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APRIL 06, 2015
Was Passover Originally An Ancient Canaanite Ritual Festival Meant To Stop The Winter Rain From Ruining Spring Crops?
Baby lambSpring was a time of great anxiety, since the rains that made their grains grow during the winter were no longer welcome. One particularly nasty storm could decimate wheat and barley fields, knocking down the ripe plants and rotting the grains, and the people would starve. Somehow the ancients had to stop the rains…
Ha’aretz reports:
…Nearly all ancient Canaanites – Hebrews included – were farmers, and Passover takes place just at the most critical time of the year, at the end of the growing season, just before the harvest.
This was a time of great anxiety, since the rains that made their grains grow during the winter were no longer welcome. One particularly nasty storm could decimate wheat and barley fields, knocking down the ripe plants and rotting the grains, and the people would starve.
Somehow the ancients had to stop the rains, and this could be the original function of Passover.
The question is, how could eating a roast ruminant stop the rain? For that we have to learn something about the Canaanite religion, which the Hebrews practiced before a proto-Judaism took form.
The Canaanite rain god was Baal. He is mentioned in the Bible time and again, but no details are given about the myths associated with him. To learn about these, we must consult the library found in Ugarit, an ancient Canaanite city on the Mediterranean coast of modern-day Syria.
There we find, written in a language very close to Hebrew, detailed accounts of the mythology and religion of Canaan. Among them is a story which explains why the rain stops each spring and returns every fall: the Canaanite god of death Mot kills Baal, each year anew. Baal spends his summers in the netherworld, Sheol, until being resurrected again in the fall.
“I it was who confronted mightiest Baal, I who made him a lamb like a kid in the breach of my windpipe,” Mot tells Baal’s sister Anath in the poem describing this myth.
Mot’s likening Baal’s killing to eating livestock may be key to understanding the original symbolism of Passover. Perhaps by eating a kid or lamb, the Canaanites were symbolically recreating Mot’s consumption of Baal, hoping that this would stop the rain on time.
This could explain the dictum that the bones of the Passover sacrifice must be kept intact, which the Bible does not explain. Maybe the ancient Hebrews thought that if the bones of the symbolic representation of the Baal were broken, this would adversely affect the resurrection of Baal in the fall, when rains are once again needed.…
POSTED AT 04:38 PM IN HISTORY, ISRAEL, RELIGION, RELIGION & STATE | PERMALINK
COMMENTS
Miggo Wagga said…
There is much in the Jewish religion that derives from Canaanite tradition and this is nothing to be ashamed of. The story of Baal and Mot, while meaningless to us nowadays, was how ancient civilizations explained the seasons. It is not inconcievable that ancient Israelites would marry the old traditions of the Pesach offering, which originate with Canaanite theology, to the story of the Exodus which, after all, did signify a renewal of the covenant and a rejuvenation of life through freedom. The story of the Exodus itself is a real story–it really happened, even if it only happened to a minority of the Israelite people. For the majority, they never experienced the Exodus, but many of them were the descendants of refugees who fled the oppressive and corrupt social structure of the Canaanite city states which themselves were under Egyptian domination. For these clans, the Exodus story was simply a more dramatic version of what their own families went through, so they adopted it as their own much as all Americans have adopted the Mayflower story even though only a tiny minority are descended from the Pilgrim Fathers.
Exodus from Egypt, freedom from slavery, freedom from oppression by the Canaanite city states, springtime, the rejuvenation of life—it all ties in together, with the result that we have something far more profound and meaningful than the original story of Baal and Mot.
APRIL 08, 2015 AT 09:30 AM
Pagan said…
The story of Baal and Mot is found in one form or another across the Mediterranean world. It is the annual contest between the God of the Waxing Year, and his brother (or tanist) the God of the Waning Year, for the favours of the Goddess. At the vernal equinox, the former kills the latter; at the autumnal equinox, it’s the other way round.
Also, since the vernal equinox corresponds with the barley harvest, it is usually dedicated to the Goddess in her persona as Alphito, the barley goddess. It was in her honour that David danced on her threshing floor.
The later Greeks recast this myth in terms of the gods of the sky and the underworld, and creaed the story of Persephone.
The equinox was also a time of sacrifice: originally a bull sacrifice, but later a lamb sacrifice. This change was perhaps caused by the precession of the equinox from Taurus into Aries.
