Ha'lach ma anya Minute 3

From Rabbi Mordecai Kaplan’s Reconstructionist “New Haggadah,” published in 1941:

“On this night, long ago, our forefathers hearkened to the call of freedom. Tonight, that call rings out again, sounding its glorious challenge, commanding us to champion the call of all the oppressed and downtrodden.” 

Throughout our history, violence and persecution have driven the Jewish people to wander in search of a safe place to call home. We are a refugee people. At the Passover Seder, we gather to retell the story of our original wandering and the freedom we found. But we do not just retell the story. We are commanded to imagine ourselves as though we, personally, went forth from Egypt – to imagine the experience of being victimized because of who we are, of being enslaved, and of being freed.

As we step into this historical experience, we cannot help but draw to mind the 65 million displaced people and refugees around the world today fleeing violence and persecution, searching for protection. Like our ancestors, today’s refugees experience displacement, uncertainty, lack of resources, and the complete disruption of their lives.

Over the past year, we have read almost daily about humanitarian crises, watched xenophobic hate crimes increase, and been overwhelmed by the sheer number of people being persecuted. In the United States, in particular, we have experienced a devastating closing of doors to refugees. We now have the opportunity this evening to move beyond the headlines and the statistics to focus on the individual experiences behind the numbers and policies. These are the experiences of refugees around the world who, like the ancient Israelites, are finding liberation amidst brokenness and rebuilding their lives. Tonight, as we embrace the experience of our ancestors, we also lift up the experiences of the world’s refugees who still wander in search of safety and freedom.

We don't know how long this will last. They are a very festive people. –Elaine Benes

AN INTRODUCTION

About three thousand years ago, ancient Israelites fused a shepherds’ spring celebration of the birthing of lambs and a farmers’ spring celebration of the sprouting of barley into a spring celebration of their liberation from slavery and the downfall of a tyrant.

About two thousand years ago, the Jewish people reshaped that celebration into a Seder, a story and meal that could be eaten and told at home. The Passover story and celebration entered the memory stream of Christianity through the teachings of Jesus in the Last Supper, which seems to have been a Passover Seder. Still later, Islam welcomed Moses as a prophet.

In 1968, Dr. Martin Luther King was planning to take part in a Passover Seder with the family of Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel, who marched and prayed and struggled alongside him against racism an militarism in America. But ten days before the Seder, Dr. King was murdered.

“Prayer is meaningless unless it is subversive, unless it seeks to overthrow and to ruin the pyramids of callousness, hatred, opportunism, falsehoods. The liturgical movement must become a revolutionary movement, seeking to overthrow the forces that continue to destroy the promise, the hope, the vision.” -Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel, 1970

Passover allows us a chance to connect with each other and with ourselves, and to help us remember all the ways we enslave ourselves when we lapse into automatic, familiar thought patterns.

We enslave ourselves when we remain in  Mitzrayim,  the narrow place of confusion and disconnection with our own and others' essential nature. As human beings we all want to be happy and avoid suffering. In the Jewish tradition, ritual is used to bring us to an awareness of the present, and to connect us with our past. ( Contributed by Andrew Marantz )

[RABBI'S OPENING MONOLOGUE IN 'ANGELS OF AMERICA' ABOUT THE DEATH OF SARAH IRONSON]

This good and righteous woman... she was not a person, but a whole kind of a person - the ones that crossed the ocean that brought with us to America, the villages of Russia and Lithuania. And how we struggled! And how we fought! For the family... for the Jewish home! Descendants of this immigrant woman, you do not grow up in America - you and your children, and their children with their goyische names. You do not live in America - no such a place exists. Your clay is the clay of some litvak shtetl, and your air is the air of the steppes, because she carried that Old World on her back, across the ocean, in a boat! And she put it down on Grand Concourse Avenue... on Flatbush. You can never make that crossing that she made, for such great voyages in this world do not any more exist. But every day of your lives, the miles - that voyage from that place to this one - you cross. Every day! You understand me? In you, that journey... is ( Contributed by Marlene Edelstein )

"LOVE POEM,"BY WILLIAM CARLOS WILLIAMS

Sweep the house clean,

hang fresh curtains in the windows

put on a new dress and come with me!

The elm is scattering its little loaves

of sweet smells from a white sky!

Who shall hear of us in the time to come?

Let him say there was a burst of fragrance

from black branches. ( Contributed byRobin Marantz Henig & Jeff Henig)

THE ORDER OF THE EVENING

Our Passover meal is called a seder , which means “order” in Hebrew, because we go through 14 specific steps as we retell the story of our ancestors’ liberation from slavery in Egypt.

Some people like to begin their seder by reciting or singing the names of the 14 steps – this will help you keep track of how far away the main course is!

Kiddush (the blessing over wine) | kadeish |קַדֵּשׁ

Ritual hand-washing in preparation for the seder | urchatz |וּרְחַץ

Dipping a green vegetable in salt water| karpas |כַּרְפַּס

Breaking the middle matzah | yachatz |יַחַץ

Telling the story of Passover | magid |מַגִּיד

Ritual hand-washing in preparation for the meal | rachtza |רָחְצָה

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

Dipping the bitter herb in sweet charoset | maror |מָרוֹר

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

Eating the meal! | shulchan oreich |שֻׁלְחָן עוֹרֵךְ

Finding and eating the Afikomen | tzafoon |צָפוּן

Saying grace after the meal and inviting Elijah the Prophet | bareich |בָּרֵךְ

Singing songs that praise God | hallel |הַלֵּל

Ending the seder and thinking about the future | nirtzah |נִרְצָה

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

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ, אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הַגָּפֶן

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

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

We praise God, Ruler of Everything, who chose us from all peoples and languages, and sanctified us with commandments, and lovingly gave to us special times for happiness, holidays and this time of celebrating the Holiday of Matzah, the time of liberation, reading our sacred stories, and remembering the Exodus from Egypt. For you chose us and sanctified us among all peoples. And you have given us joyful holidays. We praise God, who sanctifies the people of Israel and the holidays.

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

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

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

Drink the first glass of wine!

The seder opens with kiddush (the sanctification over wine). This is certainly unremarkable after all, kiddush is the opening act of every shabbat and holiday meal. But kiddush – a ritual .sanctification of time – has an intimate and unique connection to Pesach’s central theme: freedom. How so?

As Israel was about to be released from slavery, God instituted a new calendar: “This month shall (mark for you the beginning of months; the first of the months of the year for you.” (Exodus 12:2) Why is this the first mitzva (commandment) communicated to a free nation?

A slave’s time is not his own. He is at the beck and call of his master. Even when the slave has a pressing personal engagement, his taskmaster’s needs will take priority. In contrast, freedom is the control of our time. We determine what we do when we wake up in the morning; we prioritize our day. This is true for an individual, but also for a nation. God commands Israel to create a Jewish calendar because, as an independent nation, Israel should not march any more to an Egyptian rhythm, celebrating Egyptian months and holidays. Instead Israel must forge a Jewish calendar, with unique days of rest, celebration and memory. Controlling and crafting our time is the critical first act of freedom.

Kiddush says this out loud. We sanctify the day and define its meaning! We proclaim this day as significant, holy and meaningful. We fashion time, claim ownership of it, and fashion it as a potent .contact point with God, peoplehood and tradition. This is a quintessential act of Jewish freedom.

Today, we often feel short of time; that time controls us. Kadesh reminds us that true freedom and self-respect is to master and control time for ourselves, to shape our life in accordance with our values.

