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For thousands of years Jewish people and their friends have gathered at this time to celebrate the coming of spring and tell a story of liberation. Our ancestors celebrated Passover in good years and bad, during peace and war, at home and in exile, in times of good health and previous plagues.
We find ourselves celebrating Passover during another such extraordinary time. When the world is transforming, it can be grounding to observe ancient traditions. Our pandemic-time seders raised new challenges - the first community meal in our synagogue in over 2 years, seder-by-Zoom and pick up Passover meals - but perhaps the memories will be all the more precious for those challenges.
Marcus and I are glad you are joining us tonight. We have adapted our own family traditions and haggadah to, hopefully, be accessible to all. Let's make this the seder that will nourish our souls, teach our minds and remind our hearts that we are all in this together. We ask that those on zoom keep your devices muted unless you are reading or responding and participate via chat when appropriate. We will figure this out together!
The first words in the creation of the universe out of the unformed, void and dark earth were God’s “Let there be light." Therein lies the hope and faith of Judaism and the obligation of our people: to make the light of justice, compassion, and knowledge penetrate the darkness of our time.
Light the candles and say:
ברוך אתה יי אלהינו מלך העולם אשר קדשנו במצותיו וצונו להדליק נר של שבת ושל יום טוב
Baruch atah Adonai Elohaynu melech ha-olam, asher kideshanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu l’hadlik ner shel Shabbat v'shel yom tov.
Praised are You, Lord our God, Whose presence fills the universe, Who has sanctified our lives through Your commandments and commanded us to kindle the Sשbbath and the festival lights.
The Passover seder is used to tell the story of our Exodus. The main way that we do that is through the use of symbolic food on the seder plate.
Maror – The bitter herb. This symbolizes the harshness of the 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 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. Others see the egg as a sign of rebirth and spring.
It’s been a crazy week. The world with all its worries and bothers is still clamoring for your attention. The first step is to forget all that. Leave it behind. Enter into a timeless space, where you, your great-grandparents and Moses all coincide.
The beginning of all journeys is separation. You’ve got to leave somewhere to go somewhere else. It is also the first step towards freedom: You ignore the voice of Pharaoh inside that mocks you, saying, “Who are you to begin such a journey?” You just get up and walk out.
This is the first meaning of the word, “Kadesh” - to transcend the mundane world. Then comes the second meaning: Once you’ve set yourself free from your material worries, you can return and sanctify them. That is when true spiritual freedom begins, when you introduce a higher purpose into all those things you do.
Kiddush (the blessing over wine) | kadeish | קַדֵּשׁ
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.
We welcome a special guest to lead us in the Festival Kiddush.
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה, יְיָ אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ,
מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הַגָּֽפֶן.
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה, יְיָ אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ,
מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, אֲשֶׁר בָּֽחַר בָּֽנוּ
מִכׇּל עָם וְרוֹמְמָֽנוּ מִכׇּל לָשׁוֹן,
וְקִדְּשָֽׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֺתָיו.
וַתִּֽתֶּן לָֽנוּ, יְיָ אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ, בְּאַהֲבָה
מוֹעֲדִים לְשִׂמְחָה,
חַגִּים וּזְמַנִּים לְשָׂשׂוֹן, אֶת יוֹם
חַג הַמַּצּוֹת הַזֶּה,
זְמַן חֵרוּתֵֽנוּ,
מִקְרָא קֹֽדֶשׁ, זֵֽכֶר לִיצִיאַת מִצְרָֽיִם.
כִּי בָֽנוּ בָחַֽרְתָּ וְאוֹתָֽנוּ קִדַּֽשְׁתָּ
מִכׇּל הָעַמִּים
וּמוֹעֲדֵי קׇדְשְׁךָ
בְּשִׂמְחָה וּבְשָׂשׂוֹן הִנְחַלְתָּֽנוּ.
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה, יְיָ, מְקַדֵּשׁ
יִשְׂרָאֵל וְהַזְּמַנִּים.
TRANSLITERATION
Baruch atah, Adonai Eloheinu, Melech haolam, borei p'ri hagafen.
