We wash our hands to begin our journey of storytelling- of our heritage and ourselves.  This ritual is said without a blessing because the action itself is a blessing.  We cleanse our hands to purify our intention to enter the sacred Passover narrative we share with Jews around the world as well as the family and friends around the table before us. We open to the possibility of hearing the ancient story with a fresh perspective and curiosity.  

Urchatz is also a blessing of our particular journey, retelling and reframing the story through our experience.  Our historial narrative becomes a template for our personal stories.The primary theme of the Maggid is "Yitziat Mitzrayim," the exodus from Egypt.  Mitzrayim also means "narrow places" and "blockages."  What have been the narrow, constricted and confined spaces from which we would like to liberate ourselves?  Urchatz is the blessing of a fresh start with the simple but powerful ritual of cleansing our hands.  Now, we are ready to open to the story of liberation both ancient and at this very moment.


haggadah Section: Urchatz