Rabbi Alex Israel teaches Bible and is the Director of the Pardes Community Education Program and the Pardes Summer Program

Water is refreshing, cleansing, and clear, so it’s easy to understand why so many cultures and religions use water for symbolic purification. We will wash our hands twice during our seder: now, with no blessing, to get us ready for the rituals to come; and then again later, we’ll wash again with a blessing, preparing us for the meal, which Judaism thinks of as a ritual in itself. (The Jewish obsession with food is older than you thought!)

To wash your hands, you don’t need soap, but you do need a cup to pour water over your hands. Pour water on each of your hands three times, alternating between your hands. If the people around your table don’t want to get up to walk all the way over to the sink, you could pass a pitcher and a bowl around so everyone can wash at their seats… just be careful not to spill!

Too often during our daily lives we don’t stop and take the moment to prepare for whatever it is we’re about to do.

Let's pause to consider what we hope to get out of our evening together tonight. Go around the table and share one hope or expectation you have for tonight's seder.

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

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

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ, אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הָאֲדָמָה

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

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

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

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

The next item on our plate is the karpas: the vegetable representing spring. Many families use a green leafy vegetable because the green makes people think about freshness, coming alive, being healthy- all the wonderful things that go along with freedom. But when families do not have enough resources they can't always get fresh fruits and vegetables. When our family lived in Eastern Europe it was also difficult to get fresh green vegetables, so our tradition is to use what those ancestors ate instead: potatoes. When we say the blessing we feel blessed that all of us here can eat fresh and healthy vegetables every day, and we dip in the saltwater to not only remember the tears our people shed as slaves, but also to remember all of the children who still do not have access to fresh, green vegetables.

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?

Take the middle matzah of the three on your Seder plate. Break it into two pieces. Wrap the larger piece, the Afikoman, in a napkin to be hidden later. As you hold up the remaining smaller piece, read these words together:

We now hold up this broken matzah, which so clearly can never be repaired. We eat the smaller part while the larger half remains out of sight and out of reach for now. We begin by eating this bread of affliction and, then, only after we have relived the journey through slavery and the exodus from Egypt, do we eat the Afikoman, the bread of our liberation. We see that liberation can come from imperfection and fragmentation. Every day, refugees across the globe experience the consequences of having their lives ruptured, and, yet, they find ways to pick up the pieces and forge a new, if imperfect, path forward.

Pour the second glass of wine for everyone.

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

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.

Subject: Knighted by the Queen

A British Jew is waiting in line to be knighted by the Queen. He is to kneel in front of her and recite a sentence in Latin when she taps him on the shoulders with her sword. However, when his turn comes, he panics in the excitement of the moment and forgets the Latin. Then, thinking fast, he recites the only other sentence he knows in a foreign language, which he remembers from the Passover seder:

“Ma nishtana ha layla ha zeh mi kol ha laylot."

Puzzled, Her Majesty turns to her advisor and whispers, “Why is this knight different from all other knights?"

On Passover, the Jewish community asks ourselves, friends, family and neighbors, What makes this night different from all other nights?   Four Jewish racial justice leaders shared their answers. 

"As Jews, we remember and we cannot let injustice happen again in this country. This is our moment to bend the moral arc and to move racial justice work forward through advocacy, activism, and engagement." -- Tiffany Harris

"Our relative safety in American has allowed many of us to consider the fight for racial justice as struggle we can opt in and out of. But then are we fully honoring our traditional teaching of 'If I am only for myself, what am I?' Now is the moment for us to stand against injustice not only for ourselves, but for the most vulnerable among us." -- Chava Shervington 

"Because those in the grips of Pharoah's institutional oppression have been given a platform to see their greatness and be seen as great. Because the Passover seder tells us to remember and protect them, as it says: 'The night of (worthy) protection for all future generations... (Exodus, 12:42)'" -- Isaiah Rothstein

"Maybe it isn't different and you're just treating it that way. Or maybe it is. But you're insisting that it doesn't need to be treated differently." -- MaNishtana

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Download the PDF Pyramid Cut Out for your seder table at http://rpr.world/passover-pyramid

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.

We start the seder by noticing what is out of the ordinary and then investigating its meaning further. How is this night different from all other nights? On all other nights, we depend on the exploitation of invisible others for our food, clothing, homes, and more. Tonight, we listen to the stories of those who suffer to create the goods we use. We commit to working toward the human rights of all workers. On all other nights, we have allowed human life to become cheap in the economic quest for the cheapest goods. Tonight, we commit to valuing all people, regardless of their race, class, or circumstances. On all other nights, we have forgotten that poverty, migration, and gender-based violence leave people vulnerable to exploitation, including modern-day slavery. Tonight, we commit to taking concrete actions to end this exploitation and its causes. On all other nights, we have forgotten to seek wisdom among those who know how to end slavery—the people who have experienced this degradation. Tonight, we commit to slavery prevention that is rooted in the wisdom and experience of workers, trafficking survivors, and affected communities. When the seder has ended, we will not return to how it has been “on all other nights.” We commit to bringing the lessons of this seder into our actions tomorrow.

The four children are a vignette of the Jewish people. One asks because he wants to hear the answer. A second asks because he does not want to hear the answer. A third asks because he does not understand. The fourth does not ask because he doesn’t understand that he doesn’t understand.

Ours has never been a monolithic people. Yet there is a message of hope in this family portrait. Though they disagree, they sit around the same table, telling the same story. Though they differ, they stay together. They are part of a single family. Even the rebel is there, although part of him does not want to be. This too is who we are.

The Jewish people is an extended family. We argue, we differ, there are times when we are deeply divided. Yet we are part of the same story. We share the same memories. At difficult times we can count on one another. We feel one another’s pain. Out of this multiplicity of voices comes something none of us could achieve alone. Sitting next to the wise child, the rebel is not fated to remain a rebel. Sitting next to the rebel, the wise child may share his wisdom rather than keep it to himself. The one who cannot ask will in time learn how. The simple child will learn complexity. The wise child will learn simplicity. Each draws strength from the others, as we draw strength from belonging to a people.

-Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, Rabbi Jonathan Sack’s Haggadah

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.”

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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?

Around our tables sit four daughters:

Wise Daughter

The wise daughter understands that not everything is as it appears. She is the one who speaks up, confident that her opinion counts. She is the one who can take the tradition and ritual that is placed before her, turn it over and over, and find personal meaning in it. She is the one who can find the secrets in the empty spaces between the letters of the Torah. She is the one who claims a place for herself even if the men do not make room for her. Some call her wise and accepting. We call her creative and assertive. We welcome creativity and assertiveness to sit with us at our tables and inspire us to act.

Wicked Daughter

The wicked daughter is the one who dares to challenge the simplistic answers she has been given. She is the one who asks too many questions. She is the one not content to remain in her prescribed place. She is the one who breaks the mold. She is the one who challenges the status quo. Some call her wicked and rebellious. We call her daring and courageous. We welcome rebellion to sit with us at our tables and make us uneasy.

Simple Daughter

The simple daughter is the one who accepts what she is given without asking for more. She is the one who trusts easily and believes what she is told. She is the one who prefers waiting and watching over seeking and acting. She is the one who believes that the redemption from Egypt was the final act of freedom. She is the one who follows in the footsteps of others. Some call her simple and naive. We call her the one whose eyes are yet to be opened. We welcome the contented one to sit with us at our tables and appreciate what will is still to come.

Daughter Who Does Not Know How to Ask

Last is the daughter who does not know how to ask. She is one who obeys and does not question. She is the one who has accepted men’s definitions of the world. She is the one who has not found her own voice. She is the one who is content to be invisible. Some call her subservient and oppressed. We call her our sister. We welcome the silent one to sit with us at our tables and experience a community that welcomes the voices of women.