Baruch atah, Adonai Eloheinu, Melech haolam, asher bachar banu mikol am, v'rom'manu mikol lashon, v'kid'shanu b'mitzvotav. Vatiten lanu, Adonai Eloheinu, b'ahavah mo-adim l'simchah, chagim uz'manim l'sason, et yom Chag HaMatzot hazeh, z'man cheiruteinu, mikra kodesh, zeicher litziat Mitzrayim. Ki vanu vacharta v'otanu kidashta mikol haamim umo-adei kodsh'cha b'simchah uv'sason hinchaltanu.
Baruch atah, Adonai m'kadeish Yisrael v'hazmanim.
TRANSLATION
Blessed are You, Adonai our God, Ruler of the world, Creator of the fruit of the vine.
Blessed are You, Our God, Sovereign of the universe, who has chosen us from among the peoples, exalting us by hallowing us with mitzvot. In Your love, Adonai our God, You have given us feasts of gladness, and seasons of joy; this Festival of Pesach, season of our freedom, a sacred occasion, a remembrance of the Exodus from Egypt. For You have chosen us from all peoples and consecrated us to Your service, and given us the Festivals, a time of gladness and joy.
Blessed are You, Adonai, who sanctifies Israel and the Festivals.
The Shehecheyanu is a prayer that Jews have been saying for over 2000 years to mark special occasions. Tonight, all of us here together is special occasion. Whether Jewish or not, we have come here under a shared belief that everyone is entitled to be free. We all believe that everyone is entitled to certain inalienable rights. We all believe that we must treat our brothers and sisters with common decency. That is special and meaningful.
To mark this special and meaningful occasion, we all join together in the words of the Shehecheyanu:
בָרוּךְ אַתָה יְיָ אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם שֶהֶחֱיָנוּ וְקִיְמָנוּ
וְהִגִּיעָנוּ לַזְמַן הַזֶה
Baruch atah, Adonai, eloheinu melech ha’olam,
shehecheyanu v’kiy’manu v’higiyanu lazman hazeh.
Blessed are you, Adonai, sovereign of all worlds, who has kept us alive, sustained us, and enabled us to reach this moment.
Drink the first glass of wine!
During the past three years, we have been encouraged to wash our hands dry, to wipe every morsel of virus or dirt off of our own skin. We wash our hands with fervor and anxiety, almost compulsively, or obsessively. As we wash our hands today, we are not washing them of germs, but of our stresses, any harm affecting us, and of the year that has preceeded this Pesach. This is a mindful activity for us to use as a way to connect with each other, with our bodies, with our Judaism and with our souls.
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 need them.
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.”
Our God and God of our ancestors, help those who are fleeing persecution today, as our ancestors did thousands of years ago. Show loving kindness and compassion to those hemmed in by misery and captivity, to those who take to the open seas or traverse treacherous landscapes seeking freedom and liberty. Rescue and recover them -- deliver them from gorge to meadow, from darkness to light. Inspire us to act on behalf of those we do not know, on behalf of those we may never meet because we know the heart of the stranger. We, too, ate the bread of affliction whose taste still lingers. And so, dear God inspire us to pursue righteousness for those who seek the freedom we enjoy tonight. Do it speedily and in our days, and let us say: Amen.
Source: Rabbi Daniel Gropper
Uncover the matzot and lift the seder plate for all to see.
This is the bread of affliction that our ancestors ate in the land of Egypt. All who are hungry, let them come and eat. All who are in need, let them come and celebrate Passover with us. Now we are here. Now we are slaves; next year may we be free people.
Passover is the celebration of life. The story of the Jewish people is truly a triumph. Against the odds of history, the Jewish people have done more than survive - we have adapted creatively to each new time, each new place, from the birth of our people to the present day.
Even though death has pursued us relentlessly, time and time again, we have chosen to live. During the many centuries of the Jewish experience, memories of destruction are tempered by the knowledge that the world can also be good.
We have endured slavery and humiliation. We have also enjoyed freedom and power. Darkness has been balanced by light.
Our forebearers traveled the Earth in search of the safety and liberty they knew must exist. We have learned to endure. We have learned to progress.
We are proud survivors. We celebrate our good fortune and seek the advancement of all.
One of the customs of the seder is the asking of questions - questions about what the ritual actions of the seder mean. Traditionally the youngest child present chants the questions.
