The seder officially begins with a physical act: lighting the candles.  In Jewish tradition, lighting candles and saying a blessing over them marks a time of transition, from the day that is ending to the one that is beginning, from ordinary time to sacred time.  Lighting the candles is an important part of our Passover celebration because their flickering light reminds us of the importance of keeping the fragile flame of freedom alive in the world.

Baruch Atah Adonai Eloheinu melech ha'olam asher kid'shanu b'mitzvotav, v'tzivanu l'hadlik ner shel Yom Tov.

Blessed are You, Adonai our God, Ruler of the Universe, who has sanctified us with laws and commanded us to light the festival lights.

As we light the festival candles, we acknowledge that as they brighten our Passover table, good thoughts, good words, and good deeds brighten our days.

For so many of us, the Seder is a ritual to ‘get through.’ There is someone rushing through the words, another person checking the clock, another drooling over the smells from the kitchen. What if as the seder unfolds, we knew we could look forward to an opportunity for pause and reflection? Using the prompts below, transform your seder table into a circle of balance.

Note: These exercises can either make up a complete ‘mindfulness seder’, or you can choose one or more to incorporate into a seder you are leading or attending.

Kadeish קדש – recital of Kiddush blessing and drinking of the first cup of wine
As you begin the seder, there is often a great deal of anticipation. Looking forward to that first sip of wine, taste of matza, warm soup…instead of counting how many pages to the next section, focus in on each step of this ritual. One method is to narrate (either out loud or in your mind) each step as objectively as possible: “I am holding the glass. I am opening the wine. I am pouring the wine. I am holding up the glass. [say blessing] I am sipping the wine. I am swallowing the wine.” Notice what arises in this practice - is it calm and presence, or more agitation or anticipation? Bonus: try it for each of the 4 cups and see how it changes.

Urchatz ורחץ – the washing of the hands
Water is life and our hands are purified by the waters. Instead of washing and then rushing to dry them off, hold your wet hands open on your lap or on the edge of the table. Sit in silence or quiet whispers as you watch and feel the water evaporating. Take bets on when they will be fully dry or have a contest who can go the longest without drying them on the closest napkin.

Karpas כרפס – dipping of the karpas in salt water
Reciting blessings over our food is a chance to slow down and connect to the source of our nourishment. Assemble platters of three or more vegetables for each guest, or invite each guest to assemble mini platters at their seat after passing around a tray of vegetables. Choosing one item at a time, hold it in the air with your focus on the vegetable. What’s did it look like while in the ground? (You may wish to provide photos - I’m especially fond of photos of potato plants!) Close your eyes and imagine the trip from the ground to the store to your plate. Then say the blessing.

Yachatz יחץ – breaking the middle matza
The breaking of the matza should be done in silence. As you prepare for the break, count three long breaths with eyes open and focus on the matza, held high for all to see. Listen closely to the sound of the matza breaking. At this moment, we hold the paradox of wholeness and brokenness; the matza is both the bread of our affliction and the bread of freedom. Take three more deep breaths. Optional: Share with someone next to you or the whole table - what paradoxes in your life are you sitting with today?

Maggid מגיד – retelling the Passover story, including the recital of "the four questions" and drinking of the second cup of wine
Dayeinu: What in our lives do we take for granted, but may actually be enough for us? Share with someone next to you or the entire table. After each person shares, respond: Dayeinu!

Rachtzah רחצה – second washing of the hands
So much of the seder is talking and listening. Finally, here’s a part that has almost no talking. After you say the hand washing blessing, choose a niggun (simple wordless melody) that you and your guests can carry until everyone has finished washing. Use eye contact and the raising of the matza for motzi to signal the end of the blessing.

Motzi Matza מוציא מצה – blessing before eating matzo
The first bit of matza is always the driest. One is truly meant to savor that bite and not mix with any other dips or spreads. As you begin to munch on the first bit, notice what thoughts, feelings, and sensations arise. Joy, dryness, satiation...what else? Allow these to come and go without judgement until your serving of matza is consumed.

Maror מרור – eating of the maror
The embodied practice of purposely consuming maror has deep symbolism. Dipping ¾ ounces of maror into charoset, which is sweet, brings healing and alignment as we approach the formal meal.

Koreich כורך – eating of a sandwich made of matzah and maror
Koreich is a memory sandwich. Since we no longer slaughter a lamb for the paschal sacrifice, there is only maror on our matzo sandwich. Though the pesach sacrifice is primarily represented with the zroa, shankbone, on the seder plate, our memory sandwich is the key moment of the seder to recall this sacrifice. Though we do not recite an additional blessing for this sandwich, as we chew, we recline and recall the communal rite of the shared roasted lamb.

The moment we consume this sandwich, we are simultaneous recalling the Pesach offering, both from Temple times and from our last night in Egypt. What makes this symbol so powerful is that we have the capacity to recall two moments in history simultaneously:

The word “Pesach” is literally the name of this sacrifice, which was done in memory of the one performed in Egypt on the night of the 10th plague when they put animal blood on the doorposts The Torah commandment to consume the offering on the Passover holiday comes from Exodus 12:8: “They shall eat the flesh that same night; they shall eat it roasted over the fire, with unleavened bread and with bitter herbs.” and then in verse 14: “This day shall be to you one of remembrance: you shall celebrate it as a festival…” (See Exodus 12:3-14 for the full section).

In Temple times, there were many key rituals regarding a sacrificed lamb or goat shared amongst family. In Exodus 12:3 we read “שֶׂ֥ה לַבָּֽיִת - a lamb per household.” One could not observe this ritual one their own - usually, families would combine with neighbors to afford a high quality lamb to share on the holiday.

Shulchan oreich שלחן עורך – lit. "set table"—the serving of the holiday meal
Many seder meals begin with a spherical object, such as an egg, gefilte fish, or matza ball. Take a moment to examine this round food item, with no beginning and no ending. You have made it to the midpoint of the seder; and yet, this round item reminds us there is no beginning and no end. We are fully redeemed and we are still waiting to be redeemed. Turn over the item again, then bring it to your mouth for the first bite.

Tzafun צפון – eating of the afikoman
Walking meditation: And opportunity to get out our seats and wander. Perform the search in silence. Take your steps slowly and carefully. Extra credit if you have time: as you walk, say to yourself “lifting, stepping, placing” for each movement of each foot.