The Ballad of the Four Sons (to the tune of "Clementine")

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

Now this father had no daughters, but his sons they numbered four.

One was wise and one was wicked, one was simple and a bore.

And the fourth was sweet and winsome, he was young and he was small.

While his brothers asked the questions he could scarcely speak at all.

Said the wise one to his father, "Would you please explain the laws? Of the customs of the seder, will you please explain the cause?"

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

So we follow their example, and 'ere midnight must complete All the seder and we should not, after 12 remain to eat.

Then did sneer the son so wicked, "What does all this mean to you?"

And the father's voice was bitter, as his grief and anger grew. "If you yourself don't consider, a son of Israel, Then for you this has no meaning, you could be a slave as well."

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

But the youngest son was silent, for he could not ask at all. His bright eyes were bright with wonder as his father told him all.

My dear children, heed the lesson and remember ever more What the father told his children told his sons that numbered four.

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. 

 V'he She'amdah by Hanah. Tiferet Siegle

Vehi she'amdah l'avoteinu velanu. She'lo echad bilvad amad aleinu lechaloteinu. Ela sheb'chol dor vador omdim aleinu lechaloteinu. Vehakadosh baruch hu matzileinu miyadam.

And this is that (promise) which sustained our fathers and us. That it is not one (enemy) alone that stood up against us to destroy us. But that in each generation there are those standing up against us to destroy us. But the Holy One Blessed Be He saves us from their hand.

Round Robin Reading:

Many Jews begin the story of Passover by recounting the story of Joseph. How Joseph’s older brothers sold him as a slave to Midianite merchants on their way to Egypt. In Egypt, Joseph interpreted the dreams of the Pharaoh, gained respectability, power and wealth for himself and encouraged Hebrews to migrate to Egypt.

After Joseph’s death subsequent rulers changed their policies, regarded the Hebrews as foreigners, and feared the rapid growth in their number as a threat to the security of government. The pharaohs reduced the Hebrews to slavery, creating oppression and immense suffering among them. However, the most familiar story of Passover commences several hundred years after the death of Joseph. The traditional story of Passover begins with the birth of Moses, the son of Amram and Yocheved.

At the time Moses was born, the pharaoh, in fear of continued increased growth in the Hebrew slave population, ordered the death of all male Hebrew babies. At birth, Moses was hidden by his older sister, Miriam, and his older brother, Aaron. However when it was apparent that Moses would soon be killed, he was placed in a small basket and hidden among the reeds in the shallow waters of the Nile. Moses was soon found by the Pharoah’s daughter who took him in, and adopted him as her own. Miriam, seeing the pharaoh’s daughter find Moses, suggested to the pharaoh’s daughter that she get a Hebrew woman to nurse and rear him. The Hebrew woman selected to raise Moses was none other than his real mother, Yocheved.

Although the Book of Exodus is silent concerning the boyhood of Moses, the career of Moses generally falls into three periods of 40 years each. The first period was the years of training and preparation in Egypt. The second period was spent in the land of Midian. The third period was the return of Moses to Egypt and the freeing of the Jews from Egyptian bondage and bringing them to the land God promised.

When Moses was 40 years old, he saw an Egyptian beating a slave. In anger, Moses slew the Egyptian and was forced to flee to the wilderness of Midian, an area in the Sinai Peninsula, desolate and barren. In Midian, Moses became a shepherd, married Tzipporah, the daughter of Yitro, the priest of Midian, and had two sons.

For 40 years Moses lived the quiet life of a shepherd, learning the ways of the desert tribes, the sources of food and water and becoming familiar with the land through which he would later lead the Hebrews in their flight of freedom from bondage. The years in the wilderness of Midian were brought to an end in an experience near Mt. Horeb.

While tending his flock, Moses saw a bush burning with fire, but was puzzled to discover that it was not being consumed. It was at this holy place of the burning bush where God first spoke to Moses telling him to return to Egypt and to deliver his people from bondage. With these words, Moses left Midian to return to Egypt.

On his return to Egypt, Moses found that the Hebrews had lost consciousness of their race, and their confidence had been nearly destroyed by the many years of servitude. Moses, with the help of Aaron, immediately began to build up the Hebrews’ morale and to persuade them that they could, and must, leave Egypt.

Even though Moses was eventually able to persuade the Hebrews to leave Egypt, he was still faced with the problems of persuading the pharaoh to allow them to leave. Once Moses established his leadership among the Hebrews, he then appeared before pharaoh, seeking his consent for the Hebrews to leave Egypt. Pharaoh not only refused, but he ordered the taskmasters to increase the work requirement of the Hebrew slaves.

In order to overcome the resistance of the pharaoh, God, through Moses, delivered ten plagues to the people of Egypt. With the coming of each plague, the pharaoh gave his consent for the Hebrews to leave; however, when the plague was stayed, the pharaoh changed his mind until a more severe pestilence was sent.

(Spill out of the cup one drop of wine while saying each of the ten plagues)

Question for discussion: Why do we spill our a drop of wine at each plague?

We stand this day on the shoulders of the women of the Exodus. Women whose stories create a sense of wonderment and pride. Women whose lives symbolize our incredible tradition. Shifra and Puah, midwives who defy Pharaoh's orders because they are in awe of God. (the first mention of God in the Book of Exodus occurs in their story). Yocheved who saw in her son the future of her people. Batya (daughter of God), the daughter of Pharaoh, who defied her father in the name of compassion. Miriam, the prophetess, whose name means either Bitter Sea or Beloved Sea, is always associated with water and miracles. Without water, we cannot exist physically, and without our sense of the sacred, our life can lose its sense of meaning and direction. Tziporah, the Midianite wife of Moses who saved his life when she circumcized his sons.

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On Passover, Jews are commanded to tell the story of the Exodus and to see ourselves as having livedthrough that story, so that we may better learn how to live our lives today. The stories we tell our childrenshape what they believe to be possible—which is why at Passover, we must tell the stories of the women whoplayed a crucial role in the Exodus narrative.

The Book of Exodus, much like the Book of Genesis, opens in pervasive darkness. Genesis describes the earthas “unformed and void, with darkness over the surface of the deep.” (Genesis 1:2) In Exodus, darkness attends the accessionof a new Pharaoh who feared the Israelites and so enslaved them. God alone lights the way out of thedarkness in Genesis. But in Exodus, God has many partners, first among them, five brave women.

There is Yocheved, Moses’ mother, and Shifra and Puah, the famous midwives. Each defies Pharaoh’s decree tokill the Israelite baby boys. And there is Miriam, Moses’ sister, about whom the following midrash is taught:
"[When Miriam’s only brother was Aaron] she prophesied… 'my mother is destined to bear a son who will save Israel.' When [Moses] was born the whole house… filled with light[.] [Miriam’s] father arose and kissed her on the head, saying, 'My daughter, your prophecy has been fulfilled.' But when they threw [Moses] into the river her father tapped her on the head saying, 'Daughter, where is your prophecy?' So it is written, 'And [Miriam] stood afar off to know what would be[come of] the latter part of her prophecy.'" (Babylonian Talmud, Megillah 14a)

Finally, there is Pharaoh’s daughter Batya, who defies her own father and plucks baby Moses out of the Nile.The Midrash reminds us that Batya knew exactly what she doing:
"When Pharaoh’s daughter’s handmaidens saw that she intended to rescue Moses, they attempted to dissuade her, and persuade her to heed her father. They said to her: 'Our mistress, it is the way of the world that when a king issues a decree, it is not heeded by the entire world, but his children and the members of his household do observe it, and you wish to transgress your father’s decree?'" (Babylonian Talmud, Sotah 12b)

But transgress she did.