Robert Graves derives Pesach from a Canaanite root that means “partridge”, and hence claims that the festival was a fertility festival as well as a sacrificial one. I’m rather doubtful of this.
APRIL 07, 2015 AT 08:57 PM
I said…
The truth–THE WHOLE TOYREH IS A FABRICATION OF THE IMAGINATION, NO NORMAL THINKING HUMAN BEING WOULD THINK ALL THAT SPLITTING OF THE SEA AND 600 THOUSAND JEWS LEFT EGYPT IS TRUE YOU GOT TO BE BRAIN DEAD NOT TO SEE IT.
APRIL 07, 2015 AT 06:50 PM
The truth said…
It’s brought down in the Medrash that our forefathers kept the Torah before it was given, besides for a few.
Avraham Avinu ate Matzos on Pesach, and so did Lot who learned from his uncle, made Matzos when the Angels came to save him.
It could be that they learned from Avraham Avinu and then got distorted like many of the pagan religions from after Noach’s time started worshipping idols.
APRIL 07, 2015 AT 06:37 PM
jancsibacsi said…
JACKboy—“Notice that I did not mention Jancsi”s name at all”
Congratulations you must be a genious in your own mentally unstable mind,you love to self congratulate everytime you write here about how you thing you ooutsmart others you reveal how stupid you are, di shoite.
APRIL 07, 2015 AT 02:07 PM
JACK said…
Notice that I did not mention Jancsi”s name at all,so my question to this genious,why made you think that I was talking about you? LOL,
It must be that you yourself realize that you are a MARMAROSHER POODLE,now go back to licking your masters boots
APRIL 07, 2015 AT 01:50 PM
Yochanan Lavie said…
Thanks, Sarek. I hope it goes “Gold’s” on the charts.
APRIL 07, 2015 AT 12:15 PM
jancsibacsi said…
JACKyboy–In vus este kosheren drek on peysach?
APRIL 07, 2015 AT 12:02 PM
JACK said…
Shmaryah’s little Hungarian poodle is again coming to his masters defense,and is jumping up and down and barking nonsense, MARMAROSHER gypsy why don’t you go back and be a good little doggy and start licking your masters boots,and make sure when he rewards you with some dog food it’s kosher l’pesach
APRIL 07, 2015 AT 11:55 AM
jancsibacsi said…
What the big deal he shmarya takes of one day to relax and that day happenes to be shabbat,anyone who beleieves that 600 thousand jews lived at the time of moses is a hopeless dupe,a tottal goylem,jack are you one who beleives in that buvo maise?
APRIL 07, 2015 AT 11:22 AM
Sarek said…
YL, Purple chrain, I love it!
Gold’s, I presume?
APRIL 07, 2015 AT 10:29 AM
Calm Cohain said…
Please allow me to explain why Shalom Auslander 1.0 (aka Shamrya) recognized that evening in any manner at all. Unable to come to grips with his Kazar-Roman prostitute-Minneapolis mob lineage, rejected by the Lubavitcher Rebbe in his quest to become the Jim Jones of the Ethiopian Jews, he is desperate to maintain some nominal connection to those who just don’t want him around. Only 2 guests? That says a lot. (BTW…Why am I the only one here beside Shmarya who has the guts to use my name?)
APRIL 07, 2015 AT 08:49 AM
JACK said…
No i don’t think it is hypocrisy,it is much deeper than that,deep down in his inner soul,Shmaryah is a believer,he just can’t admit it to himself
APRIL 07, 2015 AT 06:23 AM
divinely inspired said…
Scott won’t answer questions he doesn’t have answers to. You called him out. Why kitniyot and not outright chametz. Why no postings on Chag. In short another classic hypocrite. And wait for it…this year its Shabbat but he probably wouldn’t keep last day albeit still not eat chametz last day as many reform do. Can anyone explain that?
APRIL 07, 2015 AT 05:27 AM
BabyBobBarker said…
The Divine takes pleasure when we joyously partake of the fruits of the earth.
APRIL 07, 2015 AT 04:11 AM
Gay Frum Jew said…
Take a lot of this, small amount of that. Ignore that, doesn’t agree with me. Pesach is the same way. But eat what makes you happy, I always do!
APRIL 07, 2015 AT 01:32 AM
Gay Frum Jew said…
Is Judiasm a smorgasbord?
