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Miriam’s Cup, like Elijah’s cup, is symbolic cup of the seder table. It is filled with water, as a symbol of Miriam’s Well, which was the source of water for the Israelites in the desert. Miriam’s Cup symbolises the importance of Miriam, women and other minorities of the Exodus story, whom the narrative has overlooked. Although a prophet and the sister of Moses, she is never mentioned in the traditional Haggadah text.
“If it were not for the righteousness of women of that generation,
we would not have been redeemed from Egypt.” Babylonian Talmud, Sotah 9b
Legend tells, Miriam’s Well was a magical source that followed the Israelites for 40 years, whose waters were healing and sustaining. In many ways, Miriam’s cup is about living here in the present, as Elijah’s looks to the future. Miriam’s cup is filled with what we need to survive: water, and Elijah’s with wine, for a happy and fulfilling life. We fill it at the very beginning of the seder, because she appears at the very beginning of the Exodus story (watching over her brother Moses in the Nile). Starting with Miriam’s Cup is also a way of letting people know right from the beginning that our seder is going to be a fully inclusive one. It is also a reminder, that while we at the table are privileged enough to drink and enjoy wine, there are others whom privilege does not reach. We remind ourselves that we are drinking wine, while others only have water, and some have nothing at all. Elijah’s Cup comes at the end and the two cups frame the seder. Our journey is Miriam’s journey through the wilderness, accompanying marginalised peoples from plain water to rich wine, from bare survival to dignity, prosper and equality.
We learned in the mishna that even the poorest of Jews should not eat until he reclines. It was stated that amora’im discussed the requirement to recline. Everyone agrees that matza requires reclining, i.e., one must recline when eating matza , and bitter herbs do not require reclining. With regard to wine, it was stated in the name of Rav Naḥman that wine requires reclining, and it was also stated in the name of Rav Naḥman that wine does not require reclining.
The Gemara explains: And these two statements do not disagree with each other: This statement is referring to the first two cups, and that statement is referring to the last two cups. However, it was not clear which two cups require reclining according to Rav Naḥman. Some say the explanation in this manner and some say it in that manner. The Gemara elaborates: Some say it in this manner, that the first two cups require reclining, as it is now that freedom begins. Since reclining is a sign of freedom, while discussing the exodus from Egypt it is appropriate to drink while reclining. By contrast, the last two cups do not require reclining, because what was already was. In other words, by this point one has completed the discussion of the Exodus and has reached the latter stages of the seder.
And some say it in that manner and claim that on the contrary, the last two cups require reclining, as it is at that time that there is freedom. However, the first two cups do not require reclining, as one still says: We were slaves. The Gemara concludes: Now that it was stated so, and it was stated so, i.e., there are two conflicting opinions and it cannot be proven which two cups require reclining, both these sets of cups and those require reclining.
פסחים ק״ח א:ו׳-ח׳
ואפילו עני שבישראל לא יאכל עד שיסב: איתמר מצה צריך הסיבה מרור אין צריך הסיבה יין איתמר משמיה דרב נחמן צריך הסיבה ואיתמר משמיה דרב נחמן אין צריך הסיבה
ולא פליגי הא בתרתי כסי קמאי הא בתרתי כסי בתראי אמרי לה להאי גיסא ואמרי לה להאי גיסא אמרי לה להאי גיסא תרי כסי קמאי בעו הסיבה דהשתא הוא דקא מתחלא לה חירות תרי כסי בתראי לא בעו הסיבה מאי דהוה הוה
ואמרי לה להאי גיסא אדרבה תרי כסי בתראי בעו הסיבה ההיא שעתא דקא הויא חירות תרי כסי קמאי לא בעו הסיבה דאכתי עבדים היינו קאמר השתא דאיתמר הכי ואיתמר הכי אידי ואידי בעו הסיבה
The famous water experiments by Dr. Masaru Emoto combined the scientific method with the spiritual laws of the universe. Dr. Emoto tested how thoughtful intention, words, music and meditation could influence the structure of water crystals - ultimately proving the affect of positive intention vs negative or chaotic conditions on the properties of water. The first image shows contaminated water from Fujiwara Dam and the second image shows the same water sample after meditation and prayer were directed at the water. Notice the chaotic and clearly troubled water in the first image and then the symmetry and beauty presented in the second sample, where the water can reflect the positive energy in its own structure. These experiments remind us of our own innate power and how we present that to the world around us. In this case, water, the most precious substance on Earth, can reflect our love and positive intentions through its own alchemical transformation; a precious mirror, reminding us of our own ability to love and to heal, or to neglect and destroy. So let's be thankful for the abundance of water in our lives and acknowledge the role we play in the water cycle on this Earth, offering praise and thanks to this essential component of our world, body, and community. Amen.