These women had a vision leading out of the darkness shrouding their world. They were women of action,prepared to defy authority to make their vision a reality bathed in the light of the day.

Retelling the heroic stories of Yocheved, Shifra, Puah, Miriam and Batya reminds our daughters that with visionand the courage to act, they can carry forward the tradition those intrepid women launched.

While there is much light in today’s world, there remains in our universe disheartening darkness, inhumanityspawned by ignorance and hate. We see horrific examples in the Middle East, parts of Africa, and the Ukraine.The Passover story recalls to all of us—women and men—that with vision and action we can join hands withothers of like mind, kindling lights along paths leading out of the terrifying darkness.

Building Cities

Bang, bang, bang,

Hold your hammer low,

Bang, bang, bang,

Give a heavy blow.

Refrain:

For it's work, work, work,

Every day and every night.

For it's work, work, work, 

When it's dark and when it's light.

Dig, dig, dig,

Get your shovel deep.

Dig, dig, dig,

There's no time for sleep

Refrain

Listen, King Pharoah

Oh listen, oh listen, oh listen King Pharaoh.

Oh listen, oh listen, please let my people go.

They want to go away.

They work too hard all day.

King Pharaoh, King Pharaoh, 

What do you say?

No, no, no, I will not let them go.

No, no, no, I will not let them go.

The Frog Song

One morning when Pharaoh awoke in his bed,

There were frogs in his bed and frogs on his head,

Frogs on his nose and frogs on his toes,

Frogs here, frogs there,

Frogs were jumping everywhere.

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? 

As we continue with the 10 plagues does everyone see  on there name cards that everyone has a plague? Think about how this plague relates to your life/community? After everyone has thought about it we'll go around the table and share how our plagues affect our life/community and what you ca do to help solve it. Also think about how this affected the egyptians considering how they had less resources to take care of themselves.

We have now told the story of Passover…but wait! We’re not quite done. There are still some symbols on our seder plate we haven’t talked about yet. Rabban Gamliel would say that whoever didn’t explain the shank bone, matzah, and marror (or bitter herbs) hasn’t done Passover justice. Rabban Gamliel cherished three symbols; tonight we will explain seven! One for each day of the week; one for each of the seven lower sefirot/aspects of divinity.

And they are:

The Maror, bitter herb or horseradish, which represents the bitterness of slavery.

The Charoset, a mixture of apples and nuts and wine, which represents the bricks and mortar we made in ancient times, and the new structures we are beginning to build in our lives today.

The Lamb Shank (or beet) which represents the sacrifices we have made to survive.Before the tenth plague, our people slaughtered lambs and marked our doors with blood: because of this marking, the Angel of Death passed over our homes and our first-born were spared.

The Egg, which symbolizes creative power, our rebirth.

The Parsley, which represents the new growth of spring, for we are earthy, rooted beings, connected to the Earth and nourished by our connection.

Salt water of our tears, both then and now.

Matzot of our unleavened hearts: may this Seder enable our spirits to rise.

And what about the orange? In the early 1980s, Susannah Heschel attended a feminist seder where bread was placed on the seder plate, a reaction to a rebbetzin who had claimed lesbians had no more place in Judaism than bread crusts have at a seder. “Bread on the seder plate…renders everything chametz, and its symbolism suggests that being lesbian is transgressive, violating Judaism,” Heschel writes. “I felt that an orange was suggestive of something else: the fruitfulness for all Jews when lesbians and gay men are contributing and active members of Jewish life.” May our lives be inclusive, welcoming, and fruitful.

And the olive? The final item on our seder plate is an olive. After the Flood, Noah’s dove brought back an olive branch as a sign that the earth was again habitable. Today ancient olive groves are destroyed by violence, making a powerful symbol of peace into a casualty of war. We keep an olive on our seder plate as an embodied prayer for peace, in the Middle East and every place where war destroys lives, hopes, and the freedoms we celebrate tonight.

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 one must see oneself as if one had personally experienced the Exodus from Egypt. Liberation wasn't a one-time thing that happened to our ancestors in bygone times; it is an ongoing experience, something that can ripple into our consciousness every day. We too were redeemed from Egypt, and we are perennially offered the possibility of liberation if only we will open our hearts and our eyes.

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

---

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

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ, אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הַגָּפֶן

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

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

Drink the second glass of wine!

Z’roa symbolizes the traditional Passover sacrifice, a lamb that was offered in the Temple in Jerusalem and then eaten as part of the seder meal. On the modern seder plate, z’roa is represented by a roasted lamb shank bone.

Developing a z’roa cocktail was one of the biggest challenges in creating The Sipping Seder. Rather than focus on the symbolic bone, we turned our thoughts to the origin of the custom. We crafted a deep, crimson cocktail to remind us of the blood of the sacrificial lamb.

Our recipe is a variation on St. Charles punch, which originated in New Orleans and appeared in the 1862 edition of Jerry Thomas' famous bartending guide. Our version replaces brandy with bourbon, uses slightly less ruby port and adds a bit of maraschino liqueur to round things out.

Ingredients:

2 oz (60 ml) Basil Hayden’s Bourbon

2 oz (60 ml) Ruby Port

1 tsp (5 ml) Gum Syrup

¼ oz (7 ml) Lemon Juice

¼ tsp (1.25 ml) Maraschino Liqueur

Directions:

1) Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass. Shake well with ice.

2) Strain through a fine mesh strainer into a chilled cocktail glass.

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

ּעֲבָדִים הָיִינוּ הָיִינו. עַתָּה בְּנֵי חוֹרִין  

Avadim hayinu hayinu. Ata b’nei chorin.

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

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

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

אִלּוּ הוֹצִיאָֽנוּ מִמִּצְרַֽיִם, דַּיֵּנוּ

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

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

אִלּוּ נָתַן לָֽנוּ אֶת־הַתּוֹרָה, דַּיֵּנוּ

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

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

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

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

B'TZEIT YISRAEIL
Traditional melody
Lyrics from Psalm 114:1-4

[Chorus (2x)]
B'tzeit Yis-ra-eil mi-Mitz-ra-yim
Beit Ya-a-kov mei-am lo-eiz

Ha-y'ta (2x) Y'hu-da l'kod-sho Yis-ra-eil mam-sh'lo-tav
Ha-yam (2x) ra-a va-ya-nos
Ha-Yar-dein yi-sov l'a-chor
[Repeat Chorus]

He-ha-rim rak'du ch'ei-lim g'va-ot kiv-nei tzon (2x)
[Repeat Chorus]

When Israel went out of Egypt, when the house of Jacob emerged from a babel of tongues, Judah became God's dwelling place, Israel, God's dominion. The sea looked and fled. the Jordan turned back. The mountains danced like lambs, the hills like young sheep.

Music by Debbie Friedman

Chorus:

And the women dancing with their timbrels,
Followed Miriam as she sang her song,
Sing a song to the One whom we've exalted,
Miriam and the women danced and danced the whole night long

And Miriam was a weaver of unique variety
The tapestry she wove was one which sang our history.
With every strand and every thread she crafted her delight!
A woman touched with spirit, she dances toward the light

And the women...

When Miriam stood upon the shores and gazed across the sea
The wonder of this miracle she soon came to believe.
Whoever thought the sea would part with an outstretched hand
And we would pass to freedom and march to the promised land!

And the women...

And Miriam the prophet took her timbrel in her hand,
And all the women followed her just as she had planned,
And Miriam raised her voice in song-
She sang with praise and might
We've just lived through a miracle: We're going to dance tonight!!

