This may take up to thirty seconds.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Welcome to my haggadah! We will learn about everything inside the Haggadah, what it means, and why it's important in the Pesach seder.
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.
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.
Drink the first glass of wine!
The Hebrew word “Kiddush” means sanctification. But it is not the wine we sanctify. Instead, the wine is a symbol of the sanctity, the preciousness, and the sweetness of this moment. Held together by sacred bonds of family, friendship, peoplehood, we share this table tonight with one another and with all the generations who have come before us. Let us rise, and sanctify this singular moment.
HOW? We will drink four cups of wine at the Seder in celebration of our freedom. (Grape juice is fine too.) We stand, recite the blessing, and enjoy the first cup. L'chaim!
The blessing praises God for creating the "fruit of the vine." We recite the blessing, not over the whole grape, but over wine — squeezed and fermented through human skill. So, too, the motzee blessing is recited not over sheaves of wheat but over bread, leavened or unleavened, ground and kneaded and prepared by human hands. The blessing is over the product cultivated through human and divine cooperation: We bless the gifts of sun, seed and soil transformed by wisdom and purpose to sustain the body and rejoice the soul.
Baruch ata Adonai, Elohaynoo melech ha-olam, boray pree ha-gafen. Baruch atah Adonai, Elohynoo melech ha- olam, asher bachar banoo meekol am, v’romemanoo meekol lashon, v’keedshanoo b’meetzvotav. Va’teetayn lanoo Adonai Elohaynoo b’bahava, mo’adeem lsimcha, chageem oo-z’maneem l’sason. Et yom chag ha-matzot ha-zeh,
z’man chayrootaynoo, meekra kodesh, zecher leetzeeyat Meetzrayeem. Kee vanoo vacharta, v’otanoo keed- ashta meekol ha- ameem. Oo’mo’adday kodsheh’cha b’seemcha oo-v’sason heen’chaltanoo. Barcuch ata Adonai m’kadesh Yisrael v’ha-z’maneem.
Praised are You, Lord our God, Whose presence fills the universe. Who creates the fruit of the vine. Praised are You, Lord our God, Whose presence fills the universe, Who has called us for service
from among the peoples of the world, sanctifying our lives with Your commandments. In love, You have given us festivals for rejoicing and seasons of celebration, this Festival of Matzot, the time of our freedom, a commemoration of the Exodus from Egypt. Praised are You, Lord, Who gave us this joyful heritage and Who sanctifies Israel and the festivals.
Baruch ata Adonai, Elohaynoo melech ha-olam, sheh’hech’eeyanoo v’’keeyemanoo, v’heegeeanoo la-z’man ha-zeh.
Praised are You, Lord, our God, Whose presence fills the universe, Who has given us the gifts of life and strength and enabled us to reach this moment of joy.
This clip was important to add to a seder because it showed the importance of a reminder to love our family, and how lucky we are to have them. Throughout our lives, whether we have friends, pets, or other interests, the one thing that we will always have and can rely on is our family. To me, the reminder to love and appreciate our families is a vital one, and one that should be added to every seder.
This symbolic washing of the hands recalls the story of Miriam's Well. Legend tells us that this well followed Miriam, sister of Moses, through the desert, sustaining the Jews in their wanderings. Filled with mayimei chayyim, waters of life, the well was a source of strength and renewal to all who drew from it. One drink from its waters was said to alert the heart, mind and soul, and make the meaning of Torah become more clear.6
In Hebrew, urchatz means “washing” or “cleansing.” In Aramaic, sister language to Hebrew, urchatz means “trusting.” As we wash each others’ hands, let us rejoice in this act of trust.
When we wash hands again later, just before eating the festive meal, we will say blessings to sanctify that act. Because the feast is still a few pages away, this hand- washing is purely symbolic, and therefore the blessing is unspoken.
Pass the bowl & pitcher around the table, each pouring a few drops of water onto her/his neighbor’s hands. Alternately, symbolize the uplifting of cleansed hands by raising hands into the air .
Optional chant for handwashing:
חַיִים ִים מַ / מַיִם ֵלא ָמ אֱלֹהִיםפֶלֶג
Peleg elohim, malei mayyim /Mayyim chayyim
Fountain of God, full of water /waters of life!
