INTRODUCTION

On this eve of Passover, we are here to remember our ancestors’ quest for Freedom by telling the story of Passover. We appreciate our family and friends who are here to celebrate Passover with us, and the support they are showing us tonight by participating in this festive meal. By telling the story of Passover each year, we remember our struggle for freedom and the sacrifices that past generations of Jews have made for in order for us to be here today.

FREEDOM

Imagine a world without freedom. Many times in history, our Jewish people lived without freedom.

The Haggadah tells the story of one of those times.

The Haggadah tells about how our people were slaves and then became free.

In our Torah, one of the most important ideas is freedom.

Freedom means different things to different people.

Boys and girls who are free have the right to enjoy schools, libraries, playgrounds, movies, birthday parties, baseball and soccer games, and walks in the park.

To the musician, freedom means the right to play all types of music:  jazz, opera, folk, country, rock, and classical.

We are free to choose our own hobbies, jobs and way of life. If we are unhappy, we may try to make changes to make our lives better.

A person who is free may say “yes” even if everyone else is saying “no.”

Let us do what our ancestors have done for thousands of years. Let us remember the story of the Exodus from Egypt. Let us link ourselves with all the Jews who came before us. Let us celebrate freedom!

Light Yom Tov Candles - הַדְלָקַת הַנֵּרוֹת

We begin our Passover Seder by Lighting the Candles. By lighting candles in our home, we hope to illuminate our eyes, our minds, and our hearts to the potential of our future and the holiness these observances bring to our homes. 

After lighting the candles, recite:

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ אֱלֹהֵֽינו מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָֽׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו, וְצִוָּֽנוּ לְהַדְלִיק נֵר שֶׁל  [ שבת ושל ]  יוֹם טּוֹב.

Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu melech ha-olam, asher kid'shanu b'mitzvotav v'tzivanu l’hadlik ner shel  [ Shabbat  v’shel ]  yom tov.

Praised are you, Lord, our God, whose Presence fills the universe, who has sanctified our lives through Your commandments and commanded us to kindle the lights  [ for Shabbat and ]  of the Passover festival.

Conclude with Shehechiyanu.

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

Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu melech ha-olam, shehecheyanu v'ki'manu v'higi-anu laz'man hazeh.     

Praised are You Adonai our God King of the universe who has sustained us, maintained us and enabled us to reach this moment in life.

The seder officially begins with a physical act: lighting the candles.  In Jewish tradition, lighting candles and saying a blessing over them marks a time of transition, from the day that is ending to the one that is beginning, from ordinary time to sacred time.  Lighting the candles is an important part of our Passover celebration because their flickering light reminds us of the importance of keeping the fragile flame of freedom alive in the world.

Baruch Atah Adonai Eloheinu melech ha'olam asher kid'shanu b'mitzvotav, v'tzivanu l'hadlik ner shel Yom Tov.

Blessed are You, Adonai our God, Ruler of the Universe, who has sanctified us with laws and commanded us to light the festival lights.

As we light the festival candles, we acknowledge that as they brighten our Passover table, good thoughts, good words, and good deeds brighten our days.

Blessing of the Children -  בִּרְכַּת הַבָּנִים

[ On the Eve of Sabbath and of Holy days it is customary for Parents, either at the conclusion of the Service in Synagogue, or upon reaching their Home, to place a hand on the head of each child and pronounce the following Benediction. ]

For Sons say:

יְשִׂמְךָ אֱלֹהִים כְּאֶפְרַֽיִם וְכִמְנַשֶּׁה.

Yesimcha elohim k’efraim v’chimenashe.

May God make you as Ephraim and Manasseh.

For Daughters say:

יְשִׂמֵךְ אֱלֹהִים כְּשָׂרָה, רִבְקָה, רָחֵל וְלֵאָה.

Yesimeich elohim k’sara, rivka, rachel v’leah.

May God make you as Sarah, Rebekah, Rachel and Leah.

For Both Sons and Daughters:

יְבָרֶכְךָ יְיָ וְיִשְׁמְרֶֽךָ.

יָאֵר יְיָ פָּנָיו אֵלֶֽיךָ וִיחֻנֶּֽךָּ.

יִשָּׂא יְיָ פָּנָיו אֵלֶֽיךָ, וְיָשֵׂם לְךָ שָׁלוֹם.

Yevarech’cha Adonai v’yishm’recha. 

Yaeir Adonai panecha eilecha vichunecha.

Yisa Adonai panav eilecha v’yasem lecha shalom.

May God bless you and guard you.

May God turn his face to you and be gracious to you.

May God watch over you and grant you and your children and your childrens’ children peace and blessing, for us and all humanity, for all time.

Havdalah

On Saturday evening, we incorporate the following Havdalah section into the Kiddush to separate the sanctity of Sabbath from the Sanctity of the Festival of Pesach. Light a Havdalah candle from an existing light and then recite the following blessing.

[ בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ, אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, בּוֹרֵא מְאוֹרֵי הָאֵשׁ: ]

[ Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu melech ha-olam, borei m'orei ha-eish. ]

[Praised are You Adonai our God Lord of the universe who created the lights of fire.]

 בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ, אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, הַמַּבְדִּיל בֵּין קֹדֶשׁ לְחֹל בֵּין אוֹר לְחֹשֶׁךְ, בֵּין יִשְׂרָאֵל לָעַמִים,  בֵּין יוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי לְשֵׁשֶׁת יְמֵי הַמַּעֲשֶׂה. בֵּין קְדֻּשַּׁת שַׁבָּת לִקְדֻשַּׁת 

יוֹם טוֹב הִבְדַּלְתָּ. וְאֶת-יוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי מִשֵּׁשֶׁת יְמֵי הַמַּעֲשֶׂה קִדַּשְׁתָּ. הִבְדַּלְתָּ וְקִדַּשְׁתָּ אֶת-עַמְּךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל בִּקְדֻשָּׁתֶךָ. בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ, הַמַּבְדִּיל בֵּין קֹדֶשׁ לְקֹדֶשׁ: 

Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu melech ha-olam, hamavdil bein kodesh l'chol bein or l'choshech, bein yisra-eil la-amim, bein yom hashvi-i l'sheishet y'mei hama-aseh. Bein k'dushat shabbat likdushat yom tov hivdalta. V'et-yom hashvi-i misheishet y'mei hama-aseh kidashta. Hivdalta v'kidashta et-am'cha yisra-eil bikdushatecha. Baruch atah Adonai, hamavdil bein kodesh l'kodesh.                                                                               

Praised are you,  Adonai, our God, King of the universe, who distinguishes between the holy and profane, light and darkness, Israel and the people, Shabbat and the six weekdays, the holiness of Shabbat and the holiness of a Festival. You have imbued the Shabbat with greater holiness than the six weekdays and You have granted of Your holiness into Your people Israel. Praised are you,  Adonai, who distinguishes between degrees of sanctity.                                               

[ Conclude Kiddush with Shehehiyanu. ]

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

Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu melech ha-olam, shehecheyanu v'ki'manu v'higi-anu laz'man hazeh.

Praised are you Adonai our God King of the universe who has sustained us, maintained us and enabled us to reach this moment in life.

We were slaves in Egypt, now we are free. Let’s have a Seder! What’s on the Seder plate? Egg, herbs, bone, greens, charoset Let’s drink some wine. Why is this night different? Why is this child different? Ten plagues on the Egyptians. Enough already – Dayeinu! Drink wine again. Matzah, Maror, Hillel sandwich, let’s eat! Where’s the Afikoman? Thanks for the food! Drink some more Wine. Open the door for Elijah! Drink some wine – last one. Thanking and singing. Next year in Jerusalem!

KADDESH / Kiddush  -

Find a “pouring partner” and fill the wine cups.

Many people wonder why we drink four cups of wine on Passover. Well there are many reasons. First of all wine is a royal drink that symbolises freedom. So it seems appropriate to drink it on Passover because they became free. Also g-d convinced the Jews that they should leave Egypt using four statements, 1 I shall take you out, 2 I shall rescue you, 3 I shall redeem you, and 4 I shall bring you. That is part of the reason why we drink four cups on passover.

(Hold your cup of wine and say the following together):

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ, אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הַגָּפֶן:

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.

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.

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!

