies depicting the stages of the Passion along the streets of the cities. Even to those who are non-believers, these events are impactful in their reverence, pomp, and time-defying continuity. On the other hand, it can be quite discomfiting in its paraphernalia, particularly the pointed 'capirote' hoods. These are activities intended to make the watcher think about death, and hope for resurrection.

Good Friday, however, is also the beginning of Easter for most Anglo-Saxons, and thus much closer to Pagan celebrations of birth and Spring than to the pain of death. Communities gather to decorate, then hunt for, colourful eggs. Bunnies and fluffy chicks reign on cards and toy form, whilst chocolate reigns at picnic tables. There is no staying indoors to read at night, like during Seder; there is no burning incense and silence only broken by drums, like at a Paso. Instead, children scamper while adults smile blinking in a still-chilly sun.

Do you know what I find most relevant in all these three overlapping traditions?

They are all excuses to celebrate life. They all encourage us to be together, they are all magnificent and worthy of learning about, hopefully also learn from. I have done all three, in different years, and I cannot choose one over the others. The wealth of experiences the world offers us is amazing.

Freedom, Rebirth, the joy of Seasons, all are fantastic reasons to go out there and celebrate Life with those you love.

Which motive, how, and with whom you celebrate, that is up to you.

Blessed holiday!


For more information:

http://www.jewfaq.org/holidaya.htm
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holy_Week
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holy_Week_in_Spain
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Easter-holiday

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