—Rabbi Shefa Gold
In washing our hands, we also think of those who don't get to share in the basic human right of abundant, clean water
of people deprived of water by the weather in Somalia, in India, in Texas
and those deprived of water by human action in places like Flint, Michigan
as well as those whose homes have been ravaged by wind and water in Colombia, in California, and here in New Jersey.
We wash our hands and accept our responsibilities to those threatened by the presence and absence of water
and pray that those with the human power to change things do not wash their hands of what the world needs them to correct.
This clip is important because it informs the seder that while we are fortunate enough to have clean water, there are many people throughout the world who are unable to source it. We can easily overlook the basic resources that we were blessed with, but this clip can make us be grateful and know about other world issues. Although we have the privelege of water, it is our obligation to help and know about others suffering all around the globe.
To those unfamiliar with the terrain, the desert can seem like a harsh and empty place. Indeed, the desert of the Passover story is devoid of sustenance and life. At this point in the Seder, it is tradition to reflect on liberation and rebirth as connected ideas. To symbolize rebirth, we take a vegetable, like parsley, and dip it into salt water, which represents the tears shed by our Jewish ancestors when they were enslaved. Mixing the sweet and the bitter remind us that in times of joy, it is important to remember where we came from. Similarly, as we embark on this Seder, with the promise of a nourishing meal ahead, we take a moment to reflect on those going without food as they seek a better life. Though the Jewish people may have left Egypt, many people around the world are still waiting to be freed.
We recite this short blessing, then dip our parsley.
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.
Written by Justine Orlovsky-Schnitzler
We must acknowledge this pain and suffering and allow ourselves the space to grieve. Yet, as the karpas ritual beckons, we must also look toward the future with a sense of hope and possibility. Passover arrives on the precipice of spring, when new growth is just around the corner. All over the world, resilience, strength, compassion and innovation will grow from under this tragedy. We honor the tears, but we also bless the hope. Raise the karpas, dip it in saltwater and say:
Baruch Atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech ha-olam, borei peri ha-adama. We praise God, Ruler of Everything, who creates the fruits of the earth. This Passover, may the brightness of our hope break through our tears and strengthen us in this moment together.
This clip was important because it offers the seder an insight on how to turn something sad and bitter into something joyful and happy. While our slavery in Egypt was a depressing and low time for the Jews, we can also use this moment to give us hope for the future, for if our ancestors could get through slavery, we can surely get through whatever lies ahead of us. This is also a lesson that can be applied elsewhere in life, which is to make light of sad moments, and to never stop looking for the good in things.
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?
Ha lachma anya—this is the bread of affliction.
At the seder we begin as slaves. We eat matzah, the bread of affliction, which leaves us hungry and longing for redemption. It reminds us of a time when we couldn’t control what food was available to us, but ate what we could out of necessity. The matzah enables us to taste slavery— to imagine what it means to be denied our right to live free and healthy lives.
But, while we will soon enjoy a large meal and end the seder night as free people, 963 million people around the world can not leave the affliction of hunger behind. Each day, 25,000 adults and children die from hunger and malnutrition. In fact, a child dies every six seconds because he or she is starving. Let us awaken to their cries and declare:
Kol dichfin yeitei v’yeichol—let all who are hungry, come and eat.
As we sit at our seder and contemplate our people’s transition from slavery to freedom, let us hope for a time when all who are hungry will eat as free people:
Let all people gain autonomy over their sources of sustenance.
Let local farms flourish and local economies strengthen.
Let exploitation of natural resources cease so that the land may nourish its inhabitants.
Let communities bolster themselves against the destruction wrought by flood and drought.
Let our world leaders recognize food as a basic human right and implement policies and programs that put an end to world hunger.
The Passover seder inspires us to take action and commit ourselves to working toward these and other sustainable changes. As the seder guides us from scarcity to plenty, let us empower others on their paths to sustenance.
Hashata avdei—this year we are still slaves. Leshanah haba’ah b’nei chorin—next year we will be free people.
This year, hunger and malnutrition are still the greatest risks to good health around the world. Next year, may the bread of affliction be simply a symbol, and may all people enjoy the bread of plenty, the bread of freedom.
This clip inserts into our seder a chance to pray and hope that helpless people are able to find the resources they need and become healthy and profitable. It also shows the matzah as a symbol of status or wealth, and we can pray for less fortunate people to be able to hold a matzah as well. Judaism values charity, or tzedakah, very highly, and this clip can inspire us to help donate to poor communities and help them so we can reach the goal of a global matzah faster.