וּרְחַץ  - II. URHATZ / Hand Washing

Tonight is a festive occasion, a night in which we do special things. At our Seder tonight we will wash our hands at the table, as a way to prepare for the special night which is in front of us, and to wash our hearts of fear and prejudice of others.  (No prayer is said)

 We wash in preparation for eating the vegetable (Karpas). Since the need for such washing was questioned after the Rabbinic period and washing before eating vegetables fell ultimately into disuse except for the Seder, no blessing is required. A bowl and pitcher full of water is brought to the table. Each person pours water once over each hand, and dries them on a towel. When everyone has washed their hands, continue with the Seder.

We now take a vegetable, in this case parsely, to represent our joy at the dawning of spring after our long, cold winter. 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.

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?

III. KARPAS / Karpas - כַּרְפַּס

Dipping Parsley in Salt Water

Parsley (or any other vegetable such as celery or potato) is dipped in salt water and then eaten. The parsley symbolizes both the humble origins of the Jewish people as well as the rebirth of spring, which is starting now. (In Eastern Europe, where green vegetables were not common, a potato was used instead). The salt water symbolizes the tears shed during our slavery.

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ, אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הָאֲדָמָה:

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

Praised are you, Lord, our God, whose Presence fills the universe, who creates the fruit of the earth.

Our God and God of our ancestors, help those who are fleeing persecution today, as our ancestors did thousands of years ago.  Show loving kindness and compassion to those hemmed in by misery and captivity, to those who take to the open seas or traverse treacherous landscapes seeking freedom and liberty.  Rescue and recover them -- deliver them from gorge to meadow, from darkness to light.  Inspire us to act on behalf of those we do not know, on behalf of those we may never meet because we know the heart of the stranger.  We, too, ate the bread of affliction whose taste still lingers.  And so, dear God inspire us to pursue righteousness for those who seek the freedom we enjoy tonight.  Do it speedily and in our days, and let us say: Amen.

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?

The three Matzot remind us that there are still three kinds of people in the world:  those who are not yet free, those who don’t care about the freedom of others, and those who are free and help others to become free. It’s that sharing that we celebrate here this evening.

On this night, we break the bread of affliction in half to remind ourselves to share with others less fortunate. We will place half the Matzah back on the table, to never forget that others are hungry throughout the world. Let all who are hungry come and eat at our table, to remind us of our ancestors, and their hunger for freedom. For those Jews not yet free to practice their religion, we share their hope for freedom, and look forward to openly proclaiming their religion by Passover next year.

What else does the breaking of the middle Matzah symbolize?

 Break the middle Matzah into two parts.  The smaller half is returned to the stack; the other is placed in a special pouch and designated the Afikomen (the dessert). The Afikomen will be hidden for the children to find after the meal. It is traditional in some homes for children to “steal” the Afikomen and “hold it ransom.” The top matzah is to be used later for the “motzee-matzah” blessing recited for bread, and the bottom matzah is for “Korech,” the Hillel sandwich.

One of the first references to stealing the matzah comes from the Mishneh Torah of Maimonides, who states: “One should make some change in procedure on this night of the 15^th of Nisan in order that his sons should notice it and ask ‘How is this night different….’ In what way might the procedure be changed? By distributing parched grain or nuts to the children, by having the table removed before the meal would normally begin, by each trying to snatch away the other’s unleavened bread, and so on.”

What's missing in your Passover narrative? Fill in the blanks. Order your copy here: https://store.customandcraft.org/products/in-every-generation-poster

We tell the story of Passover!

Leader: Questions are central to the Seder experience. In fact, questions are central to the Jewish view of religion. Jewish law and thought have always allowed, even welcomed, questions. In the process of questioning, new knowledge and new understandings emerge. Questioning is also a sign of freedom. Slaves don’t ask questions. To ask a question is to demonstrate one’s freedom to explore, indeed, to question the symbols, rituals, and philosophies of the Seder experience.

(The Four questions begin)

V. MAGGID - מַגִּיד

The Passover Story

Ha Lahma Anya -הָא לַחְמָא עַנְיָא

On this night of Pesach we say to the poor and hungry (together):

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 celebrate Passover.

Today, we are here. Next year, in the land of Israel.

Today, we are slaves. Next year, we will be free.

Sing Ha Lachma Anya (#5 in song supplement)

Refill the wine cups

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.

Can we be humble enough to admit when we do not know something, rather than pretending to have the answer? Can we be gracious enough to answer another’s question without shaming them for not knowing? Can we be brave enough to inquire within, and ask ourselves our own hard questions? Can we open our hearts to the love that wants to come in, if only we will release our clever defenses?

Mah Nishtanah (Four Questions) -  מַה נִּשְׁתַּנָּה

מַה נִּשְׁתַּנָּה הַלַּֽיְלָה הַזֶּה מִכָּל הַלֵּילוֹת?

Mah nishtanah ha-laylah hazeh mikol ha-leilot?

Why is this night of Passover different from all other nights of the year?

1.  שֶׁבְּכָל הַלֵּילוֹת אָֽנוּ אוֹכְלִין חָמֵץ וּמַצָּה. הַלַּֽיְלָה הַזֶּה כֻּלּוֹ מַצָּה:

Sheb'chol ha-leilot anu och'lin chameitz umatzah. Ha-laylah hazeh kulo matzah.

On all other nights, we eat either leavened or unleavened bread, why on this night do we eat only matzah?

The Jewish people left Egypt in such a hurry that their bread wasn’t given time to rise. We eat Matzah to remind us of the trial of the Jews as they left Egypt with a limited time to gather food.

2.  שֶׁבְּכָל הַלֵּילוֹת אָֽנוּ אוֹכְלִין שְׁאָר יְרָקוֹת הַלַּֽיְלָה הַזֶּה מָרוֹר:

Sheb'chol ha-leilot anu och'lin sh'ar y'rakot. Ha-laylah kulo maror.

On all other nights, we eat herbs of all kinds, why on this night must we eat bitter herbs?

We eat bitter herbs to remind ourselves of the bitter times that the Jewish people have encountered. Persecution, prejudice, and the horrors of the Holocaust are not forgotten at this Seder tonight.

Together: We remember the suffering. We will not forget.

3.  שֶׁבְּכָל הַלֵּילוֹת אֵין אָֽנוּ מַטְבִּילִין אֲפִילוּ פַּֽעַם אֶחָת. הַלַּֽיְלָה הַזֶּה שְׁתֵּי פְעָמִים:

Sheb'chol ha-leilot ein anu matbilin afilu pa-am echat. Ha-laylah hazeh sh'tei f'amim.

On all other nights, we do not dip vegetables even once, why on this night do we dip greens into salt water and bitter herbs into sweet charoset?

We dip karpas in salt water to remind us of the tears our people cried. We dip the maror in the charoset to remind us that the Jewish slaves worked very hard in Egypt.

4. שֶׁבְּכָל הַלֵּילוֹת אָֽנוּ אוֹכְלִין בֵּין יוֹשְׁבִין וּבֵין מְסֻבִּין. הַלַּֽיְלָה הַזֶּה

כֻּלָּֽנוּ מְסֻבִּין:

Sheb’khol ha-leilot anu okhlim bein yoshvin uvein m’subin, halailah hazeh kulanu m’subin.

On all other nights, everyone sits up straight at the table, why on this night do we recline and eat at leisure?

In Egyptian times, only royalty was allowed to recline while eating. In the time of the Rabbis, reclining on couches was a sign of being as free man. We lean on pillows to remind us that once we were slaves but now we are free.

