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TABLE OF CONTENTS
We begin our Seder and join our efforts with those everywhere who celebrate the Passover searching for its meaning in their lives; as an expression of our liberation so far... There are many possible modes for understanding the events retold in the Pesach Haggadah.
Of these, three are braided together so that, if we concentrate exclusively on any one of them, we diminish the special qualities of the entire story.
By participating in the symbolic actions built into the order of the Seder, we can share in: the experience of the rebirth of the natural world around us, the national liberation of our people, the spiritual redemption of each individual human being.
We begin this evening: some of us feeling shackled by the bonds of winter, some of our people—and other peoples of the world—persecuted, many of us confined by our own personal limitations.
Tonight we hope to set in motion: processes of growth that encourage within each of us the renewal of each person’s unique vision, and efforts to work for the freedom of our scattered—and all, oppressed— people, as we see about us the flowering of a new year.
Indeed, we begin our Seder here.
However, our goals are neither our renewal, our freedom, nor our flowering.
Pesach is but the pointer to the acceptance of our commitments to complete these tasks—in a harvesting of the fruits of our labors yet to come.
Kadesh
Here we are, ready to perform the mitzvah of the first cup of wine and to dedicate this whole evening "to telling the story of miracles and wonders that were performed by our ancestors in Egypt on the night of the 15th of the month of Nisan, more than 3200 years ago. This recalls God's promise of redemption to the people of Israel, as it says, "Remember the day of your Exodus from Egypt" (Exodus 13:3).
Fill the first cup of wine
We are gathered here tonight to affirm our continuity with the generations of Jews who kept alive the vision of freedom in the Passover story. For thousands of years, Jews have affirmed that by participating in the Passover Seder. We not only remember the Exodus, but actually relive it, bringing its transformative power into our own lives.
The Hebrew word for Egypt, Mitzrayim , means "narrow straits." Traditionally, Mitzrayim has been understood to mean a spiritual state, the "narrow place," a place of confusion, fragmentation, and spiritual disconnection. The way out of Mitzrayim is through chesed, through attempting to understand those who seem so different from us and through translating our responsibility to others into genuine concern and meaningful acts on their behalf.
Drink the first cup of wine.
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.
In the Torah, only the priests of the Temple are commanded to wash, and only before they partake of the sacrificial meal. Today, we have no Temple in Jerusalem, no altar, no priests and no sacrifices. Instead, every home can be a Temple, every table an altar, every meal a sanctified experience, and every Jew a priest. And eating, a mechanical biological function, can be transformed into a ritual filled with meaning.
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?
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?
Pour the second glass of wine for everyone.
The Haggadah doesn’t tell the story of Passover in a linear fashion. We don’t hear of Moses being found by the daughter of Pharaoh – actually, we don’t hear much of Moses at all. Instead, we get an impressionistic collection of songs, images, and stories of both the Exodus from Egypt and from Passover celebrations through the centuries. Some say that minimizing the role of Moses keeps us focused on the miracles God performed for us. Others insist that we keep the focus on the role that every member of the community has in bringing about positive change.
The formal telling of the story of Passover is framed as a discussion with lots of questions and answers. The tradition that the youngest person asks the questions reflects the centrality of involving everyone in the seder. The rabbis who created the set format for the seder gave us the Four Questions to help break the ice in case no one had their own questions. Asking questions is a core tradition in Jewish life. If everyone at your seder is around the same age, perhaps the person with the least seder experience can ask them – or everyone can sing them all together.
מַה נִּשְׁתַּנָּה הַלַּֽיְלָה הַזֶּה מִכָּל הַלֵּילות
Ma nishtana halaila hazeh mikol haleilot?
Why is this night different from all other nights?
שֶׁבְּכָל הַלֵּילוֹת אָֽנוּ אוֹכלין חָמֵץ וּמַצָּה הַלַּֽיְלָה הַזֶּה כֻּלּוֹ מצה
Shebichol haleilot anu ochlin chameitz u-matzah. Halaila hazeh kulo matzah.
On all other nights we eat both leavened bread and matzah.
Tonight we only eat matzah.
שֶׁבְּכָל הַלֵּילוֹת אָֽנוּ אוֹכְלִין שְׁאָר יְרָקוֹת הַלַּֽיְלָה הַזֶּה מָרוֹר
Shebichol haleilot anu ochlin shi’ar yirakot haleila hazeh maror.
On all other nights we eat all kinds of vegetables,
but tonight we eat bitter herbs.
שֶׁבְּכָל הַלֵּילוֹת אֵין אָֽנוּ מַטְבִּילִין אֲפִילוּ פַּֽעַם אחָת הַלַּֽיְלָה הַזֶּה שְׁתֵּי פְעמים
Shebichol haleilot ain anu matbilin afilu pa-am echat. Halaila hazeh shtei fi-amim.
On all other nights we aren’t expected to dip our vegetables one time.
Tonight we do it twice.
שֶׁבְּכָל הַלֵּילוֹת אָֽנוּ אוֹכְלִין בֵּין יוֹשְׁבִין וּבֵין מְסֻבִּין. :הַלַּֽיְלָה הַזֶּה כֻּלָּֽנוּ מְסֻבין
Shebichol haleilot anu ochlin bein yoshvin uvein m’subin. Halaila hazeh kulanu m’subin.
On all other nights we eat either sitting normally or reclining.
Tonight we recline.
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?
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.
As we rejoice at our deliverance from slavery, we acknowledge that our freedom was hard-earned. We regret that our freedom came at the cost of the Egyptians’ suffering, for we are all human beings made in the image of God. We pour out a drop of wine for each of the plagues as we recite them.
Dip a finger or a spoon into your wine glass for a drop for each plague.
