Ha Lachma Anya option 1

Participant:Three matzot are traditionally placed on the seder plate...In the past century many Jews added a fourth matzah as a reminder of the Jews of the former USSR, who were once forbidden to practice their Judaism. We ate the fourth Matzah for them, because they could not; we prayed for their liberation. They are now able to practice Judaism, but we have kept the fourth matzah here, as a reminder that while any one person is enslaved anywhere and in anyway, we are not entirely free. This fourth matzah is the matzah of hope.

Participant:Why not set aside as a token of hope, a matzah of freedom, to remember all people who are enslaved, under the yoke of oppression. The Talmud teaches that in messianic times we will recall at Passover not just the liberation from Egypt but the liberation of all peoples from their oppression. We can bring that time of perfection closer by recalling the hope of freedom for all people.

Leader: Magid starts with Ha Lachma Anya. We invite anyone to come join us at our seder.

Ha Lachma Anya is not said in Hebrew, like the rest of the Hagada. It is in Aramaic. Why is it in Aramaic?

Participant This invitation was originally offered in Aramaic, the people's tongue so that all might feel welcome at the seder.

Together:

הא לחמא עניא די אכלו אבהתנא בארעא דמצרים. כל דכפין ייתי ויכל. כל דצריך ייתי ויפסח. השתא הכא. לשנה הבאה בארעא דישראל. השתא עבדי. לשנה הבאה בני חורין

Ha lachma anya di achalu avahatana b'ara d'Mitzrayim. Kal dichfin yeitei v'yeichul. Kal ditzrich yeitei v'yifsach. Hashata hacha, l'shanah haba'ah b'ara d'Yisrael. Hashata avdei. L'shana haba'ah b'nei chorin.

Leader:We extend this invitation now in the people's tongue in the land in which we live, so that everyone here may know that we want you at our table.

This is the bread of poverty, the bread of affliction, that our fathers and mothers ate in the land of Mitzrayim, which means the land of Constriction, of Narrowness. Let all who are hungry come and eat. Let all who are in need come and celebrate Passover. Now we are here. Next year in the land of Israel. Now we are slaves. Next year we will be free.


haggadah Section: Yachatz