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יי אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הָאֲדָמָה
Baruch Atah Adonai, Eloheinu melech ha’olam, borei p’ri ha’adamah.
Blessed are You, Lord, our God, Ruler of the universe, who creates the fruit of the earth.
Karpas:
The Passover festival of freedom developed from an even more ancient holiday: a celebration of the spring harvest.
Spring is a time of rebirth. The snow of winter has melted. Once again the bare trees have begun to bud. Already the flowers have started to bloom, filling the air with their scent, and our hearts with their life.
The fresh greens of spring serve a special purpose at this time in our Seder. As we dip these vegetables, the karpas, into salt water, a symbol of the tears of slavery, we remember all those who still suffer under the yoke of oppression. May we open our eyes, our hearts, and our hands, and help to remove suffering and want from our world.
Take the middle matzah and break it into two, one piece larger than the other.
The larger piece is set aside to serve as Afikoman. This is traditionally hidden, by the leader of the Seder for the children to “steal” or “find” and then ransom for a something at the end of the Seder.
The smaller piece is put back, between the two matzot. This smaller piece, along with the top matzah is what will be used for the “Motzi-Matzah” and “Korech”
Maggid – Beginning
מגיד
Raise the tray with the matzot and say:
הָא לַחְמָא עַנְיָא דִי אֲכָלוּ אַבְהָתָנָא בְּאַרְעָא דְמִצְרָיִם. כָּל דִכְפִין יֵיתֵי וְיֵיכֹל, כָּל דִצְרִיךְ יֵיתֵי וְיִפְסַח. הָשַׁתָּא הָכָא, לְשָׁנָה הַבָּאָה בְּאַרְעָא דְיִשְׂרָאֵל. הָשַׁתָּא עַבְדֵי, לְשָׁנָה הַבָּאָה בְּנֵי חוֹרִין.
Ha lachma anya dee achalu avhatana b'ara d'meetzrayeem. Kol deechfeen yeitei v'yeichol, kol deetzreech yeitei v'yeefsach. Hashata hacha, l'shanah haba-ah b'ara d'yisra-el. Hashata avdei, l'shanah haba-ah b'nei choreen.
This is the bread of affliction, which our ancestors ate in the land of Egypt. Let all who are hungry come and eat. Let all who are in need, come and share the Pesach meal. This year, we are here. Next year, in the land of Israel. This year, we are slaves. Next year, we will be free.
Refill the wine cups, but don’t drink yet.
Serach bat Asher
Source Sheet by Caroline Morganti
(17) Asher’s sons: Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi, and Beriah, and their sister Serah. Beriah’s sons: Heber and Malchiel.
(יז) וּבְנֵ֣י אָשֵׁ֗ר יִמְנָ֧ה וְיִשְׁוָ֛ה וְיִשְׁוִ֥י וּבְרִיעָ֖ה וְשֶׂ֣רַח אֲחֹתָ֑ם וּבְנֵ֣י בְרִיעָ֔ה חֶ֖בֶר וּמַלְכִּיאֵֽל׃
(46) The name of Asher’s daughter was Serah.—
(מו) וְשֵׁ֥ם בַּת־אָשֵׁ֖ר שָֽׂרַח׃
Serach is mentioned in the Torah as a daughter of Asher (one of the sons of Yaakov/Jacob). As one of few women mentioned in genealogical listings, but with no other information in the Tanakh about her, Jewish tradition has filled this gap in information through midrash.
