y years and stem from Judaism's inspired transformation of a seasonal ceremony. The nature of that special ceremony is described in detail in the 12th chapter of the Biblical Book of Exodus. At full moon in the first month of spring, the Bible says that it was customary for every family to slaughter a goat or lamb at twilight and then, in the middle of the night, to eat it along with bitter herbs and unleavened bread. The eating had to be done quickly, and whatever portion of the meat remained had to be burned at the break of dawn. Moreover, shortly after the animal was killed, a bunch of hyssop was dipped in the victim's blood and a few drops were sprinkled with it on the lintels and doorposts of each house. That ceremony was known as pesah, and was followed by a six-day festival called the Feast of Unleavened Bread, during which time no fermented food was allowed to be eaten. The first and last days of this ceremony were regarded as very sacred and were accompanied by a total abstention from work.
The essence of the festivals which preceded Passover was to re-cement the bonds of kindred and community by partaking of a meal in common which, to this day, is still referred to as "breaking bread
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