APRIL 07, 2015 AT 01:25 AM
JACK said…
Saturday night, I had a delicious mushroom pizza (vegetarian here) while watching Allen Toussaint perform with his band. I also drank some beer and dipped twice into my bag of bitter herbs.
Posted by: dapper danny
=======================================
At least you are true to yourself,and not believing that judaism was commanded by the word of God you, just don’t bother in keeping all those burdensome commandments,what i don’t understand is Shmaryah’s schizophrenic personality,on one hand he does not believe in Judaism he constantly mocks it,and on the other hand,he keeps certain commandments,like not posting on the Sabbath or not eating chametz on passover etc,that is a puzzle for me
APRIL 06, 2015 AT 10:55 PM
JACK said…
Eating kitnyot on Pesach was the norm before the mid 15th century when some Ashkenazi Rebbes in France decided to change things and ban kitnyot during Pesach.
Ashkenazi Jewish religious law isn’t Jewish
law per se. It’s merely the Ashkenazi interpretation of Judaism and Jewish law.which these days is more a grab for power and gelt.
Posted by: Shayna G in NZ
=================================
Shayna, Have you a problem in reading and grasping the English language ?,my question to Shmaryah was not why he ate kitniyos,it was-why he even bothered eating it and not some hot pizza or bread,being that he believed that the exodus was a fairy tale and the bible was not divine but was authored by different authors at different times.
By the way,we are all very impressed by your knowledge that the prohibition of kitniyos was instituted by some Ashkebazi rabbi’s during the 15th century,Shaynah,nothing new here, even my 12 year old grandson knew that when he was only 8.
and by the way,i think it was earlier than the 15th century,it was around the 12th century.
Have a happy Passover (if celebrating it)
APRIL 06, 2015 AT 10:42 PM
Yosef said…
L’shana haba b’Yerushalayim. Next year in Jerusalem is looking more likely as Arabs and Muslims kill each, more Muslims immigrate to the US, other and the US is turning into a Towel of Babel under a power hungry liar in chief supported by progressive Jewish Federations. Perhaps the Exodus from Egypt, where the Jews once had it good in the days of Joseph before being liberated by Moses is a preface for Exit from US? There arose a new Pharoah…
APRIL 06, 2015 AT 10:34 PM
dapper danny said…
Jack: “Just curious,if the whole Pesach story is fiction,then why only kitniyos,why not some hot delicious pizza or some fresh rolls ?”
Saturday night, I had a delicious mushroom pizza (vegetarian here) while watching Allen Toussaint perform with his band. I also drank some beer and dipped twice into my bag of bitter herbs.
APRIL 06, 2015 AT 10:13 PM
Anti-kike said…
Scripture clearly states that Israelites/Hebrews/Jews were originally pagans. No one familiar with Tenakh would argue that paganism did not come before Judaism. In addition, there would be absolutely no reason that paganism and monotheism cannot have certain things in common. However, that does not make them theoretically or functions ally the same. Even though forms of transportation, having an engine does not make a car an airplane. Even though forms of religion, having faith does not make paganism monotheism.
Read some books on paganism. I recommend Nordic/Germanic paths such as Ásatrú and Odinism. Just be aware that mead is not kosher for Passover.
APRIL 06, 2015 AT 09:56 PM
Shayna G in NZ said…
JACK
Eating kitnyot on Pesach was the norm before the mid 15th century when some Ashkenazi Rebbes in France decided to change things and ban kitnyot during Pesach.
Ashkenazi Jewish religious law isn’t Jewish
law per se. It’s merely the Ashkenazi interpretation of Judaism and Jewish law.which these days is more a grab for power and gelt.
APRIL 06, 2015 AT 09:12 PM
shmuel said…
bingo
APRIL 06, 2015 AT 08:57 PM
JACK said…
Two guests. We ate kitniyot, discussed the fictional exodus and had a good time. Yours?
Posted by: Shmarya | April 06, 2015 at 03:51 PM
==============================================
Just curious,if the whole Pesach story is fiction,then why only kitniyos,why not some hot delicious pizza or some fresh rolls ?
Could it be Shmaryah,that deep down subconsciously you are a believer,you know that PINTELE YID thing bandied around by chareidim
APRIL 06, 2015 AT 08:40 PM
shmuel said…
El Elyon (lit. God Most High) and El; also transliterated as Ilu.
Shachar and Shalim, twin gods of dawn and dusk.