AVADIM HAYINU  -  עֲבָדִים הָיִינוּ

Storytelling: “We were slaves”

Song #3: Avadim Hayinu (see song supplement)

עֲבָדִים הָיִינוּ לְפַרְעֹה בְּמִצְרָֽיִם. וַיּוֹצִיאֵֽנוּ יְיָ אֱלֹהֵינוּ מִשָּׁם, בְּיָד חֲזָקָה וּבִזְרֽוֹעַ נְטוּיָה, וְאִלּוּ לֹא הוֹצִיא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אֶת־אֲבוֹתֵֽינוּ מִמִּצְרַֽיִם, הֲרֵי אָֽנוּ וּבָנֵינוּ וּבְנֵי בָנֵינוּ, מְשֻׁעְבָּדִים הָיִינוּ לְפַרְעֹה בְּמִצְרָֽיִם. וַאֲפִילוּ כֻּלָּֽנוּ חֲכָמִים, כֻּלָּֽנוּ נְבוֹנִים, כֻּלָּֽנוּ זְקֵנִים, כֻּלָּֽנוּ יוֹדְעִים אֶת־הַתּוֹרָה, מִצְוָה עָלֵֽינוּ לְסַפֵּר בִּיצִיאַת מִצְרָֽיִם. וְכָל הַמַּרְבֶּה לְסַפֵּר בִּיצִיאַת מִצְרַֽיִם, הֲרֵי זֶה מְשֻׁבָּח:

Avadim hayinu l'faroh b'mitzrayim. Vayotzi-einu Adonai   Eloheinu misham, b'yad chazakah uvizroa n'tuyah, v'ilu lo hotzi hakadosh Baruch hu et avoteinu mimitzrayim, harei anu uvaneinu uv'nei vaneinu, m'shubadim hayinu l'faroh b'mitzrayim. Va-afilu kulanu chachamim, kulanu n'vonim, kulanu z'keinim, kulanu yod'im et hatorah, mitzvah aleinu l'sapeir bitzi-at mitzrayim. V’chol hamarbeh l'sapeir bitzi-at mitzrayim, harei zeh m'shubach.

We were slaves in Egypt and the Lord freed us from Egypt with a mighty hand. Had not the holy one liberated our people from Egypt, then we, our children and our children's children would still be enslaved.

The Four Children - אַרְבָּעָה בָנִים

The four children have been said to represent many things such as four different kinds of personalities or the four stages of life. The four children also represent the importance of being together as a family and as a community. Members within our family and community are as different from one another as are the four children. We can acknowledge our differences but we can only maintain our strength and enjoy our freedom from slavery if we remain united. Just as the Haggadah highlights their differences but still places the four children together at the same table, may we embrace diversity in our own families and groups and enjoy the warm embrace of unity this Passover Season.

The Wise Child says: I want to know the meaning of all these rules.

This child is proud to be a Jew and is interested in sharing experiences that are important to Jews. We answer this child by teaching the child the rules of Passover, the meaning and the experiences of the Jewish people.

The Wicked Child says: Why do you bother with all these rules?

This child has not learned to include himself or herself in this question, and acts like he is not a member of the Jewish people. We answer this child by saying: Had you been in Egypt at the time of the Exodus, you would not have been included when God freed our ancestors from slavery. 

The Simple Child says: What is this all about?

This child needs to understand why we are sitting here. We answer this child by saying, “We do all these things because God helped us out of Egypt and freed us from slavery.

The Child Who Does Not Know Enough to Ask, we explain that Passover reminds us of what God did for us when we left Egypt.” We try to teach this child more about what it means to be a Jew.

The most devastating effect of slavery, ultimately, is that the slave internalizes the master's values and accepts the condition of slavery as his proper status. People who live in chronic conditions of poverty, hunger, and sickness tend to show similar patterns of acceptance and passivity. As with slaves,their deprivation deprives from their political and economic status and then becomes moral and psychological reality. It is this reality that was overthrown in the Exodus.—Irving Greenberg

We got used to standing in line at seven o'clock in the morning, at twelve noon, and again at seven o'clock in the evening. We stood in a long queue with a plate in our hand into which they ladled a little warmed-up water with a salty or a coffee flavor. Or else they gave us a few potatoes. We got used to sleeping without a bed, to saluting every uniform, not to walk on the sidewalks, and then again to walk on the sidewalks. We got used to undeserved slaps, blows, and executions. We got accustomed to seeing piled up coffins full of corpses, to seeing the sick amidst dirt and filth, and to seeing the helpless doctors. We got used to the fact that from time to time one thousand unhappy souls would come here, and that from time to time, another thousand unhappy souls would go away.—Peter Fischel, age 15, perished at Auschwitz, 1944

Avadim hayinu l’pharoh b’mitzrayim. Vayotzieinu Adonai Eloheinu misham, b’yad chazakah uvizroa netuyah
We were slaves to Pharaoh in Egypt, and Adonai, our God, brought us out from there with a strong hand and an outstretched arm.

Jews are a people of memory and action. On Passover, we use stories and rituals to remember and retell the narrative of our collective liberation. We share the ancient Exodus story, year after year, so that it resonates through the generations as a narrative of deliverance from slavery to freedom. In Hebrew, Egypt is called Mitzrayim, which means “a narrow place.” Every year, the Haggadah asks us not only to share the story of the Exodus, but challenges us to actively engage in the process of combating oppression. We are encouraged to connect the biblical story of Exodus to communal and individual struggles for liberation, and are reminded that the fight for freedom is ongoing.

Let’s discuss the process of Exodus, moving from “a narrow place” to a place of freedom. Every day, people fight for freedom on interpersonal, systemic, global and local levels. What are modern struggles for liberation? Discuss the following questions either in pairs or as a group to inspire thought, conversation and action:

Why do you think the text starts with “We were slaves” instead of “Our ancestors were slaves?” How does this quote from Martin Luther King, Jr. "no one is free until we are all free," connect to Avadim Hayinu? How are we free today? How are we still struggling? Share something that you are doing or can commit to doing to help move yourself or others from “a narrow place” to a place of shared freedom.

Refugees Give Refuge: A Rhode Island Mitzvah

Contributed by Mishael Zion

When we retell the story of our flight from Egypt, we come to appreciate all those who have been refugees and fugitives. The oldest standing synagogue in North America was built in 1763 in Newport, Rhode Island, by Spanish-Portuguese immigrants, descendants of persecuted Marrano Jews. They had come to America so they could, for the first time in generations, openly practice their Judaism in their new home. In the center of the synagogue, under the  Bima, they built a special hiding place, as a lesson learned from their many years of persecution and their undercover Jewish practice. For 100 years the congregants retold their story and passed on the secret of the underground shelter.

Thankfully, Jews have never had to use this hideout. But there were other people who came to the synagogue in search of a hiding place, on their way to freedom from oppression: In the years preceding the Civil War and the emancipation of slaves in the United States (1863, 100 years after the synagogue was founded), many slaves were smuggled from the South to the North, on their way to safety in Canada. The Jewish community put their synagogue and its underground hiding place at the disposal of the refugee slaves, fugitives from injustice, on their way to freedom. In this way they gave a renewed interpretation to the  mitzvah :

"If a slave has taken refuge with you from his/her persecutors, do not hand the slave over to the master. Let the fugitive slave live among you wherever s/he likes and in whatever town s/he chooses. Do not oppress the slave." (Deuteronomy, 23:15-16)

The Exodus Story 

The Torah tells us the story of our forefather, Jacob. A long time ago, Jacob led his people from Canaan to Egypt, due to a severe drought in Canaan. He believed that he would find more food and water to feed his people in the dry, hot desert. The Pharaoh, leader of the Egyptians, welcomed the small group of Jewish people into Egypt. The Jewish people (called Hebrews in those old days) worked very hard, and earned the respect of the Egyptians. In fact, Jacob’s son, Joseph worked for the Pharaoh and helped the Egyptians to become a great community! 

One day, the Pharaoh died, and a new ruler, re-named Pharaoh, took the throne. He was very scared of the Hebrews, because there were so many of them living in Egypt. The new King thought that the Hebrews might hurt him one day, so he made them slaves. The King wanted to know where the Hebrews were at all times, so he made them work day and night, building huge pyramids and buildings to the Egyptian gods.

Pharaoh was very mean to the Hebrews. He didn’t give them enough food to eat, he had the Hebrews beaten, and he took away many important things in their lives.

The Hebrews were not allowed to celebrate Shabbat, and had many things taken away from them like their homes, important animals like cows and goats and sometimes, their family. The Jewish people were very unhappy, and cried out to God to save them.

When the Jews were slaves in Egypt, the Pharaoh decreed that every new born baby boy be drowned in the Nile River. The King decreed this terrible fate on Jewish baby boys so there would not be as many Jews in Egypt. One couple, Amram and Yocheved, hid their newborn at home for three months, but knew he would be killed if he was found. When the baby’s cries became too loud, Yocheved placed him in a basket on the river. Their daughter Miriam watched to see what would happen. When the Pharaoh’s daughter came to bathe in the river, she discovered the basket. Feeling pity for the helpless child, she decided to take him as her own and named him Moshe (Moses), meaning “drawn from the water.”

