Welcoming the Possibility of the Messianic Age Fill but do not yet drink the Fourth cup of wine or grape juice We open the door for Elijah—the prophet who heralds the coming of the Messiah and a world in which all peoples will coexist peacefully and for Miriam—acknowledging the image of God in one another and our commitment to bury in the past the pain others inflicted upon us and the sexism that our community in the past inflicted on Jewish women. To deny the possibility of fundamental transformation, to be stuck in the pain of past oppression, or to build our religion around memories of the Holocaust and other forms of suffering is to give the ultimate victory to those who oppressed us. To testify to God’s presence in the world is to insist on shifting our focus from pain to hope and to dedicate our energies to transforming this world and ourselves. We still believe in a world based on love, generosity, and openheartedness. We continue to affirm the Unity of All Being. Tonight we reaffirm our commitment to the messianic vision of a world of peace and justice in which inequalities have been abolished and our human capacities for love, solidarity, creativity and freedom are allowed to flourish, in which all people will recognize and affirm in each other the spirit of God. In that day, living in harmony with nature and with each other, all peoples will participate in acknowledging God’s presence on earth. We 37 37 remain committed to the struggles in our own time that will contribute to making that messianic vision possible someday. Sing: Eliyahu/Miriyam Eliyahu ha navee, Eliyahu HaTishbee Eliyahu, Eliyahu, Eliyahu HaGeeladee Beem heyrah beyameynu Yavoe eyleynu eem mashi’ach ben David (x2) Miriyam Ha nivi’ah, Oz vezimrah beyadah Miriyam, teer’kod eetanu le takeyn ha’olam Beem heyrah beyameynu, Tavoe eileynu eem meymey ha’yeshua (x2) Now let us build together a communal vision of messianic redemption. Close your eyes and let some picture of messianic redemption appear in your minds. Then, open your eyes and share with others your picture of the world we want to build together. Bless the Fourth Cup of Wine or Grape Juice . Brucha at Yah Shechina, Ru’ach Chey Ha’olamim, boreyt pree haGafen. Drink the Fourth Cup!!!


haggadah Section: Bareich
Source: Rabbi Michael Lerner