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Traditionally, a Seder is held only on the first two nights of Pesach. And on the last day of Pesach we observe a Yizkor day, a memorial day in which we light candles to remember those we have lost, and perhaps go to synagogue and participate in a Yizkor service. How much better to also have a Seder on the last night, and to welcome in the memories of those we have lost to celebrate a Passover Seder with them?
On the Last Night of Passover, if doing a Memorial Seder:
Light the Yahrzheit Candle and recite:
ברוך אתה '', אלהינו מלך העולם, דיין האמת
Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu melech ha-olam, dayan ha-emet.
(Blessed are you, Lord our God, ruler of the universe, the true judge.)
As we welcome in the final day of Pesach, we remember with love those who are no longer here to celebrate with us. The journey of the ancient Israelites did not end with being freed, but had rather just begun, and the same can be said with the souls of our dearly departed. May this light that shines upon us now remind us of their souls that shine upon us always. May we feel their love as we remember all the Seders we held with them in the past, and as we celebrate a Seder with those memories in our minds tonight. Truly, our Lord is ruler of the universe, of both the Heavens and the Earth, of all that we can see and all that we cannot. Truly, the Lord is the True Judge. May the Lord bless us with comfort after we lose loved ones, and watch over their souls once they have departed from their Earthly existence.
Optional: Invite everyone present to share a Seder memory with someone they have loved and lost.
This will show you how important it is to have a Seder during the holiday of Passover and its significance.
The Candle lighting celebration begins by honoring light
We light the candles and say…
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יי אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם
אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו וְצִוָּנוּ לְהַדלִיק נֵר שֶׁל יוֹם טוֹב
Baruch Atah Adonai, Eloheynu Melech Ha’Olam
Asher Kidishanu B’Mitzvotav V’Tzivanu L’Hadlik Ner Shel Yom Tov.
Blessed are You, Lord, our God, Ruler of the universe,
Who sanctifies us with commandments, and commands us to light the candles on this holiday.
-
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יי אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, שֶׁהֶחֱיָנוּ וְקִיְּמָנוּ וְהִגִּיעָנוּ לַזְּמַן הַזֶה
Baruch Atah Adonai, Eloheynu Melech Ha’Olam
Sheche’hiyanu V’Keymanu V’Higiyanu Lazman Ha’Zeh.
Blessed are You, Lord, our God, Ruler of the universe,
Who has kept us alive, sustained us, and brought us to this season.
Traditionally Passover celebrates…
The Jewish people’s freedom from Egyptian bondage that took place approximately 3,500 years ago, as told in the first 15 chapters of the Book of Exodus. Before the Jewish people were known as Jewish or Jews – names that were derived from the Kingdom of Judah where they lived from 922 BCE until 587 BCE – they were known as either Israelites or Hebrews. “Hebrews,” “Israelites,” or the “Children of Israel” were names that collectively described the descendants of the Hebrew patriarch Jacob (also known as Israel). The Hebrews and Israelites eventually established and lived in both the Kingdom of Judah and the Kingdom of Israel.
The events of Passover written about in the Book of Exodus occurred at a time before the Jewish people were known as Jewish or Jews, and so we refer to the Jewish people as either Hebrews or Israelites in the Passover story that follows. Interestingly, the Hebrew word for Egypt is Mitzrayim, and means either “constriction” or “narrow straits.” This is in reference to the Israelites being in a state of constriction while toiling as slaves in the land of Goshen, an area of ancient Egypt. As slaves, the Israelites were building cities such as Pithom and Ra’amses which were used as supply centers for the Pharaohs of Egypt.
Kadesh is important because it is a way of relaxing during Passover. That is because during Kadesh you are supposed to say the prayer for a cup of wine and then after you drink the cup of wine you will feel relaxed. Once you are finally relaxing you can sit and recline on a cusion to your left.
Together as we wash our hands, they move into the bowl of water, and back out of the water. Why do we do this? Are our hands really getting clean without soap? We won’t be eating for some time, why do we do this so early?
The washing of our hands suggests that we are open to question. One question that is always asked is about hope.
Rick Recht answers in his song:
This is the hope that holds us together, Hatikvah, the hope that will last forever, the hope is still real.
From the Diaspora, to the exodus, to the holocaust, to war, to independence, to more wars, to threats, bombing, and peace, Israelis never give up hope. We are strong people because we have hope. And the hope holds us together. That’s why the Israeli National Anthem is Hatikvah, because that means hope.