?מַה נִּשְּׁתַּנָה הַלַּיְלָה הַזֶּה מִכָּל הַלֵּילוֹת
Mah nish-ta-na ha-lai-lah ha-zeh mikol ha-lei-lot?
Why is this night of Passover different from all other nights of the year?
שֶׁבְּכָל הַלֵּילוֹת אָנוּ אוֹכְלִין חָמֵץ וּמַצָּה, הַלַּיְלָה הַזֶּה - כּוּלוֹ מַצָּה
She-b'chol ha-lei-lot anu och'lin cha-meitz u-matzah. Ha-laylah hazeh kulo matzah.
On all other nights, we eat either leavened or unleavened bread, why on this night do we eat only matzah?
שֶׁבְּכָל הַלֵּילוֹת אָנוּ אוֹכְלִין שְׁאָר יְרָקוֹת, - הַלַּיְלָה הַזֶּה מָרוֹר
Sheb'chol ha-lei-lot anu och'lin sh'ar y'rakot. Ha-lai-lah h-azeh maror.
On all other nights, we eat vegetables of all kinds, why on this night must we eat bitter herbs?
שֶׁבְּכָל הַלֵּילוֹת אֵין אֶנוּ מַטְבִּילִין אֲפִילוּ פַּעַם אֶחָת, - הַלַּיְלָה הַזֶּה שְׁתֵּי פְעָמִים
Sheb'chol ha-lei-lot ein anu mat-beelin afee-lu pa-am echat.Ha-lai-lah hazeh sh'tei p'ameem.
On all other nights, we do not dip vegetables even once,
why on this night do we dip greens into salt water and bitter herbs into sweet haroset?
שֶׁבְּכָל הַלֵּילוֹת אָנוּ אוֹכְלִין בֵּין יוֹשְׁבִין וּבֵין מְסֻבִּין, - הַלַּיְלָה הַזֶּה כֻּלָנו מְסֻ
Sheb’khol ha-lei-lot anu och-leem bein yo-shveen u-vein m’su-been, ha-lailah hazeh kulanu m’subeen.
On all other nights, everyone sits up straight at the table, why on this night do we recline and eat at leisure?
This night is different from all other nights because of our unique celebration of freedom
We eat only matzah to highlight the tale of our hasty exodus from Egypt
We eat bitter herbs so that we too may sample at least a taste of bitterness.
We dip our bitter herbs twice, once in salt water and once in sweet charoset, as we remember both the salty tears of our ancestors and the sweetness of their hope for freedom.
As a symbol of our comfort, we recline and eat as free men and women.
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.”
This is a modern interpretation of an ancient standard, which is part and parcel of the Seder: The Four Children. By reading and discussing the Four Children, and then responding to it through modern themes, we can come to an understanding of who we are and our relation to our Children. The source of this section are four verses from the Tanakh which briefly mention children asking, or being told about, the Exodus from Egypt. Using these very general verses, the Rabbis created four prototypes which are given to show us that we must teach a child according to the child's level.
At the time the Haggadah was created, it was safe for the rabbis to assume that most Jewish adults had the knowledge available to teach their children about the Exodus. At that time, perhaps, all adults did know about the Exodus from Egypt and the Jews' struggle against Pharaoh. However, in subsequent generations, not all adults are familiar with the story told in the Haggadah, with the people of Israel, with their history. It isn't only the children that need to be taught, but their parents as well. To complicate matters, each Jew is coming from a different orientation with regard to his or her Judaism.
In today's world, Jews may identify themselves in a variety of ways. One may be ritually, culturally, or intellectually oriented or unconnected. And yet, however modified one's Judaism may be, there is still some level of concern about the Jewish people that causes Jews to at least ask the questions about the Exodus from Egypt. If they weren't interested, they wouldn't ask. We must answer them, and enable them to teach their children.
The ritual Jew asks: "What are the laws that God commanded us? " This Jew defines herself by the rituals, the laws and guidelines of Pesach. We call on her to seek the meaning that underlies all of these acts, so that they have relevance for all of us today.
The unconnected Jew asks: "What does this ritual mean to you?" This Jew feels alienated from the Jewish community and finds it difficult to identify with the rituals, perhaps because of his upbringing or experiences. Yet we recognize that he is still interested, if only because he asks these questions, and we call on him to see these rituals as a way of affirming the universal beliefs that gave rise to them.
