Passover falls on 14-21 of the month of Nisan (March-April) and is celebrated to commemorate the Jews' exodus from Egyptian slavery. During Passover, there is a total ban on eating fermentable products. Therefore, a thorough cleaning is conducted in households. Not even a crumb of bread can remain in them. Out of the bread, only matzah can be eaten – unleavened bread kneaded from wheat flour and water (M. Siemieński, Księga świąt i obyczajów żydowskich, Warsaw 1993, pp. 83–85).
The central feast of Passover is the Seder (Hebrew: order), which follows a strict order. Among the Seder dishes, there must be bitter herbs, such as chazeret (horseradish) and karpas (parsley), dipped in salt water – symbolising the taste of the tears of the Jews in Egyptian slavery. On a special crockery, often kept just for this one day of the year, they also serve beitza - a baked egg sprinkled with ash - a symbol of the power of survival; charoset - a salad of grated apples with crushed almonds, nuts and wine, reminiscent of brick-making clay; and zeroa, a roast leg of lamb. In addition, four cups of wine are obligatory, which are bowed in remembrance of the four promises of God made to the Israelites. In the centre of the table stands a large chalice intended for the prophet Elijah (Judaica w zbiorach Muzeum Narodowego w Warszawie, el. E. Martyna, Warsaw 1993, pp. 302–303).
One of the exhibits related to Passover tableware stored in the District Museum in Leszno is a pastry shovel, which can also be used to place special and delicate dishes. It has a relatively simple form: a smooth handle, devoid of ornamentation, finished with a wider handle to make it easier to hold the object in the hand. The main motif on the shovel is an engraved and repousséd (hammered) inscription in Hebrew: "For Passover". The flat scoop with its decorative shape is rounded at the end. At the point where it joins the handle, it is in the form of a trefoil.
The shovel was handed over to the Judaic Department's collection in 2004 by Marcin Błaszkowski of Leszno. Previously, the owner had purchased it from the Galeria Antyków (Antiques Gallery) on Gdańska Street (ul. Gdańska) in Łódź.
Dariusz Czwojdrak