It is important to stay clean and wash your hands during the Passover Seder. If you do not wash your hands then you will not be considered clean which is obviously not a good thing. This is why it is important to do Urchatz during the Passover Seder and clean your hands.
[Greens held up for all to see.]
KARPAS - Parsley and celery are symbols of all kinds of spring greenery. The second time, the salt water and the green can help us to remember the ocean and green plants and the Earth, from which we get the water and air and food that enable us to live.
Leader: N'-varekh `et pri ha-`Adamah.
Everyone:
Let us bless the fruit of the Earth.
[Please dip your parsley into salt water two times and eat it.]
Karpas is a way of remembering the Jewish peoples' time as slaves in Egypt. Karpas is a green leaf that we dip into salt water and then we eat it. I am telling you this because the reason why we do this is because it symbolizes all of Bnei Israels' sweat and tears while they were slaves. The prayer for the Karpas is Baruch atah Hashem, Elokeinu melech haolam, borei pri ha'adamah. The meaning of this prayer is Blessed are you, Lord, our G-d, ruler of the universe, who creates the fruit of the Earth.
There are three pieces of matzah stacked on the table. We now break the middle matzah into two pieces. The host should wrap up the larger of the pieces and, at some point between now and the end of dinner, hide it. This piece is called the afikomen, literally “dessert” in Greek. After dinner, the guests will have to hunt for the afikomen in order to wrap up the meal… and win a prize.
We eat matzah in memory of the quick flight of our ancestors from Egypt. As slaves, they had faced many false starts before finally being let go. 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, leaving it 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.
These days, matzah is a special food and we look forward to eating it on Passover. Imagine eating only matzah, or being one of the countless people around the world who don’t have enough to eat.
What does the symbol of matzah say to us about oppression in the world, both people literally enslaved and the many ways in which each of us is held down by forces beyond our control? How does this resonate with events happening now?
Yachatz represents the brokenness and wholeness in our lives. This is because of how we are supposed to break the middle Matzah. There is no prayer that is recited before we break the middle matzah on our seder plate. It is something that is meant to be silent. This is important to me because whenever I think of the story of Passover, it makes me feel bad knowing that all of those poor people were forced to work for Pharaoh for years and years.
A blessing on your head...Mazel tov! Mazel tov! Our spin on the Moroccan Jewish tradition is to pass the remaining pieces of matzah around for everyone to both make and receive a blessing. Hold the matzah up over the person's head to your left and whisper a private blessing or wish for them. We will continue with our Seder while you each partake in this private moment. Wishes and blessings around themes of freedom are especially appropriate tonight but feel free to get creative.
The Maggid is the telling of the story of Passover. This is a way to remember the story of Egypt as well. I find this interesting to me because I love hearing the story of Passover even though it makes me feel bad thinking of all of the people who were slaves in Egypt. The story of Passover is said during the night of the Seder.
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.
These questions are asked on Passover. This is important because we realize for example that this night of the Seder is different from all of the other nights of the year. In hebrew, this question is "ma nishtanah ha layla hazeha?" meaninhg why is this night different from the other nights.
FOUR CHILDREN, REGARDLESS OF AGE
The Haggadah tells of four children: the Chacham, the wise one; the Rasha, the wicked one; the Tam, the straightforward one; and finally, the one who doesn't know what to ask.
The Wise One/ The Chacham says: How do I become an anti-racist?
To that one we say: Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.1 Educate yourself about your own role in the mechanics of racism and how you can make choices to disrupt the structures and systems of injustice rather than perpetuating them.
The Wicked One/ The Rasha says: I’m not a racist, so racial justice is not about me.
To that one we say: You are complicit in a white America that slammed the door shut on the opportunity for the fundamental transformation of the civil rights movement.2 You may not be guilty but you are responsible.3
The Straightforward One / The Tam says: How do I even begin to confront racism?
To that one we say: Repentance means a new insight, a new spirit. It also means a course of action.3 Choose a place to begin, and that will be good enough for a start.
To the One Who Does Not Know What to Ask we say: We, too, are either ministers of the sacred or slaves of evil.4 Your liberation is bound up with mine; let us work together.5
Citations
¹ https://www.oprah.com/oprahs-lifeclass/the-powerful-lesson-maya-angelou-taught-oprah-video
2 https://time.com/5859214/james-baldwin-racism/
3https://voicesofdemocracy.umd.edu/heschel-religion-and-race-speech-text/
4 https://www.bc.edu/content/dam/files/centers/boisi/pdf/f10/Heschel_Insecurity_of_Freedom_excerpt.pdf
There were four children (there was a fifth one that couldn't make it to the Seder) that asked the questions. The first child was the wise was, the second child was the wicked one, the third child was the simple son, and the fourth child who did not know how to ask questions. I find it interesting that these kids are so special.
