The central theological focus that unites the Book of Genesis is the promise that God first makes to Abraham and then repeats in various forms to Isaac, to Jacob, and, through Jacob, to Joseph “In you shall all the families of the earth be blessed”.

In the Hebrew Bible, food assumes a sacramental dimension as the physical manifestation of God’s grace and blessing. YHWH requires Israel to eat responsibly according to the rules of YHWH’s fief, acknowledging YHWH’s provision with gratitude, abstaining from prohibited food, and distributing the bounty of the earth equitably.

To those who reenact the drama, the Passover narrative and ritual mediate the experience of both oppression and liberation. The Passover ritual provides an “order” by which the reality of suffering may be confronted and the earnest of hope celebrated. The sacred time of the Passover meal provides a rich spiritual heritage that nurtures not only Jews but also Christians.