These are the ten plagues which God brought down on the Egyptians:
Blood | dam | דָּם
Frogs | tzfardeiya | צְפַרְדֵּֽעַ
Lice | kinim | כִּנִּים
Beasts | arov | עָרוֹב
Cattle disease | dever | דֶּֽבֶר
Boils | sh’chin | שְׁחִין
Hail | barad | בָּרָד
Locusts | arbeh | אַרְבֶּה
Darkness | choshech | חֹֽשֶׁךְ
Death of the Firstborn | makat b’chorot | מַכַּת בְּכוֹרוֹת
The Egyptians needed ten plagues because after each one they were able to come up with excuses and explanations rather than change their behavior. Could we be making the same mistakes? Make up your own list. What are the plagues in your life? What are the plagues in our world today? What behaviors do we need to change to fix them?
The plagues and our subsequent redemption from Egypt are but one example of the care God has shown for us in our history. Had God but done any one of these kindnesses, it would have been enough – dayeinu.
אִלּוּ הוֹצִיאָֽנוּ מִמִּצְרַֽיִם, דַּיֵּנוּ
Ilu hotzi- hotzianu, Hotzianu mi-mitzrayim Hotzianu mi-mitzrayim, Dayeinu
If God had only taken us out of Egypt, that would have been enough!
אִלּוּ נָתַן לָֽנוּ אֶת־הַתּוֹרָה, דַּיֵּנוּ
Ilu natan natan lanu, natan lanu et ha-Torah, Natan lanu et ha-Torah , Dayeinu
If God had only given us the Torah, that would have been enough.
The complete lyrics to Dayeinu tell the entire story of the Exodus from Egypt as a series of miracles God performed for us. (See the Additional Readings if you want to read or sing them all.)
Dayeinu also reminds us that each of our lives is the cumulative result of many blessings, small and large.
We have now told the story of Passover…but wait! We’re not quite done. There are still some symbols on our seder plate we haven’t talked about yet. Rabban Gamliel would say that whoever didn’t explain the shank bone, matzah, and marror (or bitter herbs) hasn’t done Passover justice.
The shank bone represents the Pesach, the special lamb sacrifice made in the days of the Temple for the Passover holiday. It is called the pesach, from the Hebrew word meaning “to pass over,” because God passed over the houses of our ancestors in Egypt when visiting plagues upon our oppressors.
The matzah reminds us that when our ancestors were finally free to leave Egypt, there was no time to pack or prepare. Our ancestors grabbed whatever dough was made and set out on their journey, letting their dough bake into matzah as they fled.
The bitter herbs provide a visceral reminder of the bitterness of slavery, the life of hard labor our ancestors experienced in Egypt.
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.
בְּכָל־דּוֹר וָדוֹר חַיָּב אָדָם לִרְאוֹת אֶת־עַצְמוֹ, כְּאִלּוּ הוּא יָצָא מִמִּצְרָֽיִם
B’chol dor vador chayav adam lirot et-atzmo, k’ilu hu yatzav mimitzrayim.
In every generation, everyone is obligated to see themselves as though they personally left Egypt.
The seder reminds us that it was not only our ancestors whom God redeemed; God redeemed us too along with them. That’s why the Torah says “God brought us out from there in order to lead us to and give us the land promised to our ancestors.”
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We praise God, Ruler of Everything, who redeemed us and our ancestors from Egypt, enabling us to reach this night and eat matzah and bitter herbs. May we continue to reach future holidays in peace and happiness.
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ, אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הַגָּפֶן
Baruch Atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech ha-olam, borei p’ree hagafen.
We praise God, Ruler of Everything, who creates the fruit of the vine.
Drink the second glass of wine!
As we now transition from the formal telling of the Passover story to the celebratory meal, we once again wash our hands to prepare ourselves. In Judaism, a good meal together with friends and family is itself a sacred act, so we prepare for it just as we prepared for our holiday ritual, recalling the way ancient priests once prepared for service in the Temple.
Some people distinguish between washing to prepare for prayer and washing to prepare for food by changing the way they pour water on their hands. For washing before food, pour water three times on your right hand and then three times on your left hand.
After you have poured the water over your hands, recite this short blessing.
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָֽׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו, וְצִוָּנוּ עַל נְטִילַת יָדָֽיִם
Baruch Atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech ha-olam, asher kid’shanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu al n’tilat yadayim.
We praise God, Ruler of Everything, who made us holy through obligations, commanding us to wash our hands.
The blessing over the meal and matzah | motzi matzah | מוֹצִיא מַצָּה
The familiar hamotzi blessing marks the formal start of the meal. Because we are using matzah instead of bread, we add a blessing celebrating this mitzvah.
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ, אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, הַמּוֹצִיא לֶֽחֶם מִן הָאָֽרֶץ
Baruch Atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech ha-olam, hamotzi lechem min ha-aretz.
We praise God, Ruler of Everything, who brings bread from the land.
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ, אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָֽׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתַָיו וְצִוָּֽנוּ עַל אֲכִילַת מַצָּה
Baruch Atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech ha-olam, asher kid’shanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu al achilat matzah.
We praise God, Ruler of Everything, who made us holy through obligations, commanding us to eat matzah.
Distribute and eat the top and middle matzah for everyone to eat.
Dipping the bitter herb in sweet charoset | maror |מָרוֹר
In creating a holiday about the joy of freedom, we turn the story of our bitter history into a sweet celebration. We recognize this by dipping our bitter herbs into the sweet charoset. We don’t totally eradicate the taste of the bitter with the taste of the sweet… but doesn’t the sweet mean more when it’s layered over the bitterness?
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ, אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָֽׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו וְצִוָּֽנוּ עַל אֲכִילַת מרוֹר
Baruch Atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech ha-olam, asher kid’shanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu al achilat maror.
We praise God, Ruler of Everything, who made us holy through obligations, commanding us to eat bitter herbs.