And the women...

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Why do we eat maror?

Tradition says that this bitter herb is to remind us of the bitterness of our slavery.

We force ourselves to taste pain so that we may more readily value pleasure.

How big a piece of maror do I have to eat to fulfill my obligation?

And what if I"ve known enough pain this year already?

And what if I eat the whole root and my tongue catches on fire and my ears burn? Then will I know slavery?

All take a taste of maror on a piece of matzah, then we'll say together:

ברוּךְ אַתָּה יְיַָ 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.

Blessed are you, Eternal our God, Ruler of the universe, who has sanctified us with your commandments, and commanded us to eat bitter herbs.

The seder plate holds two types of bitter herbs. Both symbolize the bitterness and harsh conditions the Jews endured as slaves in Ancient Egypt. For maror, the first bitter herb, many people use freshly-grated or whole horseradish root.

Our maror cocktail is basically a “borscht martini.” We didn’t invent the idea, and we’ve heard murmurs about various incarnations of the drink for the past couple of years. Double Cross Vodka promotes a recipe for one. Eastern Standard in Boston had something similar on their menu a while back. Camper English has written about both on his Alcademics blog.

Our version comes to The Sipping Seder for three reasons. This is our favorite cocktail involving horseradish. We absolutely love beets. And, our recipe takes an interesting turn on the concept. We base our version on golden beets and use a red beet garnish so that the drink gradually changes color as you sip. It’s beautiful and a lot of fun to watch.

Ingredients:

3 oz (90 ml) Belvedere Vodka

1 Small Golden Beet – raw, peeled

1 Slice Fresh Horseradish – peeled, about the size of a quarter (25 x 25 x 2 mm)

Fresh Red Beet – raw, peeled, for garnish

Directions:

1) Cut the golden beets and horseradish into small pieces and muddle thoroughly in a mixing glass with half an ounce (15 ml) of the vodka.

2) Add the remaining vodka to the mixing glass and fill 2/3 full of ice. Shake vigorously.

3) Strain through a fine mesh strainer into a chilled cocktail glass.

4) Garnish with a stick of red beet (about 1/8” x 3” or 80 x 5 mm) at the moment of serving.

Notes:

We suggest slipping the beet garnish into the cocktail as you serve it. The red color will begin to bleed out into the yellow liquid immediately. Leave it to your guest to observe or agitate the process as they see fit.

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.

Charoset represents the mortar used by Jewish slaves to build the cities and storehouses of Ancient Egypt. Recipes vary among different Jewish communities, but it is generally a sweet, brown, pebbly mixture. In the Ashkenazi tradition of our families, charoset was usually composed of walnuts, honey, apples, cinnamon and red wine ground into a gravelly paste.

Our liquid approach to charoset is fairly simple. Rather than concern ourselves with each of the ingredients, we wanted a flavor profile that would arouse the sense memory of this childhood favorite.

The recipe is based heavily on the manuka-honey-flavored vodka from 42Below out of New Zealand. We don’t often pay much attention to the overcrowded landscape of flavored vodkas on the market, but we’re extremely fond of this one. We were first introduced to it at Paper in Beijing, where the bar manager was having a lot of fun experimenting with the stuff. We bought a bottle as soon as we returned stateside and have had one on hand ever since.

Ingredients:

1 oz (30 ml) 42Below Manuka Honey Vodka

1 oz (30 ml) Dolin Sweet Vermouth

Cinnamon

Directions:

1) Combine ingredients in a mixing glass and stir with ice.

2) Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

3) Dust with freshly grated cinnamon.

Notes:

As a variation, the recipe also responds well to the addition of ½ ounce of Calvados, the French apple brandy.

Eating the meal! | shulchan oreich | שֻׁלְחָן עוֹרֵךְ

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

Finding and eating the Afikomen | tzafoon | צָפוּן

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

All: Shir Hama’alot, b’shuv Adonai et shee-vat Tzion, ha-yeenu k’chol meem. Az y’ma-lei s’chok pee-nu u’l-sho-nei-nu reena, az yo-m’ru va-goyim, heeg-deel Adonai la-asot eem eleh. Heeg-deel Adonai la-asot eemanu, ha-yee-nu s’mei-cheem. Shuva Adonai et sh’vee-tei-nu, ka-afee-keem ba-negev. Ha-zor-eem b’deem-ah b’reena yeek-tzo-ru. Ha-loch yei-lech u-va-cho no-sei me-shech hazara, bo yavo v’reena, no-sei alu-mo-tav.

Leader: Rabotai n’vareich.

Participants: Y’hee sheim Adonai m’vo-rach mei-atah v’ad olam.

Leader: Y’hee sheim Adonai m’vorach mei-atah v’ad olam. Beer-shut maranan v’rabanan v’rabotai, n’vareich (Eloheinu) she’achalnu mee-shelo.

Participants: Baruch (Eloheinu) she’achalnu mishelo uv’tuvo chayinu.

Leader: Baruch (Eloheinu) she’achalnu mishelo uv’tuvo chayinu.

All together: Baruch hu u-varuch sh’mo.

Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu melech ha-olam, hazan et ha-olam kulo b’tuvo, b’chein b’chesed uv-rachamim, hu noten lechem l’chol basar, ki l’olam chasdo, uv-tuvo hagadol, tamid lo chasar lanu v’al yechsar lanu mazon l’olam va’ed. Ba-avur sh’mo hagadol, ki hu Eil zan um’farneis lakol, u-meitiv lakol u-meichin mazon l’chol-b’riyotav asher bara. Baruch atah Adonai, hazan et hakol.

Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu melech ha-olam, hazan et ha-olam kulo b’tuvo, b’chein b’chesed uv-rachamim, hu noten lechem l’chol basar, ki l’olam chasdo, uv-tuvo hagadol, tamid lo chasar lanu v’al yechsar lanu mazon l’olam va’ed. Ba-avur sh’mo hagadol, ki hu Eil zan um’farneis lakol, u-meitiv lakol u-meichin mazon l’chol-b’riyotav asher bara. Baruch atah Adonai, hazan et hakol.

V’al hakol Adonai Eloheinu anachnu modim lach um’varchim otach, yitbarach shimcha b’fi kol chai tamid l’olam va’ed. Kakatuv, v’achalta v’savata uveirachta et Adonai Elohecha al ha’aretz hatova asher natan lach. Baruch atah Adonai al ha-aretz v’al hamazon.

Racheim na Adonai Eloheinu al Yisrael amecha v’al Y’rushalayim irecha v’al Tzion mishkan k’vodecha v’al malchut beit David m’shichecha v’al habayit hagadol v’hakadosh shenikra shimcha alav. Eloheinu Avinu r’einu zuneinu parn’seinu v’chalk’lenu v’harvicheinu v’harvach’lanu Adonai Eloheinu m’heira mikol-tzaroteinu. V’na al tatz’richeinu Adonai Eloheinu, lo lidei matnat basar vadam v’lo lidei hal’va’atam, ki im l’yad’cha ham’lei’a hap’tucha hak’dosha v’har’chava, shelo neivosh v’lo nikaleim l’olam va’ed.

On Shabbat:

R’tzei v’hachalitzeinu Adonai Eloheinu b’mitzvotecha, uv’mitvat yom hash’vi’i haShabbat hagadol v’hakadosh hazeh. Ki yom zeh gadol v’kadosh hu l’fanecha, lishbat bo v’lanuach bo b’ahavah k’miztvat r’tzonecha. U’birtzoncha hani’ach lanu Adonai Eloheinu, shelo t’hei tzara v’yagon va’anacha b’yom m’nuchateinu. V’har’einu Adonai Eloheinu b’nechamat Tzion irecha, uv’vinyan Yerushalayim ir kodshecha, ki atah hu ba’al ha’y’shuot u’va’al hanechamot.