Bravely, Miriam asked the princess if she needed a nurse to help her with the baby.  The princess said yes, and so it happened that Yocheved was able to care for her own son and teach him about his heritage.

Moses grew up into a man. One day, he saw an Egyptian kill a Hebrew slave. Moses was so angered he killed the Egyptian and ran into the wilderness.  He became a shepherd under the care of some Hebrews, and the Pharaoh he knew died during this time. A new Pharaoh took his place.

One day, while out shepherding, Moses saw a burning bush. The fire did not consume the bush and a voice spoke to Moses, telling him to deliver the Hebrews from slavery.

With his older brother Aaron as spokesman, Moses went before Pharaoh asking him to free the Israelites.  The Pharaoh refused. He made the Israelites work harder.

Finally, God brought ten plagues on the Egyptians.  After each plague, Moses came to the Pharaoh and demanded the Hebrews be set free. After each plague, the Pharaoh promised to free the slaves, but did not keep his word.

This part of our Passover story is best described in this familiar song:

Go Down Moses

When Israel was in Egypt's land,

Let my people go;

Oppressed so hard they could not stand,

Let my people go.

Chorus

Go down, Moses,

Way down in Egypt's land;

Tell old Pharaoh

To let my people go!

"Thus saith the Lord," bold Moses said,

Let my people go;

"If not, I'll smite your first-born dead,"

Let my people go.

Chorus

No more shall they in bondage toil,

Let my people go;

Let them come out with Egypt's spoil,

Let my people go.

Chorus

Finally, God sent a terrible plague down to Egypt. Before he did this, he said to Moses:  Tell the Hebrews to sacrifice a lamb on the fourteenth day of the month of Nisan. The Hebrews were to take the blood of the lamb, and mark their door-posts of their house, and roast the flesh of the lamb. That evening, God passed over the houses with the Angel of Death, and did not enter the Hebrews’ homes. When the Angel of Death came to Egyptian homes and saw the homes were not marked, the first born male of each family was taken and died that evening.  It was only after this plague that Pharaoh agreed to let the Israelites go.

Let us all fill our cups with wine...

Reader 1: Tonight we drink four cups of the fruit of the vine. There are many explanations for this custom. They represent, some have said, the four terms God to describe the redemption in Exodus: "I shall take you out...", "I shall rescue you...",  "I shall redeem you...", "I shall bring you..."  The four cups might also reprsent the four corners of the earth, for freedom must live everywhere; the four seasons of the year, for freedom's cycle must last through all the seasons.

Reader 2: A full cup of wine symbolizes complete happiness. The triumph of Passover is diminished by the sacrifice of many human lives when ten plagues were visited upon the people of Egypt. In the ancient story, the plagues that befell the Egyptians resulted from the decisions of tyrants, but the greatest suffering occurred among those who had no choice but to follow. It is fitting that we mourn their loss of life, and express our sorrow over their suffering.  Therefore, let us diminish the wine in our cups as we recall the ten plagues that befell the Egyptian people.

[As each plague is named, everyone dips a finger in wine and then touches a plate to remove the drop.]

Blood, Frogs, Gnats, Flies, Cattle Disease, Boils, Hail, Locusts,Darkness, Death of the
Firstborn.

Reader 3: In the same spirit, our celebration today is also shadowed by our awareness of continuing sorrow and oppression in all parts of the world. Ancient plagues are mirrored in modern
tragedies.

Reader 4: We are a world people, living in many lands and among many nations. The power of science has shrunk our planet and has made all of us the children of one human family. We are all victims together of enormous social problems. We share in their effects and in the responsibility to overcome them.

Reader 5: We spill wine from our cups at the mention of each of these contemporary plagues. We cannot allow ourselves to drink a full measure since our own lives are sobered by these ills, which darken our lives and diminish our joy. As the pain of others diminishes our joys, let us once more diminish the wine of our festival as we repeat the names of these modern plagues:

Group:
Hunger, War, Crime,
Disease, Racism, Abuse,
Poverty, Homophobia, Pollution,
Apathy and indifference to human suffering.

 The Ten Plagues

We fill our cups of wine to remember our joy in being able to leave Egypt. Yet our happiness is not complete, because the Egyptians, who are also God’s children, suffered from Pharaoh’s evil ways. Therefore, we spill a drop of wine from our cups (with a finger or spoon) as we say each plague. Let’s read them together and remove a drop of wine from our glasses as we recite each one:

דָּם   Dam………There was BLOOD in all the water of Egypt. The Egyptians could not bathe, they could not take a drink. They could not water their flowers or crops. They could not enjoy a refreshing swim.

צְפַרְדֵּֽעַ   Tzfardeah…….. FROGS hopped and croaked everywhere. No one could sleep, walk or play in peace. The noise was awful! Everything seemed to be moving and people were dizzy.

כִּנִּים   Kinim…LICE made everyone scratch their skin so hard that people hurt all over.

עָרוֹב   Arov…..WILD BEASTS galloped, slithered, snorted, growled, roared and clawed in every corner of Egypt. Soon, there was no room for the people.

דֶּֽבֶר   Dever……… There were DISEASES that could not be cured. Coughing, sneezing, sore throats, gasping for breath, watering eyes and aching arms and legs made everyone miserable.

שְׁחִין   Sh’hin ……….. BOILS burst from their skin. They were so uncomfortable! The Egyptians could not even get dressed without screaming from the pain

בָּרָד   Barad……….. HAIL rained down as dangerous balls of ice. The hail smashed roofs and damaged crops. It broke everything the Egyptians owned.

אַרְבֶּה   Arbeh………… LOCUSTS swarmed over all the trees and blades of grass. The buzzing and sound of flapping wings frightened everyone. Vegetables and fruits were gobbled up and only dust remained on the ground.

חֹֽשֶׁךְ   Hoshekh………… DARKNESS blotted the sun. People were always cold. Moonlight and stars did not appear. Everyday was pitch black.

מַכַּת בְּכוֹרוֹת   Makat B’khorot…….The first-born son of every Egyptian family died.

The Hebrews had so little time to pack that their bread did not rise. When Pharaoh changed his mind and chased after the Israelites, God miraculously caused the Red Sea to split, allowing the Israelites to cross safely. When the Egyptians entered the Sea, it returned to its natural state and the mighty Egyptian army drowned.

The Hebrews, led by Moses, survived in the desert for 40 years, under Moses' guidance. Finally, Moses delivered the Hebrews to Canaan, and they live there today in the land now called Israel.

To remember how God came to our aid in a time of need, we celebrate Passover each year on the 14th of Nisan, with eight days of unleavened bread and a feast telling the tale of deliverance from bondage. We tell this tale this year to remember and not forget.

A new and happy time began for our people. As they stood on the other side of the sea, they sang words that we still sing today:  “Who is like you oh God” You are the Eternal One, the One who saved us!”

One of the favorite hits from our salon, CROSSING OUR RED SEA, presented by The Braid in 2018

DAYEINU - דַּיֵּנוּ:

“It Would Have Been Sufficient”

God has shown the Jews many acts of kindness. For each one, we say, dayeinu, meaning “that alone would have been enough, for that alone we are grateful.

If God had only created the world and not brought us out of Egypt, it would have been enough:  Dayeinu

If God had only brought us out of Egypt but not divided the sea:  Dayeinu

If God had only divided the sea but not helped us cross on dry land:  Dayeinu

If God had only helped us cross on dry land but had not given us the Sabbath:  Dayeinu

If God had only given us the Sabbath but had not given us the Torah:  Dayeinu

If God had only given us the Torah but had not sent us wise teachers:  Dayeinu

[ We sing together. ]

אִלּוּ הוֹצִי הוֹצִיאָֽנוּ                                               Ilu  hotzi hotzi-anu mimitzrayim,

הוֹצִיאָֽנוּ מִמִּצְרַֽיִם  (2)       דַּיֵּנוּ:                                hotzi-anu mimitzrayim                                                                                                                                   Dayeinu (2 times)

אִלּוּ  נָתַן נָתַן לָֽנוּ                                                  Ilu natan natan lanu et hashabat,  נָתַן לָֽנוּ אֶת־הַשַּׁבָּת             דַּיֵּנוּ:                                         natan lanu et hashabat

Dayeinu        

אִלּוּ נָתַן                                                                         Ilu natan natan lanu           

נָתַן לָֽנוּ אֶת־הַתּוֹרָ        דַּיֵּנוּ                                           natan lanu et hatora                       Dayeinu        

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.”