Eating a sandwich of matzah and bitter herb | koreich | כּוֹרֵךְ
When the Temple stood in Jerusalem, the biggest ritual of them all was eating the lamb offered as the pesach or Passover sacrifice. The great sage Hillel would put the meat in a sandwich made of matzah, along with some of the bitter herbs. While we do not make sacrifices any more – and, in fact, some Jews have a custom of purposely avoiding lamb during the seder so that it is not mistaken as a sacrifice – we honor this custom by eating a sandwich of the remaining matzah and bitter herbs. Some people will also include charoset in the sandwich to remind us that God’s kindness helped relieve the bitterness of slavery.
Eating the meal! | shulchan oreich | שֻׁלְחָן עוֹרֵךְ
Enjoy! But don’t forget when you’re done we’ve got a little more seder to go, including the final two cups of wine!
Finding and eating the Afikomen | tzafoon | צָפוּן
The playfulness of finding the afikomen reminds us that we balance our solemn memories of slavery with a joyous celebration of freedom. As we eat the afikomen, our last taste of matzah for the evening, we are grateful for moments of silliness and happiness in our lives.
Refill everyone’s wine glass.
We now say grace after the meal, thanking God for the food we’ve eaten. On Passover, this becomes something like an extended toast to God, culminating with drinking our third glass of wine for the evening:
We praise God, Ruler of Everything, whose goodness sustains the world. You are the origin of love and compassion, the source of bread for all. Thanks to You, we need never lack for food; You provide food enough for everyone. We praise God, source of food for everyone.
As it says in the Torah: When you have eaten and are satisfied, give praise to your God who has given you this good earth. We praise God for the earth and for its sustenance.
Renew our spiritual center in our time. We praise God, who centers us.
May the source of peace grant peace to us, to the Jewish people, and to the entire world. Amen.
The Third Glass of Wine
The blessing over the meal is immediately followed by another blessing over the wine:
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ, אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הַגָּפֶן
Baruch Atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech ha-olam, borei p’ree hagafen.
We praise God, Ruler of Everything, who creates the fruit of the vine.
Drink the third glass of wine!
Singing songs that praise God | hallel | הַלֵּל
This is the time set aside for singing. Some of us might sing traditional prayers from the Book of Psalms. Others take this moment for favorites like Chad Gadya & Who Knows One, which you can find in the appendix. To celebrate the theme of freedom, we might sing songs from the civil rights movement. Or perhaps your crazy Uncle Frank has some parody lyrics about Passover to the tunes from a musical. We’re at least three glasses of wine into the night, so just roll with it.
Fourth Glass of Wine
As we come to the end of the seder, we drink one more glass of wine. With this final cup, we give thanks for the experience of celebrating Passover together, for the traditions that help inform our daily lives and guide our actions and aspirations.
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ, אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הַגָּפֶן
Baruch Atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech ha-olam, borei p’ree hagafen.
We praise God, Ruler of Everything, who creates the fruit of the vine.
Drink the fourth and final glass of wine!
The Cup of Elijah
We now refill our wine glasses one last time and open the front door to invite the prophet Elijah to join our seder.
In the Bible, Elijah was a fierce defender of God to a disbelieving people. At the end of his life, rather than dying, he was whisked away to heaven. Tradition holds that he will return in advance of messianic days to herald a new era of peace, so we set a place for Elijah at many joyous, hopeful Jewish occasions, such as a baby’s bris and the Passover seder.
אֵלִיָּֽהוּ הַנָּבִיא, אֵלִיָּֽהוּ הַתִּשְׁבִּיאֵלִיָּֽהוּ, אֵלִיָּֽהוּ,אֵלִיָּֽהוּ הַגִּלְעָדִי
בִּמְהֵרָה בְיָמֵֽנוּ יָבוֹא אֵלֵֽינוּ
עִם מָשִֽׁיחַ בֶּן דָּוִד
עִם מָשִֽׁיחַ בֶּן דָּוִד
Eliyahu hanavi
Eliyahu hatishbi
Eliyahu, Eliyahu, Eliyahu hagiladi
Bimheirah b’yameinu, yavo eileinu
Im mashiach ben-David,
Im mashiach ben-David
Elijah the prophet, the returning, the man of Gilad:
return to us speedily,
in our days with the messiah,
son of David.
Nirtzah marks the conclusion of the seder. Our bellies are full, we have had several glasses of wine, we have told stories and sung songs, and now it is time for the evening to come to a close. At the end of the seder, we honor the tradition of declaring, “Next year in Jerusalem!”
For some people, the recitation of this phrase expresses the anticipation of rebuilding the Temple in Jerusalem and the return of the Messiah. For others, it is an affirmation of hope and of connectedness with Klal Yisrael, the whole of the Jewish community. Still others yearn for peace in Israel and for all those living in the Diaspora.
Though it comes at the end of the seder, this moment also marks a beginning. We are beginning the next season with a renewed awareness of the freedoms we enjoy and the obstacles we must still confront. We are looking forward to the time that we gather together again. Having retold stories of the Jewish people, recalled historic movements of liberation, and reflected on the struggles people still face for freedom and equality, we are ready to embark on a year that we hope will bring positive change in the world and freedom to people everywhere.
In The Leader's Guide to the Family Participation Haggadah: A Different Night, Rabbi David Hartman writes: “Passover is the night for reckless dreams; for visions about what a human being can be, what society can be, what people can be, what history may become.”
What can we do to fulfill our reckless dreams? What will be our legacy for future generations?
Our seder is over, according to Jewish tradition and law. As we had the pleasure to gather for a seder this year, we hope to once again have the opportunity in the years to come. We pray that God brings health and healing to Israel and all the people of the world, especially those impacted by natural tragedy and war. As we say…
לְשָׁנָה הַבָּאָה בִּירוּשָׁלָֽיִם
L’shana haba-ah biy’rushalayim
NEXT YEAR IN JERUSALEM!
