This symbolic washing of the hands recalls the story of Miriam's Well. Legend tells us that this well followed Miriam, sister of Moses, through the desert, sustaining the Jews in their wanderings. Filled with mayimei chayyim, waters of life, the well was a source of strength and renewal to all who drew from it. One drink from its waters was said to alert the heart, mind and soul, and make the meaning of Torah become more clear.

In Hebrew, urchatz means “washing” or “cleansing.” In Aramaic, sister language to Hebrew, urchatz means “trusting.” As we wash each others’ hands, let us rejoice in this act of trust. As we wash our hands, let’s wash away something we want to rid ourselves of this year.

And, as we wash our hands, let's remember that, while we drink copious amounts of wine tonight, many in the United States and around the world do not even have access to clean water. Clean water is not a privilege; it is a basic human right. One in ten people currently lack access to clean water. That’s nearly 1 billion people in the world without clean, safe drinking water. Almost 3.5 million people die every year because of inadequate water supply. Sanitation, hygiene, and handwashing alone can reduce this number by 35%. From Flint, Michigan to California, from Israel to Haiti, communities are suffering without equal access. This need not be the case.

As the (symbolic) water washes over our hands, we call to mind the promise we made when drinking our first cup of wine. Let us now focus on our individual water usage, and how we can make our water consumption more sustainable. Let us call to mind the importance of water to all life and be more aware of the amount of water we use daily.

"The next world war will be over water." - Ismail Serageldin, former World Bank vice president


haggadah Section: Urchatz