---

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!

10.  RABBAN GAMLIEL - רַבָּן גַּמְלִיאֵל

Pesach.  Matzah, U-maror  

Rabbi Gamliel, the head of the Sanhedrin (rabbinical court) near the end of the Second Temple Period (first century CE) said that in the telling of the story of the Exodus, we must first explain the meaning of the three most important symbols:  Pesach (Paschal Lamb),  Matzah and Maror (Bitter Herb).

Pesach–פֶּסַח–is the Passover sacrifice as represented by the shank bone. The Pesach sacrifice reminds us that God “passed over” the Israelite houses when the tenth plague was visited upon the Egyptians. Since we no longer sacrifice lambs, we place a symbolic bone on the Seder plate to remind us that there are still Jews who are sacrificing their freedom in the world today.

Matzah–מַצַה–the unleavened bread. Matzah is specially prepared with flour and water that is made in less than 18 minutes. It has no yeast and does not rise. We eat matzah to remind ourselves that our people had only a few minutes to escape into the desert and did not have time to allow their bread to rise.

Maror–מָרוֹר–is the bitter herb on our Seder plate. It reminds us of the bitter pain and suffering the Israelites went through as slaves in Egypt. Each year, we gather together to tell the Passover story, from slavery to freedom, and remind ourselves to never allow each other to become enslaved and bitter with out lives.

(see page 35 for reading about the orange on the Seder Plate—“The Inclusionary Fruit)

The Passover Symbols

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.

The Orange

Even after one has encountered the collection of seemingly unconnected foods on the seder plate year after year, it’s fun to ask what it’s all about. Since each item is supposed to spur discussion, it makes sense that adding something new has been one way to introduce contemporary issues to a seder.

So how was it that the orange found its place on the seder plate as a Passover symbol of feminism and women’s rights?

The most familiar version of the story features Susannah Heschel, daughter of Abraham Joshua Heschel and scholar in her own right, giving a speech about the ordination of women clergy. From the audience, a man declared, “A woman belongs on the bima like an orange belongs on the seder plate!” However, Heschel herself tells a different story.

During a visit to Oberlin College in the early 1980s, she read a feminist Haggadah that called for placing a piece of bread on the seder plate as a symbol of the need to include gays and lesbians in Jewish life. Heschel liked the idea of putting something new on the seder plate to represent suppressed voices, but she was uncomfortable with using chametz, which she felt would invalidate the very ritual it was meant to enhance. She chose instead to add an orange and to interpret it as a symbol of all marginalized populations.

Miriam’s Cup

A decade later, the ritual of Miriam’s Cup emerged as another way to honor women during the seder. Miriam’s Cup builds upon the message of the orange, transforming the seder into an empowering and inclusive experience.

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.

Miriam has long been associated with water. The rabbis attribute to Miriam the well that traveled with the Israelites throughout their wandering in the desert. In the Book of Numbers, the well dries up immediately following Miriam’s death. Of course, water played a role in Miriam’s life from the first time we meet her, watching over the infant Moses on the Nile, through her triumphant crossing of the Red Sea.

There is no agreed-upon ritual for incorporating Miriam’s Cup into the seder, but there are three moments in the seder that work particularly well with Miriam’s story.

1) As Moses’s sister, Miriam protected him as an infant and made sure he was safely received by Pharaoh’s daughter. Some seders highlight this moment by invoking her name at the start of the Maggid section when we begin telling the Passover story.

2) Other seders, such as this one, incorporate Miriam’s cup when we sing songs of praise during the Maggid and later during the Hallel as a reminder that Miriam led the Israelites in song and dance during the Exodus.

3) Still others place Miriam’s Cup alongside the cup we put out for Elijah.

Just as there is no set time in the seder to use Miriam’s Cup, there is no set ritual or liturgy either. Some fill the cup with water at the start of the seder; others fill the cup during the seder. Some sing Debbie Friedman’s “Miriam’s Song”; others sing “Miriam Ha-Neviah.” As with all seder symbols, Miriam’s Cup is most effective when it inspires discussion.

What does Miriam mean to you? How do all of her roles, as sister, protector, prophet, leader, singer, and dancer, contribute to our understanding of the Exodus story? Who are the Miriams of today?

Fun fact: Persian and Afghani Jews hit each other over the heads and shoulders with scallions every time they say Dayenu! They especially use the scallions in the ninth stanza which mentions the manna that the Israelites ate everyday in the desert, because Torah tells us that the Israelites began to complain about the manna and longed for onions, leeks and garlic. Feel free to be Persian/Afghani for the evening if you’d like.

If He had brought us out from Egypt אִלּוּ הוֹצִיאָנוּ מִמִּצְרָיִם

and had not carried out judgments against them וְלֹא עָשָׂה בָּהֶם שְׁפָטִים

— Dayenu, it would have been enough דַּיֵּנוּ

If He had given us the Shabbat אִלּוּ נָתַן לָנוּ אֶת הַשַּׁבָּת

and had not brought us before Mount Sinai וְלֹא קֵרְבָנוּ לִפְנֵי הַר סִינַי

— Dayenu, it would have been enough דַּיֵּנוּ

If He had given us the Torah אִלּוּ נָתַן לָנוּ אֶת הַתּוֹרָה

and had not brought us into the land of Israel וְלֹא הִכְנִיסָנוּ לְאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל

 Dayenu, it would have been enough דַּיֵּנוּ

What is a Miriam’s Cup?

A Miriam’s Cup is a new ritual object that is placed on the seder table beside the Cup of Elijah. Miriam’s Cup is filled with water. It serves as a symbol of Miriam’s Well, which was the source of water for the Israelites in the desert. Putting a Miriam’s Cup on your table is a way of making your seder more inclusive.

It is also a way of drawing attention to the importance of Miriam and the other women of the Exodus story, women who have sometimes been overlooked but about whom our tradition says, "If it wasn’t for the righteousness of women of that generation we would not have been redeemed from Egypt" (Babylonian Talmud, Sotah 9b).

There are many legends about Miriam’s well. It is said to have been a magical source of water that followed the Israelites for 40 years because of the merit of Miriam. The waters of this well were said to be healing and sustaining. Thus Miriam’s Cup is a symbol of all that sustains us through our own journeys, while Elijah’s Cup is a symbol of a future Messianic time.

This is the Cup of Miriam, the cup of living waters. Let us remember the Exodus from Egypt. These are the living waters, God’s gift to Miriam, which gave new life to Israel as we struggled with ourselves in the wilderness. Blessed are You God, Who brings us from the narrows into the wilderness, sustains us with endless possibilities, and enables us to reach a new place."

Miriam's cup should be passed around the table allowing each participant to pour a little water form their glass into Miriam's cup.  This symbolizes the support of notable Jewish women throughout our history which are often not spoken about during our times of remembrance. 

KOS SHEINEE - כּוֹס שֵנִי

Second Cup of Wine

(Hold cup of wine in your hands)

We now take this cup in our hands for the second Kiddush, the second cup of wine. We do this to remember God's second promise to the Jewish people, promising to deliver them from slavery. God, in respect for all life, has taught us that no person should be a slave of another. To celebrate our freedom from slavery, we say together:

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ, אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הַגָּֽפֶן:

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.

(Drink the cup of wine and refill)

A Jewish man took his Passover lunch to eat outside in the park. He sat down on a bench and began eating. Since Jews do not eat leavened bread during the eight day holiday, he was eating Matzo, the flat crunchy unleavened bread that has dozens of perforations.

A little while later a blind man came by and sat down next to him. Feeling neighborly, the Jewish man passed a sheet of matzo to the blind man. The blind man handled the matzo for a few minutes, looked puzzled, and finally exclaimed, "Who wrote this crap?"

Miriam’s Cup

Raise the empty goblet & say: Miriam's cup is filled with water, rather than wine. As we pass the cup around table, we fill it with water from our own glasses.