The cultural Jew asks: "What is this all about?" They show little concern with the ritual or psychological ramifications of the Exodus, even while embracing this reenactment of our ancestors' flight from Egypt. We call on them to recognize that it was a deep sense of faith that enabled these rituals to transcend the generations. It was belief in a vision of future freedom that caused us to celebrate our first Exodus and hear the echo of the prophets' call: "Let all people go!"
The intellectual Jew refrains from asking direct questions because she doesn't lean in any direction, preferring instead to let the text speak for itself. We call on her to understand that true freedom can only be obtained when we question authority and challenge power, even if that power be God. It is our responsibility to question not only the text but the status quo too, and share this message of freedom with all people everywhere.
Once upon a time, during a famine our ancestor Jacob and his family fled to Egypt where food was plentiful. His son Joseph had risen to high position in Pharaoh’s court, and our people were well-respected and well-regarded, secure in the power structure of the time.
Generations passed and our people remained in Egypt. In time, a new Pharaoh ascended to the throne. He found our differences threatening, and ordered our people enslaved. In fear of rebellion, Pharaoh decreed that all Hebrew baby boys be killed. Two midwives named Shifrah and Puah defied his orders. Through their courage, a boy survived; midrash tells us he was radiant with light. Fearing for his safety, his family placed him in a basket and he floated down the Nile. He was found, and adopted, by Pharaoh’s daughter, who named him Moses because she drew him forth from the water. Thanks to Moses' sister Miriam, Pharaoh's daughter hired Yocheved, Moses' birth mother, as his wet-nurse.
Moses was raised as a Prince of Egypt. Although a child of privilege, as he grew he became aware of the slaves who worked in the brickyards of his father. When he saw an overseer mistreat a slave, Moses struck the overseer and killed him. Fearing retribution, he set out across the Sinai alone.
God spoke to him from a burning bush, which though it was in flames, was not consumed. God called him to lead the Hebrew people to freedom. Moses pled inadequacy, but God disagreed. Moses returned to Egypt and went to Pharaoh to argue the injustice of slavery. He gave Pharaoh a mandate which resounds through history: Let my people go. Pharaoh refused, and Moses warned him that Mighty God would strike the Egyptian people. These threats were not idle; ten terrible plagues were unleashed upon the Egyptians.
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. We pour out a drop of wine for each of the plagues as we recite them to signify having a little less sweetness in our celebration. Dip a finger or a spoon into your wine glass and place a drop for each plague on your plate but make sure you don't lick that finger or spoon clean after you acknowledge the plagues!
BLOOD / dam
FROGS / tzfardeiya
LICE / kinim
BEASTS / arov
CATTLE DISEASE / dever
BOILS / sh’chin
HAIL / barad
LOCUSTS / arbeh
DARKNESS / choshech
DEATH OF THE FIRSTBORN / makat b’chorot
Let us once more take a drop of wine as we together recite the names of these modern plagues:
HUNGER INDIFFERENCE TO SUFFERING
WAR GREED
BIGOTRY XENOPHOBIA
POVERTY IGNORANCE
POLLUTION MISINFORMATION
Only when his nation lay in ruins did Pharaoh agree to our liberation.
Fearful that Pharaoh would change his mind, our people fled, not waiting for their bread dough to rise. Our people did not leave Egypt alone; a “mixed multitude” went with them. From this we learn that liberation is not for us alone, but for all the nations of the earth. Even Pharaoh’s daughter came with us.
Pharaoh’s army followed us to the Sea of Reeds. We plunged into the waters. Only when we had gone as far as we could did the waters part for us. The Israelites reached safety on the other side and the waters consumed Pharaoh's army. We mourn, even now, that Pharaoh’s army drowned: our liberation is bittersweet because people died in our pursuit. To this day we relive our liberation, that we may not become complacent, that we may always rejoice in our freedom.
Rabbi Gamliel taught that when we tell the story of the Exodus, we must also explain the meaning of the most important symbols: zeroah, matzah, and maror. (Leader holds up each symbol as the designated portion is read.)
Zeroah (Paschal Lamb) is a roasted shank bone, which reminds us that God told the Israelites to put lamb’s blood on our doors to escape the tenth plague, the slaying of the first born.
We eat matzah because there was not enough time for the Israelites to allow their bread to rise before they fled Egypt from slavery into freedom.