Eloheinu v Eilohei avoteinu, yaleh v’yavo v’yagiah v’yeira’eh v’yeiratzeh v’yishma v’yipakeid, v’yizacheir zichroneinu ufikdoneinu, v’zichron avoteinu, v’zichron Mashiach ben David avdecha, v’zikhron Y’rushalayim ir kodshecha, v’zichron kol amkha beit Yisrael l’fanecha, lifleita l’tova l’chein ul’chesed ul’rachamim, l’chayim ul’shalom b’yom chag hamatzot hazeh zochreinu Adonai Eloheinu bo l’tova ufokdeinu vo livracha v’hoshieinu vo l’chayim. uv’dvar y’shuah v’rachamim chus v’chaneinu v’racheim aleinu v’hoshieinu ki eilecha eineinu, ki eil melech chanun vrachum ata.

Uv’nei Y’rushalayim ir hakodesh bimheira v’yameinu. Baruch atah Adonai, boneh v’rachamav Y’rushalayim. Amein.

Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu melech ha’olam, ha’Eil Avinu Malkeinu Adireinu Bor’einu Go’aleinu Yotz’reinu K’dosheinu k’dosh Ya’akov ro’einu ro’ei Yisrael Hamelech hatov v’hameitiv lakol sheb’chol yom vayom hu heitiv, hu meitiv, hu yeitiv lanu. Hu g’malanu hu gomleinu hu yig’m’leinu la’ad, l’chein ul’chesed ul’rachamim ul’revach hatzala v’hatzlacha, b’racha vi’shua nechama parnasa v’chalkala v’rachamim v’chayim v’shalom v’chol-tov, u’mikol tuv l’olam al y’chasreinu.

Harachaman hu yimloch aleinu l’olam va’ed. Harachaman hu yitbarach bashamayim u’va’aretz. Harachaman hu yishtabach l’dor dorim, v’yitpa’ar banu la’ad u’l’neitzach n’tzachim, v’yit’hadar banu la’ad ul’olmei olamim. Harachaman hu y’far’n’seinu b’chavod. Harachaman hu yishbor uleinu mei’al tzavareinu, v’hu yolicheinu kom’miyut l’artzeinu. Harachaman hu yishlach lanu b’racha m’ruba babayit hazeh, v’al shulchan zeh she’achalnu alav. Harachaman hu yishlach lanu et Eliyahu Hanavi zachur latov, vivaser lanu b’sorot tovot y’shu’ot v’nechamot.

Harachaman hu y’vareich et

(for one’s parents): avi mori (ba’al ha-bayit ha-zeh), v’et imi morati (ba’alat ha-bayit) ha-zeh, otam v’et beitam, v’et zar’am, v’et kol asher lahem,

(for one’s family): oti (v’et ishti / ba’ali / zar-i v’et) kol asher li,

(for one’s hosts): ba’al ha-bayit ha-zeh, v’et ba-alat ha-bayit ha-zeh, otam v’et beitam, v’et zar’am, v’et kol asher lahem,

(for all others): v’et kol ham’subim kan,

otanu v’et kol asher lanu, k’mo she’nitbarchu avoteinu Avraham Yitzchak v’Ya’akov bakol mikol kol, kein y’vareich otanu kulanu yachad bivracha sh’leima, v’nomar, Amein.

Bamarom y’lamdu aleihem v’aleinu z’chut she’t’hei l’mishmeret shalom. V’nisa v’racha mei’eit Adonai, utz’daka mei’Elohei yisheinu, v’nimtza chein v’seichel tov b’einei Elohim v’adam.

May heaven find merit in us that we may enjoy a lasting peace. May we receive blessings from the Lord, justice from the God of our salvation, and may we find favor and good sense in the eyes of God and men.

On Shabbat: Harachaman hu yanchileinu yom shekulo Shabbat u’minucha ul’chayei ha’olamim.

Harachaman hu yanchileinu yom shekulo tov.

Harachaman hu y’variech et M’dinat Yisrael.

Harachaman hu y’variech et chayalei Tz’va Hagana l’Yisrael, v’yagein aleihem.

Harachaman hu y’variech et m’dinat hazot, v’et chayaleiha, v’yagein aleihem.

Harachaman hu yashkiyn shalom Bayn binei Ya’akov u’vnei Yishma’ayl.

Harachaman hu y’zakeinu limot Hamashiach ul’chayei ha’olam haba.

May the Merciful One cause us to inherit the day of total goodness.

May the Merciful One bless the State of Israel.

May the Merciful One bless those who serve in the IDF and watch over them.

May the Merciful One bless this country, and its soldiers, and watch over them.

May the Merciful One enable us to live in the days of the Messiah and in the world to come.

Migdol y’shu’ot Malko v’oseh chesed limshicho l’David ul’zar’o ad olam. Oseh shalom bimromav, hu ya’aseh shalom aleinu v’al kol Yisrael v’imru, Amein.

Y’ru et Adonai k’doshav, ki ein machsor lirei’av. K’firim rashu v’ra’eivu, v’dorshei Adonai lo yach’s’ru chol tov. Hodu l’Adonai ki tov ki l’olam chasdo. Potei’ach et yadecha, u’masbia l’chol chai ratzon. Baruch hagever asher yivtach b’Adonai, V’haya Adonai mivtacho. Na’ar hayiti gam zakan’ti, v’lo ra’iti tzadik ne’ezav, v’zar’o m’vakesh lachem. Adonai oz l’amo yitein, Adonai y’vareich et amo vashalom.

The Blessing after the Meal concludes by drinking the Third Cup of wine, while reclining to the left.

Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu melech ha-olam, borei p'ri hagafen.

Praised are you, Adonai, Lord of the universe, who has created the fruit of the vine.

Refill everyone’s wine glass.

We traditionally would now say grace after the meal, thanking God for the food we’ve eaten. Here's a (very) shortened version:

May all be fed, may all be nourished, and may all be loved.

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

The Third Glass of Wine

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

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ, אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הַגָּפֶן

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

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

Drink the third glass of wine!

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

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

Many of us around the table may already share our resources in different ways - volunteering in our communities, providing pro bono services, donating to charities, or by advocating or lobbying officials. For others we may still be exploring the ways we’re hoping to share our resources and are looking for outlets to do so.

We are now going to fill our 4th cup of wine and I want to invite you to fill someone else’s cup instead of your own. As you fill someone else’s cup, let’s share with each other our answer to the following:

How can I help in changing the world?

The Fourth Cup of Wine

The Cup of Elijah, The Cup of Hope

Reader 1: Let us all fill our wine glasses. Reader 1 picks up Elijah's cup for all to see.

This is the cup of Elijah. According to Jewish tradition, the Prophet Elijah was a brave man who denounced the slavery of his day. Legend teaches that he will return one day to lead everyone to peace and freedom. It was customary during the Passover Seder to open the door of the house for Elijah, in the hope that the age of universal peace may soon be at hand.

Group: We, too, open the door to peace, knowing that Elijah's task is really our own. Only when we have made a world where nation shall not lift up sword against nation, where justice is universal, and where each person is free, will the age-old dream of peace be real. Let us bring peace and justice to the world!

Reader 1: Let us now open the door.

MIRIAM'S CUP:

Although Miriam, a prophet and the sister of Moses, is never mentioned in the traditional Haggadah text, she is one of the central figures in the Exodus story.