Maggid – Beginning
מגיד
Raise the tray with the matzot and say:
הָא לַחְמָא עַנְיָא דִי אֲכָלוּ אַבְהָתָנָא בְּאַרְעָא דְמִצְרָיִם. כָּל דִכְפִין יֵיתֵי וְיֵיכֹל, כָּל דִצְרִיךְ יֵיתֵי וְיִפְסַח. הָשַׁתָּא הָכָא, לְשָׁנָה הַבָּאָה בְּאַרְעָא דְיִשְׂרָאֵל. הָשַׁתָּא עַבְדֵי, לְשָׁנָה הַבָּאָה בְּנֵי חוֹרִין.
Ha lachma anya dee achalu avhatana b'ara d'meetzrayeem. Kol deechfeen yeitei v'yeichol, kol deetzreech yeitei v'yeefsach. Hashata hacha, l'shanah haba-ah b'ara d'yisra-el. Hashata avdei, l'shanah haba-ah b'nei choreen.
This is the bread of affliction, which our ancestors ate in the land of Egypt. Let all who are hungry come and eat. Let all who are in need, come and share the Pesach meal. This year, we are here. Next year, in the land of Israel. This year, we are slaves. Next year, we will be free.
Refill the wine cups, but don’t drink yet.
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.
With a more fun and engaging spin to the seder, the table can find ways to bless each other in a more personal and private way. Whether it's friends, family, or even a guest you barely know, you can express a hope for a happier and more successful life, something that people don't say to others very often. Many people don't mean or truly relate to the prayers they recite, but with this custom the table can give a blessing to someone else meaninfully, and not just mouth words.
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.
How is this night different from other nights? On other nights we are not obligated to ask the questions of what separates us from redemption. Tonight we are so obligated.
1) Why are women not yet universally recognized as being created in the divine image?
2) Why are Israelis still living in a state of war?
3) Why are millions of people still suffering from hunger?
4) Why are there still dictators who prevent the voices of their people from being heard?
Like the traditional Four Questions, these are just examples. But unlike the traditional quesitons, these are problems whose resolutions resist easy answers. We are not obligated to complete the task, but niether are we free to remain complacent.
This clip was important because it brings a new idea of the four questions to the seder, and questions why some of the global issues we have today are still around. For example, there are many Jewish people in the world, but some of them do not connect their heritage with their country. In Israel, bombs and national threats are becoming a daily occurence, and many Jews in the U.S. don't even realize. This clip can cause us to connect with the seder and discuss what is going on and what we can do about the global issues, and also help us connect to our heratige more.
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?
I would like to ask that we begin to dream about and plan for a different world. A fairer world. A world of happier men and happier women who are truer to themselves. And this is how to start: we must raise our daughters differently. We must also raise our sons differently.
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Unfortunatley, if we asked the world "are you always yourself fully?", the answer would mostly be no. In today's world, many of us blend into society and try to camoflauge into something we aren't. Instead, this clip can remind us to remain proud and happy for who we are as an individual, and not let ourselves be swayed by other. We also can use this idea to be proud of our religion and our seder, and of who made us who we are, such as our community, family, and friends.
Long ago, Pharaoh ruled the land of Egypt. He enslaved the Jewish people and made them work very hard building his cities. song: Bang bang bang Phaoraoh was especially cruel to Jewish children. One mother hid her baby, Moses, in a basket in the river. Pharoah's daughter found him and took him home to live in the palace. Moses grew up. He saw the slaves working so hard. He had a fight about it and ran away to be a shepherd. While he was looking after the sheep, he saw a bush on fire that did not burn up and heard God's voice telling him to go back to Egypt, to tell Pharoah to let the Jewish people go. Song: when Israel was in Egypt land When Moses went to Pharoah, he said "Let my people go". Pharaoh said "No". So, God sent the 1st plague -Blood. Moses went to Pharoah. He said, "Let my people go". Pharaoh said "No". So, God sent the 2nd plague - Frogs. Moses went to Pharoah. He said, "Let my people go". Pharoah said, "No". Song: One morning when Pharoah woke in his bed The 3rd plague was Lice. Moses went to Pharoah. He said, "Let my people go". Pharaoh said, "No". The 4th plague was Wild Beasts. Moses went to Pharoah. He said, "Let my people go". Pharoah said, "No". The 5th plague was Cattle Disease. Moses went to Pharoah. He said, "Let my people go". Pharoah said, "No". The 6th plague was Boils. Moses went to Pharoah. He said "Let my people go". Pharaoh said," No". The 7th plague was Hail stones. Moses went to Pharoah. He said, "Let my people go". Pharoah said, "No". The 8th plague was Locusts. Moses went to Pharoah. He said, "Let my people go". Pharaoh said, "No". The 9th plague was Darkness. Moses went to Pharoah. He said, "Let my people go". Pharoah said, "No". The last plague was Death. Pharoah said "Yes" song: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 plagues in Egypt's land The people got ready to leave very quickly, so quickly that their bread didn't have time to rise; it baked into matzah. They walked through the desert to the sea. Pharoah's soldiers chased after them. When they got to the sea, Moses held up his his staff and the sea divided. The Jewish people walked through the sea to freedom and a new future.
