Passover is an eight-day Festival (seven in Israel) commemorating the Exodus from Egypt and the liberation of the Israelites from slavery.

For the duration of Passover, no leavened bread is eaten for which reason it is also called (Chag HaMatzot), "The Festival of the Unleavened Bread".

When the Temple in Jerusalem was standing, the focus of the Passover festival was the Korban Pesach (lit. "Pesach sacrifice," also known as the "Paschal Lamb"). Every family large enough to completely consume a young lamb or Wild Goat was required to offer one for sacrifice at the Jewish Temple on the afternoon of the 14th day of Nisan,and eat it that night, which was the 15th of Nisan.

Today, in the absence of the Temple, the mitzvah of the Korban Pesach is memorialized in the Seder Korban Pesach, recited in the afternoon of Nisan 14, and in the form of symbolic food placed on the Passover Seder Plate, which is usually a roasted shankbone. Source: Wikipedia

The name "Pesach" (PAY-sahkh) comes from the Hebrew root Peh-Samech-Chet , meaning to pass through, to pass over, to exempt or to spare. It refers to the fact that G-d "passed over" the houses of the Jews when he was slaying the firstborn of Egypt. In English, the holiday is known as Passover.

"Pesach" is also the name of the sacrificial offering (a lamb) that was made in the Temple on this holiday. The holiday is also referred to as Chag ha-Aviv , (the Spring Festival), Chag ha-Matzoth , (the Festival of Matzahs), and Z'man Cherutenu , (the Time of Our Freedom).

a one-day festival known in Hebrew as "Chag Ha-Pesach" or "Hag Ha-Pesach," meaning "The Festival of the Paschal Offering." This one-day festival was celebrated by early Middle Eastern peoples before the Passover/Pesach of Egypt story. It was incorporated into the Passover/Pesach of Egypt story as the paschal lamb whose blood was used by the Hebrews on the doorposts and lintel (beam) at the entrance to their households to "shield" the first-born son in every Hebrew household in Egypt from the wrath of the Angel of Death, who, upon seeing the blood, "skipped" over or "passed" over the Hebrew households and instead, killed the first-born son in every Egyptian household in the 10th and final Plague.

A six-day festival known in Hebrew as "Chag Ha-Matzot" or "Hag Ha-Matzot", meaning "The Festival of Unleavened Bread." Like the "The Festival of the Paschal Offering," this festival was celebrated by early Middle Eastern peoples prior to the Passover / Pesach of Egypt story. It was incorporated into the Passover/ Pesach of Egypt story in commemoration of the unleavened bread that was baked in haste by the Hebrews as they were preparing to leave Egypt following the 10th and final Plague. The Hebrews did not intend to bake unleavened bread; rather, they wanted to bake leavened bread for their journey out of Egypt. However, time constraints necessitated that they would instead bake unleavened bread.

Following the Passover / Pesach of Egypt story, the one-day Festival of the Paschal Offering was combined with the six-day Festival of Unleavened Bread to comprise the new seven-day Festival of Pesach/Passover. This new festival incorporated the symbolisms of the two previous festivals with the events of the Passover / Pesach of Egypt story to create the basic symbolisms of the Passover/Pesach of Egypt story which were later expanded upon by Talmudic rabbinical authorities by structuring these symbolisms into a 15-step order ("Seder" in Hebrew) of instructions for properly conducting the festive meal on the first evening of Passover/ Pesach (for Jews living outside Israel, there are two festive meals, one on the first evening and the other on the second evening of Passover/Pesach). This festive meal became known as the "Passover Seder" or "Pesach Seder".

A seven-day commemoration (eight days for Jews living outside Israel) of the physical/political (not spiritual) freedom of the Hebrews from physical/political slavery in ancient Egypt. This commemoration specifically refers to the Passover/Pesach of Egypt story. The purpose of the Exodus from Egypt was for the Hebrews to eventually attain spiritual freedom 50 days after the Exodus with the receiving of the Torah and its 613 commandments, including the Ten Commandments, from G-d via Moses at Mount Sinai. The Hebrew name for the commemoration of this event is "Chag Ha-Cheirut" or "Hag Ha-Heirut", meaning either "The Festival of Freedom" or "The Festival of Redemption."

A seven-day commemoration (eight days for Jews living outside Israel) of the season in which both the Passover/Pesach of Egypt and the subsequent entering of the Hebrews into Canaan took place: in the springtime. The arrival of the Hebrews in Canaan also symbolized the beginning of a new phase of cultural life for the Hebrews. The Hebrew name for the commemoration of the season in which the Passover / Pesach of Egypt and the subsequent arrival of the Hebrews in Canaan took place is known as "Chag Ha- Aviv" or "Hag Ha-Aviv", meaning "The Festival of Spring." Some have also referred to this Passover/Pesach name as "The Season of Our Liberation."

A seven-day commemoration (eight days for Jews living outside Israel) known as "Pesach" or "Pesah" in Hebrew, and "Passover" in English. Whereas the four previous Passover/Pesach names symbolize constraint and confinement of the Hebrews in both mind and heart by the Egyptians, the name Pesach or Passover symbolizes the transition of the Hebrews from their previous state of intellectual and physical limitations in Egypt to that of a new state of rediscovered self-assertion upon entering the Land of Canaan. The Exodus from Egypt and the subsequent receiving of the Torah at Mount Sinai followed by the Hebrews' entry into Canaan gave the Hebrews the opportunity to attain the highest level of self-assertion, selfrealization, and being.

As you can see by the above explanations, the story of Passover/Pesach and the origin of its names is a journey in itself which covers centuries of history. Like the 15-step ordered instructions for properly conducting the Passover/Pesach Seder, the Jewish Sages of ancient times wanted to teach and emphasize that the process of transitioning from physical and political confinement to physical and political freedom is a difficult but ultimately rewarding journey.

Moses receiving law and commandments on Mount Sinai.

Passover (Pesach) in 2020 begins just after sunset or just after nightfall on Wednesday, April 8, 2020.

Nightfall is defined in Jewish law as being "the end of sunset". For Jews (most Reform Jews, some Conservative Jews, and Jews living in Israel) who celebrate Passover for 7 days , Passover in 2020 will end either at sunset or at nightfall on Wednesday, April 15, 2020. For Jews(some Reform Jews, most Conservative Jews, and Jews living outside Israel) who celebrate Passover for 8 days, Passover in 2020 will end either at sunset or at nightfall on Thursday, April 16, 2020.

Of the eight days of Passover, the first two and the last two are "Yom Tov" . In Hebrew, Jewish holidays and festivals, depending on their nature, may be called Yom Tov, meaning; "Good Day" which refers to a full holy day or holiday/festival day.

The middle four days are called Chol Ha-Moed means weekday festival "weekdays of the festival," also called "the intermediate days." (In Israel, where Passover is observed for seven days, the first and last days are Yom Tov, and the middle five days are Chol Ha-Moed). Chol Ha-Moed are in fact half holidays.

The Yom Tov days are days of rest, during which all creative work is forbidden, as it is on the Shabbat, with the exception of certain types of work associated with food preparation (e.g., cooking and "carrying"). On Chol Ha-Moed the prohibition of work is less stringent - work whose avoidance would result in "significant loss" is permitted (except when Chol Ha-Moed is also Shabbat, when all work is forbidden).

Jews Celebrating Passover. Ukrainian lubok, XIXth century

(Bedikas Chametz) Search for Chametz (Also spelled Chometz or Hametz)...(13 Nissan) Search for Chametz after sundown

Fast of First Born - Seudat Mitzvah and Burning of Chametz. First Seder....(14 Nissan)

First born fast or participate in Seudat Mitzvah.

Stop eating chametz approx. four hours after sunrise.

Burn your chametz before the fifth hour after sunrise

Passover begins at sundown with first Seder.

1st day of Passover...(15 Nisan) Second Seder begins after sundown.

Counting of the Omer

Counting of the Omer begins after sundown. On the second night, Jews start counting the Omer.

The counting of the Omer is a count of the days from the time they left Egypt until the time they arrived at Mount Sinai.

The Torah itself dictates the counting of the seven weeks following Passover:

"You shall count from the eve of the second day of Pesach, when an Omer of grain is to be brought as an offering, seven complete weeks.

The day after the seventh week of your counting will make fifty days, and you shall present a new meal offering to God (Leviticus 23:15-16).”

See: Sfirah - The Counting of the Omer" What is its significance?

2nd day of Passover...(16 Nisan) First day of the Omer.

3rd day of Passover....(17 Nisan) Second day of the Omer

4th day of Passover....(18 Nisan) Third day of the Omer

5th day of Passover....(19 Nisan) Fourth day of the Omer

6th day of Passover....(20 Nisan) Fifth day of the Omer

7th day of Passover....(21 Nisan - within Israel Pesach lasts only seven days). Yizkor (the prayer to remember the dead) is recited on the seventh day of Pesach. Six day of the Omer

8th day, final day of Passover....(22 Nisan - Outside of Israel - within Israel Pesach lasts only seven days) Yizkor. After the Amidah, count the 7th day of the Omer. Passover ends at sundown.