Our story starts in ancient times, with Abraham, the first person to have the idea that maybe all those little statues his contemporaries worshiped as gods were just statues. The idea of one God, invisible and all-powerful, inspired him to leave his family and begin a new people in Canaan, the land that would one day bear his grandson Jacob’s adopted name, Israel.
God had made a promise to Abraham that his family would become a great nation, but this promise came with a frightening vision of the troubles along the way: “Your descendants will dwell for a time in a land that is not their own, and they will be enslaved and afflicted for four hundred years; however, I will punish the nation that enslaved them, and afterwards they shall leave with great wealth."
Raise the glass of wine and say:
וְהִיא שֶׁעָמְדָה לַאֲבוֹתֵֽינוּ וְלָֽנוּ
V’hi she-amda l’avoteinu v’lanu.
This promise has sustained our ancestors and us.
For not only one enemy has risen against us to annihilate us, but in every generation there are those who rise against us. But God saves us from those who seek to harm us.
The glass of wine is put down.
In the years our ancestors lived in Egypt, our numbers grew, and soon the family of Jacob became the People of Israel. Pharaoh and the leaders of Egypt grew alarmed by this great nation growing within their borders, so they enslaved us. We were forced to perform hard labor, perhaps even building pyramids. The Egyptians feared that even as slaves, the Israelites might grow strong and rebel. So Pharaoh decreed that Israelite baby boys should be drowned, to prevent the Israelites from overthrowing those who had enslaved them.
But God heard the cries of the Israelites. And God brought us out of Egypt with a strong hand and outstretched arm, with great awe, miraculous signs and wonders. God brought us out not by angel or messenger, but through God’s own intervention.
The Exodus Story is crucial to the Jewish religion because it tells about how the nation of Israel came to be and how G-d's name was revealed to them. There are also laws that are in this story that help the Jewish people better understand their relationship with Hashem. I think that without this story, the Jewish people would not know how to be close with Hashem and would probably not even know his name.
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?
The ten plagues are what brought the Jewish people out of Egypt. Without these plagues who knows how our present time could have ended up. After all of the ten plagues happened, that is what caused Moses to allow all of Bnei Israel to leave Egypt and continue their innocent lives in Israel.
At the seder we say/sing that:
If we had been brought out of Egypt, Dayenu
If we had received Torah, Dayenu
If we had received Manna, Dayenu
Etc.
Dayenu means “it would have been enough.” The idea is to be grateful for what one has; to count our blessings. Think of dayenu as a template for gratitude.
But think, too, about how actually it is to enough to be satisfied when there is still suffering and oppression. Some say “lo dayenu,” meaning, “it is not enough.”
When we are free and others are not, lo dayenu
We work to find the balance between being grateful for what is right with our lives and with the world, and also striving for more that fulfills us and more that increases justice in the world.
From Marti Keller:
DAH YAY NU “ It would have been enough.”
Everyone Join in Song ( we will just sing the Chorus)
EE-LOO HO-TSI AH-NOO
HO-TSI AH-NOO MEE-MITS-RAY-YEEM
HO-TSI AH-NOO MEE MITS-RA-YEEM
DAH YAY-NOO.
DAH-DAH YAY-NOO, DAH DAH YAY-NOO
DAH DAH YAY-NOO, DAH=YAY NOO DAH YAY NOO
Dayenu- the recognition of and giving of blessings of life, no matter what trials. No matter what we have been given to work with.
It is after the telling of the parting of the Sea of Reeds and the Egyptian army has been turned back, after Miriam, Moses' sister, dances as she crosses over the shallow river bed that the Dayenu is sung. We are told that the Dayenu is a blessing is for all that led to the deliverance of the Jewish people. The traditional Dayenu has 15 verses, shaped and modified over the centuries:15 different thanks and praises.
Dayenu. Dayenu. Dayenu.
One rabbi has said that it is a Zen Koan in the midst of a bible story. Even before we are freed, we are given enough, we are given what we need. In the story of the Exodus, even before we are given the tablets of laws, we are given enough, we are given what we need. Even before we cross into the Promised Land, even if we never reach it, we are given what we need.
