Passover (Pesach) next begins at sundown on Wednesday, April 21, 2027. Here is what it means and how it is observed, drawn from classic Jewish sources.
When is Passover?
Passover begins at sundown on the dates below (the Jewish day starts in the evening).
| Year | Passover begins (at sundown) |
|---|---|
| 2027 | Wednesday, April 21, 2027 (next) |
| 2028 | Monday, April 10, 2028 |
| 2029 | Friday, March 30, 2029 |
| 2030 | Wednesday, April 17, 2030 |
What is Passover (Pesach)?
Passover is the spring holiday commemorating the Exodus from Egypt — when God freed the Jewish people from slavery and brought them to freedom around 3,300 years ago. It occurs in the month of Nissan (March/April) and lasts eight days (seven in Israel).
What It Commemorates
The holiday marks God’s miraculous deliverance: the ten plagues, the splitting of the Red Sea, and the journey toward the Promised Land. The central narrative is told each year at the Seder (ritual meal) on the first two nights, where we recount the story as if we ourselves are leaving Egypt.
The Three Central Practices
According to Jewish tradition, three key observances embody the holiday’s meaning:
- Matzah (unleavened bread) — eaten because of the redemption; our ancestors left Egypt so quickly they had no time for bread to rise
- Maror (bitter herbs) — eaten to remember the bitterness of slavery in Egypt
- The Paschal lamb (commemorated on the Seder plate today) — eaten because God passed over the homes of our ancestors, sparing the firstborn
Core Obligations
- Avoid chametz (leavened products) for the entire holiday
- Eat matzah on the first night(s)
- Tell the story — the Passover Haggadah must be recited, engaging each person to feel personally as if they left Egypt
The holiday is also called “Zman Cherutenu” — the Season of Our Freedom — and represents not just historical memory but a living, personal spiritual experience of liberation.
How Passover (Pesach) is observed
Removing Chametz (Leavened Bread)
Before Passover begins, you must remove all chametz from your possession. This is traditionally done through selling chametz to a non-Jew—a legal transaction arranged by the rabbi or a designated agent. The sale ensures you have no ownership of leavened products during the holiday, while allowing you to reclaim or repurchase them afterward. This practice is nearly universal in Jewish communities today and is recommended rather than attempting to sell chametz yourself, since the transaction involves specific legal details that must be handled correctly.
Practically, any leftover bread should be given to a non-Jew before the holiday, and chametz vessels should be stored away in a room you don’t regularly use during Passover.
Matzah
Matzah—unleavened bread—is the central positive commandment of Passover. On the Seder night, you eat matzah after reciting two blessings: Hamotzi (the usual blessing over bread) and Al achilat matza (the specific blessing for eating matzah). You eat at least an olive-bulk (a specific measure) of matzah while leaning, a sign of freedom.
The Seder: Order and Meaning
The Seder follows a prescribed order. The four questions—which a child traditionally asks—actually mirror what happens at the table: we dip vegetables (karpas), eat matzah, eat bitter herbs (maror), and eat charoset (a mixture of fruit, wine, and spices).
Key elements include:
- Karpas (vegetable dipped in salt water)
- Matzah (eaten with the blessings above)
- Maror (bitter herbs, dipped in charoset but not allowed to soak, so the bitter taste remains)
- Marror sandwich (maror with matzah and charoset—the later custom)
The entire meal is infused with remembrance of the Exodus and the speed of our departure from Egypt.
Would you like me to explain any particular aspect in more depth?
Sources
- Mishneh Torah, Leavened and Unleavened Bread 7
- Kitzur Shulchan Arukh 115
- Mishneh Torah, Leavened and Unleavened Bread 4
- Mishneh Torah, Leavened and Unleavened Bread 8
- Shulchan Arukh, Orach Chayim 475
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