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
Chad Gadya
חַד גַּדְיָא, חַד גַּדְיָא
דְזַבִּין אַבָּא בִּתְרֵי זוּזֵי
חַד גַּדְיָא, חַד גַּדְיָא
Chad gadya, chad gadya
Dizabin abah bitrei zuzei
Chad gadya, chad gadya.
One little goat, one little goat:
Which my father brought for two zuzim.
One little goat, one little goat:
The cat came and ate the goat,
Which my father bought for two zuzim.
One little goat, one little goat:
The dog came and bit the cat
That ate the goat,
Which my father bought for two zuzim.
One little goat, one little goat:
The stick came and beat the dog
That bit the cat that ate the goat,
Which my father bought for two zuzim.
One little goat, one little goat:
The fire came and burned the stick
That beat the dog that bit the cat
That ate the goat,
Which my father bought for two zuzim.
One little goat, one little goat:
The water came and extinguished the
Fire that burned the stick
That beat the dog that bit the cat
That ate the goat,
Which my father bought for two zuzim.
One little goat, one little goat:
The ox came and drank the water
That extinguished the fire
That burned the stick that beat the dog That bit the cat that ate the goat,
Which my father bought for two zuzim.
One little goat, one little goat:
The butcher came and killed the ox,
That drank the water
That extinguished the fire
That burned the stick that beat the dog That bit the cat that ate the goat,
Which my father bought for two zuzim.
One little goat, one little goat:
The angle of death came and slew
The butcher who killed the ox,
That drank the water
That extinguished the fire
That burned the stick that beat the dog That bit the cat that ate the goat,
Which my father bought for two zuzim.
One little goat, one little goat:
The Holy One, Blessed Be He came and
Smote the angle of death who slew
The butcher who killed the ox,
That drank the water
That extinguished the fire
That burned the stick that beat the dog That bit the cat that ate the goat,
Which my father bought for two zuzim.
A S(w)inging Seder
Kal Winer
INTRODUCTION
Pesach-time
Tell Me Why We Meet Tonight
Where Have Our Haggadahs Gone?
Fifty Ways to Lead Your Seder
This Seder's Made for You and Me
KADDESH: SANCTIFICATION
First Cup of Wine
KARPAS: SPRING VEGETABLE
Eating Parsley
YACHATZ: BREAK MIDDLE MATZAH
Break Break Break Your Matzah
MAGGID: TELL THE STORY
If I Had Four Questions
Comin' on This Night
Four Kinds of Children
Moses Prophet
Phar-aoh
The Poor Old Egyptians
The Plagues Are Unleashed
Second Cup of Wine
RACHTZAH: WASH
Wash Wash Wash Your Hands
MOTZI/MATZAH: BLESSING THE MATZAH
Ancestors Would
Oh What A Beautiful Matzah
MAROR: BITTER HERB
Horseradish Club March
KORECH: HILLEL SANDWICH
Does Your Matzah Lie Flat?
SHULCHAN ORECH: FESTIVE MEAL
Home in the Spring
TZAFUN: EAT THE AFIKOMEN
Find Find Find Dessert
Afikomen Is Found to Be Missing
Afikomen Chorus
BARECH: BLESS THE MEAL
Third Cup of Wine
Prophet Elijah
HALLEL: PRAISE
Fourth Cup of Wine
Manischewitz Medley
NIRTZAH: CLOSING
Next Year, Next Year
Jerusalem This Year
S-E-D-E-R
About This Seder
I love the Passover Seder, and I am always on the lookout for new pieces to include that will expand the joy and richness of the celebration. Years ago, I started writing Passover lyrics to well-known tunes; I wanted to add humor and freshness, to keep everyone—young and old—more involved and awake, and to give us all more time to bond together by singing together. Eventually, I had enough songs to cover every Seder ritual. Some rituals have several songs so you get to choose which ones best fit your Seder.
You can use a few songs each year to spice up your Seder, or you can insert a song when the group energy starts to flag. Adventurous Seder makers can use A S(w)inging Seder as the sole (or main) Haggadah for the evening. If you try this, I suggest mixing up the sound by using solos, duets, and small groups for different songs to vary the texture. Some songs (for example, “The Plagues Are Coming”) can be sung with different small groups taking turns singing different verses.
I could never have gotten this done without the extraordinary help of my wife, Linda, who typed the lyrics and wrestled our computer into submission; and the support of Rabbi Alissa Wise, who encouraged me to do it and helped me avoid wandering in the technology desert for forty years.
Kal Winer
Burkettville, Maine
2011
INTRODUCTION
Pesach-time
To: Summertime
Pesach-time
There’s no bread on the table
Guests arriving’
And the feelings run high
Oh our tradition’s rich
And our bubbe’s good cookin’
So let’s start our Seder
Hearts will fly
Tell Me Why We Meet Tonight
To: Tell Me Why (the old summer camp song)
Tell me why we meet tonight
Why do we recall our peoples’ great flight?
Why must we get restless before we’re through?
What is the meaning for me and for you?
Tell me why it took so long
From slaves in Egypt ‘til we got strong
Tell me why freedom takes time
Tonight we will taste of our peoples’ hard climb.
Lost in the desert for forty years
Life was too hard, we shed many tears
We walked for whole lifetimes, we felt real tired
Now we recall it, so we’ll get inspired.
Tell me why our Seder’s long
Read all the words and sing all the songs
Tell me why we can’t just eat
‘Cuz life’s sometimes bitter, before it gets sweet.
Where Have Our Haggadahs Gone?
To: Where Have All the Flowers Gone?
Where have our Haggadahs gone?
What’s this new one?
Where have our Haggadahs gone?
I want to know.
Where have our Haggadahs gone?
Can’t tell our Story anymore.