In many midrashim1, Serach is presented a wise woman who, by virtue of having been around for so long, can offer insight to Jewish leaders based on her lived experiences. Some examples (there are quite a few more):
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She identifies Moses as the person who would help liberate the Israelites from slavery.
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She is able to tell Moses where Joseph's bones were buried (so the Israelites can take them with them to re-bury in Eretz Yisrael, as was his wish.)
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She is identified with a "wise woman" mentioned in the second book of Samuel who convinces Yoav, a general of King David, not to destroy a certain city.
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She is even identified as one of the people who entered Gan Eden alive (alongside others such as Eliyahu/Elijah and Batya, Pharaoh's daughter).
Below is a midrash in which she talks about her experience witnessing the splitting of the sea as the Israelites left Egypt.
Pesikta d'Rav Kahana, Beshalach 11:13
R' Yochanan was sitting in the beit midrash and expounding the verse (Ex. 14:22): “the waters forming a wall for them on their right and on their left.” How could the water become as a wall? R' Yochanan expounded that it was a sort of [impervious] net. Serach appeared and said: “I was there, and the water was not as a net, but as transparent windows”
פסיקתא דרב כהנא, ויהי בשלח יא, יג
ר' יוחנן היה יושב בבית המדרש ודורש את מעשה קריעת ים סוף 'והמים להם חומה מימינם ומשמאלם' (שמות יד, כב). דרש ר' יוחנן: כיצד היו המים עשויים כחומה? כמעין שבכה [אטומה]. השקיפה סרח בת אשר ואמרה: אני הייתי שם, ולא היו עשויים אלא כמו חלונות מאירים [שקופים]" 2
How does Serach's account of the splitting of the sea (in which the sea was like transparent windows) change your view of the event? I have heard it suggested (by a rabbi of mine3) that this allowed the Israelites to see the Egyptians drowning as they walked to freedom.
How might coming face-to-face with the death of one's oppressors (even as they are pursuing you) change one's view of freedom?
How does this compare to the Israelites' experiences of the other plagues (in which the Egyptians also suffered, but the Israelites -- arguably -- didn't face the suffering of the Egyptians in such a direct way)?
1 Thanks to the Jewish Women's Archive for the information about Serach in various midrashim. See https://jwa.org/encyclopedia/article/serah-daughter-of-asher-midrash-and-aggadah
2 Hebrew text from http://www.daat.ac.il/daat/tanach/tora/mafteah-2.htm and English translation adapted from Jewish Women's Archive website above
3 Thanks to Rabbi Michelle Fisher for this insight
Source Sheet created on Sefaria by Caroline Morganti
Why is this night different from all other nights?: On all other nights we eat leavened products and matzah, and on this night only matzah. On all other nights we eat all vegetables, and on this night only bitter herbs. On all other nights, we don’t dip our food even once, and on this night we dip twice. On all other nights we eat sitting or reclining, and on this night we only recline.
Ma nishtanah halailah hazeh mikol haleilot? Sheb’khol haleilot anu okhlin hametz umatzah; halailah hazeh, kuloh matzah. Sheb’khol haleilot anu okhlin sh’ar y’rakot; halailah hazeh, maror. Sheb’khol haleilot ein anu matbilin afilu pa’am ehat; halailah hazeh, shtei f’amim. Sheb’khol haleilot anu okhlin bein yoshvin uvein m’subin; halailah hazeh, kulanu m’subin.
מַה נִּשְׁתַּנָּה הַלַּיְלָה הַזֶּה מִכָּל הַלֵּילוֹת? שֶׁבְּכָל הַלֵּילוֹת אָנוּ אוֹכְלִין חָמֵץ וּמַצָּה, הַלַּיְלָה הַזֶּה – כֻּלּוֹ מַצָּה.שֶׁבְּכָל הַלֵּילוֹת אָנוּ אוֹכְלִין שְׁאָר יְרָקוֹת – הַלַּיְלָה הַזֶּה (כֻּלּוֹ) מָרוֹר. שֶׁבְּכָל הַלֵּילוֹת אֵין אָנוּ מַטְבִּילִין אֲפִילוּ פַּעַם אֶחָת – הַלַּיְלָה הַזֶּה שְׁתֵּי פְעָמִים. שֶׁבְּכָל הַלֵּילוֹת אָנוּ אוֹכְלִין בֵּין יוֹשְׁבִין וּבֵין מְסֻבִּין – הַלַּיְלָה הַזֶּה כֻּלָּנוּ מְסֻבִּין.