Bareich ברך – blessing after the meal and drinking of the third cup of wine
Gratitude opportunity: Before or after saying the blessing after the meal, share one aspect of tonight’s seder that you are grateful for in this moment.

Hallel הלל – recital of the Hallel & drinking of the fourth cup of wine
Praise and song with nature: As we sing hallel and enjoy our 4th cup, imagine one sign of spring such as a tree bud or flower. Close your eyes and picture it celebrating the unfolding of warmth and light that comes with the new season.

Nirtzah נירצה – say "Next Year in Jerusalem!"
Turn to someone next to you or share with the entire group farewell blessings for their journey home or a sweet night’s rest.

The Seder Plate

We place a Seder Plate at our table as a reminder to discuss certain aspects of the Passover story. Each item has its own significance.

Maror – The bitter herb. This symbolizes the harshness of lives of the Jews in Egypt.

Charoset – A delicious mix of sweet wine, apples, cinnamon and nuts that resembles the mortar used as bricks of the many buildings the Jewish slaves built in Egypt

Karpas – A green vegetable, usually parsley, is a reminder of the green sprouting up all around us during spring and is used to dip into the saltwater

Zeroah – A roasted lamb or shank bone symbolizing the sacrifice made at the great temple on Passover (The Paschal Lamb)

Beitzah – The egg symbolizes a different holiday offering that was brought to the temple. Since eggs are the first item offered to a mourner after a funeral, some say it also evokes a sense of mourning for the destruction of the temple.

Orange - The orange on the seder plate has come to symbolize full inclusion in modern day Judaism: not only for women, but also for people with disabilities, intermarried couples, and the LGBT Community.

Matzah

Matzah is the unleavened bread we eat to remember that when the jews fled Egypt, they didn’t even have time to let the dough rise on their bread. We commemorate this by removing all bread and bread products from our home during Passover.

Elijah’s Cup

The fifth ceremonial cup of wine poured during the Seder. It is left untouched in honor of Elijah, who, according to tradition, will arrive one day as an unknown guest to herald the advent of the Messiah. During the Seder dinner, biblical verses are read while the door is briefly opened to welcome Elijah. In this way the Seder dinner not only commemorates the historical redemption from Egyptian bondage of the Jewish people but also calls to mind their future redemption when Elijah and the Messiah shall appear.

Miriam’s Cup

Another relatively new Passover tradition is that of Miriam’s cup. The cup is filled with water and placed next to Elijah’s cup. Miriam was the sister of Moses and a prophetess in her own right. After the exodus when the Israelites are wandering through the desert, just as Hashem gave them Manna to eat, legend says that a well of water followed Miriam and it was called ‘Miriam’s Well’. The tradition of Miriam’s cup is meant to honor Miriam’s role in the story of the Jewish people and the spirit of all women, who nurture their families just as Miriam helped sustain the Israelites.

All Jewish celebrations, from holidays to weddings, include wine as a symbol of our joy – not to mention a practical way to increase that joy. The seder starts with wine and then gives us three more opportunities to refill our cup and drink.

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ, אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הַגָּפֶן

Baruch Atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech ha-olam, borei p’ree hagafen.

We praise God, Ruler of Everything, who creates the fruit of the vine.

What a blessing to live in a world in which fruit on the vine can turn into wine.

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ, אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, שֶׁהֶחֱיָנוּ וְקִיְּמָנוּ וְהִגִּיעָנוּ לַזְּמַן הַזֶּה

Baruch Atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech ha-olam,
she-hechiyanu v’key’manu v’higiyanu lazman hazeh.

We praise God, Ruler of Everything,
who has kept us alive, raised us up, and brought us to this happy moment.

What a blessing to exist in a universe that, after billions of years, has arrived at this moment, here and now, with us gathered around this table.

Drink the first glass of wine!

סַבְרִי מָרָנָן וְרַבָּנָן וְרַבּוֹתַי

Everyone, my intent is to sing praises.

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יי אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הַגָפֶן.

Blessed are You, Adonai our God, Ruler of the universe, Creator of the fruit of the vine.

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יי אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, אֲשֶׁר בָּחַר בָּנוּ מִכָּל עָם וְרוֹמְמָנוּ מִכָּל לָשׁוֹן וְקִדְּשָׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו. וַתִּתֶּן לָנוּ יי אֱלֹהֵינוּ בְּאַהֲבָה מוֹעֲדִים לְשִׂמְחָה, חַגִּים וּזְמַנִּים לְשָׂשׂוֹן, אֶת יוֹם חַג הַמַצוֹת הַזֶה, זְמַן חֵרוּתֵנוּ, מִקְרָא קֹדֶשׁ, זֵכֶר לִיצִיאַת מִצְרָיִם. כִּי בָנוּ בָחַרְתָּ וְאוֹתָנוּ קִדַּשְׁתָּ מִכָּל הָעַמִּים, וּמוֹעֲדֵי קָדְשֶךָ בְּשִׂמְחָה וּבְשָׂשׂוֹן הִנְחַלְתָּנוּ. בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יי, מְקַדֵּשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל וְהַזְּמַנִּים

Blessed are You, Adonai our God, Ruler of the Universe, who chose use among all peoples and exalted us among all tongues, and sanctified us with Your commandments. And You gave us, Adonai our God, in love, festivals for happiness, holidays and special times for joy, and this day of the Festival of Matzah, the season of our freedom, a holy convocation, a remembrance of the Exodus from Egypt. For You have chosen us and sanctified us among all peoples, and holy festivals and with happiness and joy, You have bestowed upon us. Blessed are You, Adonai our God, who sanctifies Israel and sacred times.

Passover, like many of our holidays, combines the celebration of an event from our Jewish memory with a recognition of the cycles of nature. As we remember the liberation from Egypt, we also recognize the stirrings of spring and rebirth happening in the world around us. The symbols on our table bring together elements of both kinds of celebration.

We now take a vegetable, representing our joy at the dawning of spring after our long, cold winter. Most families use a green vegetable, such as parsley or celery, but some families from Eastern Europe have a tradition of using a boiled potato since greens were hard to come by at Passover time. Whatever symbol of spring and sustenance we’re using, we now dip it into salt water, a symbol of the tears our ancestors shed as slaves. Before we eat it, we recite a short blessing:

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ, אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הָאֲדָמָה

Baruch Atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech ha-olam, borei p’ree ha-adama.

We praise God, Ruler of Everything, who creates the fruits of the earth.

We look forward to spring and the reawakening of flowers and greenery. They haven’t been lost, just buried beneath the snow, getting ready for reappearance just when we most needed them.

-

We all have aspects of ourselves that sometimes get buried under the stresses of our busy lives. What has this winter taught us? What elements of our own lives do we hope to revive this spring?

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 needy come and celebrate the Passover with us.  Now we are here; next year may we be in the Land of Israel. Now we are slaves; next year may we be free.

We break the matzah as we broke the chains of slavery, and as we break chains which bind us today. We will no more be fooled by movements which free only some of us, in which our so - called “freedom” rests upon the  enslavement or embitterment of others.

Traditionally, seders require three matzot. Why three?   Three are our patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.  Three  are the segments of the people Israel, Kohen, Levi and Yisrael.  The three matzot could even represent thesis, antithesis and synthesis: the two opposites in any polarized situation, and the solution which bridges them.

The Afikoman is the "dessert" of the seder. This plain piece of matzah is intended to be the last bite of our ritual meal. Usually for dessert, I want something sweet. How can it be that matzah is sweet?

I spent Passover 2017 traveling in Belarus with a classmate. Everywhere we went, people offered us dry matzah as a snack, or gave us extra to take back to the hotel after a seder. As American Jews, we usually had our fill of matzah after about three days of Passover, and we were perplexed by our hosts' enthusiasm for it. 

We discovered the reason at the Museum of Ethnography in Mogilev. We were there with our translator, Irina, and the head of the Jewish community in Mogilev, Mila. At the museum, Mila pointed out a spiky metal crank. "That's a machine for making matzah," she told us through Irina. "I remember, when I was a little girl, one of my neighbors had one of those. We had to keep it a secret, and sneak over to get just a few pieces of matzah, because we would have all been in big trouble if the Soviets found out."

In an effort to quash religious diversity, the Soviets banned matzah and other religious foods. Today, Belarusian Jews no longer need to worry about having enough matzah for their seders. They can openly put on community seders. Matzah,now, is a symbol of their persistence through Soviet rule, and the revitalization of Jewish life in Belarus. Instead of a burden, foisted on us by tradition for eight days every year, matzah is representative of the freedom to uphold that tradition. Matzah is sweet because it tastes like freedom.

Pour the second glass of wine for everyone.

The Haggadah doesn’t tell the story of Passover in a linear fashion. We don’t hear of Moses being found by the daughter of Pharaoh – actually, we don’t hear much of Moses at all. Instead, we get an impressionistic collection of songs, images, and stories of both the Exodus from Egypt and from Passover celebrations through the centuries. Some say that minimizing the role of Moses keeps us focused on the miracles God performed for us. Others insist that we keep the focus on the role that every member of the community has in bringing about positive change.

The formal telling of the story of Passover is framed as a discussion with lots of questions and answers. The tradition that the youngest person asks the questions reflects the centrality of involving everyone in the seder. The rabbis who created the set format for the seder gave us the Four Questions to help break the ice in case no one had their own questions. Asking questions is a core tradition in Jewish life. If everyone at your seder is around the same age, perhaps the person with the least seder experience can ask them – or everyone can sing them all together.

מַה נִּשְׁתַּנָּה הַלַּֽיְלָה הַזֶּה מִכָּל הַלֵּילות

Ma nishtana halaila hazeh mikol haleilot?

Why is this night different from all other nights?

שֶׁבְּכָל הַלֵּילוֹת אָֽנוּ אוֹכלין חָמֵץ וּמַצָּה  הַלַּֽיְלָה הַזֶּה כֻּלּוֹ מצה  

Shebichol haleilot anu ochlin chameitz u-matzah. Halaila hazeh kulo matzah.

On all other nights we eat both leavened bread and matzah.
Tonight we only eat matzah.

שֶׁבְּכָל הַלֵּילוֹת אָֽנוּ אוֹכְלִין שְׁאָר יְרָקוֹת הַלַּֽיְלָה הַזֶּה מָרוֹר

Shebichol haleilot anu ochlin shi’ar yirakot haleila hazeh maror.

On all other nights we eat all kinds of vegetables,
but tonight we eat bitter herbs.

שֶׁבְּכָל הַלֵּילוֹת אֵין אָֽנוּ מַטְבִּילִין אֲפִילוּ פַּֽעַם אחָת  הַלַּֽיְלָה הַזֶּה שְׁתֵּי פְעמים

Shebichol haleilot ain anu matbilin afilu pa-am echat. Halaila hazeh shtei fi-amim.

On all other nights we aren’t expected to dip our vegetables one time.
Tonight we do it twice.

שֶׁבְּכָל הַלֵּילוֹת אָֽנוּ אוֹכְלִין בֵּין יוֹשְׁבִין וּבֵין מְסֻבִּין.  :הַלַּֽיְלָה הַזֶּה כֻּלָּֽנוּ מְסֻבין

Shebichol haleilot anu ochlin bein yoshvin uvein m’subin. Halaila hazeh kulanu m’subin.

On all other nights we eat either sitting normally or reclining.
Tonight we recline.

ברוך המקום, ברוך הוא

ברוך שנתן, נתן תורה

שנתן תורה לעמו ישראל

ברוך המקום ברוך הוא

Baruch HaMakom, Baruch Hu.

Baruch SheNatan, natan Torah,

SheNatan Torah l'Amo Yisrael,

Baruch Hamakom, Baruch Hu.

Blessed is the All-Encompassing One, Blessed is God.

Blessed is the One who gave Torah,

Who gave Torah to the people of Israel.

Blessed is the All-Encompassing One, Blessed is God.

As we tell the story, we think about it from all angles. Our tradition speaks of four different types of children who might react differently to the Passover seder. It is our job to make our story accessible to all the members of our community, so we think about how we might best reach each type of child:

What does the wise child say?

The wise child asks, What are the testimonies and laws which God commanded you?

You must teach this child the rules of observing the holiday of Passover.

What does the wicked child say?

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

To you and not to himself! Because he takes himself out of the community and misses the point, set this child’s teeth on edge and say to him: “It is because of what God did for me in taking me out of Egypt.” Me, not him. Had that child been there, he would have been left behind.

What does the simple child say?

The simple child asks, What is this?

To this child, answer plainly: “With a strong hand God took us out of Egypt, where we were slaves.”

What about the child who doesn’t know how to ask a question?

Help this child ask.

Start telling the story:

“It is because of what God did for me in taking me out of Egypt.”

-

Do you see yourself in any of these children? At times we all approach different situations like each of these children. How do we relate to each of them?

Said the father to the children
"At the Seder you will dine,
You will eat your fill of matzoh,
You will drink four cups of wine."

Now this father had no daughters,
But his sons they numbered four,
One was wise, and one was wicked,
One was simple and a bore.

And the fourth was sweet and winsome,
He was young and he was small,
While his brothers asked the questions,
He could scarcely speak at all.

Said the wise one to his father
"Would you please explain the laws.
Of the customs of the Seder
Will you please explain the cause?"

And the father proudly answered
"As our fathers ate in speed,
Ate the Pascal lamb 'ere midnight,
And from slavery were freed"

"So we follow their example,
And 'ere midnight must complete,
All the Seder, and we should not
After twelve remain to eat."

Then did sneer the son so wicked,
"What does all this mean to you?"
And the father's voice was bitter
As his grief and anger grew.

"If yourself you don't consider,
As a son of Israel
Then for you this has no meaning,
You could be a slave as well!"

Then the simple son said softly,
"What is this?" and quietly
The good father told his offspring
"We were freed from slavery."

But the youngest son was silent,
For he could not speak at all,
His bright eyes were bright with wonder
As his father told him all.

Now, dear people, heed the lesson
And remember evermore,
What the father told his children
Told his sons who numbered four!

Even before the Exodus from Egypt our ancestors probably celebrated the mystery of life and the creation of the world each spring. Now again, we remind ourselves of the greens of the earth and the salt of the sea from which all life emerged, and on which all life depends.

But we do not simply celebrate spring’s renewal nor love’s warmth. Pesach celebrates our becoming free. Through the wondrous rebirth of life we can feel the precarious beginnings of the struggle for freedom. The sea’s salt not only reminds us of life’s start, but also of the brine of tears shed by our people and by all people striving to be free.

Narrator:        Four hundred years before the Exodus, a Hebrew named Joseph lived in the land of Egypt.  Originally from Canaan, Joseph had been sold into slavery by his jealous brothers.  His extraordinary ability to interpret dreams eventually won his freedom and rise to prominence in Egypt.

Narrator:        When a severe famine ravaged the area, Joseph reconciled with his brothers and brought his extended family from Canaan, settling in Goshen, one of Egypt’s most fertile regions.  As Joseph’s brilliant food rationing strategies spared Egypt the worst of the famine, he was revered by the Egyptians.

Narrator:        This love extended to his tribe – the Hebrews, or Israelites.  But hundreds of years later, a Pharaoh came to power who didn’t know of Joseph and his legacy.  And this Pharaoh feared the Israelite’s numbers.

Pharaoh:      Our land teems with Israelites!  Should war break out, they could easily side with our enemy.  We must keep them from multiplying!

Narrator:        So Pharaoh assigned two Hebrew midwives – Shifrah and Puah - with the terrible task of killing all the Hebrew boy babies at birth.  But the midwives thwarted Pharaoh’s order.

Narrator:        So Pharaoh set taskmasters over the Israelites, hoping to deplete their vigor with hard labor.  Still the Hebrew population swelled.  Furious, Pharaoh ordered his soldiers to find every first born Hebrew boy and cast him into the Nile.

Narrator:        Now there was a Hebrew mother named Yocheved.  Often she’d seen Pharaoh’s daughter and her maid servants bathe is a pool sheltered by reeds.  So Yocheved, with her daughter Miriam, set to work, daubing a bulrush basket with pitch and clay.  With the watertight basket, they set off for the pool.  Once there, they placed the little ark among the reeds with Yocheved’s baby son inside.

Narrator:        Unable to watch her child be claimed by another, Yocheved left the pool.  But Miriam stayed behind, wanting to know her baby brother’s fate.  Soon Pharaoh’s daughter came to the river.  When she spotted the basket, she commanded her servant to draw it from the water.  Looking down at the little face, her heart filled with compassion for what she quickly realized was a Hebrew infant, most likely hidden by a desperate mother.  She turned to one of her servants:

Princess:       My baby needs a wet nurse.  Find one!

Narrator:        Miriam stepped out from hiding.

Miriam:           I know a woman who can nurse your baby.

Princess:       Well, go then and fetch her!

Narrator:        Miriam went to Yocheved and told her what happened.  And Yocheved suckled the baby, whom the Princess named “Moses” – a common Egyptian name, but one that in Hebrew means “drawn from the water”.

Narrator:        Moses grew up with Pharaoh’s son.  They played together, rode horses together, and were like brothers.  But Moses often felt a strange longing – especially when he watched the Hebrews toiling under the scorching sun, forced to build the treasure cities of Ramses and Pitom.  The feeling deepened until one day when, as a whip whistled over the back of an elderly Hebrew, it erupted:

Moses:           Stop!  You must stop!

Narrator:        When the slave driver ignored Moses’ command, Moses killed him and hid the body in the sand.  But one of Pharaoh’s men witnessed the killing.  When he learned of it, Pharaoh shouted:

Pharaoh:       Find Moses!  He must be punished!

Narrator:        But Moses had already escaped.  He was now sojourning in the desert, seeking a home far from the tyranny and temples of Egypt.  When he reached a place called Midian, he married a young woman named Zipporah – daughter of Jethro, a priest and shepherd.  And Zipporah bore him two sons and Moses dwelt with his family in Midian for many years.

Narrator:        One day, while tending Jethro’s flock, Moses found himself at the foot of Mount Horeb, also known as Sinai.  A bush was shimmering with fire, though its leaves and branches were not consumed.  Suddenly an otherworldly voice boomed:

God:               Moses, come no closer and remove your sandals – you stand on holy ground.

Moses:           Who are you?

God:               I am the God of your fathers – the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.  As you’ve been living your simple shepherd’s life, I’ve watched my people suffering in Egypt.  Unable to bear their bitter bondage, they have been crying out to me.  So you must go, Moses, down to Egypt – and bring them to this mountain.  After this, you will lead them to Canaan – the large and lovely land I promised your ancestors.

Moses:           No one will believe I am your messenger.  My tongue is slow and my speech is not eloquent.  My words will rally no one.

God:               Fear not Moses.  What is in your hand?

Moses:           A shepherd’s rod.

God:               Cast it on the ground.

Narrator:        Moses cast his rod down.  Instantly it turned into a serpent.  God then told him to grasp the serpent by the tail.  At his touch, the snake turned back into a rod.

God:               Now, Moses, slip your hand into your cloak and remove it.

Narrator:        Moses obeyed.  When he withdrew his hand, he gasped.  His healthy flesh was now white and flaky as snow.  At God’s command, Moses slipped his hand back inside his cloak.  When he removed it again, his scaly flesh had been returned to health.

God:               If the people do not believe these signs and wonders, there will be others.  And do not fear your slow speech.  Your brother Aaron will serve as your spokesperson.

Narrator:        So Moses and his family set off for Egypt.  Halfway there, he met Aaron.  When the two brothers reached Egypt, they arranged for a meeting with Pharaoh.  Speaking on behalf of Moses, Aaron said:

Aaron:            Our God commands you to release his people so they can honor him with a three day feast in the wilderness.

Pharaoh:       Who is this God of yours?  And why should I let my slaves worship him?  They worship me alone?  What can your God do that I cannot do myself?

Narrator:        Moses threw down his rod and it turned into a serpent.  But when Moses grasped the snake, it stiffened back into a rod.

Pharaoh:       Nothing but a cheap trick.  My magicians can do the same.

Narrator:        Pharaoh summoned his magicians and commanded them to throw down their rods.  They changed into small snakes.  In the next moment, the larger snake of Moses swallowed the magicians’ serpents.

WENDY LEADS ALL CHILDREN IN THE TEN PLAGUES

Narrator:        Now, back to our story.  Pharaoh was unimpressed and refused to let the Hebrews go.  Instead he increased their burdens, withholding the straw they needed to make bricks.  God then instructed Aaron to stretch his shepherd’s staff over the streams, rivers, and ponds of Egypt.

Narrator:        When Aaron did so, the water turned to blood – even water in stone and wooden vessels turned to blood.  Miraculously the water in the slave province of Goshen remained pure.  Still Pharaoh refused to let the Hebrews go.  God then said to Aaron:

God:               Stretch your staff once more over Egypt’s rivers, canals, and ponds!

Narrator:        As Aaron did so, thousands of frogs leaped up and hopped through Egypt, entering the dwellings of royalty and commoners alike.  They wiggled between the bedding, they sprang into cooking pots, and they filled up the urns, temple bowls, and kneading troughs.  The only place free of frogs was Goshen, home of the Hebrew slaves.

Narrator:        When the Egyptian people became ill, Pharaoh had no choice but to summon Moses and Aaron back to his court.

Pharaoh:       If your God removes these frogs, I will allow your people to make their three day feast in the wilderness.

Narrator:        So God caused the frogs to die.  The Egyptians heaped them into enormous piles and set them ablaze.  A terrible stench hovered over the land.  But the moment the foul odor died, Pharaoh withdrew his offer.

God:               Moses, say to Aaron: Stretch out your rod and strike the dust of the land!

Narrator:        Aaron did as commanded and instantly the dust turned to lice.  And the lice burrowed into the hair of humans and the fur of beasts.  The Egyptian magicians attempted the same, but their powers were too weak.  Afraid, the magicians pleased with Pharaoh to let the Hebrews go.

Narrator:        When Pharaoh dismissed their pleas, God unleashed clouds of winged pestilence.  And the buzzing clouds of gnats and midges and flies covered Egypt, causing people to wail in misery.  Only the Hebrews were spared.  Pharaoh summoned Moses.

Pharaoh:       Tell your God to remove this scourge!  If God does, I will release your people.

Narrator:        Again Pharaoh reneged on his promise.  And God had no choice but to send more plagues.  First, wild beasts ravaged the land, and then disease killed all of Egypt’s cattle. 

Narrator:        After that boils bubbled up on the bodies of the Egyptians, and then hail the size of fists battered their fruit trees, breaking their boughs; only the trees of Goshen were spared.  And when the hail hit the ground, it burst into flame, and fire ran in rivulets through the city streets – except for in the streets of Goshen.

Narrator:        Yet Pharaoh’s heart remained stubborn; he refused to let the Hebrews go.  So God blackened the sky with locusts.  And the ravenous insects devoured every leaf and growing plant – other than those in Goshen.  Facing mass starvation, Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron.

Pharaoh:       If your God crushes these locusts, I will let your people go!

Narrator:        Moses implored God to remove the locusts.  God obliged, sending a stiff wind that swept all the locusts into the sea.  As before, Pharaoh failed to honor his promise.

Narrator:        At God’s command, Moses and Aaron stretched their hands to the heavens, causing a dense fog to roll across Egypt.  The darkness was so thick it could be felt on the skin; the only gleam of light was in the slave quarters of Goshen.  Terrified, Pharaoh called out to Moses and Aaron:

Pharaoh:       Remove this suffocating darkness!  If you do, you can take your people out of Egypt, though you must leave all your flocks behind!

Narrator:        But Moses refused to leave without the Hebrew’s livestock. 

Pharaoh:       Then you and your accursed people will never leave!  Now go away from me!  I cannot bear the sight of your face!

Narrator:        Moses returned to God who revealed to him the awful details of the tenth and final plague.

God:               In ten days’ time, every firstborn male in Egypt will die at midnight.  Not one will escape – neither the firstborn of Pharaoh nor the firstborn of the prisoner in the dungeon.  And a loud cry will resound throughout Egypt – a cry that has never been heard or will ever be heard again.

                        But I will spare your children, Moses, and the children of your people.  Tell the Israelites to slaughter an unblemished lamb.  Then, with brushes of hyssop, instruct them to daub the lamb’s blood on their door posts and lintels.  Seeing these markings, the Angel of Death will pass over them.