How will our children learn? (2x)
What’s with this? It’s just some songs
How to lead it?
‘Least it won’t take very long
Then we’ll be free.
Should we try it anyways?
That old book was way too dry
Let’s see what we can learn (2x).
This new one just might be fun
Let’s all sing it.
It’s a journey we can take
See where it goes.
Where have our Haggadahs gone?
It’s our Story, not our book
To which we now return (2x).
Fifty Ways to Lead Your Seder
To: 50 ways to leave your lover
“The problem’s all inside your head,” Zayde said to me
“The answer’s easy if you don’t do it slavishly.
I’d like to help you tell our struggle to be free.
There must be 50 ways to lead your Seder.”
Bubbe adds, “It’s really not just about the food.
Passover, and its meaning, can’t be lost or misconstrued.
What’s at the center is creating the right mood.
There must be 50 ways to lead your Seder.”
You can go slow, Moe
Add something new, Sue
Write a fun song, Don
Just get the Jews free.
Act out the story, Maury
Read poems that speak Truth, Ruth
Make the plagues key, Lee
And get yourself free.
This Seder’s Made for You and Me
To: This Land Is Your Land
CHORUS: This Seder’s your tale, this Seder’s my tale
From slaves in Egypt, to the Milk and Honey Trail
We got our Freedom, but it wasn’t easy
This Seder’s made for you and me.
When you eat matzah, remember leaving
The haste of going, no time for grieving
The taste of flat bread, low expectations
This Seder’s made for you and me.
CHORUS
We crossed the desert, the sands were burning
For a place of safety, we all were yearning
Our throats were parched dry, our patience tested
This Seder’s made for you and me.
CHORUS
We feared the unknown, our faith was feeble
We roamed and rambled, we became a People
G-d gave Commandments, for us to follow
This Seder’s made for you and me.
CHORUS
Each year we retell the ancient story
The point of which is not for glory
We’re meant to stand up for one another
This Seder’s made for you and me.
CHORUS
KADDESH: SANCTIFICATION
First Cup of Wine
To: There Were 12 Constipated Men in the Bible
We drink four different cups of wine
at the Seder, at the Seder
We drink four different cups of wine
at the Seder, at the Seder
There’s the first, which stands for “BRING YOU OUT” (3X)
from old Egypt, from old Egypt.
KARPAS: SPRING VEGETABLE
Eating Parsley
To: Scotland’s Burning (a round)
Eating parsley, eating parsley
Fresh greens, fresh greens
Spring! Spring! Spring! Spring!
In salt water, in salt water.
YACHATZ: BREAK MIDDLE MATZAH
Break Break Break Your Matzah
To: Row Row Row Your Boat
Break, break, break your matzah
Big half’s set aside
Forget about it, forget about it, forget about it, forget about it
‘Til it’s time to hide
MAGGID: TELL THE STORY
If I Had Four Questions
To: If I Had a Hammer
If I had four questions,
I’d ask them at the Seder
I’d ask them at the Seder
In a little song.
I’d sing “Mah Nishtanah?”
“Why is this night different?”
Why do so many gather to ask all their questions
All over this world?
We ask why we’re leaning,
We ask about dipping,
We ask about unleavened bread
And the bitter herb.
The youngest will sing it
To pass on tradition
We all sing four questions, but then we ask others
All over this world.
If I knew the answers,
I’d tell them at the Seder
I’d tell them to my children
So they understand.
I’d tell the whole story
Of slaves down in Egypt
Becoming a people that searched for their freedom
All over this world.
Well, I’ve got some questions
And I’ve got some answers
And I’ve got this song to sing
All over this world.
It’s a question of justice
It’s an answer of freedom
It’s this song about hope for our brothers and our sisters
All over this world.
Comin’ on this Night
To: Blowin’ in the Wind
How many wine cups must a slave drink
Before he knows he’s a man?
Yes, ‘n’ how much slavery can a man take
Before he’ll cross desert sands?
Yes, ‘n’ how many flat breads must people bake
Before they’ll leave in a band?
The answer, my friend, is comin’ on this Night
The answer is comin’ on this Night.
How many times must a man look around
Before he knows he too will die?
Yes, ‘n’ how much pain must one man feel
Before he can hear himself cry?
Yes, ‘n’ how many years will a people be slaves
Before they will reach out and try?
The answer, my friend, is comin’ on this Night
The answer is comin’ on this Night.
How many years after they were all slaves
Before they really felt free?
Yes, ‘n’ how many ways are we too like slaves
In ways we can’t even see?
Yes, ‘n’ what must we do to throw off our chains
And dump them into the sea?
The answer, my friend, you can think about this Night
The answer you can think about this Night.
Four Kinds of Children
To: Havah Nageela
Four kinds of children (3x)
In each of us.
(Repeat)
We all have highs and lows
Times we don’t want to know
We all are sometimes bored
We’re all the same.
Sometimes we just feel shy
Sometimes we want to cry
Sometimes feel trapped and lie
Nothing to say.
We all are curious
We all get furious
We get imperious
It’s humans’ way.
We’re all
We’re all a mix
We’re a mix of many children (4x)
We’re a mix (2x)
Of many different kinds of kids.
Moses Prophet
To: Davy Crockett
CHORUS: Moses, Moses Prophet
King of the Wandering Jews
Born to Jewish slaves down by the Nile
They hoped to save him from the Pharoah’s bile
In a basket in the river he drifted for awhile
‘Til the princess heard him crying from over a mile.
CHORUS
Grew up in the palace as a favorite son
‘Til he saw slaves beaten just for the fun
So he killed him an Egyptian in a fight he wouldn’t shun
But then from his good life he had to run.
CHORUS
Out in the desert saw a bush that burned
Talked with God, and his whole life turned
Got a big mission: “Free the Jews” he learned
“Lead them to their own land,” for which they yearned.
