Tonight we gather together to celebrate Passover, our holiday of freedom. We will eat a great meal together, enjoy (at least!) four glasses of wine, and tell the story of our ancestors’ liberation from slavery in Egypt. We welcome our friends and family members to reflect with us on the meaning of freedom in all our lives and histories. We will consider the blessings in our lives, pledge to work harder at freeing those who still suffer, and begin to cast off the things in our own lives that oppress us.

Passover is a holiday with many different themes . This breadth ensures that no two seders will ever be exactly alike and encourages each of us to engage equally, whether this is the first or hundredth seder you’ve attended. It also challenges each of us to connect to the seder on a personal, individual level.

Redemption: In the Exodus story, the Jews were redeemed from mental as well as physical slavery.

"You'd better let my people go, pardner." -Moses

Creation: Pesach celebrates spring, rebirth, and renewal, symbolized by the green “ karpas ” and the egg on the seder plate.

"If you get on that horse, you'd better be ready to ride." -Aaron

Education: The seder is centered around teaching the story of the exodus from Egypt. In fact, Haggadah means “the telling.”

"There are three kinds of men: The ones that learn by reading. The few who learn by observation. The rest of them have to pee on the electric fence." -Pharoh

Patterns of Four: Throughout the seder, you may notice the number four being repeated in many guises. This is based on the verse in Exodus that states, "I am the Lord, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will deliver you from their bondage, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great judgments, and I will take you to Me for a people, and I will be to you a God…" (Exodus 6:6-7). Among many other patterns of four at the seder, we drink four cups of wine, ask four questions, and speak about four types of children.

"When angry, count to four. When very angry, swear." -Mark Twain

As we follow the seder through the Passover story, we think you'll find parallels to a good old western...  So tuck in your flannels, hold your horses, and saddle up 'cause HERE, WE, GO!

The women light the candles: 

Baruch Atah Adonai Eloheinu Melech ha-Olam asher kid'shanu b'mitzvotav v'tzivanu l'hadlik neir shel Yom Tov.

You are Blessed, O God, Spirit of the World, who makes us holy with  mitzvot  and commands us to kindle the light of the festival day.

Baruch Atah Adonai Eloheinu Melech ha-Olam shehecheyanu v'kiy'manu v'higianu laz'man hazeh.

You are Blessed, Our God, Spirit of the World, who keeps us in life, who sustains us and who enables us to reach this season.

Yee haw!!


haggadah Section: Introduction