Long ago at this season, our people set out on a journey.

On such a night as this, Israel went from degradation to joy.

We give thanks for the liberation of days gone by.

And we pray for all who are still bound.

God, may all who hunger come to rejoice in a new Passover.

Let everyone sit together, drink the wine of deliverance, and eat the bread of freedom:

Freedom from bondage and freedom from oppression

Freedom from hunger and freedom from want

Freedom from hatred and freedom from fear

Freedom to think and freedom to speak

Freedom to teach and freedom to learn

Freedom to love and freedom to share

Freedom to hope and freedom to rejoice

Soon, in our days Amen.

Now in the presence of loved ones and friends, before us the symbols of festive rejoicing, we gather for our sacred celebration. Living our story that is told for all peoples, whose shining conclusion is yet to unfold, we gather to observe Passover.

You shall keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread, for on this very day I brought you out of Egypt. You shall observe this day throughout the generations as a practice for all times.

We assemble in fulfillment of the mitzvah.

Remember the day on which you went forth from Egypt, from the house of slavery, and how G-d freed you with a mighty hand.

This is the first of the blessings over the four cups of wine that we say throughout the Passover Seder.

1. I shall take you out, 2. I shall rescue you, 3. I shall redeem you, and 4. I shall bring you

We sanctify the name of God and proclaim the holiness of this festival of Passover. With a blessing over wine, we lift our wine, our symbol of joy; let us welcome the festival of Passover. Our God and God of our ancestors, we thank You for enabling us to gather in friendship, to observe the Festival of Freedom. Just as for many centuries the Passover Seder has brought together families and friends to retell the events that led to our freedom, so may we be at one with Jews everywhere who perform this ancient ritual linking us with our historic past. As we relive each event in our people’s ancient struggle, and celebrate their emergence from slavery to freedom, we pray that all of us may keep alive in our hearts the love of liberty. May we dedicate our lives to the abolition of all forms of tyranny and injustice.

We hold our first cup of wine and we recite:

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ, אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הַגָּפֶן

Blessed are You, Ruler of the Universe, who creates the fruit of the vine.

As we prepare for the first course of our Seder meal we wash our hands. Eating is a holy act as we wish our hands to symbolically purify ourselves for the ceremony we are about to begin.

The vegetables that we now eat are a symbol of the arrival of spring. We dip them in salt water, a reminder of the tears our ancestors shed during the years of slavery and oppression in Egypt.

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יי אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הָאֲדָמָה

Praised are you Adonai, Sovereign of the Universe who creates the fruit of the earth.

There should be three Matzot on the table. We take the middle matzah, break it in half and wrap up the larger piece and place it (afikomen) where the children (Buddy) will never find it! (wink wink!)

After dinner, the guests must hunt for the afikomen in order to wrap up the meal. Because the meal cannot end until all guests taste the afikomen, whoever has found it may ransom it back to the other guests.

We eat matzah in memory of the quick flight of our ancestors from Egypt. As slaves, they faced many false starts before finally securing their freedom. So when the word of their freedom came, they took whatever dough they had and ran with it before it had the chance to rise, letting it bake in the sun, and thus looking something like matzah.

Uncover and hold up the three pieces of matzah and say:

This is the bread of poverty which our ancestors ate in the land of Egypt. All who are hungry, come and eat; all who are needy, come and celebrate Passover with us. This year we are here; next year we will be in Israel. This year we are slaves; next year we will be free.

(The second cup of wine is poured)

There arose in Egypt a Pharaoh who knew not of the good deeds that Joseph had done for that country. Thus he enslaved the Jews and made their lives harsh through servitude and humiliation. This is the basis for the Passover holiday which we commemorate with these different rituals tonight.

The Questions: We begin the telling by asking questions or at least pointing out the uniqueness of this night. How different it is from all other nights! What other questions can we ask about the things we do tonight?

מַה נִּשְׁתַּנָּה, הַלַּיְלָה הַזֶּה מִכָּל הַלֵּילוֹת
Why is this night different from all other nights?

שֶׁבְּכָל הַלֵּילוֹת אָנוּ אוֹכְלִין חָמֵץ וּמַצָּה, הַלַּיְלָה הַזֶּה – כֻּלּוֹ מַצָּה

1. Why is it that on all other nights during the year we eat either leavened bread or matza, but on this night we eat only matza?