CHORUS
Went back to Pharoah to set the Jews free
Cast ten Plagues to bring Egypt to its knee
Trapped by the water as they tried to flee
Opened up dry land and crossed the Red Sea.
CHORUS
Crossing the desert took forty years
Brought 10 Commandments to the peoples’ cheers
Struggled with hardships, with doubts and with fears
But kept from the Promised Land—a pain that brought him tears.
CHORUS
Tonight we have Seder, and to celebrate this man
When we see injustice, we should do what we can
Gaining freedom for all folks is a holy plan
Here’s to you, Moses Prophet—in your club I’m a fan.
CHORUS
Phar-aoh
To: Day-O
Pharaoh, Phar-ar-ar-oh
Pharaoh says we cannot go home
Fair, it’s not fair, it’s not fair, it’s not fair
It’s not fair, it’s not fair-air-air-o
Pharaoh says we cannot go home
Work all day, his buildings to make
Pharaoh says we cannot go home
All our male babies he tried to take
Pharaoh says we cannot go home
Come, Mister Freedom Man, lead us to our homeland
Pharaoh says “I won’t let you go”
Moses, help free us, and take us to our own land
Pharaoh says we cannot go home
Took one year, ten years, forty years, FREE
‘Til we could reach that Promised Land
Slaves to someone we must never BE
Now we have reached that Promised Land
Fair, now it’s fair-air-air-oh
Tho’ Pharaoh said we couldn’t go
Fair, now it’s fair, now it’s fair, now it’s fair
Pharaoh’s gone, and we have gone home
This beautiful freedom feels right and just
Pharaoh said we could not go home
It’s not some place but deep inside us
Daylight comes and we’ve all come home
The Poor Old Egyptians
To: The Poor Old Slave
The Jews, our slaves, have gone away
To find their promised land
A trip they’ll take for forty years
We’ll miss their low-cost hands
Our poor old slaves have left a mess
We groan that they are free
Outsourcing jobs leaves budget pains
Red ink makes red dead sea
Cheap help is gone, and so’s our rest
We must get off our tush
Perhaps they’ll stop and come right back
When see that burning Bush
The Plagues Are Unleashed
To: The Ants Go Marching
The plagues are unleashed, one by one
Oh no, oh no
The gods of Egypt are undone
Just go, just go
The Nile River is turned to blood
Egypt has nothing to drink but mud
But old Pharaoh won’t say, “You now are free
to go out of this land.”
Doom Doom Doom Doom
Here come more plagues…
The plagues are unleashed, number two
Oh no, oh no
The gods of Egypt are so through
Just go, just go
Now frogs are jumping everywhere
Get in their food and get in their hair
But old Pharaoh won’t say, “You now are free
to go out of this land.”
Doom Doom Doom Doom
Here come more plagues…
The plagues are unleashed, number three
Oh no, oh no
The gods of Egypt start to plea
Just go, just go
Each piece of dust becomes a gnat
that bites the people wherever they’re at
But old Pharaoh won’t say, “You now are free
to go out of this land.”
Doom Doom Doom Doom
Here come more plagues…
The plagues are unleashed, number four
Oh no, oh no
Egypt’s gods can’t take any more
Just go, just go
Huge swarms of flies now fill the air
Bringing all Egypt to dark despair
But old Pharaoh won’t say, you now are free
to go out of this land.”
Doom Doom Doom Doom
Here come more plagues…
—continued—
The plagues are unleashed, number five
Oh no, oh no
The gods of Egypt can’t survive
Just go, just go
Cows, sheep, and horses, camels too
All fall down dead, there’s nothing to do
But old Pharaoh won’t say, “You now are free
to go out of this land.”
Doom Doom Doom Doom
Here come more plagues…
The plagues are unleashed, number six
Oh no, oh no
All Egypt’s gods can’t find a fix
Just go, just go
Infected skin, inflamed with pus
Covers their bodies and makes them cuss
But old Pharaoh won’t say, “You now are free
to go out of this land.”
Doom Doom Doom Doom
Here come more plagues…
The plagues keep coming, here is seven
Oh no, oh no
For Egypt’s gods, there’s no more heaven
Just go, just go
Huge hail and lightning break all crops
All standing trees are smashed ‘til they drop
But old Pharaoh won’t say, “You now are free
to go out of this land.”
Doom Doom Doom Doom
Here come more plagues…
The plagues are unleashed, number eight
Oh no, oh no
Egypt’s gods are no longer great
Just go, just go
Then locusts fill the sky with dark
What hail has left, they eat like a shark
But old Pharaoh won’t say, “You now are free
to go out of this land.”
Doom Doom Doom Doom
Here come more plagues…
—continued—
The plagues are unleashed, number nine
Oh no, oh no
Egypt’s sun god has just gone blind
Just go, just go
All is darkness, flames shed no light
The stars go dim that once were bright
But old Pharaoh won’t say, “You now are free
to go out of this land.”
Doom Doom Doom Doom
Here come more plagues…
Last of the plagues is number ten
Oh no, oh no
Egypt’s gods are weak as men
Just go, just go
First-born children suddenly die
All Egyptians shriek and cry
Old Pharaoh breaks down and sets them all free:
“Just get out of this land.”
And away they go
Zoom Zoom Zoom Zoom
Second Cup of Wine
To: There Were 12 Constipated Men in the Bible
We drink four different cups of wine
at the Seder, at the Seder
We drink four different cups of wine
at the Seder, at the Seder
Second cup is for “DELIVER YOU” (3X)
from your bondage, from your bondage.
RACHTZAH: WASH
Wash Wash Wash Your Hands
To: Row Row Row Your Boat
Wash, wash, wash your hands
Just before the meal
Purify, purify, purify, purify
‘Tis the time to steal.