Hila shares brief narrative about how she came to understand the intensity of passover… Where were we then and where are we today (mini discussion)
Ma'aseh b'Reb Shmuel, [a story of Reb Shmuel] the factory owner, of Reb Meir the banker, of Reb Zerach the lender, of Reb Tudros the rabbi. How all these fine little men sit down together, drink a glass of good wine... And they too contemplate "yetzias Mitzrayim" [the Exodus from Egypt].
But the story with its simple meaning, they can't stand. What's this! - they say - slaves unite and free themselves! How is it fair, just to unionize themselves like this! Where will then become of us in the world? No, the simple meaning doesn't work for us at all, we must find another interpretation, we must never for a moment let this simple meaning be understood. Thus Reb Shmuel sits back and expounds: "kol ymei chayecho haleilos" [all the days of your life- the nights] - your whole life should only be by night, by day you should be mine, my servant, my slave, you should work for me in the factory and be downtrodden. Reb Tudros the rabbi rises, lifts his eyes towards heaven and pronounces: "kol yemei chayecho - l'havi limois hamoshiach" [all the days of your life - to bring the days of the Messiah] - work little fool, struggle, be downtrodden; so that when the Messiah comes, everything will go your way. You'll have your own bright Garden of Eden.
However, "v'chachomim oimrim," the truly wise people come and say: "ymei chayecho - ho'oilom hazeh." Your life is only in this world, and as long as you live - you should from the world and from yourself know, that it is free. "L'man tizkor es yoim tseseicho me'eretz Mitzrayim kol ymei chayecho" [so you may remember the day you departed from Egypt all the days of your life] - you should remember, that you must free yourself from servitude and you must lead a mentshleche [human] life. Boruch Hamakom. Blessed be the place and blessed be the time, that have given us such wise and honest human beings, who open up our eyes. "kneged arbo bonim divreh toireh" [regarding four sons the Torah speaks] - it addresses four types of people, in four classes: "echod chochom, v'echod roshe, v'echod tam, v'echod she'eino yoidea lishol" [one wise, one wicked, one simple, one who does not know how to ask] Chochom ma hu oimer, what does the wise one say? The wise one asks: "ma ho'eidos v'hachukim v'hamishpotim asher tsivo Hashem eloiheinu eschem?" [What are the testimonies, statutes and laws that God has commanded to you?] What kind of laws are these, that God gave you?? How?? Can a God truly give such laws, that all humankind should be dragged out, labouring and barely having enough to keep themselves going, while a small few should take everything away from them, and squander and indulge and live in a sea of serenity?? Roshe ma hu oimer, the wicked one, the parasite says: "ma ha'avoida hazois lachem" what's this work to you, why shouldn't you work?
A person must indeed work, a person was created to work! Work makes life sweet! Work, work children! "Lachem v'lo loi" [to you, but not to him] - only us does he order to work and become downtrodden, only us, and he himself doesn't even lay a finger in cold water, and lives off our production! And because he removes himself from the collective, he is a "koifer b'iker" [a heretic to the core], he loses the fundamental awareness that all humanity are born equal, and does not believe in the liberation of humanity: therefore we have nothing to do with him. "V'af ato hakacho es shiniui" you should only set his teeth on edge and say: remember, that we've already freed ourselves from the slave-house once, from Egypt, and we will from today's yoke also certainly free ourselves: ourselves and not him, for this slave-master is our true enemy: he does not want the revolution and must surely fall. Tam ma hu oimer, the simple honest person asks: "ma zois?" [What's this?] What's happening here between you? What are you fighting for? Over what are you struggling? Why don't you just resolve this affair in good humour? V'amarto elav, to him you should answer: "bchozek yad," only through violence were we liberated from Egypt, and so too only through violent struggle will we free ourselves today. Ushe'eino yodeia lishol; at pesach loi, when one has no idea what to ask, you should explain to him simply the whole history of our former and present enslavement, and should say to him....