שֶׁבְּכָל הַלֵּילוֹת אָנוּ אוֹכְלִין שְׁאָר יְרָקוֹת – הַלַּיְלָה הַזֶּה (כֻּלּוֹ) מָרוֹר

2. Why is it that on all other nights we eat all kinds of vegetables, but on this night we eat bitter herbs?

שֶׁבְּכָל הַלֵּילוֹת אֵין אָנוּ מַטְבִּילִין אֲפִילוּ פַּעַם אֶחָת – הַלַּיְלָה הַזֶּה שְׁתֵּי פְעָמִים

3. Why is it that on all other nights we do not dip [our food] even once, but on this night we dip them twice?

שֶׁבְּכָל הַלֵּילוֹת אָנוּ אוֹכְלִין בֵּין יוֹשְׁבִין וּבֵין מְסֻבִּין – הַלַּיְלָה הַזֶּה כֻּלָּנוּ מְסֻבִּין

4. Why is it that on all other nights we dine either sitting upright or reclining, but on this night we all recline?

We were slaves to Pharaoh in Egypt, and God brought us out with a strong hand and an outstretched arm. And if God had not brought our ancestors out of Egypt, we and our children and our children’s children would still be subjugated to Pharaoh in Egypt. Even if we were all old and wise and learned in Torah, we would still be commanded to tell the story of the Exodus from Egypt. And the more we talk about the Exodus from Egypt, the more praiseworthy we are.

The Torah describes four children who ask questions about the Exodus. Tradition teaches that these verses refer to four different types of children.

The wise child asks, “What are the laws that God has commanded us?”

The parent should answer by instructing the child in the laws of Passover, starting from the beginning and ending with the laws of the Afikomen.

The wicked child asks, “What does this Passover service mean to you?”

The parent should answer, “It is because of what God did for me when I came out of Egypt. Specifically ‘me’ and not ‘you.’ If you had been there (with your attitude), you wouldn’t have been redeemed.”

The simple child asks, “What is this Seder service?” The parent should answer, “With a mighty hand God brought us out of Egypt. Therefore, we commemorate that event tonight through this Seder.”

And then there is child who does not know how to ask.

The parent should begin a discussion with that child based on the verse: “And you shall tell your child on that day, ‘We commemorate Passover tonight because of what God did for us when we went out of Egypt.’”

While the Jews endured harsh slavery in Egypt, God chose Moses to lead them out to freedom. Moses encountered God at the burning bush and then returned to Egypt to lead the people out of Egypt. He demanded that Pharaoh let the Jewish people go. But Pharaoh hardened his heart and refused to let the Jewish people go. That is why God sent the Ten Plagues.

It is a tradition to remove ten drops of wine from our cups as we recite the ten plagues as a remembrance that while the Jews were redeemed through these plagues, people did suffer. Remove a drop of wine for each plague as you recite its name.

1. דָם – Blood

2. צְּפַרְדֵּעַ – Frogs

3. כִּנִּים – Fleas

4. עָרוֹב – Wild Animals

5. דֶּבֶר – Diseased livestock

6. שְׁחִין - Boils

7. בָּרָד – Hail

8. אַרְבֶּה – Locust

9. חוֹשֶך – Darkness

10. מַכַּת בְּכוֹרוֹת – The Death of the first born

Before this final plague, God commanded Moses to inform all the Israelites to mark lamb's blood above their doors on every door in which case the LORD will pass over them.

After this, Pharaoh, furious, saddened, and afraid that he would be killed next, ordered the Israelites to leave, taking whatever they wanted, and asking Moses to bless him in the name of the Lord. The Israelites did not hesitate, believing that soon Pharaoh would once again change his mind, which he did; and at the end of that night Moses led them out of Egypt with "arms upraised". However, as the Israelites left Egypt, the Pharaoh changed his mind again and sent his army after Moses' people. The Israelites were trapped by the Red Sea. God split the sea, and they were able to pass safely. As the Egyptian army descended on them, the sea closed before they could reach the Israelites.

One of most beloved songs in the Passover seder is "Dayenu". A few of us will read the stanzas one at a time, and the everyone else will respond, "Dayenu" – meaning, “it would have been enough”.

How many times do we forget to pause and notice that where we are is exactly where we ought to be? Dayenu is a reminder to never forget all the miracles in our lives. When we stand and wait impatiently for the next one to appear, we are missing the whole point of life. Instead, we can actively seek a new reason to be grateful, a reason to say “Dayenu.”

If God had taken us out of Egypt,
It would have been enough! דַּיֵּנוּ

If God had brought us to Mount Sinai but not given us the Torah,
it would have been enough! דַּיֵּנוּ

If God had given us the Torah but not brought us into the land of Israel
it would have been enough! דַּיֵּנוּ

If God had brought us into the land of Israel but allowed us to build the Temple,
it would have been enough! דַּיֵּנוּ

אִלּוּ הוֹצִיאָנוּ מִמִּצְרָיִם

!דַּיֵּנוּ

Transliteration of Song:

Ilu ho-tsi, ho-tsi-a-nu,

Ho-tsi-anu mi-Mitz-ra-yim

Ho-tsi-anu mi-Mitz-ra-yim

Da-ye-nu

Chorus

Da-da-ye-nu,

Da-da-ye-nu,

Da-da-ye-nu,

Da-da-ye-nu,

Da-ye-nu Da-ye-nu

Rabbi Gamliel, the head of the Sanhedrin (rabbinical court) near of the end of the Second Temple Period (first century CE), said one must discuss the three symbols of Passover as part of the Seder:

Pesach The Passover sacrifice represented by the shank bone (or a roasted beet). The Pesach sacrifice reminds us that God passed over the Israelite houses when the tenth plague was visited upon the Egyptians after the Israelites offered the Passover sacrifice.

