How should we observe Passover?

Answer From The Annual Reading Schedule - Week 28 Notes For Leviticus: First of all, for any observance we must remember that Yahweh does not like iniquity or unrighteousness and assembly to be mixed together (Isaiah 1:13). What this means is that we cannot be hypocritical. We can't be pretending to follow Yahweh when it comes time for an observance, and then on all other days living wickedly without any regard for the laws of Yahweh. We can't oppress the poor, the fatherless, and the widow a day before a feast, keep the feast and rest, and then go back to oppression the day after the feast and expect that Yahweh will be pleased with us.

We need to make sure that we are not pretending and that we are looking at the way we live and our hearts to see if they are in line with Yahweh's laws. If we're just pretending on feast days and other observances and not really following Yahweh in the rest of our life, then He will not be pleased with our fake attempts to keep His Set-Apart Days. Now, to the specifics of this question:

The Passover is mentioned in this reading in Leviticus 23:5. The 14th Day of the 1st Biblical Month is the day of Passover when Yahushua was impaled on a stake/tree and died for our sins so that we could have eternal life. This is a day that very clearly points to Yahushua and what Yahweh has done for us by passing over us and sparing us from the penalty of being thrown in the lake of fire if we do not have the blood of Yahushua covering over us. Similarly, we see in Exodus 12 that they had the blood of the Passover on the sides and top of their doors and that Yahweh passed over them, sparing them from the punishment that came.

This is a time to remember what the Yisra'elites went through in being spared and also brought out of slavery and bondage in Mitsrayim (Egypt). Similarly, this is a time to remember what Yahushua has done for us when He gave up His life and suffered so much and bore our sins so that we might live and be freed from bondage to sin. Through the blood and power of Yahushua we have been brought out of slavery to sin and are no longer in bondage to Yahweh's enemy Satan. Just as they were freed from Paroh (Pharaoh), we are freed from Satan. Just as they went through the wilderness before entering the promised-land, we are going through a wilderness (this life) before we enter the promised-land in which we will have eternal life.

"Passover" is a word that can refer to the 14th Day of the 1st Biblical Month when the Passover is sacrificed as well as the night following that day in which the Passover meal is eaten and the 1st Born of all in Egypt/Mitsrayim were killed and Yahweh passed over, sparing the 1st Born of the Yisra'elites (Israelites). Related reading notes for the Passover, which occurs right before and also during the beginning of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, includes these reading notes for the Annual Reading Schedule:

Those reading notes provide many details to help answer many questions on Passover observance. In general, these are the different types of "Passover" or other "similar" or "related" services or gatherings I observe and how (in a very summary capacity):

A service to make sure people are prepared for the upcoming Exodus 12 Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread (I do not do this gathering on Sabbath).
Preparation Service To Prepare For Partaking of the Body and Blood of Yahushua (the first Passover Service) (I do not do this gathering / service on Sabbath.)
Service For Remembrance of The Day The Lamb Is Selected, The Anointing of Yahushua By Miryam Before His Death, & His Coming In To Yerushalayim (Jerusalem) On A Donkey & A Brief Review of The Omer Count To Be Prepared For The Upcoming Omer Count (I do not do this gathering / service on Sabbath.)
I have Suggested Personal Daily Readings From The 4th of HaAviv To The 13th of HaAviv To Help Stay Focused On Yahushua In The Days Leading Up To Partaking of the Body and Blood of Yahushua
Passover Service Including Foot Washing & Partaking of The Body & Blood of Yahushua In Remembrance of Yahushua (observed in the evening ending the 13th going into the beginning of the 14th of HaAviyv, the night before the Exodus 12 Passover – foot washing is only done when others are present in person and not just a virtual online gathering).

A regular meal is eaten in advance of this service separately and alone by all who are attending.
No group meal happens during this service.
No mixing of bitter herbs in this service – that belongs in the Exodus 12 Passover service the next night.
This is a somber observance, examine yourself, proceed cautiously and reverently.

Exodus 12 Passover Service – this happens the evening ending the 14th of HaAviyv going into the 15th of HaAviyv. This is the service where you should have bitter herbs and unleavened bread.

This is a rejoicing observance. Eat in haste. We can celebrate winning and being released from slavery.
You can't mix the eating of the body and blood of Yahushua with this observance. See the Passover Summary video for details on this statement.

Please view the Passover Summary video on the website. Also, you may find more details on these services mentioned or service outlines on the website as they become available. Please check the website for the most current information on these services and how to observe all Biblical observances.

Also, I'd like to add that I do think that it is entirely appropriate to avoid marital relations and do everything you can to be clean in every way in preparation for the taking of the body and blood of the Anointed. I believe that we should do our best to have our selves cleansed in every way can at the time we partake of the body and blood of the Anointed, and therefore refraining from marital relations after sunset, and maybe even on Passover day also beforehand, may be entirely appropriate considering the seriousness of the matter. Before partaking of the body and blood we should do some serious self-examination and make sure we are partaking of it in a worthy manner, with all due respect and seriousness, in remembrance of what Yahushua has done for us. This is not to be taken lightly!

During the Exodus 12 Passover, while eating the bitter herbs and unleavened bread, we make our best attempt to do so with a staff in our hand, loins girded, sandals on our feet, to eat in haste, and we stay up at least a little bit past Scriptural midnight. Scriptural midnight would be determined by taking the night time from sunset to sunrise, dividing it by 2, and adding that length of time to the time of sunset. Sometimes that means we stay up until 1 or 2 AM depending on a location's sunrise and sunset times.

Some people stay up all night that night; and I use to stay up all night as well. However, one year someone asked me why we are doing this and I had to re-study the issue for myself. Exodus 12:42 says it is a "night to be observed" which was the reason we were staying up all night. Now, however, I'm not 100% certain that staying up all of the night is absolutely required by everyone. At a minimum, I do think staying up at least until past Scriptural midnight might be sufficient to fulfill Exodus 12:42 which says it is a "night to be observed". That's my perspective at this time, but I'm open to correction.

Of course, if the man of the house is not sure and wants to be 100% certain, he could, on behalf of the whole household, stay up until sunrise even if by himself. Perhaps the man doing this on behalf of the whole household would be sufficient? Some family members, I don't think you can force to stay awake. For example, you can't make a 2-month-old baby stay awake. When they're ready to snooze, I think we should let them snooze even on this night. If the man stays awake, even if only the man, in a way that's like the whole household staying awake since at least one person in a place of authority is doing it.

I chose Scriptural midnight as a minimum because of Exodus 11:4, 12:29, and Matthew 25:6. However, I suppose someone could look at Mark 13:35 and make an analogy that we should stay up all night; but I don't view staying up all night as an absolute requirement anymore because it's just not specifically commanded in that way. I think if we stay up at least a little bit past Scriptural midnight then we might have observed the night in a sufficient amount to fulfill Exodus 12:42. However, I'm just not 100% certain on all of this.