MOTZI/MATZAH: BLESSING THE MATZAH
Ancestors Would
To: Norwegian Wood
I beheld that plate
Or should I say
It beheld me.
These symbols so strange
Know them I should;
Ancestors would.
I stared at that bone, then it told me, “I came from a lamb,
I sacrificed life to help slaves gain their freedoms again.”
I peered at those greens
Vibrance of spring
Salt water clings.
“Fresh hope dipped in tears,”
parsley then said,
“Joy and sad wed.”
I looked at charoset, it made sounds I struggled to hear.
“I’m thick paste for forming the bricks that the slaves made with fear.”
I then heard that egg
“Roasted and charred,
I’m sacrifice barred
from Temple now gone,
Symbol of praise
For all your days.”
I stared at horseradish, it scared me, then started to laugh,
“I’m bitter, like slav’ry, caused tears til they chose freedom’s path.”
And when I awoke
Matzah did say,
“It’s plain as day.
Feed hungry we should,
Do the world good,
Ancestors would.”
Oh What a Beautiful Matzah
To: Oh What a Beautiful Morning
All the food at the Seder has meaning (2x)
The story we tell, people living in hell
So we put on horseradish to make ourselves yell.
CHORUS:
Oh what a beautiful matzah
Oh what a flat piece of bread
Its whole life it’s never risen
Reminds us that slavery’s not dead.
Make a sandwich like Hillel has ordered (2x)
Pile sweet stuff and hot, on the matzah we’re taught
The freedom to remember, it cannot be bought.
CHORUS
‘Round the world there are people a’strugglin’ (2x)
And Pharaohs abound, keep folks down on the ground
‘Til a brave one like Moses to lead them is found.
CHORUS
Yes, this matzah’s the bread of affliction (2x)
When we eat it tonight, we remember our flight
We all must be Moses to fight for what’s right.
CHORUS
MAROR: BITTER HERB
Horseradish Club March
To: Mickey Mouse Club March
What’s that bitter on the plate
That could kill you and me?
H-O-R-S-E-R-A-D-I-S-H
Take care! Beware! Kids stare!
It’s as tasty as can be
H-O-R-S-E-R-A-D-I-S-H
Horseradish (lots of luck!)
Horseradish (don’t say “yuck”)
Forever let us eat the bitter
Herb! Herb! Herb! Herb!
Come along and sing a song
And tell our history!
H-O-R-S-E-R-A-D-I-S-H
KORECH: HILLEL SANDWICH
Does Your Matzah Lie Flat?
To: Do Your Ears Hang Low?
Does your matzah lie flat, or is it puffed and fat?
Will it hold charoset well, make horseradish taste real swell?
Can you fry it into brei that will make your bubbe sigh?
Does your matzah lie flat?
Is your horseradish hot, does it loosen up your snot?
Does it make your eyes sting and cause your ears to ring?
Does it make you think of slavery, and of our people’s bravery?
Is your horseradish hot?
Does your charoset taste sweet and give your mouth a treat?
Does it make you want to sing, does it make you want to eat?
Do you slather it on matzah just to drive yourself nuts-ah?
Does your charoset taste sweet?
Can you put ‘em all together, cuz old Hillel says it’s better?
Mix the sweet and the bitter, make his sandwich to the letter?
Now eat the whole creation, is its taste abomination?
McHillel to go.
SHULCHAN ORECH: FESTIVE MEAL
Home in the Spring
To: Home on the Range
Oh give me that meal, where the menu’s ideal
Where the matzah balls float in the bowl
Where seldom is heard an unhappy slurp
And the food fills both body and soul
Home, home in the spring
for the Seder and matzah ball soup
Where we sing every song, though it takes way too long
It’s a journey we make with a group
So whatever the date, I will not be late
For my mother’s charoset so sweet
Dad’s horseradish so hot, my taste buds are shot
And it tingles right down to my feet
Home, home in the spring
For the Seder and all that it means
Where we read every prayer, to skip one is rare
And the memories are more than routine
The Haggadah we read, it tells of the deeds
That Moses with G-d’s help performed
And Pharaoh so cruel, his power overrruled
A free people from slavery transformed.
Home, home in the spring
Like our ancestors moved toward that Land
We swim up the stream, like salmon with dreams
Home’s a Promise to hold in our hands.
TZAFUN: EAT THE AFIKOMEN
Find Find Find Dessert
to: Row Row Row Your Boat
Find, find, find dessert
Finish off the meal
Gotta look, gotta look, gotta look, gotta look
Can we make a deal?
Afikomen Is Found to Be Missing
To: My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean
Afikomen is found to be missing
Our “dee-zert” is not to be found
How can we continue this Seder?
Now we must all look around
CHORUS: Come back, come back,
Come back, Afikomen, to me, to me (repeat)
Can’t we pass over this roadblock?
This Seder’s as long as King Kong
How can we get on with this Seder
While we are still singing this song?
CHORUS
This mystery is meant for the children
To keep them in line all night long
It’d work best if it were a website
Would a virtual matzah be wrong?
CHORUS
Online we could search “Afikomen”
A million or more hits abound
We’d think then the Seder could Move On
‘Til it crashed, and we lost all we’d found.
CHORUS
If a virus ate our Afikomen
End of Seder we’d all have to sweat
Our server would serve just a zero
And we would eat nothing but ‘Net.
CHORUS
Let’s hope someone finds that darn matzah
Let’s pray it turns up pretty soon
If no one finds our Afikomen
Then we’ll be here sitting ‘til noon.
CHORUS
Afikomen Chorus
To: Hallelujah Chorus
Where’s that damn matzah hid?
I can’t find it.
Ah-fee-ko-men, Ah-fee-ko-men
Those kids have gone too far
It’s just NOT fair.
