During this Passover Seder, we will drink four glasses of wine or grape juice, which represent the four expressions of redemption found in the Torah (Exodus 6:6-7). These expressions signify the various stages of the Israelites' liberation from Egyptian slavery:

  1. "I will bring you out" (Vehotzeiti): The first cup of wine symbolizes the beginning of the liberation process, as God takes the Israelites out from under the yoke of Egyptian oppression.
  2. "I will rescue you" (Vehitzalti): The second cup represents the actual rescue from slavery and the divine intervention that protected the Israelites during the ten plagues.
  3. "I will redeem you" (Vega'alti): The third cup signifies the act of redemption, as God redeems the Israelites from Egypt, asserting their status as a free nation.
  4. "I will take you" (Velakachti): The fourth and final cup represents God's promise to make the Israelites a chosen people and lead them to the Promised Land.

Each glass of wine serves as a reminder of the various aspects of the miraculous redemption story and the continued significance of freedom and divine intervention in Jewish tradition.


haggadah Section: Introduction