The 5785, or if you will, 2025 Spring Feasts are fast approaching. As I write this, the start is just over three weeks away. And as you are reading this, well…
Are you ready? Have you begun making preparations? The timing of Passover this year is a little challenging so don’t wait until the last minute.
Passover
It might be a little more difficult to find the things you need this year. If you are in the United States, recent political and economic conditions could mean that some items, especially those from foreign countries like Israel, could become scarce very quickly. Even outside the United States the markets are uncertain. Make sure you have matzah and, if you choose it, wine suitable for Passover.
And while a lot of things typically used are more traditional rather than commanded, you may wish to begin accumulating them as well. Do you have a Haggadah? We have one here at The Messianic Light you can download for free, just check here. Perhaps you would also want to use a traditional Seder plate and candle holders.
The Sabbaths
This year, 5785 on the Jewish calendar and 2025 on the Gregorian calendar, Passover is on the evening of April 12 which is the 14th day of Aviv (or Nisan). And although the day of Passover is not a commanded a Sabbath, this year it falls on the weekly Sabbath. Then when the weekly Sabbath ends, it will be the “High Sabbath,” the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread. That can make things a bit more challenging.
Many consider the act of cooking to be work not permitted on Shabbat (the Sabbath day) and regularly prepare their Shabbat meals the day before on Friday, often calling it “Preparation Day.” Whether or not that is how the term is used in Scripture (Mark 15:42, Luke 23:54, John 19:14,31,42) is debated. But even if you think “cooking” in modern times is not necessarily work, certainly the preparation of a Passover meal is! Just ask anyone who has done it.
And, of course, after any good, big meal, there will be a lot of cleanup. You can submit it to prayer and study to determine just how much meal preparation and cleanup you should do on these two back-to-back Sabbaths. My purpose here is just to bring it up so that you can make the necessary plans for a meaningful Passover that honors and respects the commandments of our Father.
The dates and times given here are based on the Jewish Hillel calendar. There are, of course, other calendars in use which may or may not have Passover coinciding with the weekly Sabbath. On the solar “Zadok” calendar, Passover is always on Tuesday evening, this year on April 8. For those sighting the moon to begin the month, that date is unknown at the time of this writing.
Here are a few things to consider if these are applicable to how you are observing Passover:
- Prepare Food in Advance: Since you won’t be cooking on Shabbat, make as much of the Seder meal as possible before Shabbat begins. You can reheat food using “permissible” methods (like a pre-set warming drawer or blech).
- Set the Table Early: Set the Seder table before Shabbat begins, including arranging the Seder plate and preparing the Haggadahs and other ritual items.
- Candle Lighting: Light Shabbat candles as usual on Friday night. For the Passover, you’ll light candles from a pre-existing flame after nightfall.
- Seder Preparations: Since you won’t be preparing on Shabbat for after Shabbat, ensure that everything you’ll need (like wine, matzah, and the Seder plate) is ready before Shabbat.
- Cleanup: And since you won’t be preparing on Shabbat for the High Sabbath, have space already designated where you can scrape any table scraps and stack dishes.
Feast of Unleavened Bread
The Feast of Unleavened Bread immediately follows the Passover. The first day, falling on Sunday this year, is one of the annual Sabbath days so, as previously mentioned, we have back-to-back Sabbaths. That again presents and scenario that requires forethought.
Of course, no leaven is permitted from the 15th (specifically, the evening of the 14th) to the 21st day of the Biblical month (Exodus 12:18-20). Prior to the evening of the 14th, leaven is actually permitted – but remember, that day is the weekly Sabbath. You will not be cleaning out leaven on that day.
So, all leaven should be removed before the weekly Sabbath begins. If you choose to eat anything leavened on that Sabbath, be sure to eat all of it, leaving none of it left by the time the Passover begins that evening. Eat only unleavened bread until the next Sabbath, which is both the weekly Sabbath and the second annual Sabbath.
The Messianic Mo’adiym Devotional by Kevin Geoffrey has short devotional meditations for all of the Biblical Feast days, including each day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread as well as each day counting the Omer.
First Fruits, Counting the Omer, and Shavuot
Next up in the Spring Feasts is the Waving of the First Fruits. This also begins the Counting of the Omer leading up to the final Spring Feast, the Feast of Weeks of Shavuot.
In keeping with the theme of being a little unusual this year, most in the Messianic and Hebrew Roots community will be observing the Feast of First Fruits after the Feast of Unleavened Bread has ended. By interpreting the “morning after the Sabbath” to mean the weekly Sabbath during the Feast of Unleavened Bread (which happens to be the last day of unleavened bread), the observance on the first day of the week will occur after the Feast of Unleavened Bread has ended, on Sunday, April 20.
Most Jewish communities, including Messianic Jewish congregations, interpret the “morning after the Sabbath” as meaning the first “High Sabbath” of the Feast of Unleavened Bread. As such, the Feast of First Fruits and the first day Counting the Omer is on Monday, April 14. Shavuot is observed seven weeks later on Monday, June 2.
Christian churches will also be observing the Resurrection on Sunday, April 20. If it is your practice to use a church facility to celebrate Sabbath and Feasts with other Torah observant believers, it may be necessary to secure another location to for the Feast of First Fruits. Plan for this now so that it does not sneak up on you at the last minute.
When you begin Counting the Omer, remember to always count “up” – Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, etc. – to the Feast of Weeks, Shavuot. Don’t count down the number of days remaining. You may want to make a calendar to count the 50 days to Shavuot. If you have children and feel a little crafty, check out a few Omer-counting ideas here.
There are daily devotions for Counting the Omer in the Messianic Mo’adiym Devotional mentioned above, or check out my review of Jeanora Elgin’s Counting the Omer Devotional Journal.
This Gregorian year 2025, those observing the solar (Zadok) calendar and likely those observing the sighted moon will also begin Counting the Omer on Sunday, April 20. Shavout will be is observed on Sunday, June 8. This is an excellent opportunity to set technicalities of the calendar aside and simply worship and celebrate together.
No One is to Come Empty-Handed
Three times a year all your men are to appear in the presence of ADONAI your God in the place which he will choose – at the festival of matzah, at the festival of Shavu’ot and at the festival of Sukkot. They are not to show up before ADONAI empty-handed…
(Deuteronomy 16:16 CJB)
This passage has been all too frequently used and abused by Christian televangelists and pastors. This is not a directive to send in your special “love offering” or any other such nonsense. It is Torah instruction to be prepared. Save up ahead of time for what you need for the Feasts, and do not show up unprepared or lacking.
Now is the time to make plans and gather resources for your Spring Feast celebrations. Do you need matza or other food items suitable for Passover and Unleavened Bread? Do you have other responsibilities, such as teaching or leading worship, that need advanced preparations? Write down what you need and what you need to do.
If you want devotionals, calendars, or study tools to use during the Feasts or Counting the Omer, begin gathering them now. Before the double Sabbath arrives, make sure you have gas in your vehicle. Know what you are going to wear and what you are going to eat.
Our God and King deserves preparation needed to show him the honor of which he is worthy.