The traditional Passover (also known as "Pesach") Seder , which means “order” in Hebrew, begins on Erev Pesach -- that is, before sundown -- during the first full moon in the first month of the lunar year. It is an eight-day springtime holiday that usually occurs in March or April on our modern Gregorian calendar.

The Passover meal is called a Seder because we go through 14 specific steps -- in a specific "order" -- as we retell the story of the Jews liberation from slavery in Egypt.

Let’s begin our Seder by reciting the names of the 14 steps:

Kiddush (the blessing over wine) | kadesh |קַדֵּשׁ

Ritual hand-washing in preparation for the Seder | urchatz |וּרְחַץ

Dipping a green vegetable in salt water| karpas |כַּרְפַּס

Breaking the middle matzoh | yachatz |יַחַץ

Telling the story of Passover and Miriam's Cup| magid |מַגִּיד

Ritual hand-washing in preparation for the meal | rachtza |רָחְצָה

The blessing over the meal and matzoh | motzi matzah |מוֹצִיא מַצָּה

Dipping the bitter herb in sweet charoset | maror |מָרוֹר

Eating a sandwich of matzoh and bitter herb | korech |כּוֹרֵךְ

Eating the meal | shulchan oreich |שֻׁלְחָן עוֹרֵךְ

Finding and eating the afikomen | tzafoon |צָפוּן

Giving thanks and inviting Elijah the Prophet | barech |בָּרֵךְ

Singing songs of gratitude | hallel |הַלֵּל

Ending the Seder | nirtzah |נִרְצָה


haggadah Section: Introduction
Source: Adapted from Hebrew4Christians.com and JewishBoston.com