According to Jewish feminist writer Tamara Cohen, the practice of filling a goblet with water to symbolize Miriam’s inclusion in the seder originated at a Rosh Chodesh group in Boston in 1989. The idea resonated with many people and quickly spread.

Reader 2: The story has been told of a miraculous well of living water which had accompanied the Jewish people since the world was spoken into being. The well comes and goes, as it is needed, and as we remember, forget, and remember again how to call it to us. In the time of the exodus from Mitzrayim, the well came to Miriam, in honor of her courage and action, and stayed with the Jews as they wandered the desert. Upon Miriam’s death, the well again disappeared.

Reader 3: It is the women of our story who make its unfolding possible. Shifrah and Puah, the midwives who disobey Pharaoh's order to kill all newborn boys; Yocheved and Miriam, the mother and sister of Moses; Pharaoh's daughter who rescues Moses from the Nile. Pharaoh pays little mind to the women, yet it is their daring actions that began it all. It is because of them that we are here tonight; it is because of them that we are able to thank God for our freedom, just as Miriam led us in song to God after we crossed through the parted waters.

Group: With this ritual of Miriam’s cup of water, we honor all Jewish women. We commit ourselves to transforming all of our cultures into loving, welcoming spaces for people of all genders.

We will end our seder with a fourth cup of wine, which we bless now:

Blessing: Baruch Atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech ha-olam, borei p’ree hagafen.
We praise God, Ruler of Everything, who creates the fruit of the vine.

Tonight we welcome two prophets: not only Elijah, but also Miriam, sister of Moses. Elijah is a symbol of messianic redemption at the end of time; Miriam, of redemption in our present lives.

Please rise and sing as you are able as we open the doors of Hillel to welcome the prophets.

אֵלִיָּהוּ הַנָּבִיא אֵלִיָּהוּ הַתִשְׁבִּי

אֵלִיָּהוּ הַגִּלְעָדִי

במְהֵרָה בְיָמֵנוּ יָבוא אֵלֵינוּ

עִם מָשִׁיחַ בֶּן דָוִד, עִם מָשִׁיחַ בֶּן דָוִד

Eliyahu ha-navi, Eliyahu ha-Tishbi,

Eliyahu (3x) ha-Giladi.

Bimheirah v'yameinu, yavo ei-leinu

im Mashiach ben David (2x)

Elijah, the prophet; Elijiah, the Tishbite; Elijah, of Gilead! Come quickly in our days with the Messiah from the line of David.

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

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

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

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

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

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

לְשָׁנָה הַבָּאָה בִּירוּשָׁלָֽיִם

L’shana haba-ah biy’rushalayim

NEXT YEAR IN JERUSALEM!

The Two-Minute Haggadah: A Passover Seder for the Impatient

By Michael Rubiner

Opening prayers:

Thanks, God, for creating wine. (Drink wine.)

Thanks for creating produce. (Eat parsley.)

Overview: Once we were slaves in Egypt. Now we're free. That's why we're doing this.

Four questions:
1. What's up with the matzoh?
2. What's the deal with horseradish?
3. What's with the dipping of the herbs?
4. What's this whole slouching at the table business?

Answers:
1. When we left Egypt, we were in a hurry. There was no time for making decent bread.
2. Life was bitter, like horseradish.
3. It's called symbolism.
4. Free people get to slouch.

A funny story: Once, these five rabbis talked all night, then it was morning. ( Heat soup now. )

The four kinds of children and how to deal with them:
Wise child—explain Passover.
Simple child—explain Passover slowly.
Silent child—explain Passover loudly.
Wicked child—browbeat in front of the relatives.

Speaking of children: We hid some matzoh. Whoever finds it gets five bucks.

The story of Passover: It's a long time ago. We're slaves in Egypt. Pharaoh is a nightmare. We cry out for help. God brings plagues upon the Egyptians. We escape, bake some matzoh. God parts the Red Sea. We make it through; the Egyptians aren't so lucky. We wander 40 years in the desert, eat manna, get the Torah, wind up in Israel, get a new temple, enjoy several years without being persecuted again. ( Let brisket cool now. )

The 10 Plagues: Blood, Frogs, Lice—you name it.

The singing of "Dayenu":
If God had gotten us out of Egypt and not punished our enemies, it would've been enough. If he'd punished our enemies and not parted the Red Sea, it would've been enough.

If he'd parted the Red Sea—( Remove gefilte fish from refrigerator now. )

Eat matzoh. Drink more wine. Slouch.

Thanks again, God, for everything. 

SERVE MEAL

Chad Gadya with animation and song

Chad gadya, chad gadya.
dizabin aba bitrei zuzei,
chad gadya, chad gadya.

Va'ata shunra, 
ve'achla legadya
dizabin aba bitrei zuzei,
chad gadya, chad gadya.

Va'ata chalba, 
venashach leshunra
de'achla legadya
dizabin aba bitrei zuzei,
chad gadya, chad gadya.

Va'ata chutra,
vehikah lechalba,
denashach leshunra
de'achla legadya
dizabin aba bitrei zuzei,
chad gadya, chad gadya.

Va'ata nura,
vesaraf lechutra,
dehikah lechalba,
denashach leshunra
de'achla legadya
dizabin aba bitrei zuzei,
chad gadya, chad gadya.

Va'ata maya,
vekavah lenura,
desaraf lechutra,
dehikah lechalba,
denashach leshunra
de'achla legadya
dizabin aba bitrei zuzei,
chad gadya, chad gadya.

Va'ata tora,
veshatah lemaya,
dekavah lenura,
desaraf lechutra,
dehikah lechalba,
denashach leshunra
de'achla legadya
dizabin aba bitrei zuzei,
chad gadya, chad gadya.

Va'ata hashochet,
veshachat letora,
deshatah lemaya,
dekavah lenura,
desaraf lechutra,
dehikah lechalba,
denashach leshunra
de'achla legadya
dizabin aba bitrei zuzei,
chad gadya, chad gadya.

Va'ata mal'ach hamavet,
veshachat leshochet,
deshachat letora,
deshatah lemaya,
dekavah lenura,
desaraf lechutra,
dehikah lechalba,
denashach leshunra
de'achla legadya
dizabin aba bitrei zuzei,
chad gadya, chad gadya.

Va'ata HaKadosh Baruch-Hu,
veshachat lemal'ach hamavet,
deshachat leshochet,
deshachat letora,
deshatah lemaya,
dekavah lenura,
desaraf lechutra,
dehikah lechalba,
denashach leshunra
de'achla legadya
dizabin aba bitrei zuzei,
chad gadya, chad gadya.

Chad gadya, chad gadya. My father bought for two zuzim. Chad gadya, chad gadya.

Then came the cat and ate the kid, My father bought for two zuzim. Chad gadya, chad gadya.

Then came the dog and bit the cat, that ate the kid, My father bought for two zuzim. Chad gadya, chad gadya.

Then came the stick and beat the dog, that bit the cat that ate the kid, My father bought for two zuzim. Chad gadya, chad gadya.

Then came the fire and burned the stick, that beat the dog that bit the cat, that ate the kid, My father bought for two zuzim. Chad gadya, chad gadya.

Then came the water and quenched the fire, that burned the stick that beat the dog, that bit the cat that ate the kid, My father bought for two zuzim. Chad gadya, chad gadya.

Then came the ox and drank the water, that quenched the fire that burned the stick, that beat the dog that bit the cat, that ate the kid, My father bought for two zuzim. Chad gadya, chad gadya.

Then came the butcher and slew the ox, that drank the water that quenched the fire, that burned the stick that beat the dog, that bit the cat that ate the kid, My father bought for two zuzim. Chad gadya, chad gadya.