Peace Process
we are told to come to the table
no chair, no utensils, no napkin
designated for us
we are told of a feast
but we are not eating
have not tasted flesh
only crumbs that fell
as the biscuits
were gorged
we are told that after dinner
we will tango, but our ankles
have been shackled
and we have no room to move
we are told
that we will meet a broker
but this dinner party is full
only friends remain
and we have been culled
as festive game
- from Before the next Bomb by Remi Kanazi 2015
The Prophet by Khalil Gibran, exerpts from section titled "On Freedom"
And if it is a despot you would dethrone, see first that this throne erected within you is destroyed. For how can a tyrant rule the free and proud, but for a tyranny in their own freedom and a shame in their own pride?
And if it is a fear you would dispel, the seat of that fear is in your heart and not in the hand of the feared.
אֵלּוּ עֶשֶׂר מַכּוֹת שֶׁהֵבִיא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עַל הַמִּצְרִים בְּמִצְרַים , וְאֵלוּ הֵן
These are the Plagues that the holy one, blessed be he, brought upon Egypt.
דָם.............Blood
צְּפַרְדֵּעַ.............Frogs
כִּנִּים.............Lice
עָרוֹב.............Wild Beasts
דֶּבֶר.............Blight
שְׁחִין.............Boils
בָּרָד.............Hail
אַרְבֶּה.............Locusts
חוֹשֶך.............Endless Night
מַכַּת בְּכוֹרוֹת.............Slaying of the First-Born
Ten Plagues of the Occupation. This year we take more drops of wine from our cups to grieve the plagues of the Israeli occupation, which has now surpassed apartheid in the racist violence inflicted upon a subordinate ethnic group, the Palestinians.
1. Home Demolitions: Destroying the same homes again and again
2. Uprooting Olive Trees: Destroying sources of income and heritage for generations of Palestinian families
3. The Siege of Gaza: Laying siege to Gaza for over a decade, bringing the Strip to brink of collapse
4. Destruction of Villages: Destroying over 400 Palestinian towns since 1948
5. Detention & Imprisonment: Detaining, imprisoning, & torturing Palestinian adults and children indefinitely, typically without trial
6. The Annexation Wall: Limiting movement, destroying homes, and extending surveillance by building a massive wall through the West Bank, with gun towns and electric fencing
7. Forced Dependence & theft of resources: Preventing the development of the Palestinian economy, blocking independent manufacturing, forcing Palestinians to seek degrading, low-wage work inside Israel; as well as stealing Palestinian natural resources, such land and water
8. Legal Discrimination within Israel: Instituting de jure privileges for Jews over non-Jews, creating systems of land purchase and ownership, as well as political organizing, that codify ethnocracy
9. Erasing histories: Obscuring and revising ancient history and culture of Palestine to generations of children
10. War crimes: Constantly violating international law, through population transfer to territories seized by war, through indiscriminate attacks in dense civilian centers, through the illegal treatment of Palestinian children in the Israeli military court system…
The name of this prayer is Dayenu, which means “it would have sufficed” or “we would have been satisfied.” Perhaps “grateful” would be a better translation. Dayenu is the song of our gratitude. A Jewish philosopher was once asked, “what is the opposite of hopelessness?” And he said, “Dayenu,” the ability to be thankful for what we have received, for what we are. The first prayer that a Jew is expected to recite upon waking expresses her gratitude for being alive. This holds for all generations, and surely ours. For each of us, every day should be an act of grace, every hour a miraculous offering.
All Sing:
Ilu hotzi hotzianu hotzianu mi’mitzrayim Hotzianu mi’mitzrayim dayenu (If you had only brought us out of Mitzrayim – Dayenu!) Dai-dai-yenu, Dai-dai-yenu, Dai-dai-yenu Dai-yenu, Dai-yenu!
