(Uncover and hold up the three pieces of matzo.)  This is the bread of poverty which our ancestors ate in the land of Egypt. Let all who are hungry, come and eat; all who are needy, come and celebrate Passover with us.

The statement above, called the Ha Lachma was originally written in Aramaic. It begins the narration of the Seder by inviting the hungry to our table. Aramaic, Jewish legend has it, is the one language which the angels do not understand. Why then is Ha Lachma spoken in Aramaic? It is said that Aramaic is used to teach us that where there is hunger, no one should rely upon the angels, no one should pray to the heavens for help. We know the language of the poor, for we were poor in the land of Egypt. We know that we are called to feed the poor and to call them to join our celebration of freedom. This is one of the reasons for the strong Judaic focus on social action, and particularly on hunger around the world. In our own little corner of the world, the Forrest Edge program run at our synagogue is a perfect example of living this phrase. 


haggadah Section: Yachatz