Maror are bitter herbs, reminding us how the Egyptians embittered the lives of the Israelites.
At our seder tonight, we recognize these traditional symbols as reminders of our obligation to work for the day when all people are free from injustice and oppression.
One of most beloved songs in the Passover Seder is "Dayeinu". Dayeinu commemorates a long list of miraculous things God did, any one of which would have been pretty amazing just by itself. For example, “Had God only taken us out of Egypt but not punished the Egyptians – it would have been enough.” Dayeinu, translated liberally, means, “Thank you, God, for overdoing it.”
Dayeinu 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 point of life. Instead, we can actively seek a new reason to be grateful, a reason to say “Dayeinu.”
Had God brought us out of Egypt, and not executed judgments against the Egyptians, It would have been enough – Dayyenu
Had God executed judgments against the Egyptians, and not their gods, It would have been enough – Dayyenu
Had God executed judgments against their gods and not put to death their firstborn, It would have been enough – Dayyenu
Had God put to death their firstborn, and not given us their riches, It would have been enough – Dayyenu
Had God given us their riches, and not split the Sea for us, It would have been enough – Dayyenu
Had God split the Sea for us, and not led us through it on dry land, It would have been enough – Dayyenu
Had God led us through it on dry land, and not sunk our foes in it, It would have been enough – Dayyenu
Had God sunk our foes in it, and not satisfied our needs in the desert for forty years, It would have been enough – Dayyenu
Had God satisfied our needs in the desert for forty years, and not fed us the manna, It would have been enough – Dayyenu
Had God fed us the manna, and not given us the Sabbath, It would have been enough – Dayyenu
Had God given us the Sabbath, and not brought us to Mount Sinai, It would have been enough – Dayyenu
Had God brought us to Mount Sinai, and not given us the Torah, It would have been enough – Dayyenu
Had God given us the Torah, and not brought us into Israel, It would have been enough – Dayyenu
Had God brought us into Israel, and not built the Temple for us, It would have been enough – Dayyenu
בְּכָל־דּוֹר וָדוֹר חַיָּב אָדָם לִרְאוֹת אֶת־עַצְמוֹ, כְּאִלּוּ הוּא יָצָא מִמִּצְרָֽי
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.”
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!
רחצה
Rachtzah
Wash hands while reciting the traditional blessing for washing the hands:
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יי אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, אֲשֶׁר קִדְשָׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו וְצִוָּנוּ עַל נְטִילַת יָדַיִם.
Baruch atah Adonai Eloheinu melech ha-olam, asher kid'shanu b'mitzvotav, v'tzivanu al n'tilat yadayim.
Praised are you, Adonai, Lord our God, Ruler of the universe, who has taught us the way of holiness through commandments, commanding us to wash our hands.
Take the three matzot - the broken piece between the two whole ones – and hold them in your hand and recite the following blessing:
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יי אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם הַמּוֹצִיא לֶחֶם מִן הָאָרֶץ
Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu melech ha-olam, hamotzi lechem min ha-aretz.
Praised are you, Adonai, Lord our God, Ruler of the universe, who provides sustenance from the earth.
Before eating the matzah, put the bottom matzah back in its place and continue, reciting the following blessing while holding only the top and middle piece of matzah.
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יי אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו וְצִוָּנוּ עַל אֲכִילַת מַצָּה
Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu melech ha-olam, asher kid'shanu b'mitzvotav v'tzivanu al achilat matzah.
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 matzah.
Break the top and middle matzot into pieces and distribute them everyone at the table to eat a while reclining to the left.
Now take a kezayit (the volume of one olive) of the maror. Dip it into the Charoset, but not so much that the bitter taste is neutralized. Recite the following blessing and then eat the maror (without reclining):
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יי אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו וְצִוָּנוּ עַל אֲכִילַת מָרוֹר.
Baruch atah Adonai Eloheinu melech ha-olam, asher kid'shanu b'mitzvotav v'tzivanu al achilat maror.
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.
The great sage Hillel provided us with the tradition of constructing the Hillel sandwich, combining the bitterness of the maror with the sweetness of the charoset between the fortitude of the two pieces of matzah - the symbol of freedom. Through this ritual, we think about mortar and brick. We think of the Israelites traveling through the desert with no homes, no place to land and build up their strong communities, and only the matzah as a reminder of their freedom. It is not until they came to the biblical Promised Land that they experienced the sweetness of their redemption.