As Miriam's cup is being passed, read the following:

A Midrash teaches us that a miraculous well accompanied the Hebrews throughout their journey in the desert, providing them with water. This well was given by God to Miriam, the prophetess, to honor her bravery and devotion to the Jewish people. Both Miriam and her well were spiritual oases in the desert, sources of sustenance and healing. Her words of comfort gave the Hebrews the faith and confidence to overcome the hardships of the Exodus. We fill Miriam's cup with water to honor her role in ensuring the survival of the Jewish people. Like Miriam, Jewish women in all generations have been essential for the continuity of our people. As keepers of traditions in the home, women passed down songs and stories, rituals and recipes, from mother to daughter, from generation to generation. Let us each fill the cup of Miriam with water from our own glasses, so that our daughters may continue to draw from the strength and wisdom of our heritage.

When Miriam's cup is filled, raise the goblet and say:

We place Miriam's cup on our Seder table to honor the important role of Jewish women in our tradition and history, whose stories have been too sparingly told.

Miriam's life is a contrast to the life of Elijah, and both teach us important lessons. Elijah was a hermit, who spent part of his life alone in the desert. He was a visionary and prophet, often very critical of the Jewish people, and focused on the messianic era. On the other hand, Miriam lived among her people in the desert, following the path of chesed, or loving kindness. She constantly comforted the Israelites throughout their long journey, encouraging them when they lost faith. Therefore, Elijah's cup is a symbol of future messianic redemption, while Miriam's cup is a symbol of hope and renewal in the present life. We must achieve balance in our own lives, not only preparing our souls for redemption, but rejuvenating our souls in the present. Thus, we need both Elijah's cup and Miriam's cup at our Seder table.

Inclusive Fruit for Reactionary Times

Susannah Heschel may be best known for a story that both is and is not hers.

After researching the marginalized roles of women, gays, and lesbians, Heschel decided, one Passover Seder, to place an orange on her family’s Seder plate.

“I chose an orange because it suggests the fruitfulness for all Jews when lesbians and gay men are contributing and active members of Jewish life,” Heschel wrote in an essay about the choice. “I also saw the orange as representing the fruitfulness that results when women lead the Seder.

“Thus, while I originally placed an orange on my family Seder plate for a combination of reasons related to women’s marginality in Judaism,” she explained, “when we ate the orange, I sent a message that was loud and clear: We were doing so to express our solidarity with gay and lesbian Jews. To speak of slavery and long for liberation demands that we acknowledge our own complicity in enslaving others.”

Heschel would mention her decision to place the orange on the Seder plate in lectures—and was soon approached by strangers who told her that they were placing oranges on their Seder plate because they had heard a story about her.

“The story went that, after a lecture I delivered in Miami Beach, a man stood up and angrily denounced feminism, saying that a woman no more belongs on the bimah [pulpit] than an orange belongs on the Seder plate,” Heschel wrote. “After hearing this tale dozens of times, all over the country, I realized my story had fallen victim to a kind of folktale process in which my custom was affirmed, but my original intention was subverted. My idea—a woman’s words—were attributed to a man, and my goal of affirming lesbians and gay men was erased.”

Heschel has spent her entire professional life writing about feminist perspectives within the context of a larger patriarchal framework. Her own father, Abraham Joshua Heschel, was a celebrated Jewish theologian, rabbi, and philosopher whose legacy of social activism inspires her to this day. Her own professional achievements are currently being celebrated by her inclusion in an on-line exhibit of the Jewish Women’s Archive at www.jwa.org: “Jewish Women and the Feminist Revolution.”

Heschel published the book On Being a Jewish Feminist in 1983 while she was a graduate student, and when the words Jewish and feminist were seldom uttered in the same breath. Her contributions to the archive include a letter thanking her for her talk on Judaism and feminism in 1984, and a letter from a Clark University undergraduate thanking her for her talk there in 1983.

Her biographical profile on the site tells of how the early 1980s were a watershed moment for many Jewish women, who took up the mantle of feminism upon reading Heschel’s book.

“I was invited (and sometimes disinvited) to speak at Jewish book fairs and community gatherings, where the audiences lagged far behind the consciousness of feminist Jews,” Heschel wrote in the Jewish Women’s Archive website. “My talks became less information-based lectures than consciousness-raising sessions.”

With the publication of her book, she noted, “I began to experience an emotional change as a feminist: my rage turned to laughter at the absurdity of sexism and its defenders, and I felt energized by the constructive efforts of those working for change.”

“A lot of things made me quite angry about the way women were treated in the Jewish community, and I found them very hurtful,” Heschel says now, citing issues related to the ordination of women rabbis as an example. “But after writing about it, talking to other women, and so on, I was able to laugh, because it all seemed so ridiculous—and the laughter itself was a kind of empowerment that was important.”

Heschel doesn’t see much to laugh about, however, when it comes to the political climate towards feminism.

“There are still very patronizing attitudes” within the Jewish community, she says. “Women can be ordained as rabbis, but nonetheless have to face congregants who speak down to them. There isn’t a lot of solidarity.” Beyond that, a “very disturbing” and “reactionary” trend has recently emerged throughout American culture, she believes.

To see passivity in the context of feminist issues, one need only look at American college campuses, Heschel suggests. “I think that undergraduate women have not experienced the same kinds of inequities that I experienced. Their mothers have had an easier time than my mother. So in that sense, their approach to life is quite different.

“It’s usually in the years after college that things get especially difficult—when they have to get a job, when they look for a spouse—that’s when they start to experience some pretty bad things.”

While “a lot of the feminist movement was focused on institutional inequities, and turned to legal structures for remedy,” she notes, it “didn’t address hostile attitudes and misogyny. If anything, there’s been a rise in resentment.

“Those are the kinds of problems that are intransigent,” she warns. “They’re going to be with us for a very long time. They’re problems of attitude, and they’re much more difficult to overcome than problems of structural or legal inequity.”

©2007 The Pennsylvania Gazette
Last modified 02/28/07

We have been reading a lot about Passover traditions around the world as we prepare to host this pesach and select the elements we'd like to use in our Haggadah. In so doing we came across the Persian / Iranian tradition of "Dayeinu warfare" a battle of onions!

From http://www.joyofkosher.com/2012/03/a-perfectly-persian-pesach/

"According to tradition, the reason we beat each other with scallions during Dayenu is to remind us of the suffering our brethren experienced in Egypt. The scallions represent the whips the Egyptians used on the Jewish slaves. However, why should we do this during Dayenu? Isn’t constipation due to matzah consumption enough of a pain to remind us of all kinds of suffering? Well, Dayenu is written as a poem to show gratitude to Hashem over all the big and little things He did for us during these times. But let’s be honest, who can ever really say a proper “thank you” for something that happened thousands of years ago? Hence, It is only by going through a little bit of the affliction (by the way of smelly scallions) we felt when we were slaves that we can actually be thankful today and realize from what we were spared. Plus, [...] the experience is incredibly cathartic!"

And from http://sdjewishjournal.com/sdjj/april-2015/persian-passover-and-a-brief-...

Nothing quite compares to what comes next. A big platter of green onions look appetizing enough…except, we cannot eat them. These onions are for flogging.

“During the reading of the Dayenu, everyone young and old gets a hold of a green onion…we wait patiently to get to the reciting of the word, ‘Dayenu.’”

That’s when the semi-formal Persian Passover turns into mayhem.

“People jump up from their seat and begin hitting each other with green onions,” Ross says. “Some people say this is [...] for a few seconds of fun. Some people say it is to feel the lashes that our ancestors endured as slaves in Egypt. It is not really known as to when or why this tradition started,” though it’s customary, she concludes. If nothing else, it brings a little levity into the ceremony.

So without further ado - here come the onions!

RAHTZAH  - רָחְצָה

 2^nd Ritual Hand washing

Everyone at the Seder now ritually washes before Motzee-Matzah. We wash because (1) we are a “kingdom of priests” and whenever we wash before eating, we are reminded of that special role, and (2) the ritual washing recalls the priestly eating of their tithes in purity.

Pour water from a cup once on each hand over a sink or basin hands, this time with a blessing, to prepare for the eating of the matzah:

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.

Praised are you, Adonai, Lord of the universe, who sanctified us with his commandment to wash our hands.

MOTZI - MATZAH - מּוֹצִיא מַצָּה

Why do we eat unleavened bread (Matzah) only on Passover?

(Take the top Matzah, break it up into pieces and distribute them around the table)

בְָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ, אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, הַמּוֹצִיא לֶֽחֶם מִן הָאָֽרֶץ:

Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu melech ha-olam, hamotzi lechem min ha-aretz.

Praised are you, Adonai, Lord of the universe, who brings forth sustenance from the earth.