Then came the angel of death, and killed the butcher that slew the ox, that drank the water that quenched the fire, that burned the stick that beat the dog, that bit the cat that ate the kid, My father bought for two zuzim. Chad gadya, chad gadya.

Then came HaKadosh Baruch Hu (the Holy One, blessed be He!) And destroyed the Angel of death, That killed the butcher that slew the ox, that drank the water that quenched the fire, that burned the stick that beat the dog, that bit the cat that ate the kid,
My father bought for two zuzim. Chad gadya, chad gadya.

Who Knows One? 
At some seders, people go around the table reading the question and all 13 answers in one breath. Thirteen is hard!

Who knows one?

I know one.

One is our God in Heaven and Earth

Who knows two?

I know two.

Two are the tablets of the covenant

One is our God in Heaven and Earth

Who knows two?

I know two.

Three are the patriarchs

Two are the tablets of the covenant

One is our God in Heaven and Earth

Who knows four?

I know four.

Four are the matriarchs

Three are the patriarchs

Two are the tablets of the covenant

One is our God in Heaven and Earth

Who knows five?

I know five.

Five are the books of the Torah

Four are the matriarchs

Three are the patriarchs

Two are the tablets of the covenant

One is our God in Heaven and Earth

Who knows six?

I know six.

Six are the orders of the Mishnah

Five are the books of the Torah

Four are the matriarchs

Three are the patriarchs

Two are the tablets of the covenant

One is our God in Heaven and Earth

Who knows seven?

I know seven.

Seven are the days of the week

Six are the orders of the Mishnah

Five are the books of the Torah

Four are the matriarchs

Three are the patriarchs

Two are the tablets of the covenant

One is our God in Heaven and Earth

Who knows eight?

I know eight.

Eight are the days for circumcision

Seven are the days of the week

Six are the orders of the Mishnah

Five are the books of the Torah

Four are the matriarchs

Three are the patriarchs

Two are the tablets of the covenant

One is our God in Heaven and Earth

Who knows nine?

I know nine.

Eight are the days for circumcision

Seven are the days of the week

Six are the orders of the Mishnah

Five are the books of the Torah

Four are the matriarchs

Three are the patriarchs

Two are the tablets of the covenant

One is our God in Heaven and Earth

Who knows ten?

I know ten.

Ten are the Words from Sinai

Nine are the months of childbirth

Eight are the days for circumcision

Seven are the days of the week

Six are the orders of the Mishnah

Five are the books of the Torah

Four are the matriarchs

Three are the patriarchs

Two are the tablets of the covenant

One is our God in Heaven and Earth

Who knows eleven?

I know eleven.

Eleven are the stars

Ten are the Words from Sinai

Nine are the months of childbirth

Eight are the days for circumcision

Seven are the days of the week

Six are the orders of the Mishnah

Five are the books of the Torah

Four are the matriarchs

Three are the patriarchs

Two are the tablets of the covenant

One is our God in Heaven and Earth

Who knows twelve?

I know twelve.

Twelve are the tribes

Eleven are the stars

Ten are the Words from Sinai

Nine are the months of childbirth

Eight are the days for circumcision

Seven are the days of the week

Six are the orders of the Mishnah

Five are the books of the Torah

Four are the matriarchs

Three are the patriarchs

Two are the tablets of the covenant

One is our God in Heaven and Earth

Who knows thirteen?

I know thirteen

Thirteen are the attributes of God

Twelve are the tribes

Eleven are the stars

Ten are the Words from Sinai

Nine are the months of childbirth

Eight are the days for circumcision

Seven are the days of the week

Six are the orders of the Mishnah

Five are the books of the Torah

Four are the matriarchs

Three are the patriarchs

Two are the tablets of the covenant

One is our God in Heaven and Earth

Parody of 50 Cent's "In da Club"

Lyrics



GO, GO, GO, GO, GO, GO

Go ShaBot, its your Pesach
We're gonna' seder like it's your Pesach,
We're sippin' Manischewitz like it's your Pesach
And you know we got the ten plagues for your Pesach!

Chorus
We're at the Seda' Club, give all your bread a shove,
cuz we got a lot o' matzah that we got to get rid of
I gotta drink a lotta' wine, the kind I really love,
So come an' drink it up, if you got a kiddish cup

Let's hear the ten plagues, yo!

DAM
Blood in the river, back off n*gga'
Don't you f*ck with 50 Cent I'll pull the trigga'

TZ'FARDEA
The freaky leaky frogs hoppin out of bogs, they
better back off quick or I'll release the f*ckin' dogs

KINIM
That's lice, ain't nice, ain't nice,
That's right I said it twice and now you gonna' pay the price

AROV
A beast, at our feast, we ain't got yeast
Gonna chill wit 50 Cent to say the very least

DEVER
Pestilence, call an ambulance,
You better make it quick cuz I don wanna take a chance

SH'CHIN
Damn, bitch, you got a lotta boils, better get the baby oils
and we get busy like the freaky moyhels

BARAD
Hail, never fail, gonna get some tail,
Gonna check the mail an drink a 40 ounce of ale

ARBEH
The locust, they focused, they wanna choke us,
They gonna' roll us up and light our ass to smoke us

CHOSHECH
Man its dark, motherf*ckin narc I'm in the park
got my philly blunt and lightin' up the spark

MAKAS B'CHOROS
Look out first-born, gonna' get the horn
Slay you, cap yo ass juss like I'm poppin' corn

(Chorus)

‘Twas the Night Before Pesach

By Marc Levy

‘Twas the night before Pesach, and all through the house

not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.

The mice were too hungry to squeak or to scurry;

the chametz had all been cleaned up in a hurry.

The table was laid with the silver and china,

the linen was spotless, the crystal was shine-a.

Charoset and horseradish, set in their dish,

And fifty-six balls of gefilte-fized fish.

The wine had been poured in the glasses with care,

in hopes that tomorrow Elijah'd be there.

The whole house was immaculate, clean as you please,

As we lay digesting our dinner - Chinese.

The children were nestled all snug in their beds,

While visions of matzoh balls danced in their heads.

And Mom in her shmata and I in my cap

had just settled down for a long Pesach nap,

But one minute later, sleep came to a halt

when my wife woke me screaming "Oy vey! Oy gevalt!"

For out on the lawn there arose a great clatter;

I sprang from my bed to see what was the matter.

I looked out the window and saw quite a scene.

Blinking my eyes, I said, “Is this a dream?”

For there in the driveway, bathed in moonlight,

Was a miniature Moses, and eight tiny Israelites.

Right up to my door this strange caravan came.

They were schlepping a sleigh, and Moish called them by name:

“Hey Shloimy!” he shouted, “Hey Sammy and Sadie!

Let’s hustle!” he ordered, “we’re running quite latey!”

As I drew in my head, and was turning around,

Moses let himself into my house, with a bound.

He was dressed rather poorly, and covered with schmutz,

With Israeli sandals on both of his foots.

This Moses looked tired, like he’d traveled quite far.

He was huffing and puffing; he smoked a cigar.

But he seemed rather merry, and did a small waltz,

And he shook, when he laughed, like a bowl full of schmaltz.

It was clear what he wanted; on his goal he was homing:

He went straight to the table, and stole the afikomen!

Then turning around at a fairly brisk clip,

he grabbed Elijah’s wineglass, and drank down a sip.

Then he sprang to his sleigh, shouted, “Let’s move it, Harry!

We’ve got to keep moving, we’ve no time to tarry”!

But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight,

“Ziesen Pesach to all, and to all a good night”!

© Marc Levy 2002