The exodus story is about all the details including how we became slaves, what it was like, and how the jews got liberation. Here we discuss the story of Passover in the Torah. It talks about how the jews called out to G-d to help them. This part of the haggadah is important because it tells the story of the jews in Egypt. To understand how the jews were liberated we need to learn the backstory of the slaves. The details that lead up to deliverance are just as important as the liberation of the jews. The songs describing the exodus help put those events in order and help us remember the parts leading up to the exodus.
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?
Although we were set free from enslavement, we rarely ever stop to look at the destruction we left in our wake. Innocent Egyptians who weren't affiliated with the cause or holding of Jews were sent into misery and despair when their lives were destroyed and their children murdered. Even though it was still a worthy cause, this clip can remind us to look back and mourn for the lives taken for our expense.
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.
One of most beloved songs in the Passover seder is "Dayenu". A few of us will read the stanzas one at a time, and the everyone else will respond, "Dayenu" – meaning, “it would have been enough”.
How many times do we forget to pause and notice that where we are is exactly where we ought to be? Dayenu is a reminder to never forget all the miracles in our lives. When we stand and wait impatiently for the next one to appear, we are missing the whole point of life. Instead, we can actively seek a new reason to be grateful, a reason to say “Dayenu.”
Fun fact: Persian and Afghani Jews hit each other over the heads and shoulders with scallions every time they say Dayenu! They especially use the scallions in the ninth stanza which mentions the manna that the Israelites ate everyday in the desert, because Torah tells us that the Israelites began to complain about the manna and longed for the onions, leeks and garlic. Feel free to be Persian/Afghani for the evening if you’d like.
| English translation | Hebrew | |
| Ilu hotzianu mimitzrayim, | אִלּוּ הוֹצִיאָנוּ מִמִּצְרָיִם | |
| and had not carried out judgments against them | v'lo asah bahem sh'fatim, | וְלֹא עָשָׂה בָּהֶם שְׁפָטִים |
| — Dayenu, it would have been enough! | dayeinu! | דַּיֵּנוּ |
| If He had carried out judgments against them, | Ilu asah bahem sh'fatim | אִלּוּ עָשָׂה בָּהֶם שְׁפָטִים |
| and not against their idols | v'lo asah beloheihem, | וְלֹא עָשָׂה בֵּאלֹהֵיהֶם |
| — Dayenu, it would have been enough! | dayeinu! | דַּיֵּנוּ |
| If He had destroyed their idols, | Ilu asah beloheihem, | אִלּוּ עָשָׂה בֵּאלֹהֵיהֶם |
| and had not smitten their first-born | v'lo harag et b'choreihem, | וְלֹא הָרַג אֶת בְּכוֹרֵיהֶם |
| — Dayenu, it would have been enough! | dayeinu! | דַּיֵּנוּ |
| If He had smitten their first-born, | Ilu harag et b'choreihem, | אִלּוּ הָרַג אֶת בְּכוֹרֵיהֶם |
| and had not given us their wealth | v'lo natan lanu et mamonam, | וְלֹא נָתַן לָנוּ אֶת מָמוֹנָם |
| — Dayenu, it would have been enough! | dayeinu! | דַּיֵּנוּ |
| If He had given us their wealth, | Ilu natan lanu et mamonam, | אִלּוּ נָתַן לָנוּ אֶת מָמוֹנָם |
| and had not split the sea for us | v'lo kara lanu et hayam, | ןלא קָרַע לָנוּ אֶת הַיָּם |
| — Dayenu, it would have been enough! | dayeinu! | דַּיֵּנוּ |
| If He had split the sea for us, | Ilu kara lanu et hayam, | אִלּוּ קָרַע לָנוּ אֶת הַיָּם |