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.

Praised are you, Adonai, Lord of the universe, who sanctified us with his commandment to eat matzah.

(Matzah is passed and eaten)

A simple piece of Matzah serves to remind us of the immense suffering of ancient slavery. Now we take into account a second item, bitter chocolate, to remind us of modern suffering. One might question how chocolate is representative of hardship, for its purpose is to satisfy one’s pleasures, to be eaten in times of love and craving. Simply put, it is expected to be sweet, but when it is not, the unwanted chocolate is automatically dismissed and rejected. The expectations of chocolate is to be sweet and readily available for one’s satisfaction. Victims/survivors of rape culture can be seen in a similar light. A prize to be won by the hands of a pursuer, it softens, melts, drip, drip, drip. Their dignity mutilated down the wrist, almost ink, slowly hardening to etch su ering like blood. No longer a clean-cut square, the chocolate is transformed into a desired shape, sugar stu ed in to make it what it is not. Today, we embrace chocolate in its plain form, celebrating not its bitterness, but its strength.

Everyone at the table should eat a piece of bitter chocolate and consider quietly the ways in which they feel pressured to take shapes that aren’t natural to them.

MAROR / Bitter Herbs -  מָרוֹר

Why do we eat Bitter herbs (maror) at the Seder table?

Dip a small amount of bitter herbs into the salt water or haroset (symbolic of mortar). Before eating it, a berakha is recited. Some people mix the pieces of horse-radish with haroset. We generally do not recline while eating maror as it is a symbol of slavery.

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיַָ אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָֽׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו וְצִוָּֽנוּ עַל אֲכִילַת מָרוֹר:

Baruch atah Adonai Eloheinu melech ha-olam, asher kid’shanu b'mitzvotav  v'tzivanu  al  achilat maror. 

Praised are you, Adonai, Lord of the universe, who sanctified us with his commandment to eat the bitter herb.

Why do we dip foods twice tonight?

We dip the bitter herbs (karpas) into the salt water twice to remind us of the tears of unhappiness the Hebrews cried as they were enslaved.

(Dip another small amount of bitter herbs into the salt water and eat)

Why do we eat chopped apples & nuts (Charoset) at the Seder table?

When Jews were slaves in Egypt, they were forced to build Egyptian temples and pyramids. To remind us of their enslavement, we eat a mixture of apples & nuts, which represents the mortar that held the stones together. We eat bitter and sweet foods together to remind us that even when the Jewish people have been sad there has always been hope for happier times.

(Take a piece of matzah and spread with charoset and eat)

KOREKH / Hillel Sandwich - כּוֹרֵךְ

In ancient times, Rabbi Hillel ate the three symbolic foods (lamb, matzah and bitter herbs) folded together so that each mouthful contained all three, combining the symbols of slavery and liberation. Since we no longer bring sacrifices to the Temple, we eat just matzah and maror in a "Hillel sandwich". No special blessing is said, but we do read the following:

זֵכֶר לְמִקְדָּשׁ כְּהִלֵּל: כֵּן עָשָׂה הִלֵּל בִּזְמַן שֶׁבֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ הָיָה קַיָּם. הָיָה כּוֹרֵךְ פֶּסַח מַצָּה וּמָרוֹר וְאוֹכֵל בְּיַֽחַד. לְקַיֵּם מַה שֶּׁנֶּאֱמַר: עַל־מַצּוֹת וּמְרוֹרִים יֹאכְלֻֽהוּ:

Zeicher l'mikdash k'hileil. Kein asah hileil bizman shebeit hamikdash hayah kayam. Hayah koreich pesach, matzah, u-maror v'ocheil b'yachad. L'kayeim mah shene-emar. “Al matzot um'rorim yochlu-hu.”

Join Dr. Mom as she plays with her (non)favorite Passover foods. Watch her blow up eggs, gefilte fish, and matzah balls, and make a fun mess!

Dr. Mom is has a PhD in organic chemistry, and is the co-founder of StellarNova, a STEM edutainment company that inspires kids to learn science in a fun & interactive way.

Learn more at www.stellarnova.co

Repair the World and Be’chol Lashon invite you to explore how the Jewish community, a multiracial and multiethnic people, can examine our past and present journeys from Exodus to freedom. Ask guests to read the questions aloud and share their own Passover traditions!

Question: Why do Jews from Gibraltar sprinkle a little bit of brick dust into their charoset? Answer: To remind them of the bricks that the Israelite slaves were forced to make.

Question: What do Hungarian Jews place on the Seder table to represent the precious gifts given to the Israelites as they departed Egypt? Answer: Gold and Jewelry

Question: When they read the piece of the Haggadah that begins “We were slaves to Pharaoh in Egypt” (In Hebrew “Avadim Hayinu”), Jews from this country take a pillowcase filled with heavy objects and carry it on their backs around the table. Answer: Syria

Question: Which symbol from the seder plate do the Kavkazi Jews of the Caucasus hide for the children to find instead of the matza? Answer: An Egg

Question: Why do many Middle Eastern Jewish families whip each other with scallions at the Seder table? Answer: To mimic the whips of slave drivers in Egypt.

Question: Because Moses floated in the river what item do many Jews of Tunisia decorate with a colored cloth in this, and place on the Seder table? Answer: A basket

Question: At Passover, the Abayudaya Jews of what country celebrate the anniversary of the overthrow of the brutal dictator Idi Amin, who outlawed the practice of Judaism? Answer: Uganda

Question: At the beginning of the Seder, what do Jews from Morocco pass above their heads three times while reciting "In haste we came out of Egypt”? Answer: A Seder Plate

Question: Tunisian Jews place a fish bowl with live fish swimming in it on the Passover table. Which part of the Exodus story does this commemorate? Answer: The crossing of the Red Sea

Question: What do Iraqi Jews tie to the back of a small child while telling them to guard it until end of the Seder? Answer: The Afikomen

Question: In which country is the Seder “interrupted” by a knock on the door by a member of the family dressed up as a nomad. The leader of the Seder asks: “Where are you coming from?” (Egypt) Where are you going?” (Jerusalem). Answer: Iraq

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According to research done by Be’chol Lashon, 20% of American Jews identify as African American, Latinx, Asian, mixed race, Sephardi and Mizrahi. This year, join us as we celebrate Passover rituals from diverse Jewish communities and traditions.

Download the PDF place cards here: https://werepair.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Passover_Place_Cards.pdf

SHULHAN OREKH / Meal -  שֻׁלְחָן עוֹרֵךְ

Time to eat!

TZAFUN /AFIKOMAN / Dessert - צָפוּן

[If someone of the children has “stolen” it, or if the adults have hidden the Afikoman when it is first put aside (IV) and let the children look for it during the meal to win a prize, it is now time to redeem the Afikoman. Then, each person eats a portion of the Afikoman.

After one eats the Afikoman, it is forbidden to eat anything further or to drink anything but for the two remaining mandatory ritual cups of wine, one for the Grace after meals and one for Hallel.

One accepted theory is that Afikoman is a Greek word connoting the dessert – dates, parched corn, nuts, sweet fruits, etc. The Seder meal in the time of the Temple was concluded with a taste of the Paschal lamb that had been offered in the Temple, after which nothing further was eaten.

More recently, the suggestion has been made that the word is akin to a Greek word meaning “entertainment” which concluded the Greco-Roman festive meal. Whether “dinner music,” “dessert,” or “the practice of going from house to house after dinner,” the Sages of the Talmud prohibited any practices which might detract from the attention that must be paid to the symbol of Passover, the Paschal sacrifice.

It is the custom in some countries to save a piece of the Afikoman from the Second Seder until the burning of the Hametz the following year, when both are burned together.]

        Passover is approaching. At the seder table, every Jewish child will be retold the story of Moses and the Pharaoh, and how God brought boils, locusts, hail and the other plagues onto the Egyptians. Yet in spite of this overwhelming evidence of God's intentions, Pharaoh refused to let the Jews go, until a tenth plague, the death of the first-born children was inflicted on every Egyptian home, passing over the Jewish homes. Only after this tragedy did the Pharaoh relent and let the Jews leave slavery and Egypt to begin their journey to the Promised Land.

