Israelites redemption from bondage in Mitzrayim/Egypt and of our redemption from sin through Mashiach Yeshua/Jesus Christ.
Hag HaMatzot - The Feast of Unleavened Bread
The theme of this festival is freedom. Freedom from bondage in Mitzrayim and freedom from the penalties of sin. The bread eaten during this time is called Matzah which is where this Holy Festival gets its name. During this festival we remember in the Exodus and how the Israelites left Mitzrayim in haste, with their kneading troughs on their backs. Their unbaked bread would not have had time to rise.
The Hebrew word used for leavening in Scripture is Chametz. It literally means 'sour'. It is that essence by which things decay. It is a fermentation process - a process of death.
Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned... Romans 5:12
Sin too, is a process of death and decay. Through sin death came into the world and through sin our spirits decay. Yeshua, through paying the price for us - redeeming us - did away with the lasting effects of Chametz. This festival celebrates this freedom from sin's effects.
In Torah, when we come in contact with death we become Tam'ei - ritually impure - unable to go into the Holy Place. Through Yeshua's blood we become Tahor - ritually pure - able to go into the Holy of Holies. In remembrance during this feast, we eat only that which is not in the process of decaying. For our Lord did not decay in the tomb but was risen on the third day as our Bikkurim (First Fruit).
For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell(the grave); neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. Tehillim (Psalms) 16:10
The weeks leading up to Hag HaMatzot are a time of cleansing. As we physically clean our homes of Chametz/leavening, we spiritually clean ourselves seeking out the sin which should be removed from our lives.
This process goes on from the completion of the festivities of Purim through the Torah readings for Shabbat Parah (the Red Heifer - Numbers 19:1-22), Shabbat HaHodesh, and Shabbat HaGadol. Shabbat Parah in particular draws our attention to the need to be purified before entering into the Holy season.
The Feast of Unleavened Bread occurs on Aviv/Nisan 15 and lasts for seven days through Nisan 21. The first and the last days are Sabbath days which means no regular work should be done. The interim days are called Chol HaMo'ed and, although they are Holy, regular work may be performed. Usually during the Chol HaMo'ed is another Sabbath - the weekly Sabbath.
The day before Aviv 15th Hag HaMatzot is Pesach (Aviv 14th- Preparation Day).
In Biblical Times the people brought public and private peace offerings to the Beit HaMikdash/Temple and the cohenim/priests feasted with the joyous offerers.
Today we observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread in fellowship and celebration. It is a special observance of our redemption from sin through the sacrifice, burial and resurrection of Yeshua.
In traditional homes the weeks leading up to this event are spent cleaning - spring cleaning. Walls are washed and corners are cleaned in preparation. The pantry is gone through and all products containing leavening are removed. Some families place these items outside their homes and retrieve them after the week is complete; other families choose to get rid of the items and not bring them back. The command is that no leaven should be seen in your quarters or in your territory and no rule applies to bringing it back or not. (see Sh'mot(Exodus) 13:7 and D'varim(Deuteronomy) 16:4)
On the night before Passover, according to tradition, the father of each household, with the children in tow, searches for leaven in what is called Bedikat Chametz. As of the next morning all leaven is removed or considered removed from the household.
Throughout the week we eat only unleavened bread (Matzah) with our meals. We eat only that which is without Chametz.
We do not partake of food such as pizza, donuts, leavened crackers, cakes, and rolls. Some people will refrain from any fermented beverages as well.
The Feast Unleavened Bread is a joyous celebration to remind us our deliverance from Egypt (both physical and spiritual) through the work of the Lord. Baruch HaShem!