                        Ever afterward, this day shall be celebrated as a memorial.  And this memorial shall be called Passover, and each generation shall tell the next how their ancestors were delivered from bondage in Egypt.  And you shall keep it as a feast to your God.

Narrator:        Everything happened as God foretold.  At midnight, the cries of mothers and fathers resounded throughout the towns and cities of Egypt.  His own son destroyed, his will crushed, Pharaoh cried out to Moses:

Pharaoh:       Be gone Moses!  And take your wretched people with you.  And take the cattle and sheep you’ve so unjustly demanded.  Go from here and never return!

Narrator:        Fearful that Pharaoh would once again change his mind, the Israelites hastily prepared to leave, not even waiting for the bread in their kneading troughs to rise.  And the Hebrews departed – six hundred thousand strong.  And they journeyed far from the borders of Egypt toward Canaan – the promised land of milk and honey.  By day, they were guided by a whirling pillar of cloud; by night a brilliant column of fire.

                        But Pharaoh’s heart hardened again as did the hearts of his courtiers.

Courtier:        Why have you done this?  Why have you released our slaves?

Courtier:        How will we till our land?

Courtier:        How will we feed our people?

Courtier:        We are ruined!

Narrator:        Aware of the folly he’d committed, Pharaoh commanded his generals:

Pharaoh:       Bring them back – every single one!

Narrator:        The Egyptian troops sped after the fleeing Hebrews.  Soon the Israelites, camped on the shores of the seas, could hear the rumble of the approaching chariot wheels.  They cried to Moses:

Israelite:        We are trapped!  We will be killed!

Israelite:        Why have you taken us from Egypt, just to die in the wilderness?  Better to have remained slaves in Egypt!

Israelite:        You have not led us to freedom – you’ve led us to death!

Moses:           Fear not.  Stand still and see what God shall do for you.

Narrator:        Moses them stretched out his rod, causing an easterly wind to blow.  With Egypt’s militia bearing down fast, the wind stirred up the water, heaping it into two growing walls with a wide, dry path running in between.  The Israelites fled across the divided sea.

                        The Egyptian army soon charged.  But Moses did not panic.  It was only when his people had reached the other side that he stretched his rod again, making the walls of water to roll back into place.  For a few minutes, the Egyptian troops floundered in the waves.  But quickly they were covered and their cries were heard no more.

Narrator:        Moses’ sister, Miriam, rushed to the shore.  As her tambourines jingled, she joyously sang:

Miriam:           Who is like you, O God, among the gods.  You triumphed gloriously; throwing horse and rider into the sea.

Narrator:        And thus Israel was out of Egypt.  And all day and all night the Israelites celebrated, dancing, and singing, not thinking about the dangers that lay ahead.

Chorus--{Go down Moses, way down to Egypt land Tell old Pharaoh, “Let my people go!”} 

When Israel was in Egypt Land, Let me people go!

They worked so hard they could not stand, Let my people go! 

Then God told Moses what to do, Let my people go! 

To lead the children of Israel through, Let my people go! {Chorus}

The Hebrews were scared, didn’t know what to do, Let my people go!

But slavery hurt and this they knew, Let me people go! 

They traveled through the desert for forty years, Let my people go!

With God on their side they had nothing to fear, Let my people go! {Chorus}

The Hebrews learned what it means to be free, Let my people go!

The world’s big enough for you and me,  Let my people go! {Chorus}

As we rejoice at our deliverance from slavery, we acknowledge that our freedom was hard-earned. We regret that our freedom came at the cost of the Egyptians’ suffering, for we are all human beings made in the image of God. We pour out a drop of wine for each of the plagues as we recite them.

Dip a finger or a spoon into your wine glass for a drop for each plague.

These are the ten plagues which God brought down on the Egyptians:

Blood | dam | דָּם

Frogs | tzfardeiya |  צְפַרְדֵּֽעַ

Lice | kinim | כִּנִּים

Beasts | arov | עָרוֹב

Cattle disease | dever | דֶּֽבֶר

Boils | sh’chin | שְׁחִין

Hail | barad | בָּרָד

Locusts | arbeh | אַרְבֶּה

Darkness | choshech | חֹֽשֶׁךְ

Death of the Firstborn | makat b’chorot | מַכַּת בְּכוֹרוֹת

The Egyptians needed ten plagues because after each one they were able to come up with excuses and explanations rather than change their behavior. Could we be making the same mistakes? Make up your own list. What are the plagues in your life? What are the plagues in our world today? What behaviors do we need to change to fix them? 

Now let's talk about the ten plagues. There was no dipping of fingers in wine. We were much too refined for that! My mother would walk up to my father with a large bowl and a glass of water. My father would recite the plagues one by one, and for each plague he would pour a bit of wine in the bowl from a special large wineglass, and my mother would pour a bit of the water. It was all done under the table - nobody was supposed to look at the "plagues" for fear of being "contaminated"! Then my mother, without looking directly at the bowl, and with the rest of us looking in another direction, would go to the bathroom and flush the "plagues" down the toilet! I remember fear traveling down my spine...

The wine was said to represent justice and the water mercy. Justice tempered with mercy is how God is operates in the Jewish tradition.

As all good term papers do, we start with the main idea:

ּעֲבָדִים הָיִינוּ הָיִינו. עַתָּה בְּנֵי חוֹרִין  

Avadim hayinu hayinu. Ata b’nei chorin.

We were slaves to Pharaoh in Egypt. Now we are free.

We were slaves to Pharaoh in Egypt, and God took us from there with a strong hand and outstretched arm. Had God not brought our ancestors out of Egypt, then even today we and our children and our grandchildren would still be slaves. Even if we were all wise, knowledgeable scholars and Torah experts, we would still be obligated to tell the story of the exodus from Egypt.

The plagues and our subsequent redemption from Egypt are but one example of the care God has shown for us in our history. Had God but done any one of these kindnesses, it would have been enough – dayeinu.

אִלּוּ הוֹצִיאָֽנוּ מִמִּצְרַֽיִם, דַּיֵּנוּ

Ilu hotzi- hotzianu, Hotzianu mi-mitzrayim Hotzianu mi-mitzrayim, Dayeinu

If God had only taken us out of Egypt, that would have been enough!

