We are especially thankful tonight to have close and loving family who we can also call friends, and close friends who form part of our family, with whom to hare this Passover Seder.

We have come together this evening for many reasons. We are here because Spring is all around, the Earth is reborn, and it is a good time to celebrate with family and friends. We are here because we are Jews and friends of Jews. We are here to honor the Jewish nation’s deep historic roots and its old important memories.

We are here to remember the old story of the liberation of the ancient Hebrews from slavery in Egypt – a great struggle for freedom and dignity. We are here because the struggle for human freedom never stops. We are here to remember all people – Jews and non-Jews – who are still struggling for their freedom.

Let us sing: Hee-nay ma tov oo-ma na-yeem She-vet a-kheem gam ya-khad. 

Behold, how good and pleasant it is for brothers and sisters to live together in unity! 

Why do we begin by lighting candles?

We light candles to represent unity with those loved ones who are no longer with us, and with their loved ones who came before them forming an unbroken chain of celebration that reaches back some 3000 years.

Candles are also lit to create a special setting, an atmosphere in which people are drawn together on a soulful level.  When we light candles we are saying this is a special event – this meal goes beyond just eating a meal together, which is a mundane, physical act.  Rather this meal is about us as humans connecting on a deeper level, which is special.

The Candles draw us to each other, and they draw us to a more spiritual place.  For some, candles also draw us closer to God as the source of that connection between us.

Candles are romantic. Traditionally, Passover marks the start of the ‘marriage’  between God and the Jewish people.  It is a romance – rocky at times – but ongoing none the less.

Lighting candles is a metaphor for teaching, and the Passover seder is all about one generation teaching the next, passing on its “light” to the next. The beautiful thing about one flame kindling another is that once the flame has been passed neither is diminished in the least but now you have that much more light.

Why is it the woman’s responsibility to light the candles?

Women are considered the prime source of emotional and spiritual light in our lives.  Having a woman light the candles then, honours this.

In traditional Judaism women are also seen as the kindlers of romance.  So women light the candles to commemorate the romance between Jews and God on every Shabbat and all other holy days, to rekindle that connection; that romance.

Lighting candles is a metaphor for teaching, and the Passover Seder is all about one generation teaching the next, passing on its “light” to the next, and beautiful thing about one flame kindling another is that once the flame has been passed neither is diminished in the least but now you have that much more light.

(light the candles)

Baruch atah Adonai Eloheinu melech ha’olam asher kid’shanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu l’hadlik ner shel Yom Tov

BAH-ROOCH AH-TAH AH-DOH-NOI EH-LOH-HEH-NOO MEH-LECH HAH-OH-LAHM SHEH-HEH-CHEH-YAH-NOO VEH-KEE-YEH-MAH-NOO VEH-HEE-GHEE-AH-NOO LIZ-MAHN HAH-ZEH.

Blessed are You, L‑rd our G‑d, King of the universe, who has granted us life, sustained us, and enabled us to reach this occasion.

In the Passover story, Miriam the prophetess is a true community organizer, leading her people across the Red Sea in song and dance and helping them to feel the power of liberation! Miriam knows that their power lies in the full diversity of the community. Everyone, man or woman, can be a great leader. Another story is told about Miriam and her brother Aaron challenge Moses’ prophetic authority asking: “Has the Lord spoken only through Moses? Has he not spoken through us also?” (Numbers, 12:2). Like women throughout history, Miriam bears the brunt of the penalty for her and Aaron’s actions. While Aaron is left unpunished, Miriam suffers leprosy and is sent to live outside of the camp for a week. Though G-d and Moses instruct the community to continue in the wilderness, they refuse and insist on waiting until Miriam returns. This story illustrates the power of fierce women in our communities, demonstrating that gender diversity is critical on our long path to liberation.

The example Miriam sets is reflected in the work that women organizers are doing all over the country, including those in Native American communities. Winona LaDuke is a fiery Anishanaabe Native rights and environmental activist who founded the White Earth Land Recovery Project in Minnesota and the international Indigenous Women’s Network. Winona's calls for action against destruction of sacred land have made tremendous impacts on both indigenous people and the world at large. She speaks to women’s experience and, like Miriam, maintains a feminist perspective in her work. She writes:

“We, collectively, find that we are often in the role of the prey, to a predator of society, whether for sexual discrimination, exploitation, sterilization, absence of control over our bodies, or being the subjects of repressive laws and legislation in which we have no voice. This occurs on an individual level, but equally, and more significantly on a societal level. It is also critical to point out at this time, that most matrilineal societies, societies in which governance and decision making are largely controlled by women, have been obliterated from the face of the Earth by colonialism, and subsequently industrialism. The only matrilineal societies which exist in the world are those of Indigenous nations. We are the remaining matrilineal societies, yet we also face obliteration.”

Like Miriam, Winona and the organizations she helped to form provide spaces for indigenous women to develop political consciousness and a powerful national voice. During Passover, we can all be moved by Miriam and Winona’s work and strive to be concious of creating inclusive communities as we cross from slavery to freedom. 

Traditionally each of the cups of wine are linked to one of the statements of redemption spoken by God in the Torah “I will bring you out”. “I will deliver you”. “I will redeem you”. "I will gather you to me.” (Exodus 6:6-7).

This cup of wine therefore corresponds to the first statement “I will bring you out of slavery” For women the first step to freedom was equality in the law.  The struggle for this freedom began in the desert, when the daughters of Zelephachad demanded their right on inheritance.  It continues today, as there are still countries in the world where women do not have the right to vote. This cup of wine is dedicated to all of those women, the daughters of Zelephachad, the Suffragettes and modern campaigners, who have fought for women’s equality in the law.

Urchatz

In washing our hands,
we also think of those who don't get to share
in the basic human right of abundant, clean water

of people deprived of water
by the weather
in Somalia, in India,

and those deprived of water
by human action
in places like First Nations communities in Ontario and Canada, and Flint, