The Day of Passover by Rav Sha'ul The Preparation Day for Passover (Abib 14th) The sinful broken body offered as a living sacrifice As we have discussed already, at the end of the 13th Day and beginning of the 14th Day is the Chagigah or “remembrance meal” eaten with leavened bread that represents Yahusha’s sinful broken body. Then after the Chagigah remembrance fellowship meal, The Passover begins with The Preparation Day which ends with The Passover Meal.   After the Chagigah meal as the day turned from the 13th to the 14th of Abib and The Preparation Day began, we see Yahusha go through the Mikveh ritual to prepare himself and his disciples.   Then the lambs are slaughtered on the altar and prepared for dinner by roasting over anopen flame. However the Passover Meal begins just prior to dusk on the 14th of Abib after The Day of Preparation; usually near sunset at the end of the day, which (in Jerusalem) is approximately thirty to forty minutes prior the beginning of the fifteenth of Abib (which always occurs on the Full Moon at dusk and begins The Feast of Unleavened Bread). Leviticus 23:7 (a commanded observance) 4 These [are] the feasts of Yahuah, [even] holy convocations, which you shall proclaim in their seasons. 5 In (during) the fourteenth [day] of the first month (Abib 14th) at evening (dusk) [is] (the beginning of) Yahuah’s Passover (Abib 14th is firstly the Passover Preparation Day, and then it is finally the Passover Meal after sunset to begin The Feast of Unleavened Bread). 6 And on the fifteenth day of the same month (Abib 15th) [is] the Feast of Unleavened bread unto Yahuah: seven days you must eat unleavened bread. 7 In (during) the first day (of Unleavened Bread) you shall have a holy convocation (after dawn): you shall do no servile work on that day. 8 But you shall offer an offering made by fire (grilled) unto Yahuah [for] seven days: in (during) the seventh day [is] a holy convocation: you shall do no servile work [on that day]. From Dan Love, author of The Spiritual Jew: Traditionally, the preparation of The Passover Meal begins after dawn during the fourteenth day of the first month (Abib 14th). Josephus records that during the first century the Passover lambs were slaughtered "from the ninth hour (since Dawn)till the eleventh" (Book 6, chapter 9, section 3), which corresponds closely to our 3:00-5:00 pm., which still allowed time for roasting over fire at the TEMPLE in Jerusalem (See Luke 23:44 below). Exodus 12:5-6 (as it originally commanded) 5 Your (own Spiritually symbolic) lamb shall be without blemish (a symbolic Righteousness Seeker), a male a year old (as a child or children). You shall take it from (among) the sheep or from the goats: 6 and you shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month; and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it during (not at, but during) the evening tide (Strong's H6153 - tereb, pronounced eh'-reb, which is a period of time for dusk, evening, even tide, and night). Luke 23  (Darkness on the Preparation Day) 44 And it was about the sixth hour (3 hours before the slaughter started), and there was a darkness over all the earth (Jerusalem area) until the ninth hour.  45 And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent (ripped) in the midst (in two). From Earth, a solar eclipse can only occur when the New Moon passes between the Sun and the Earth, and the New Moon fully or partially covers the Sun. This could never naturally occur during a "Full Moon" Feast Day. Therefore, this is not a "Solar Eclipse". Probably heavy cloud cover and-or even heavy smoke from a multitude (thousands) of roasting fires that were just being kindled to ultimately provide hot coals for roasting. Messiah was nailed on the torture stake during "The Preparation Day"; literally "In Like Manner" as the "Sacrificial Lambs" were, also, being "Prepared"; as a perfect "Physical to Spiritual Parallel" for Sacrifice. Yahuah commanded that each man bring his own Passover Lamb without spot or blemish to sacrifice in the Temple on the 14th in preparation for the upcoming High Sabbath of The Feast of Unleavened Bread.  Each household was to take the lamb they offered (on the Altar in the Temple, then cooked on an open fire) home to eat it to celebrate the beginning of The Feast of Unleavened Bread. How to celebrate in The Yahushaic Covenant In The Yahushaic Covenant, we are to understand the spiritual application of this physical rehearsal and apply it to the beginning of Passover with The Chagigah and then The Preparation Day. On the evening that begins the 14th (dusk on the 13th) we are to gather together for a “remembrance meal” to honor Yahusha’s example and remember his sacrifice on Passover.  1 Corinthians 11 23 For I received from the Messiah what I also passed on to you: The Messiah Yahusha, on the night (of that begins The Day of Preparation/ Passover Day) he was betrayed, took (leavened) bread (Artos), 24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body (sinful flesh), which is (given as an example) for you (as THE Passover Lamb to rip the veil and provide YOU access to the Altar so that you too can make your own living sacrifice); do this in remembrance (Chagigah meal as we offer our own broken sinful bodies looking back remembering Yahusha’s example) of me (each year before Passover).” 25 In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance (Chagigah meal where we re-affirm our belief in and commitment to The Yahushaic Covenant) of me.” 26  For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim (Chagigah or rememberance) the Messiah’s death (of his sinful flesh) until he comes (you proclaim his resurrected sinless life the next night using unleavened bread!). Then we are to “prepare ourselves” on the 14th for the coming High Sabbath on the Feast of Unleavened Bread through the ritual of Mikveh and self examination to ensure we are without spot or blemish.  