אִלּוּ נָתַן לָֽנוּ אֶת־הַתּוֹרָה, דַּיֵּנוּ

Ilu natan natan lanu, natan lanu et ha-Torah, Natan lanu et ha-Torah , Dayeinu

If God had only given us the Torah, that would have been enough.

 The complete lyrics to Dayeinu tell the entire story of the Exodus from Egypt as a series of miracles God performed for us. (See the Additional Readings if you want to read or sing them all.)

Dayeinu also reminds us that each of our lives is the cumulative result of many blessings, small and large. 

We have now told the story of Passover…but wait! We’re not quite done. There are still some symbols on our seder plate we haven’t talked about yet. Rabban Gamliel would say that whoever didn’t explain the shank bone, matzah, and marror (or bitter herbs) hasn’t done Passover justice.

The shank bone represents the Pesach, the special lamb sacrifice made in the days of the Temple for the Passover holiday. It is called the pesach, from the Hebrew word meaning “to pass over,” because God passed over the houses of our ancestors in Egypt when visiting plagues upon our oppressors.

The matzah reminds us that when our ancestors were finally free to leave Egypt, there was no time to pack or prepare. Our ancestors grabbed whatever dough was made and set out on their journey, letting their dough bake into matzah as they fled.

The bitter herbs provide a visceral reminder of the bitterness of slavery, the life of hard labor our ancestors experienced in Egypt.

בְּכָל־דּוֹר וָדוֹר חַיָּב אָדָם לִרְאוֹת אֶת־עַצְמוֹ, כְּאִלּוּ הוּא יָצָא מִמִּצְרָֽיִם

B’chol dor vador chayav adam lirot et-atzmo, k’ilu hu yatzav mimitzrayim.

In every generation, everyone is obligated to see themselves as though they personally left Egypt.

The seder reminds us that it was not only our ancestors whom God redeemed; God redeemed us too along with them. That’s why the Torah says “God brought us out from there in order to lead us to and give us the land promised to our ancestors.”

---

We praise God, Ruler of Everything, who redeemed us and our ancestors from Egypt, enabling us to reach this night and eat matzah and bitter herbs. May we continue to reach future holidays in peace and happiness.

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ, אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הַגָּפֶן

Baruch Atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech ha-olam, borei p’ree hagafen.

We praise God, Ruler of Everything, who creates the fruit of the vine.

Drink the second glass of wine!

As we now transition from the formal telling of the Passover story to the celebratory meal, we once again wash our hands to prepare ourselves. In Judaism, a good meal together with friends and family is itself a sacred act, so we prepare for it just as we prepared for our holiday ritual, recalling the way ancient priests once prepared for service in the Temple.

Some people distinguish between washing to prepare for prayer and washing to prepare for food by changing the way they pour water on their hands. For washing before food, pour water three times on your right hand and then three times on your left hand.

After you have poured the water over your hands, recite this short blessing.

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

Baruch Atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech ha-olam, asher kid’shanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu al n’tilat yadayim.

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

The blessing over the meal and matzah | motzi matzah | מוֹצִיא מַצָּה

The familiar hamotzi blessing marks the formal start of the meal. Because we are using matzah instead of bread, we add a blessing celebrating this mitzvah.

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ, אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, הַמּוֹצִיא לֶֽחֶם מִן הָאָֽרֶץ

Baruch Atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech ha-olam, hamotzi lechem min ha-aretz.

We praise God, Ruler of Everything, who brings bread from the land.

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ, אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָֽׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתַָיו וְצִוָּֽנוּ עַל אֲכִילַת מַצָּה

Baruch Atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech ha-olam, asher kid’shanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu al achilat matzah.

We praise God, Ruler of Everything, who made us holy through obligations, commanding us to eat matzah.

Distribute and eat the top and middle matzah for everyone to eat.

Dipping the bitter herb in sweet charoset | maror  |מָרוֹר   

  In creating a holiday about the joy of freedom, we turn the story of our bitter history into a sweet celebration. We recognize this by dipping our bitter herbs into the sweet charoset. We don’t totally eradicate the taste of the bitter with the taste of the sweet… but doesn’t the sweet mean more when it’s layered over the bitterness?

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ, אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָֽׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו וְצִוָּֽנוּ עַל אֲכִילַת מרוֹר

Baruch Atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech ha-olam, asher kid’shanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu al achilat maror.

We praise God, Ruler of Everything, who made us holy through obligations, commanding us to eat bitter herbs.

Eating a sandwich of matzah and bitter herb | koreich | כּוֹרֵךְ

When the Temple stood in Jerusalem, the biggest ritual of them all was eating the lamb offered as the pesach or Passover sacrifice. The great sage Hillel would put the meat in a sandwich made of matzah, along with some of the bitter herbs. While we do not make sacrifices any more – and, in fact, some Jews have a custom of purposely avoiding lamb during the seder so that it is not mistaken as a sacrifice – we honor this custom by eating a sandwich of the remaining matzah and bitter herbs. Some people will also include charoset in the sandwich to remind us that God’s kindness helped relieve the bitterness of slavery.

Eating the meal! | shulchan oreich | שֻׁלְחָן עוֹרֵךְ

Enjoy! But don’t forget when you’re done we’ve got a little more seder to go, including the final two cups of wine!

Finding and eating the Afikomen | tzafoon | צָפוּן

The playfulness of finding the afikomen reminds us that we balance our solemn memories of slavery with a joyous celebration of freedom. As we eat the afikomen, our last taste of matzah for the evening, we are grateful for moments of silliness and happiness in our lives.

Refill everyone’s wine glass.

We now say grace after the meal, thanking God for the food we’ve eaten. On Passover, this becomes something like an extended toast to God, culminating with drinking our third glass of wine for the evening:

We praise God, Ruler of Everything, whose goodness sustains the world. You are the origin of love and compassion, the source of bread for all. Thanks to You, we need never lack for food; You provide food enough for everyone. We praise God, source of food for everyone.

As it says in the Torah: When you have eaten and are satisfied, give praise to your God who has given you this good earth. We praise God for the earth and for its sustenance.

Renew our spiritual center in our time. We praise God, who centers us.

May the source of peace grant peace to us, to the Jewish people, and to the entire world. Amen.

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

Baruch Atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech ha-olam, borei p’ree hagafen.