The story of the Exodus, the Passover myth, the Dayenu blessings, remind us of the difference between freedom—being released from captivity or slavery from being physically bound or imprisoned—and true liberation from all the emotional and social oppressions that keep us captive. The kind of liberation that finally frees us from just surviving, the most superficial safety, and allows for the kind of salvation and redemption that in freeing us, frees the whole world…
As one Passover Hagadaah urges us- we can sing Dah Yay Nu to celebrate each step we take toward liberation as if it were enough and then start on the next step. We can say today, though, these gifts are not enough unless we apply these lessons to our daily lives. The freedom struggle continues and there are many wrongs we must right before we are fully satisfied. *
Full liberation for all.
Passover Haggadah Congregation Kol Chaim 1999
Dayenu shows the Jewish peoples' gratitude and appreciation of every single little thing that can happen to a person. Dayenu is something that you say that reflects the Jewish value of being greatful for every single thing that you have. Life is unpredictable and you can never find out what will happen in the future which is the reason for why you need to be greatful. This is extremely important to me because I am always greatful for what I have and especially for the life that I have.
--Rabbi Menachem Creditor, Congregation Netivot Shalom, Berkeley, CA
Baruch Atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech ha’olam, asher kidshanu bemitvotav vetzivanu al netilat yadayim.
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה' אֱלֹֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶך הָעוֹלָם אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו וְצִוָּנוּ עַל נְטִילַת יָדָיִּם.
Blessed are You ETERNAL our God, Master of time and space, who has sanctified us with commandments and instructed us regarding lifting up our hands.
Rachtzah is very similar to the Maggid however, it is not just washing your hands. While you wash your hands, you say a blessing. The blessing for Rachtzah is, Baruch Atah Hashem Elokeinu Meech Haolam asher kidishanu bemitzvotah vetzivanu al netilat yadaim. The meaning of this prayer is, Blessed are you, Lord, our G-d, king of the universe who has sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us concerning washing our hands. This prayer is not only used during the Seder on Passover, but it can also be used on Shabbat before the meal when Shabbat first comes in. It is important to always wash your hands and stay clean before and after a meal.
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.
The clip that I chose talks about not only what Motzi-Matzah is but it also talks about the prayer that we use for it. Matzah is something that is not just something that you eat instead of bread, but it is something that also represents and symbolizes redemption and freedom. Matzah is also sometimes called "lechem oni" which means, "poor man's bread".
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.
I chose this clip because it explains why the Maror is there and it also adds the Blessing for the Maror. Since it is bitter, you are dipping it into the Charoset which is sweet. The Maror is something not only bitter but it is something that symbolizes the bitterness of slavery in Egypt. I suppose that the Charoset is something that symbolizes the Jewish people leaving Egypt and enjoying the sweet feeling of freedom.
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.
This talks about the sacrifices that we do not do nowadays. Now during part of the Seder of Passover, we eat a sandwich containing the bitter herbs, the meat, sometimes charoset, and of course the Matzah. There is no blessing for the entire sandwich since you have already said the blessings for all of the ingredients to make this sandwich.
Break some bread (or matzah!) and enjoy the festive meal!
Talk about the things that matter in life: family, global refugee policies / solutions, what’s happening with the Star Wars expanded universe!
When you’re wrapping up, take 5 minutes to reflect on the things in life you’re grateful for (go beyond health, family and friends), and try to summarize them all into a single sentence that you write down to share later.
Shulchan Oreich is important because it is a time to remember all of the things that you have to be greatful for. It adds to the Seder a time of gratitude for your friends, family, and everything else. I think that this is special to me because I am always greatful for everything that has ever happened to me in my life. Even outside of the Seder, I always know that life is unpredictable and I need to appreciate what is in the present time is extremely important.
GREEK FOR DESSERT
Enjoy something sweet. Then, after you’ve eaten all you can eat, eat a small piece of the Afikoman (remember when we created it earlier?) – it’s traditionally the last thing we eat at a Seder, and a cash prize is given to the finder of the Afikoman.* This year, discuss among your FriendsederTM guests how much prize money you would give to the Afikoman- finder and choose a charity to donate the prize money to!
*A prize is a slick reframe for ‘ransom money.’ Because the seder can’t be completed until the Afikoman is returned to its partner-matzah, Afikoman-finders have the leverage to charge the Seder leader for a bigger allowance to get it back!**
**Though in family settings, seder-leaders usually have extra leverage to dictate bedtimes – so watch out you Afikoman- finders!