We are to follow Yahusha’s example on Passover as we each are “lambs” and Yahusha is the Shepherd whom we follow: 1 John 2:6 whoever says he abides in (covenant with) him (Yahusha) ought to walk in the same way in which he walked (follow Yahusha’s example). John 10:11 - The Good Shepherd and His Sheep who enter through The Passover 10 “Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate (to the Alter whereby The Passover Lamb has granted us access), but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. 2 The one who enters by the gate (Passover) is the shepherd of the (rest of the) sheep. 3 The gatekeeper (Yahuah) opens the gate for him (the Shepherd Yahusha), and the sheep (we too our lambs of Yahuah) listen to his (Yahusha’s) voice (follow his example). He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out (of this physical world and into The Kingdom of Yahuah through Passover). 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them (offering his life as a living sacrifice and suffering at the stake on Passover), and his sheep follow him (in the Passover example he set) because they know his voice. 5 But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.” 6 Yahusha used this figure of speech (Mystery Language Alert!), but the Pharisees did not understand what he was telling them. We do this by examine ourselves as Passover Lambs to be offered to Yahuah on His Altar. We are to examine our “Passover Lambs” for spots and blemishes just like Yahuah commanded (Exodus 12:3): 2 Peter 3 14 Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things (Passover), be diligent to be found (faithful to the Spiritual Truth of Passover) by Him in peace, without spot and blameless (giving your lives as living sacrificial lambs Romans 12:1); 15 and consider that the longsuffering of our King is salvation (through THE Passover Lamb who has granted us access to the Altar Hebrews 10:20) Offering “physical lambs” was a shadow that has passed away: Isaiah 1:11 "The multitude of your sacrifices-- what are they to me?" says Yahuah. "I have more than enough of burnt offerings, of rams and the fat of fattened animals; I have no pleasure in the blood of bulls and lambs and goats True sacrifice in a Spiritual Kingdom within The Yahushaic Covenant is giving our lives in humble submission and loving obedience to the Will of Yahuah: Psalm 51 16 For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering. 17 The (true spiritual) sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise. 1 Samuel 15:22 But Samuel replied: "Does Yahuah delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying Yahuah (obedience is the spiritual attitude of our hearts)? To obey (spiritual sacrifice) is better than (physical) sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams. This type of sacrifice is “symbolized” each year on Passover.  We are to offer our lives as sacrificial lambs on Passover as Yahusha did, Yahusha’s example was not his physical death but rather his reverent submission to the Will of Yahuah and we are to obey that example: Hebrews 5 7 During the days of Yahusha’s life on earth (while he offered himself as a LIVING sacrifice), he offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries and tears to the one (Yahuah) who could save him from death (on Passover), and he (Yahusha) was heard (by Yahuah) because of his reverent submission (to the will of Yahuah which is true sacrifice). 8 Son though he was, he learned obedience (again it was Yahusha’s submission and obedience that was the TRUE sacrifice that got Yahuah’s attention. Yahusha wasn’t born perfect or obedient he learned it) from what he suffered (at the stake on Passover) 9 and, once made perfect (after his final Passover suffering on the torture stake), he (his sinful flesh) became (after his suffering on the stake and resurrection) the source of eternal salvation (The fulfillment of The Passover Lamb) for all who obey him (and follow his example and offer themselves as living sacrifices and lambs on Passover) 10 and was designated by Yahuah to be high priest in the order of Melchizedek (the eternal High Priest who ripped the veil and provided once for all the sons of Yahuah access to His Altar Hebrews 10:20). Hebrew 10 20 by the way which he dedicated for us (to offer our own sacrifice of) a new and living way (living sacrifices), through the veil, that is to say, his flesh (his sacrifice gives us direct access to the Altar of Yahuah); Our “sacrifice” each year on Passover is that we offer our lives as living sacrifices Romans 12:1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of Yahuah’s mercy (to save you from death like Yahusha), to offer your bodies (Spotless Lambs of Yahuah) as a living sacrifice (to Yahuah on Passover), holy and pleasing to Yahuah--this is (symbolic of) your true and proper worship (all year long). Once we have honored Yahusha’s role and the meaning of Passover at the Chagigah at the end of the 13th of Abib to begin the 14th of Abib we then “prepared ourselves” through Mikveh and washing of feet and looking at our lives to identify sin (leaven/spot/blemish) then we offer that “broken sinful body” to Yahuah on His Altar. Then at the close of the 14th of Abib… we eat The Passover Dinner to begin The Feast of Unleavened Bread at home with our families to celebrate the Millennial Kingdom with eating the lamb which symbolize the death of our flesh and unleavened bread to symbolize our resurrected bodies in that kingdom.   Next:

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