| and had not taken us through it on dry land | v'lo he'eviranu b'tocho becharavah, | וְלֹא הֶעֱבִירָנוּ בְּתוֹכוֹ בֶּחָרָבָה |
| — Dayenu, it would have been enough! | dayeinu! | דַּיֵּנוּ |
| If He had taken us through the sea on dry land, | Ilu he'eviranu b'tocho becharavah, | אִלּוּ הֶעֱבִירָנוּ בְּתוֹכוֹ בֶּחָרָבָה |
| and had not drowned our oppressors in it | v'lo shika tzareinu b'tocho, | וְלֹא שִׁקַע צָרֵינוּ בְּתוֹכוֹ |
| — Dayenu, it would have been enough! | dayeinu! | דַּיֵּנוּ |
| If He had drowned our oppressors in it, | Ilu shika tzareinu b'tocho, | אִלּוּ שִׁקַע צָרֵינוּ בְּתוֹכוֹ |
| and had not supplied our needs in the desert for forty years | v'lo sipeik tzorkeinu bamidbar arba'im shana, | וְלֹא סִפֵּק צָרַכֵּנוּ בַּמִּדְבָּר אַרְבָּעִים שָׁנָה |
| — Dayenu, it would have been enough! | dayeinu! | דַּיֵּנוּ |
| If He had supplied our needs in the desert for forty years, | Ilu sipeik tzorkeinu bamidbar arba'im shana, | אִלּוּ סִפֵּק צָרַכֵּנוּ בַּמִּדְבָּר אַרְבָּעִים שָׁנָה |
| and had not fed us the manna | v'lo he'echilanu et haman, | וְלֹא הֶאֱכִילָנוּ אֶת הַמָּן |
| — Dayenu, it would have been enough! | dayeinu! | דַּיֵּנוּ |
| If He had fed us the manna, | Ilu he'echilanu et haman, | אִלּוּ הֶאֱכִילָנוּ אֶת הַמָּן |
| and had not given us the Shabbat | v'lo natan lanu et hashabbat, | וְלֹא נָתַן לָנוּ אֶת הַשַּׁבָּת |
| — Dayenu, it would have been enough! | dayeinu! | דַּיֵּנוּ |
| If He had given us the Shabbat, | Ilu natan lanu et hashabbat, | אִלּוּ נָתַן לָנוּ אֶת הַשַּׁבָּת |
| and had not brought us before Mount Sinai | v'lo keirvanu lifnei har sinai, | וְלֹא קֵרְבָנוּ לִפְנֵי הַר סִינַי |
| — Dayenu, it would have been enough! | dayeinu! | דַּיֵּנוּ |
| If He had brought us before Mount Sinai, | Ilu keirvanu lifnei har sinai, | אִלּוּ קֵרְבָנוּ לִפְנֵי הַר סִינַי |
| and had not given us the Torah | v'lo natan lanu et hatorah, | וְלֹא נָתַן לָנוּ אֶת הַתּוֹרָה |
| — Dayenu, it would have been enough! | dayeinu! | דַּיֵּנוּ |
| If He had given us the Torah, | Ilu natan lanu et hatorah, | אִלּוּ נָתַן לָנוּ אֶת הַתּוֹרָה |
| and had not brought us into the land of Israel | v'lo hichnisanu l'eretz yisra'eil, | וְלֹא הִכְנִיסָנוּ לְאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל |
| — Dayenu, it would have been enough! | dayeinu! | דַּיֵּנוּ |
| If He had brought us into the land of Israel, | Ilu hichnisanu l'eretz yisra'eil, | אִלּוּ הִכְנִיסָנוּ לְאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל |
| and not built for us the Holy Temple | v'lo vanah lanu et beit hamikdash, | וְלֹא בָּנָה לָנוּ אֶת בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ |
| — Dayenu, it would have been enough! | dayeinu! | דַּיֵּנוּ |
This clip said a valuable point and perspective on the acts of miracles of either Hashem, or just daily life. Life is one of the greatest gifts ever given to us, and so the true miracle we are given is in fact life. Examples of not being grateful are shown all the way back until the Torah, in which the golden calf provides a perfect example. While the Jewish people were waiting for Moshe below Mount Sinai, they began to grow impatient and wonder where their so called "miracle" was. Due to the tardiness in their opinion, they began to search for idols to give them abundant miracles and didn't appreciate the wonderful lives they were already being given. This is an example of many people in life today, who instead of switching gods in response, will just whine and complain and wish they were given a better life, instead of appreciating the one they 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.