Matzah The unleavened bread. The matzah represents the hurried Exodus from Egypt wherein the Israelites left so quickly that their dough did not have time to rise.

Maror The bitter herbs. The maror reminds us of the bitter pain and suffering the Israelites went through as slaves to the Egyptians.

We now conclude the Magid section of the Seder: Tradition teaches us that in every generation, we ought to look upon ourselves as if we personally had gone out of Egypt. Therefore, it is our duty to thank the One who performed all the miracles for generations past and present.

Explaining the Symbols:

The Seder is not complete unless we have discussed the symbolism of the three main foods in this ceremony. Let’s identify these symbolic foods as well as the other items on the Seder plate.

(Point at the shank bone) Why did our fathers eat the Passover offering during the time that Temple was still standing? It is because the Holy One, Blessed be He, passed over the houses of our ancestors in Egypt, as it is written: "You shall say: It is the Passover offering for the Lord, who passed over the houses of the children in Egypt when He smote the Egyptians and spared our houses. The people knelt and bowed down."

(Lift up the matzah) Why do we eat this matzah? It is because the King of Kings, the Holy one, revealed Himself to our ancestors and redeemed them before their dough had time to ferment, as it is written: "They baked the dough which they had brought out of Egypt into unleavened cakes; for they were driven out of Egypt and could not delay, nor had they prepared any provision for their journey."

(Lift up the horseradish)Why do we eat this bitter herb? It is because the Egyptians embittered the lives of our fathers in Egypt, as it is written: "They made life bitter for them with hard labor, with clay and bricks, and with all kinds of labor in the field; whatever work tasks they performed were backbreaking."

As we now transition to the celebratory meal, we once again wash our hands to prepare ourselves.

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָֽׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו, וְצִוָּנוּ עַל נְטִילַת יָדָֽיִם

We praise God, Ruler of Everything, who made us holy through obligations, commanding us to wash our hands.

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם הַמּוֹצִיא לֶֽחֶם מִן־הָאָֽרֶץ.

Praise to You, Adonai, our God, Sovereign of the Universe who brings forth bread from the earth.

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם. אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָֽׁנוּ בְּמִצְותָיו וְצִוָּֽנוּ עַל־אֲכִילַת מַצָּה׃

Praise to You, Adonai, our God, Sovereign of the Universe who sanctifies us with Your commandments, and commanded us concerning the eating of matzo.

Blessings said, everyone breaks off a piece of matzah and eats it.

Dipping the Matzah in מָרוֹר

We remind ourselves of the bitterness of slavery, for we do not truly deserve to be happy.

ברוּךְ אַתָּה יְיַָ אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָֽׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו וְצִוָּֽנוּ עַל אֲכִילַת מרוֹר

Praise to You, Adonai, our God, Sovereign of the Universe who sanctifies us with Your commandments, and commanded us concerning the eating of the bitter herbs.

We are ready to begin the meal. We begin by taking a little maror and charoset and putting them in between the matzah. !בְּתֵאָבוֹן

Each person makes a sandwich using two pieces of matzah with maror and charoset, a mixture of nuts, fruit, wine, and spices that symbolizes the mortar used by the Jewish people to make bricks while enslaved in Egypt. This is done in commemoration of an enactment made by the great sage Hillel, who lived in the time of the Second Temple, to eat the Passover sacrifice together with matzah and maror in a sandwich.

The Third Glass of Wine

The blessing over the meal is immediately followed by another blessing over the wine:

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ, אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הַגָּפֶן

Drink the third glass of wine!

We turn now to the prophets Elijah and Miriam.

Elijah is a sign of our hope for a Messianic age, when there will be peace on earth. For Elijah we offer a full glass of wine, a sign of hospitality for whomever may enter, proving that we are truly ready to welcome the stranger into our home. We use water to honor Miriam, who sang and danced at the parting of the Sea of Reeds and who is associated with water in the desert. Water is a sign of the life force and our responsibility to replenish the earth. (A door is opened to welcome in Miriam and Elijah.)

We are going to conclude our dinner tonight with a celebratory toast - a l’chaim.

Rather than filling our own cup tonight, though, and focusing on us as individuals, let’s fill someone else’s cup and recognize that, as a group of friends, we have the resources to help each other and those in our community if we are willing to share our resources and collaborate – whether those resources are time, money, skills, or any of the other gifts we bring to one another.

We are now going to fill our 4th cup of wine and I want to invite you to fill someone else’s cup instead of your own.

Next year in Jerusalem! (Or San Diego)