Ilu natan natan lanu natan lanu et ha'shabbat Natan lanu et ha'shabbat dayenu (If you had only given us Shabbat – Dayenu!) Dai-dai-yenu, Dai-dai-yenu, Dai-dai-yenu Dai-yenu, Dai-yenu!
Ilu natan natan lanu natan lanu et ha'torah Natan lanu et ha'torah dayenu (If you had only given us the Torah – Dayenu!) Dai-dai-yenu, Dai-dai-yenu, Dai-dai-yenu Dai-yenu, Dai-yenu!
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יי אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, אֲשֶׁר קִדְשָׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו וְצִוָּנוּ עַל נְטִילַת יָדַיִם.
Blessed are You, Lord, our God, King of the Universe Who has sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us concerning washing of hands.
From The Insecurity of Freedom by Abraham Joshua Heschel
Freedom means more than mere emancipation. It is primarily freedom of conscience, bound up with inner allegiance. The danger begins when freedom is thought to consist of the fact that “I can act as I desire.” This definition not only overlooks the compulsions which often lie behind our desires; it reveals the tragic truth that freedom may develop within itself the
seed of its own destruction. The will is not an ultimate and isolated entity, but determined by motives beyond its own control. To be what one wants to be is also not freedom, since the wishes of the ego are largely determined by external factors…Freedom presupposes the capacity for sacrifice. Man’s true fulfillment cannot be reached by the isolated individual, and his true good depends on communion with, and participation in, that which transcends him. Each challenge from beyond the person is unique, and each response must be new and creative… The glory of a free society lies not only in the consciousness of my right to be free, and my capacity to be free, but also in the realization of my fellow man’s right to be free, and his capacity to be free. The issue we face is how to save man’s belief in his capacity to be free.
We will now bless the matzah, “the bread of affliction,” and as we bless it and eat it we dedicate ourselves to fighting oppression in all its forms so that never again shall anyone have to eat this bread of affliction, even as we understand so many currently suffer.
“You think your pain and your heartbreak are unprecedented in the history of the world, but then you read. It was books that taught me that the things that tormented me most were the very things that connected me with all the people who were alive, who had ever been alive.”
-James Baldwin
Praised are you, Adonai our God, Ruler of the universe, who brings bread from out of the earth.
Praised are you, Adonai our God, Ruler of the universe, who makes us holy through Your commandments, and commands us to eat Matzah.
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יי אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו וְצִוָּנוּ עַל אֲכִילַת מָרוֹר.
Praised are you, Adonai, Lord our God, Ruler of the universe, who has taught us the way of holiness through commandments, commanding us to eat the bitter herb.
כּוֹרֵךְ זֵכֶר לְמִקְדָּשׁ כְּהִלֵּל. כֵּן עָשָׂה הִלֵּל בִּזְמַן שבֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ הָיָה קַיָים: הָיָה כּוֹרֵךְ מַצָּה וּמָרוֹר וְאוֹכֵל בְּיַחַד, לְקַיֵים מַה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: עַל מַצּוֹת וּמְרֹרִים יֹאכְלֻהוּ
We now take some maror (horseradish/other bitter herbs) and charoset (apple/nut paste stuff yum) and put them between two pieces of matzah and give the sandwich to the person on our left.
When you think of a bitterness and sweetness in tandem, what do you think of? Share out a few words/phrases (meant to be first reaction/instinct)
In eating the Korech, we can remember the loss of the temple. While eating the Korech we taste the bitterness of slavery mixed with the sweetness of freedom. This practice suggests that part of the challenge of living is to taste freedom even in the midst of oppression, and to be ever conscious of the oppression of others even when we feel that we are free.
A quote I love that INN uses and that also feels really relevant here as well as throughout (almost) all Jewish texts is below:
This practice suggests that part of the challenge of living is to taste freedom even in the midst of oppression, and to be ever conscious of the oppression of others even when we feel that we are free.
If I am not for myself, who will be for me?
But if I am for myself only, what am I?
And if not now, when?
-- Hillel
Thank you all for being here now and doing your best to be for others.
Shulchan Orech שֻׁלְחָן עוֹרֵךְ
Now is time to enjoy the festival meal and participate in lively discussion. It is permitted to drink wine between the second and third cups.