Shamayim, (lit. skies) the god of the heavens,
Yam (lit. sea-river) the god of the sea and the river
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canaanite_religion
APRIL 06, 2015 AT 08:31 PM
shmuel said…
Dagon, god of crop fertility and grain
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canaanite_religion
APRIL 06, 2015 AT 08:27 PM
JamesMadison said…
Jeff- Did you grit your teeth when you wrote that? Did you stomp your feet? You petulant child! Good night.
APRIL 06, 2015 AT 08:27 PM
Jeff said…
Very good, YL.
James Madison – worthless frum garbage. My sincere prayer for you is that you live to see your children repudiate everything you hold sacred.
APRIL 06, 2015 AT 07:52 PM
Yochanan Lavie said…
Actually, it was a Canaanite festival to stop the Winter Chrayn:
(apologies to Prince, Purple Rain):
I never meant to cause you any tzuris
I never meant to cause you any pain
I only wanted to one time see you eating
I only wanted to see you
Eat fish with purple chrayn
Purple chrayn, purple chrayn
Purple chrayn, purple chrayn
Purple charyn, purple chrayn
I only wanted to see you
Slathering the purple chrayn
I never wanted to be at your Seder
I only wanted to be some kind of mensch
Bubbie, I could never take you from gemara [study]
It’s such a shame our chevrusa had to end
Purple chrayn, purple chrayn
Purple chrayn, purple chrayn
Purple charyn, purple chrayn
I only wanted to see you
Eat gefilte fish with purple chrayn
Rabbi, I know, I know
I know [4 cups of] wines are draining
It’s time we all reach out
For something, nu, that means Jews too
You say you want a breeder
But you can’t seem to make up your mind
I think you better choose her
And let me serve you the purple chrayn
Purple chrayn, purple chrayn
Purple chrayn, purple chrayn
If you know what I’m kvetching about up here
C’mon, it’s on hand
Purple chrayn, purple chrayn
I only want to see you
Only want to see you
Eating purple chrayn
APRIL 06, 2015 AT 07:31 PM
jancsibacsi said…
JamesMadison—On jeffs behalf i am teaching you a few yiddish words kish mir in toches.
APRIL 06, 2015 AT 07:19 PM
JamesMadison said…
Jeff- When did you learn the term “olam haba”? And “Moshe Rabeynu”? Wow! You are growing right before my eyes!
APRIL 06, 2015 AT 07:10 PM
Gay Frum Jew said…
And we ate matza balls. Oy vey, the matza got wet!
APRIL 06, 2015 AT 07:02 PM
Yakov said…
I got used to my Catholic friend insisting with passion and fire in his eyes that the lamb is Jesus, to suggest that it’s Baal is a hidush worthy of Haaretz.
APRIL 06, 2015 AT 07:00 PM
Wirbelwind said…
For presenting the case for kitniyot nowadays being permitted for Ashkenazim, Australian R.David Bar Chayim had petrol poured through his letterbox!
APRIL 06, 2015 AT 06:20 PM
ksil said…
“We didn’t eat Kitniot. Discussed the true exodus story in detail. And mocked those losers who are obsessed with us, and we laughed and laughed.”
just as god intended…lol
APRIL 06, 2015 AT 05:39 PM
Jeff said…
“We didn’t eat Kitniot. Discussed the true exodus story in detail. And mocked those losers who are obsessed with us, and we laughed and laughed.”
Right – because that’s what Moshe Rabbenu would have done.
I don’t really care about an afterlife, but if I shared your belief system, I wouldn’t want your olam haba, or that of your fellow trolls, for all the cholent in frumville.
APRIL 06, 2015 AT 05:38 PM
Sarek said…
It’s a total coincidence, of course that Passover (and Easter) occurs near the equinox. As it’s a total coincidence that the High Holidays occur near the other equinox. And that Chanukah (and Christmas) occurs near the solstice. Only a godless heathen would dare to suggest that these holidays replaced existing pagan holidays centered around these key dates.
APRIL 06, 2015 AT 05:22 PM
JamesMadison said…
We didn’t eat Kitniot. Discussed the true exodus story in detail. And mocked those losers who are obsessed with us, and we laughed and laughed.
APRIL 06, 2015 AT 05:09 PM
Shmarya said…
Two guests. We ate kitniyot, discussed the fictional exodus and had a good time. Yours?
APRIL 06, 2015 AT 04:51 PM
gree said…
Shmarya, how was your Seder???
APRIL 06, 2015 AT 04:45 PM
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