Here in rachtzah, we are not washing our hands as regular people after doing the dishes. Instead, we are greiving our ancestors and mourning them for what they had to go through. Since this is after the magid, we have just finished telling our story of how our strong ancestors went from slaves to strong; washing our hands and lifting them us to recognize the deliverance of the jews. Every step we took towards salvation is holy, which is why we raise our hands to rejoice this dignity.
Motzi-Matzah מוֹצִיא
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.
Time to eat matzah. As each of you breaks off four pieces of matzah for your plate, ponder this:
Matzah is literally free of all additives, externalities and superficial good looks -- it is bread without the hot air. It represents the bare essentials.
Everything we pursue in life can be divided into necessities and luxuries. To the extent that a luxury becomes a necessity we lose an element of our freedom by being enslaved to a false need.
On Passover we can focus on the essence and leave the externalities behind.
Now, take one of the pieces of matzah and say:
Baruch ata Adonai Elohinu melech ha'olam hamotzi lechem min ha'aretz.
Which means:
We bless you, Lord our God, God of the world, who brings forth bread from the land.
And add:
Baruch ata Adonai Eloheinu melech ha'olam asher kidshanu b'mitzvotav v'ztivanu al achilat matzah.
Which means:
We bless you, Lord our God, God of the world, who has sanctified us with commandments and commanded us concerning the eating of matzah.
Eat the piece of matzah.
What is so special about matzah? After all, it is quite literally just water and flour. But, that is what makes matzah so special. It is just water and flour. It has no added preservatives, no hidden sugars; chocolate chips. It is a plain neccesity that was more than enough for the jews escaping Egypt. The jews didnt need a 3 tier cake, they needed matzah. Here in this blessing we appreciate and thank G-d for commanding us to eat matzvah. Matzah shows that what we really need in life isnt always going to look like a luxury, but will be humble, like matzah.
Leader:
Rabbi Benjamin Adler teaches us about Maror:
What is a Bitter Herb? When most of us think of bitter herbs, that maror, we think of khreyn (Yiddish for horseradish). But when you think about it, horseradish is not really bitter. It is pungent or spicy. According to the Talmud, the correct vegetable to use is lettuce, probably a variety of Romaine lettuce. Indeed, this is what many Sephardi Jews use for maror. Of course, Romaine lettuce is not really bitter either. According to Dr. Joshua Kulp, “our pleasant tasting lettuce is the result of two thousand years of cultivation to improve its taste. In the time of the Mishnah, it was probably far more bitter.”
Maror (romain lettuce stalk) is dipped in Charoset, shaken off and eaten at the end of the blessing
Leader:
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.
Why do we have to 'torture' ourselves on Pesach when we eat this pungent, bitter vegetable. Isn't Pesach supposed to be about our liberation from the Egyptians? Passover isn't just about celebrating our escape, it is about the whole story behind the relief of jews from Egypyt. We have to remember and recognize each part of the story, even if it isn't as enjoyable as finding the afikomen, because for our ancestors, it was definitely more bitter than a few spicy seconds of horserdish stinging your tounge. We taste maror to symbolize the holiness and the biterness of slavery back then. It shows us that even though we can't and won't endure the Egypt slavery times, we can recognize it by eating something that symbolizes those bitter actions.
Korech כּוֹרֵךְ
זֵכֶר לְמִקְדָּשׁ כְּהִלֵּל. כֵּן עָשָׂה הִלֵּל בִּזְמַן שבֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ הָיָה קַיָים: הָיָה כּוֹרֵךְ מַצָּה וּמָרוֹר וְאוֹכֵל בְּיַחַד, לְקַיֵים מַה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: עַל מַצּוֹת וּמְרֹרִים יֹאכְלֻהוּ.
Zeicher l'mikdash k'hileil. Kein asah hileil bizman shebeit hamikdash hayah kayam. Hayah koreich pesach, matzah, u-maror v'ocheil b'yachad. L'kayeim mah shene-emar. “Al matzot um'rorim yochlu-hu.”