בריך רחמנא מלכא דעלמא מריה דהאי פיתא
Blessed is the merciful one, ruler of the world, creator of this bread.
CHORUS: Pharaoh, Pharaoh, whoa baby, let my people go! (2x)
A burnin' bush told me just the other day
That I should go to Egypt and say,
"It's time to let my people be free -
Listen to God if you won't listen to me!"
CHORUS
Well me and and my people goin' to the Red Sea,
With Pharaoh's best army comin' after me.
I took my staff, stuck it in the stand,
And all of God's people walked on dry land.
Singin...
CHORUS
Now Pharaoh's army was a-comin' too,
So whattaya think that God did do?
Had me take my staff and clear my throat,
And all of Pharaoh's army did the dead man's float.
CHORUS
Well that's the story of the stubborn goat.
Pharaoh should've know that chariots don't float.
The lesson is simple, it's easy to find,
When God says, "GO!" you had better mind!
כאשר זכינו לסדר אותו כן נזכה לעשותו. זך שוכן מעונה, קומם קהל עדת מי מנה. בקרוב נהל נטעי כנה פדוים לציון ברנה. לשנה הבאה בירושלים! '
Hahsahl Siddur Pessach Kehilchato, Kechol mishpatoh vehukatoh. Ka'asher zachinu lesahder otoh ken nizkeh La'asoto Zach shochen meunah. Komehm Kahal me mahnah Bekarov Nachel Nitey Kahnah Peduyim Letsiyon Berinah Le shana Haba'ah Beyerushalayim!
The Seder is ended according to its proper form, in all its regulations and laws, As we were privileged to arrange it, may we be privileged to perform it. Pure one dwelling on high, raise up the countless congregation, in the near future lead the offshoots of your vineyard redeemed to Zion in joy. Next year in Jerusalem!
WHAT is next year in Jerusalem? Most people assume it means next year WE will be in Jerusalem. But could it be something bigger than us?
Yerushalayim has the dual Hebrew form that denotes the things which come in pairs. Spiritually, there is be a duality between Yerushalayim shel Mata - the concrete, mundane city - and Yerushalayim shel Ma'ala - the Heavenly, "imagical", Jerusalem.
However, the name of Jerusalem in the Hebrew Bible is not Yerushalayim but Yerushalem, which is not a dual but a unitary form. In fact, "shalem" means just that - "whole". Shalem is also the first name by which Jerusalem is mentioned in the Hebrew Bible, in connection with Abraham and his welcome to the place by King Malchitzedek, the "king of Justice", the priest of the Heavenly God. From the first mention, Jerusalem is associated with wholeness, justice, priest of Heaven - and all these were promised not just to Jews, but to Abraham and his children.
Next year in Jerusalem! Next year in solidarity, unity and completeness!
Before we open the door to welcome in Elijah, everyone takes a drop of water from Miriam's cup while saying a wish for what they need in the coming year. Then everyone adds a drop of wine to Elijah's cup, while saying what they can give in the coming year.
Miriam is beginning; Elijah is end. Miriam is present, Elijah is future. Miriam is place; Elijah is time. Elijah is the mountain, Miriam is the sea. The water of Miriam rises from the earth, the fire of Elijah descends from the sky. Together they are the circle of sunlight and rain, not separate or dissimilar, for both are needed for growth. We must have consciousness of both in order to be free.
We open the door and say:
We drink four cups for four promises fulfilled.
The first cup as God said, “I will free you from the labors of the Egyptians.”
The second as God said, “And I will deliver you from their bondage.”
The third as God said, “I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great judgments.”
The fourth because God said, “I will take you to be My People.’
We know, though, that all are not yet free. As we welcome Elijah the Prophet into our homes, we offer a fifth cup, a cup not yet consumed. A fifth cup for the 60 million refugees and displaced people around the world still waiting to be free.
This comes in the following verse: “I will bring you to the Land . . .”
Elijah will announce the future, universal redemption. This is also why we do not drink, “enjoy,” the fifth cup—as we have not yet experienced this redemption