We praise God, Ruler of Everything, who creates the fruit of the vine.

Drink the third glass of wine!

The Cup of Elijah

We now refill our wine glasses one last time and open the front door to invite the prophet Elijah to join our seder.

In the Bible, Elijah was a fierce defender of God to a disbelieving people. At the end of his life, rather than dying, he was whisked away to heaven. Tradition holds that he will return in advance of messianic days to herald a new era of peace, so we set a place for Elijah at many joyous, hopeful Jewish occasions, such as a baby’s bris and the Passover seder.

אֵלִיָּֽהוּ הַנָּבִיא, אֵלִיָּֽהוּ הַתִּשְׁבִּיאֵלִיָּֽהוּ, אֵלִיָּֽהוּ,אֵלִיָּֽהוּ הַגִּלְעָדִי

בִּמְהֵרָה בְיָמֵֽנוּ יָבוֹא אֵלֵֽינוּ

עִם מָשִֽׁיחַ בֶּן דָּוִד

עִם מָשִֽׁיחַ בֶּן דָּוִד

Eliyahu hanavi
Eliyahu hatishbi
Eliyahu, Eliyahu, Eliyahu hagiladi
Bimheirah b’yameinu, yavo eileinu
Im mashiach ben-David,
Im mashiach ben-David

Elijah the prophet, the returning, the man of Gilad:
return to us speedily,
in our days with the messiah,
son of David.

Nirtzah  marks the conclusion of the seder. Our bellies are full, we have had several glasses of wine, we have told stories and sung songs, and now it is time for the evening to come to a close. At the end of the seder, we honor the tradition of declaring, “Next year in Jerusalem!”

For some people, the recitation of this phrase expresses the anticipation of rebuilding the Temple in Jerusalem and the return of the Messiah. For others, it is an affirmation of hope and of connectedness with  Klal Yisrael, the whole of the Jewish community. Still others yearn for peace in Israel and for all those living in the Diaspora.

Though it comes at the end of the seder, this moment also marks a beginning. We are beginning the next season with a renewed awareness of the freedoms we enjoy and the obstacles we must still confront. We are looking forward to the time that we gather together again. Having retold stories of the Jewish people, recalled historic movements of liberation, and reflected on the struggles people still face for freedom and equality, we are ready to embark on a year that we hope will bring positive change in the world and freedom to people everywhere.

In  The Leader's Guide to the Family Participation Haggadah: A Different Night, Rabbi David Hartman writes: “Passover is the night for reckless dreams; for visions about what a human being can be, what society can be, what people can be, what history may become.”

What can  we  do to fulfill our reckless dreams? What will be our legacy for future generations?

Our seder is over, according to Jewish tradition and law. As we had the pleasure to gather for a seder this year, we hope to once again have the opportunity in the years to come. We pray that God brings health and healing to Israel and all the people of the world, especially those impacted by natural tragedy and war. As we say…

לְשָׁנָה הַבָּאָה בִּירוּשָׁלָֽיִם

L’shana haba-ah biy’rushalayim

NEXT YEAR IN JERUSALEM!

דזבין אבא בתרי זוזי, חד גדיא חד גדיא

קנה אבינו גדי בשני זוזים, כך מספרת ההגדה

My father bought one little kid for two zuzim. Our father bought a kid for two zuzim. So the Haggadah recounts...

ובא מלאך המוות והרג את השוחט ששחט את השור ששתה את המים שכיבו את האש ששרפה את המקל שחבט בכלב שנשך החתול שטרף את הגדי שאבינו הביא

And the Angel of Death came and killed the butcher who butchered the ox, which drank the water, which extinguished the fire,

which burnt the switch, which beat the dog, which bit the cat, which devoured the kid that my father brought

דזבין אבא בתרי זוזי חד גדיא חד גדיא

My father bought one little kid for two zuzim.

ומה פתאום את שרה חד גדיא? אביב עוד לא הגיע ופסח לא בא

ומה השתנה לך מה השתנה? אני השתניתי לי השנה

ובכל הלילות בכל הלילות שאלתי רק ארבע קושיות

And why are you suddenly singing “Chad Gadya?” Spring has not yet arrived and Passover hasn’t come.

And what is different for you, how have you changed? I have truly changed this year,

And every night, each and every night, I asked only four difficult questions.

הלילה הזה יש לי עוד שאלה: עד מתי יימשך מעגל האימה

רודף הוא נרדף מכה הוא מוכה. מתי ייגמר הטירוף הזה

ומה השתנה לך מה השתנה? אני השתניתי לי השנה

Tonight I have another question: How long will the cycle of violence continue?

The hunter is hunted and the killer is killed, When will this insanity end?

And what is different for you, how have you changed? I have truly changed this year.

הייתי פעם כבש וגדי שליו היום אני נמר וזאב טורף

הייתי כבר יונה והייתי צבי היום איני יודעת מי אני

Once I was a lamb and a peaceful kid, today I am a leopard and a devouring wolf.

I used to be a dove, I was a gazelle. Today I know who I am.

דזבין אבא בתרי זוזי, חד גדיא חד גדיא

קנה אבינו גדי בשני זוזים, ושוב מתחילים מהתחלה

My father bought one little kid for two zuzim. Our father buys a kid for two zuzim, and it all starts again from the beginning.

חַד גַּדְיָא, חַד גַּדְיָא

דְזַבִּין אַבָּא בִּתְרֵי זוּזֵי

חַד גַּדְיָא, חַד גַּדְיָא

Chad gadya, chad gadya

Dizabin abah bitrei zuzei

Chad gadya, chad gadya.

The Holy One, Blessed Be He came and

Smote the angle of death who slew

The butcher who killed the ox,

That drank the water

That extinguished the fire

That burned the stick that beat the dog That bit the cat that ate the goat,

Which my father bought for two zuzim.

Who knows One? I know One!...

Who knows thirteen?

I know thirteen

Thirteen are the attributes of God

Twelve are the tribes

Eleven are the stars

Ten are the Words from Sinai

Nine are the months of childbirth

Eight are the days for circumcision

Seven are the days of the week

Six are the orders of the Mishnah

Five are the books of the Torah

Four are the matriarchs

Three are the patriarchs

Two are the tablets of the covenant

One is our God in Heaven and Earth!!