        This has been known for generations. What has not been known is why the Pharaoh, in the face of such overwhelming evidence would refuse to release the Jews after the first nine plagues. It took eight years of research by Elizabeth Kubler-Ross, the renowned psychologist and nurse, to find the definitive answer. Dr. Kubler-Ross spent those years studying the Dead Sea Scrolls before discovering the answer. And once found, it was obvious ... The Pharaoh was still in de Nile.

Opening the door for Elijah 

Elijah lived centuries after the Exodus. 

There is no connection between his actions and the Jews leaving Egypt. Yet he has become one of the central figures and symbols of the Passover Seder. Moses - the hero of the Exodus - is practically never mentioned. Yet we all know about Elijah's cup and opening the door for Elijah. 

We pour the cup but do not drink it. We open the door but no one comes in. 

The prophet Malachi says: "Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet, before the coming of the great and awesome day of God. And he will turn the heart of fathers to their children and the heart of children to their fathers . . . "

Elijah brings together the hearts of people and generations. Elijah is the peacemaker in a world of strife and discord. Opening the door for Elijah is a harbinger of the future redemption to come. 

The Seder is not about a single moment of redemption that occurred thousands of years ago. By remembering the exodus from Egypt, we rekindle our hope in the ultimate breakthrough - however long it takes - to peace and harmony. 

Elijah is the messenger of hope. 

Would we recognize Elijah if he were standing at the door when we opened it? Can a complete stranger actually bring us peace and hope in our lives? 

Activity for Seder: 

Have you ever had an "Elijah the Prophet moment" - when a complete stranger suddenly appeared and brought you peace and hope? 

BAREKH / Birkat HaMazone - בָּרֵךְ

The cup of wine is refilled, and Birkat Ha-mazon, Grace after the Meal, is recited:

Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the Universe, who sustains the entire world with goodness, grace, loving kindness, and compassion. He gives bread to all, for His grace is everlasting. And in His great goodness we have never lacked anything and we will never be deprived of food for the sake of His great name. For He is God who provides for all and does good for all and prepares food for all His creatures that He created. Blessed are You, Lord, who provides for all.

God and God of our ancestors, may You remember us on this day of Passover to bless us with kindness and mercy for a life of peace and happiness

We pray that He who establishes peace in the heavens grant peace for us, for all Israel, and all of mankind, and let us say, Amen.

Oseh Shalom Bim-romav Hu Yaaseh Shalom Aleinu Ve-al Kol Yisrael Ve-Imru Amen

עוֹשֶׂה שָׁלוֹם בִּמְרוֹמָיו הוּא יַעֲשֶׂה שָלוֹם עָלֵינוּ וְעַל כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל וְאִמְרוּ אָמֵן

KOS SH’LISHEE - כּוֹס  שְׁלִישִׁית

THIRD CUP

[We conclude the Grace after the meal by drinking the Third Cup of wine, the cup of blessing, while reclining to the left.]

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ, אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הַגָּֽפֶן:

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.

BAREKH / Birkat HaMazone - בָּרֵךְ

The cup of wine is refilled, and Birkat Ha-mazon, Grace after the Meal, is recited:

Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the Universe, who sustains the entire world with goodness, grace, loving kindness, and compassion. He gives bread to all, for His grace is everlasting. And in His great goodness we have never lacked anything and we will never be deprived of food for the sake of His great name. For He is God who provides for all and does good for all and prepares food for all His creatures that He created. Blessed are You, Lord, who provides for all.

God and God of our ancestors, may You remember us on this day of Passover to bless us with kindness and mercy for a life of peace and happiness

We pray that He who establishes peace in the heavens grant peace for us, for all Israel, and all of mankind, and let us say, Amen.

Oseh Shalom Bim-romav Hu Yaaseh Shalom Aleinu Ve-al Kol Yisrael Ve-Imru Amen

עוֹשֶׂה שָׁלוֹם בִּמְרוֹמָיו הוּא יַעֲשֶׂה שָלוֹם עָלֵינוּ וְעַל כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל וְאִמְרוּ אָמֵן

KOS SH’LISHEE - כּוֹס  שְׁלִישִׁית

THIRD CUP

[We conclude the Grace after the meal by drinking the Third Cup of wine, the cup of blessing, while reclining to the left.]

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ, אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הַגָּֽפֶן:

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.

Chad Gadya--One Little Goat

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

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

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

Then came 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 goat,
My father bought for two zuzim.
Chad gadya, had gadya.

We will celebrate again, next year, in the promised land!

NIRTZAH / Hasal Seder - נִרְצָה

We now take this cup in our hands for the fourth Kiddush, the fourth cup of wine. We do this to remember God's fourth promise to the Jewish people, promising to take the Jews to be the people of God. God reached out to the Jews, and to remember this we say together:

.בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה אַדוֹ-נַי ' אֱלוֹ-הֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הַגָפֶן

Baruch Atah Ado-nai Elo-heinu Melech Ha-olam Boreh Pree Ha-ga-fen.

Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the Universe, who creates the fruit of the vine.

(Drink the fourth cup of wine)

Our Seder is now closing. We have learned the story of the Hebrews of Egypt, the story of Moses, and why the Passover foods are important to the Seder. We know that Jews in many lands do not have freedom, and many people all over the world are hungry. We know that we must keep working until these wrongs are set right, these people are free and no longer in need. Until then we say together:

לְשָׁנָה   הַבָּאָה   בִּירוּשָׁלָֽיִם:

L'Shana HaBa'ah Ba'Y'rushalayim

Next Year in Jerusalem!

Next year may we all dwell in peace!

Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame, With conquering limbs astride from land to land; Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame. "Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!" cries she With silent lips. "Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"

Humanity manifests itself in brotherhood most frequently in “dark times.” This kind of humanity actually becomes inevitable when the times become so extremely dark for certain groups of people that it is no longer up to them, their insight or choice, to withdraw from the world. Humanity in the form of fraternity invariably appears historically among persecuted peoples and enslaved groups. ... This kind of humanity is the great privilege of pariah peoples; it is the advantage that the pariahs of this world always and in all circumstances can have over others. ...

It is as if under the pressure of persecution the persecuted have moved so closely together that the interspace ... has simply disappeared. This produces a warmth of human relationships which may strike those who have had some experience with such groups as an almost physical phenomenon.  ... 

In its full development it can breed a kindliness and sheer goodness of which human beings are otherwise scarcely capable. Frequently it is also the source of a vitality, a joy in the simple fact of being alive, rather suggesting that life comes fully into its own only among those who are, in worldly terms, the insulted and injured

I speak to you as an American Jew.

As Americans we share the profound concern of millions of people about the shame and disgrace of inequality and injustice which make a mockery of the great American idea.

As Jews we bring to this great demonstration, in which thousands of us proudly participate, a two-fold experience -- one of the spirit and one of our history.

In the realm of the spirit, our fathers taught us thousands of years ago that when God created man, he created him as everybody's neighbor. Neighbor is not a geographic term. It is a moral concept. It means our collective responsibility for the preservation of man's dignity and integrity.

From our Jewish historic experience of three and a half thousand years we say:

Our ancient history began with slavery and the yearning for freedom. During the Middle Ages my people lived for a thousand years in the ghettos of Europe . Our modern history begins with a proclamation of emancipation.

It is for these reasons that it is not merely sympathy and compassion for the black people ofAmerica that motivates us. It is above all and beyond all such sympathies and emotions a sense of complete identification and solidarity born of our own painful historic experience.

When I was the rabbi of the Jewish community in Berlin under the Hitler regime, I learned many things. The most important thing that I learned under those tragic circumstances was that bigotry and hatred are not '.the most urgent problem. The most urgent, the most disgraceful, the most shameful and the most tragic problem is silence.

A great people which had created a great civilization had become a nation of silent onlookers. They remained silent in the face of hate, in the face of brutality and in the face of mass murder.

America must not become a nation of onlookers. America must not remain silent. Not merely black America , but all of America . It must speak up and act,. from the President down to the humblest of us, and not for the sake of the Negro, not for the sake of the black community but for the sake of the image, the idea and the aspiration of America itself.

Our children, yours and mine in every school across the land, each morning pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States and to the republic for which it stands. They, the children, speak fervently and innocently of this land as the land of "liberty and justice for all."

The time, I believe, has come to work together - for it is not enough to hope together, and it is not enough to pray together, to work together that this children's oath, pronounced every morning from Maine to California, from North to South, may become. a glorious, unshakeable reality in a morally renewed and united America.