Tzafun is a word that means hidden. It is the childrens' jobs to find the Afikoman for a prize. The Afikoman is a half of the middle Matzah that we eat after it is found. I find this important to me because it is a way of hanging out with those who I love. The Afikoman should be eaten by somebody who is reclining on their left side without any type of pause or interuption. It should also be eaten before midnight.
CUP OF REDEMPTION
At a traditional seder we fill a cup of wine for the prophet Elijah who is a symbol of redemption.
At this seder we are raising a cup of water as a symbol of the redemption that women have brought through the generations.
All: Water is the symbol of life.
Reader: The biblical prophet Miriam saved her brother from the waters of the Nile, she led the song of victory aber the waters of the red sea parted and God gave abundant water to the people.
Reader: We remember Miriam the prophet, who danced at the Sea of Reeds to celebrate the Exodus, a well of fresh water was said to follow her in the desert so that the Israelites always had water to drink. We remember Prophet Miriam
Reader: Instead of being enslaved, Harriet Tubman, known as a conductor of the Underground Railroad, set out with her two brothers, and followed the North Star in the sky to guide her north to freedom always walking near the water’s edge.
Reader: We remember, Harriet Tubman, conductor on the Underground Railroad, who led 300 captured Africans from slavery to freedom, as she sang Wade in the Water, a warning to those who followed that the water would protect them from trouble and offer redemption.
All: We acknowledge that water itself is necessary to sustain life. Water is the symbol of redemption.
The Racial Justice & Inclusivity Haggadah
Download here: https://globaljews.org/resources/holidays/passover/racial-justice-and-inclusivity-haggadah/
Some people may say that this is the time of the Seder that can set you free since it is considered the cup of redemption since Elijah is a symbol of redemption. The cup of wine that we fill up is not for us to drink this time. It is actually for Eliahu Anavi to drink. We leave the cup sitting on the table all night and when we wake up in the morning, we should see that Eliahu Anavi, also known as Elijah, drank it. However, the truth is that your parents drink the cup secretly.
Barukh atah Adonai, Eloheinu melekh ha'olam, borei pri ha'gafen.
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.
The time of Passover and the Seder reflects how the Egyptian firstborns were killed during the death of the firstborn plague in Egypt that one night. It was innapropriate to be happy and say the whole entire Hallel at once during this horrific time. We say the whole entire Hallel during the Seder since Passover only involved only a little bit of redemption of the Jewish people and the destruction of Egypt.
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!
This is important because it marks the conclusion of the Seder. It is the time where we call it a night and end the Passover Seder. After the Seder, officially comes Passover, where we are required to not eat bread and only eat Matzah and other things that are kosher for passover.
Chad gadya. Chad gadya.
That Father bought for two zuzim, Chad gadya. Chad gadya.
Then came a cat and ate the goat, That Father bought for two zuzim, Chad gadya. Chad gadya.
Then came a dog and bit the cat, that ate the goat, That Father bought for two zuzim, Chad gadya. Chad gadya.
Then came a stick and beat the dog, that bit the cat, that ate the goat, That Father bought for two zuzim, Chad gadya. Chad gadya.
Then came fire and burnt the stick, that beat the dog, that bit the cat, that ate the goat, That Father bought for two zuzim, Chad gadya. Chad gadya.
Then came water and quenched the fire, that burnt the stick, that beat the dog, that bit the cat, that ate the goat, That Father bought for two zuzim, Chad gadya. Chad gadya.
Then came the ox and drank the water, that quenched the fire, that burnt the stick, that beat the dog, that bit the cat, that ate the goat, That Father bought for two zuzim, Chad gadya. Chad gadya.
Then came the butcher and slaughtered the ox, that drank the water, that quenched the fire, that burnt the stick, that beat the dog, that bit the cat, that ate the goat, That Father bought for two zuzim, Chad gadya. Chad gadya.
Then came the Angel of Death and killed the butcher, that slaughtered the ox, that drank the water, that quenched the fire, that burnt the stick, that beat the dog, that bit the cat, that ate the goat, That Father bought for two zuzim, Chad gadya. Chad gadya.
Then came the Holy One, Blessed be He and slew the the Angel of Death, that killed the butcher, that slaughtered the ox, that drank the water, that quenched the fire, that burnt the stick, that beat the dog, that bit the cat, that ate the goat, That Father bought for two zuzim, Chad gadya. Chad gadya.
