Hallel

Singing songs that praise God | hallel | ַלֵּהל

This is the time set aside for singing. Some of us might sing traditional prayers from the Book of Psalms. Others

take this moment for favorites like Chad Gadya & Who Knows One, which you can find in the appendix. To

celebrate the theme of freedom, we might sing songs from the civil rights movement. Or perhaps your crazy

Uncle Frank has some parody lyrics about Passover to the tunes from a musical. We’re at least three glasses of

wine into the night, so just roll with it.

Fourth Glass of Wine

As we come to the end of the seder, we drink one more glass of wine. With this final cup, we give thanks for the

experience of celebrating Passover together, for the traditions that help inform our daily lives and guide our

actions and aspirations.

ֵהינוֶמלֶךְָה ֹעולָם, ֹּבורֵא ּפְרִיַהגָּפֶן:

בָּרו ּךְַא ּתָהי ְי,ֱָא ֹל ּ

Baruch Atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech ha-olam, borei p’ree hagafen.

We praise God, Ruler of Everything, who creates the fruit of the vine.

Drink the fourth and final glass of wine

Cup of Elijah

The Cup of Elijah We now refill our wine glasses one last time and open the front door to invite the prophet Elijah

to join our seder.

In the Bible, Elijah was a fierce defender of God to a disbelieving people. At the end of his life, rather than dying,

he was whisked away to heaven. Tradition holds that he will return in advance of messianic days to herald a new

era of peace, so we set a place for Elijah at many joyous, hopeful Jewish occasions, such as a baby’s bris and

the Passover seder.

אלִי ו ֽה ָּ ַּהנָּבִיא,ֵאלִי ו ֽה ָּ ַּה ּתִ ְׁשבִֵּי ,

ֵּאלִיָ ֵ.

ֵאלִיָ , ִ ּלְָ ִעדי ּהג ֽהוַ ּ

אלִי ָּֽהו,ּ ֽהו ּ

בִּ ְמֵהרָה בְיָ ו ֽמנ ֵ ּיָב ֹואֵאלֵֽינו

ע םָמ ִ ֽ ׁש יַח בֶ ּ ןָדו ִד ,

ע םָמ ִ ֽש ׁ יַח בֶ ּ ןָדודִ .

Eliyahu hanavi Eliyahu hatishbi Eliyahu, Eliyahu, Eliyahu hagiladi Bimheirah b’yameinu, yavo eileinu Im mashiach

ben-David, Im mashiach ben-David

Elijah the prophet, the returning, the man of Gilad: return to us speedily, in our days with the messiah, son of

David.


haggadah Section: Hallel