We sit tonight in places of both freedom and comfort, while we remember the bitterness of the hardships of our ancestors. We may be experiencing temporary isolation and uncertainty but there are many people all over the world experiencing inescapable poverty, homelessness, fear, hunger and violence.
Tonight, as we eat this sandwich, let us remember the privilege and joys of our position and the precarious situations of so many others.
שֻׁלְחָן עוֹרֵךְ
Now is time to enjoy the festival meal and, hopefully, participate in lively discussion. It is permitted to drink wine between the second and third cups. It is our custom to begin the meal with hard-boiled eggs flavored with salt water. The egg is symbolic of new growth, new life and hope.
We will continue the Zoom meeting while we eat but we are going to turn off our video and sound! We will meet back here to conclude the seder in 45 minutes.
Parents - don't forget to hide the Afikoman! Children - don't forget to find it before we begin the seder again!
The Afikoman, the other half of the middle matzo which was hidden at the beginning of the Seder, must now be eaten.
This matzah is a reminder of the Pesach sacrifice in the days of the Temple which was eaten on a full stomach. 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.
The third cup of wine is filled.
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 do not lack 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.
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!
In the years of wandering in the desert, Miriam's well accompanied the Israelites. While the return of Elijah is left to the future and all its potential, Miriam is present with us always. She and her waters sustain us as we await Elijah. She is here to provide healing, inspiration, and wisdom.
There is still a long journey to freedom, a long time before Elijah will herald the Messicanic age. Miriam calls is to work for - not to passively wait for - that day. She sustains us with the most basic substance on earth: water. She also lifts our hearts as she leads us in song and dance.
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.
Eliahu the Prophet, comes to Earth from time to time, when hearts are open and the need for peace is great. And it will be Eliahu who will herald the End of Days, when harmony will reign upon our planet. He is welcome into our home!
The Cup of Miriam
We now fill Miriam's cup with water from each participant's cup. We lift our cup to remember the Prophet Miriam. May her courage, spontaneity, and vision illuminate our lives. We are inspired to make amends, to begin anew, and to forgive others and ourselves for last year's shortcomings.
Elijah's cup remains untouched by us. But we now drink from Miriam's cup, the nurtuing waters of Miriam's well.
The fourth cup of wine is filled.
It is our duty to thank and praise, laud and glorify, extol and honor, exalt and adore God who performed all these miracles for our fathers and mothers before us.
May it be your will to bring all families who are suffering persecution into freedom as You brought our ancestors to freedom.
May we be worthy to enjoy the Passover holiday together with all the families of Israel in freedom and unity.
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 fourth glass of wine!
We will celebrate again, next year, in the promised land!
Chad Gadya (One Little Goat):
(Chad gadya, chad gadya. Dizabin abah bitrei zuzei. Chad gadya, chad gadya.)
Chad gadya, chad gadya.
Which my father bought for two zuzim. Chad gadya, chad gadya.
Then came the cat that ate the goat. Which my father bought for two zuzim. Chad gadya, chad gadya.
Then came the dog that bit the cat, that ate the goat. Which my father bought for two zuzim. Chad gadya, chad gadya.
Then came the stick that beat the dog, that bit the cat, that ate the goat. Which my father bought for two zumzim. Chad gadya, chad gadya.
Then came 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. Chad gadya, chad gadya.
Then came 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. Chad gadya, chad gadya.
Then came the ox and 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. Chad gadya, chad gadya.
Then came the butcher and 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. Chad gadya, chad gadya.
Then the angel of death came and 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 that the goat. Which my father bought for two zuzim. Chad gadya, chad gadya.
Then the Holy One, Blessed Be He came and smote the angel 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. Chad gadya, chad gadya!
1 is God of Heaven and Earth
2 are the tablets that Moses brought
3 are the fathers
4 are the mothers
5 are books of the Torah
6 are the books of the Mishnah
7 are the days of the week
8 are the days till the Brit Milah
9 are the month till a baby’s born
10 are the Ten Commandments
11 are the stars in Joseph’s dreams
12 are tribes of Yisrael
13 are the attributes of G-d