Torah reading for Hag HaMatzot - first day - Exodus 12:21-51, Numbers 28:16-25, Leviticus 22:26-23:44
Haftarah reading for Hag HaMatzot - first day - Joshua 3:5-7; 5:2-6:27, II Kings 23:1-25
B'rit Hadashah reading for Hag HaMatzot - first day - Matthew 16:13-28; 27:62-66, Mark 8:27-38; 9:9-13, Luke 9:18-27; 22:7-20; 23:54-56, John 3:1-18, I Corinthians 5:1-8
Torah reading for Shabbat Pesach (in the midst of the Feast of Unleavened Bread) - Exodus 33:12-34:26, Numbers 28:19-25
Haftarah reading for Shabbat Pesach - Ezekiel 36:37-37:14, Song of Solomon (all)
B'rit Hadashah reading for Shabbat Pesach - Matthew 16:1-28, I Corinthians 5:6-8
Torah reading for Hag HaMatzot - last day - Exodus 13:17-15:26, Numbers 28:19-25, Deuteronomy 15:19-16:17
Haftarah reading for Hag HaMatzot - last day - II Samuel 22:1-51, Isaiah 10:32-12:6
B'rit Hadashah reading for Hag HaMatzot - last day - John 20:26-29, I Corinthians 10:1-11:1, Revelation 15:1-4
And this day shall be unto you for a memorial; and ye shall keep it a feast to the LORD throughout your generations; ye shall keep it a feast by an ordinance for ever. Seven days shall ye eat unleavened bread; even the first day ye shall put away leaven out of your houses: for whosoever eateth leavened bread from the first day until the seventh day, that soul shall be cut off from Israel. And in the first day there shall be an holy convocation, and in the seventh day there shall be an holy convocation to you; no manner of work shall be done in them, save that which every man must eat, that only may be done of you. And ye shall observe the feast of unleavened bread; for in this selfsame day have I brought your armies out of the land of Egypt: therefore shall ye observe this day in your generations by an ordinance for ever. In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at even, ye shall eat unleavened bread, until the one and twentieth day of the month at even. Seven days shall there be no leaven found in your houses: for whosoever eateth that which is leavened, even that soul shall be cut off from the congregation of Israel, whether he be a stranger, or born in the land. Ye shall eat nothing leavened; in all your habitations shall ye eat unleavened bread. Sh'mot(Exodus) 12:14-20
And it shall be when the LORD shall bring thee into the land of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, which he sware unto thy fathers to give thee, a land flowing with milk and honey, that thou shalt keep this service in this month. Seven days thou shalt eat unleavened bread, and in the seventh day shall be a feast to the LORD. Unleavened bread shall be eaten seven days; and there shall no leavened bread be seen with thee, neither shall there be leaven seen with thee in all thy quarters. And thou shalt shew thy son in that day, saying, This is done because of that which the LORD did unto me when I came forth out of Egypt. And it shall be for a sign unto thee upon thine hand, and for a memorial between thine eyes, that the LORD's law may be in thy mouth: for with a strong hand hath the LORD brought thee out of Egypt. Thou shalt therefore keep this ordinance in his season from year to year. Sh'mot(Exodus) 13:5-10
Three times thou shalt keep a feast unto me in the year. Thou shalt keep the feast of unleavened bread: (thou shalt eat unleavened bread seven days, as I commanded thee, in the time appointed of the month Abib; for in it thou camest out from Egypt: and none shall appear before me empty:) ...Three times in the year all thy males shall appear before the Lord GOD. Sh'mot(Exodus) 23:14-15,17
And in the fifteenth day of this month is the feast: seven days shall unleavened bread be eaten. In the first day shall be an holy convocation; ye shall do no manner of servile work therein: ... After this manner ye shall offer daily, throughout the seven days, the meat of the sacrifice made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD: it shall be offered beside the continual burnt offering, and his drink offering. And on the seventh day ye shall have an holy convocation; ye shall do no servile work. B'midbar(Numbers) 28:17-18, 24-25
And the children of Israel encamped in Gilgal, and kept the passover on the fourteenth day of the month at even in the plains of Jericho. And they did eat of the old corn of the land on the morrow after the passover, unleavened cakes, and parched corn in the selfsame day. And the manna ceased on the morrow after they had eaten of the old corn of the land; neither had the children of Israel manna any more; but they did eat of the fruit of the land of Canaan that year. Y'hosuah(Joshua) 5:10-12
Then they killed the passover on the fourteenth day of the second month: and the priests and the Levites were ashamed, and sanctified themselves, and brought in the burnt offerings into the house of the LORD. And they stood in their place after their manner, according to the law of Moses the man of God: the priests sprinkled the blood, which they received of the hand of the Levites. For there were many in the congregation that were not sanctified: therefore the Levites had the charge of the killing of the passovers for every one that was not clean, to sanctify them unto the LORD. For a multitude of the people, even many of Ephraim, and Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun, had not cleansed themselves, yet did they eat the passover otherwise than it was written. But Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, The good LORD pardon every one That prepareth his heart to seek God, the LORD God of his fathers, though he be not cleansed according to the purification of the sanctuary. And the LORD hearkened to Hezekiah, and healed the people. And the children of Israel that were present at Jerusalem kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with great gladness: and the Levites and the priests praised the LORD day by day, singing with loud instruments unto the LORD. And Hezekiah spake comfortably unto all the Levites that taught the good knowledge of the LORD: and they did eat throughout the feast seven days, offering peace offerings, and making confession to the LORD God of their fathers. And the whole assembly took counsel to keep other seven days: and they kept other seven days with gladness.Divrei-HaYamim Beyt(II Chronicles) 30:15-23
Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us: Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. I Corinthians 5:6-8