The Editor, Sir:

Today begins the seven days of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, a religious observance espoused by Jewish congregations, members of the Yahweh faith, and the H.W. Armstrong-founded Church of God. The majority of Christian churches have, for centuries, expunged these old Jewish festivals from church worship.

But, Judaism continues to devotedly observe the Pesach (passing over) at the Passover Seder, held last night to commemorate the exodus of the Hebrews from Egyptian bondage (Exodus 12). This is followed by the adjunctive seven days of eating Matzo, unleavened bread (Exodus 13: 6).

Christian observance of the days of Unleavened Bread follows Friday night's Passover (Lord's Supper) where members partook of the bread and wine and foot-washing rituals. For them, the Passover represents the acceptance of Christ's blood for the remission of past sins and the ensuing seven days depict the complete putting away of sin after pass sins are forgiven.

Jehovah's Witness observes the Passover with bread and wine but not the weeklong days of Unleavened Bread. A common thread running through the Jewish and Christian observance is the ritualistic putting out of leavened products, bread, and other baked products, from the household and the abstention from eating any such products until the seven days are completed.

Spring cleaning

It is widely held that spring cleaning can be traced back to this ancient Jewish practice of thoroughly cleaning the home in anticipation of the springtime Passover holiday. It is normal that the Passover festival coincides with the Easter celebration, but for this year, the two are almost a month apart.

May Pesach be filled with happy times.

I am, etc.,

CLAUDE WILSON

jaclaudew@yahoo.com