Not just any Passover, but the Passover as envisioned in the Book of Jubilees.
The Book of Jubilees, for those unfamiliar, is an ancient Jewish text that retells the stories of Genesis and Exodus, but with some… let's say strong opinions on how things should be done. It’s considered apocryphal by many (meaning it's not included in the canonical Hebrew Bible), but it gives us a fascinating glimpse into the beliefs and practices of some Jewish communities in antiquity.
And when it comes to Passover, Jubilees is very, very specific.
Specifically, Jubilees 49 lays down the law: Passover must be celebrated "in its season in every respect according to His command." Sounds straightforward. But the text gets even more precise. "They shall not eat it outside the sanctuary of the Lord, but before the sanctuary of the Lord, and all the people of the congregation of Israel shall celebrate it in its appointed season." This isn't just about remembering the Exodus. It's about a very particular way of remembering. It's about centering the entire experience within the sacred space of the Temple in Jerusalem – before the Temple.
Everyone, every single member of the community of Israel, is commanded to participate. According to Jubilees, anyone "who hath come upon its day shall eat it in the sanctuary of your God before the Lord from twenty years old and upward." Twenty years old and up! That’s a pretty high bar for participation, isn’t it? This isn’t a suggestion; it's a divine decree.
Why such an emphasis on the Temple? Well, for the authors of Jubilees, the Temple was the heart of Jewish life, the place where heaven and earth met. It was the ultimate expression of God's presence. So, naturally, the most important festival of the year had to be celebrated there, in the most direct connection possible to the Divine.
And the Book of Jubilees states, "for thus is it written and ordained that they should eat it in the sanctuary of the Lord."
Of course, today, without the Temple, we can’t literally fulfill this commandment as it's written. But perhaps we can still capture the spirit of Jubilees' vision. How can we create a sense of sacred space in our own homes and communities? How can we ensure that everyone feels included and connected to the story of Passover? How can we recapture that feeling of direct connection to the Divine during our Seder?
These are questions worth pondering as we approach the holiday. Maybe, just maybe, by exploring these ancient perspectives, we can find new ways to deepen our own Passover experience, making it not just a remembrance of the past, but a truly transformative encounter with the Eternal.