Ah-fee-ko-men, Ah-fee-ko-men
CHORUS: And we shall search for ever and ever
For ever and ever, forever and ever
All just to keep them still
What a dumb plan!
Ah-fee-ko-men, Ah-fee-ko-men
Soothes kids but riles their folks
I can’t stand it.
Ah-fee-ko-men, Ah-fee-ko-men
CHORUS: And we shall search for ever and ever
For ever and ever, forever and ever
Hey, what’s that sticking out?
I just FOUND it.
Ah-fee-ko-men, Ah-fee-ko-men
Now we can finish up
And drink more wine.
Manischewitz, Manischewitz
CHORUS: And we’ll drink wine for ever and ever
For ever and ever, forever and ever.
Note: obviously this is written for families where the ritual is for the kids to hide the Afikomen and for the adults to try to find it. For those families who do it the other way around, they need their own version.
BARECH: BLESS THE MEAL
Third Cup of Wine
To: There Were 12 Constipated Men in the Bible
We drink four different cups of wine
at the Seder, at the Seder
We drink four different cups of wine
at the Seder, at the Seder
Number three means “WILL REDEEM YOU” (3X)
with outstretched arm, with outstretched arm.
Prophet Elijah
To: Eleanor Rigby
Ah, look at all the hope-filled people (2x)
Prophet Elijah rode on a whirlwind to heaven, each spring he comes ‘round
We sing his song
Wait by our windows, look for the face that’d bring change to our lives so profound
New hope is found.
Doors for you we open
We open up our homes
Please come drink from your cup
This is your night to roam
Prophet Elijah enters the homes where the Seders stretch into the night
It’s like a dream.
Brings us his message: “Kids, open hearts to your parents, parents be kind.
Live without strife.”
“Doors for me you open
Now open up your hearts
Whatever comes can teach you
Of life, it’s all a part.”
Prophet Elijah, conscience of Jews who returns to mark peace in the world
“It’s up to you.
Actions can do it, you can make peace in your homes, and your work, and your school.
Don’t live like fools.”
“Doors are meant to open
Let in whatever comes.
Be doors, not walls, be open
And then my task is done.”
HALLEL: PRAISE
Fourth Cup of Wine
To: There Were 12 Constipated Men in the Bible
We drink four different cups of wine
at the Seder, at the Seder
We drink four different cups of wine
at the Seder, at the Seder
The fourth cup is “I WILL TAKE YOU” (3X)
for my people, for my people.
Manischewitz Medley
To: We Are Climbing Jacob’s Ladder
We are singing of Manischewitz (3x)
Wine that Jews -–adore
—abhor (Choose one)
To tune of “Alouette”
Manischewitz, pouring Manischewitz
Manischewitz—just drink another cup.
First a cup for liberty,
Next one’s just for puberty.
Oh….oh
Manischewitz, sweet old Manischewitz
Manischewitz, drink more if you dare.
To tune of “Dayenu”
We are drinking Manischewitz
It’s the wine the Bible credits
Made the Pesach story happen
Let’s review:
CHORUS: Man-is-chewitz, Man-is-chewitz
Man-is-chewitz; believe me, it’s all true.
When the Jews were leaving Egypt
Thought they’d really end their slavery
Dumped their wine in to the water
Sea so blue.
CHORUS
Then the water changed its color
Turned the Dead Sea into Red Sea
Wine so dry it made a pathway
They walked through.
CHORUS
When they hungered in the desert
God sent food down from the heavens
Called it by its nickname “Manna…”
What a brew!
CHORUS
So if you celebrate their journey
Don’t forget this wine is holy—
Wholly sweet and wholly horrid,
Now they’ll sue.
CHORUS
NIRTZAH: CLOSING
Next Year, Next Year
To: Tzena, Tzena
Next year
Next year
Next year
Next year
In Jerusalem
We’ll gather
Seder
Once again
Freedom
Freedom
Freedom
Freedom
In Jerusalem
To gather
Seder
Once again
Freedom
Freedom
To be free’s a blessing
We’re all free to meet again
REPEAT LAST VERSE
Optional: REPEAT WHOLE SONG, FASTER
Jerusalem This Year
To: Yellow Submarine
Now we’ve told our story old
And we’ve learned its lessons well:
We must fight what makes us slaves;
To be free, we must rebel.
As we near our Seder’s end,
To the future our thoughts turn—
We can share our dreams and goals,
Tell of things we hope to learn.
CHORUS: May each one live a life that’s free this year
Life that’s free this year, life that’s free this year
May each one build their Jerusalem this year
Jerusalem this year, Jerusalem this year
If we make a world that’s free (a world that’s free)
Every one of us (every one of us)
Has what we need (has what we need)
Live a life (live a life) that’s not routine (not routine)
With a chance (with a chance) to be serene (be serene).
CHORUS
S – E – D – E – R
To: B-I-N-G-O
(NOTE: * means clap one time for each *)
When full moon glows, folks share a meal
And talk of times so painful
S – E – D – E – R (3x)
We’re Seder-matzochistic
They break flat bread, spill drops of wine
Scream at grated maror
* - E – D – E – R (3x)
We’re Seder-matzochistic
They’re plagued by plagues, the night’s so long
Multiple Food Course Disorder
* - * - D – E – R (3x)
We’re Seder-matzochistic
For forty prayers, they wander ‘round
The end it does elude them
* - * - * - E – R (3x)
We’re Seder-matzochistic
Through eight whole days, they’ll eat no bread
Strict limits do remind them
* - * - * - * - R (3x)
We’re Seder-matzochistic
We’ve drunk too much, reclined like kings
Commemorated freedom
- * - * - * - * (3x)
We’re Seder-matzochistic
We’re celebration-istic
We’re going quite ballistic
We’re expialidocious
Pesach’s a psychosis
You get it through osmosis
This Seder’s matzochistic
This Seder’s matzochistic
