Sam Corbin is an acclaimed New York-based writer, comedian, and performer. Someone once called Sam a “force of whimsy,” and that still sounds about right.

In Hebrew school, Jewish children are made to drink grape juice out of Dixie cups in order to prime them for the experience of drinking wine as adults. I am not making this up. I remember the cups. And I also remember the first seder that my father finally poured me a glass of real wine, because of what he said as he poured it: “For purely ceremonial purposes.” 

Over the course of tonight’s Passover seder, we will drink to excess for purely ceremonial purposes: four cups of wine, the first two of which are consumed on an empty stomach. Interesting to consider that we wait nearly a quarter of a lifetime to be deemed “mature” enough to give ourselves over to a ritual. More interesting, still, to consider that this ritual is one of filling. We consume the wine. We make it a part of ourselves. This ceremonial purpose is honored inside of us. 

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יי אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הַגָפֶן

Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu melech ha’olam, borei p'ri hagafen.

Blessed are You, Adonai our God, Sovereign of the Universe, Creator of the fruit of the vine.

(If this is your first seder of the holiday)

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ, אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, שֶׁהֶחֱיָנוּ וְקִיְּמָנוּ וְהִגִּיעָנוּ לַזְּמַן הַזֶּה

Baruch Atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech ha-olam, she-hechiyanu v’key’manu v’higiyanu lazman hazeh.

Blessed are You, Adonai our God, Sovereign of all, who has kept us alive, sustained us, and brought us to this season.


haggadah Section: Kadesh
Source: Sam Corbin