Eating matzah, maror and haroset this way reminds us of how, in the days of the Temple, Hillel would do so, making a sandwich of the Pashal lamb, matzah and maror, in order to observe the law “You shall eat it (the Pesach sacrifice) on matzah and maror.”
By now we know that matzah symbolizes the dryness of Egypt's desert and maror symbolizes the bitterness of slavery. You may not know that charoset is: a thick, wet, mortar mixture of wine, nuts, and crushed raisins. What could this possibly represent? Charoset is a symbol of the jews' experience of labour and slaving. It has a similar texture to wet concrete, and is like what the slaves built all those structures in Egypt out of. Even though the texture may turn some off, charoset is also somewhat sweet to show the sweetness of liberation in Israel. Koreich is a sandwich made of matzah, maror, and charoset. This sandwhich brings together the aspects of slavery. It shows the start of slavery as bitter, but the road to redemtion dry, and finally ending in sweetness.
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.
After remembering the bitter days and reading our story of slavery we can finally wash down those bitter herbs with a matzah filled meal. In Shulchan Oreich we get to finally enjoy a festive meal. We can discuss the pesach seder and what's to come. We can reflect on the Jews in Egypt and mourn the days of slavery. We can appluad the miracles and sweet liberation of the jews. We can sit back and relax while enjoying some matzah to show that Egypy still doesn't control us anymore. Shulchan Oreich is a vital and important part of the seder because it gives us time to think about the seder and what it means to us
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!
This part of the seder, Tzafun, is all about the afikomen. Here the parents of the seder hide a part of the matzah (afikomen) and offer a prize to whoever retrieves it. It is eaten at the end of a seder, and it can't be completed without it. That is why kids are praised when they find it. What meaning could finding a peice of burnt cracker symbolize? The afikomen is hidden away from everyone, which deeply means the liberation of the jews. The jews' freedom was hidden away and Moses was the person to uncover it. The afikomen is a dessert and end to the seder, just like salvation (thanks to moses) was the end of a lifetime's bitter slavery. Moses found the true 'afikomen' and set the jews free from an awful life and gave them a renewel of mind when they entered Israel. Tzafun is important to the seder because it symbolizes the deliverance of the jews hidden away for many years, to Moses finding it and setting the jews free.
Ruth’s Cup: A New Passover Ritual Honoring Jewish Diversity
by Rabbi Heidi Hoover
Mitzrayim, the Hebrew word for Egypt, is also interpreted to mean “narrow places.” At Passover, we celebrate being released from the restrictions that limit us and make our lives smaller. We are not fully free as long as we are kept down by attitudes and conditions that are unjust.
Many Jews assume that “real Jews” look a certain way and have one path to Judaism — being born Jewish. When confronted with Jews who don’t fit these stereotypes, even well-meaning Jews may treat them as less Jewish. Jews of color and/or those who have converted to Judaism find that other Jews can act insensitively out of ignorance.
In the biblical book that bears her name, Ruth is a Moabite who marries an Israelite living in Moab. After her husband’s death, Ruth insists on accompanying her Israelite mother-in-law, Naomi, when she returns to Israel. There she cares for Naomi and ends up marrying one of her relatives. Because of Ruth’s declaration to Naomi: “Wherever you go, I will go; wherever you lodge, I will lodge; your people shall be my people, and your God my God” (Ruth 1:16), she is considered the prototypical convert to Judaism. Ruth becomes the great-grandmother of King David, from whom our tradition says the Messiah will descend.
The following ritual—Ruth’s Cup—may be added after Elijah’s Cup or anywhere in the seder. It honors not only those who have converted to Judaism, but the overall diversity of the Jewish people:
Leader
At Passover we fill a cup with wine for Elijah and open the door to welcome him to our seder. Elijah symbolizes our hope for the Messianic age, when the world will be perfected, and all people will live in harmony and peace.
We also fill a cup of wine for Ruth, the first Jew by choice and great-grandmother of King David. We open the door to signify our welcome of Ruth and all who follow in her footsteps—those who become part of our people, part of our diversity.
All rise, face the open door, and read together:
We declare that we do not have to wait for the Messianic age to make sure that every Jew feels fully comfortable and integrated into our people, no matter what their skin, hair or eye color is; no matter what their name sounds like; no matter how they became Jewish—through birth or through conversion, as a child or as an adult.
