Water is refreshing, cleansing, and clear, so it’s easy to understand why so many cultures and religions use water for symbolic purification. We will wash our hands twice during our seder: now, with no blessing, to get us ready for the rituals to come; and then again later, we’ll wash again with a blessing, preparing us for the meal, which Judaism thinks of as a ritual in itself.

To wash your hands, you don’t need soap, but you do need a cup to pour water over your hands. Pour water over each of your hands, two times on your dominant hand and once on your non-dominant hand. 

Our hands can be vehicles for creation or destruction. We cleanse our hands and dedicate them to working for good in the world. 


haggadah Section: Urchatz