Close the door and be seated.
May your Passover be liberating and enlightening!
Optional discussion question – Share a time when you felt like an outsider but were actively welcomed into a new community or space. How did that happen? How did it make you feel?
download here:https://globaljews.org/resources/publications/ruths-cup/
The bareich is when we bless the third cup of wine. Here we fill a cup for a prophet, Elijah, and welcome him into our seder with open arms. We also fill a cup up for Ruth, the first "jew by choice" and welcome her by opening the door. This symbolizes the welcoming of all jews into the seder. No jew should feel left out of the seder no matter what they look like or different traditions/ways of judiasm they have. We welcome anyone into the seder who wants to become a part of the seder, the journey of the jews; anyone who wants to be part of the community. Every jew should feel intergrated and welcomed into the seder. All jews should be welcomed into the seder to be a part of our ancestors' path out of slavery and learn about the miracles of G-d. The third cup of wine, Bareich, is important because of that.
Hallel is a time to offer words of praise and song. Consider singing some of your favorite songs about justice or read the words below. You may also consider singing “Pitchu Li” before you begin the reading.
Pitchu li sha’arei tzedek avo vam odeh Yah.
Open for me the gate sof righteousness that I may enter them and praise God.
Group:
Open up the gates of freedom.
Open them to those in need of safety and protection.
Open up the gates of mercy.
Open them to those who forget that we were once strangers in the land of Egypt, the narrow place.
Open up the gates of justice.
Open them to those who remember that we know the soul of the stranger. Open up the gates of righteousness.
Open them to those who walk hand-in-hand and heart-to-heart with today’srefugees and asylum seekers.
Together, we will find the path to freedom.
Pour the fourth cup of wine.
Hallel is towards the end of the seder where we sing songs of praise and sweetness to thank G-d for leading us out of slavery. In Hallel we get to sing about our hopes for the future and freedom for all the jews. It is important because it helps us celebrate and remeber how thankful we are to G-d for being free. We sing songs such with words such as Hallelujah to praise G-d and celebrate.
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!
Now we have reached Nirtzah, or the end of the seder. We sing songs to send the seder and hope G-d accepts the thanks of its people. The end of the seder symbolizes the end of the journey out of Egypt. It also marks a beginning of another year full of freedom. At the end of the seder we have relived the journey of slavery and realize how thankful we are to G-d for relieving us. It also gives us strength to overcome any obstacles we have in the year to come as we sing songs of praise and end the seder.
Traditionally, the Seder is concluded with the prayer for "next year in Jerusalem." Let us conclude our Seder this year with the prayer that next year will bring us closer to liberation for all including:
Peace within ourselves and our comunity
Safe harbor for refugees and immigrants
Respect for the aspiration and humanity of women and girls
The promise of dignity and human rights for every human regardless of age, race, sexual orientation, physical or mental abilitity
It is finally the end of our seder. Our bellies are full, matzah is eaten, and hearts are all sung out. We say one last prayer stating, "Next year in Jerusalem". We begun the seder as salty slaves and re-lived hurridly packing matzah on our backs as we escaped Egypt. We ran through the split sea and thanked G-d for saving our lives. Our story is heard and the seder is now relived and complete. We have shared the story of our freedom and now conclude the seder with stopping looking into the past and turn our head to the future where freedom is still growing for jews. We say 'next year in Jerusalem" to hope people are still free and in liberation.
https://i.ytimg.com/vi/7v6tY_u-Mls/hqdefault.jpg
Translation of the man in the beginning: The illusion/deception of strength, and the thin line that divides madness/craziness and serenity. The panic that is behind the laughter, and the coexistence of fatigue and elegance
"The repetitive sitting, standing, and shaking evokes davening in synagogue. The piles of thrown clothing suggest photographs from the Holocaust. The dancers toil through the choreography and their struggle could be read as a historical homage to the building of Israel."
"When Naharin decided to change the movement, one dancer, Erez Levy, did not hear the instructions and fell as before. His error was incorporated into the dance in the role of “the faller,” who sits at the end of the circle, falling to the floor at the end of each wave."
This song "Echad Mi Yodea". It is translated to who knows one. It is told during Passover, found in the Haggadah, and it is important because it teaches important lessons to the children. It is a very joyful and humorous song while also being educational at the same time.
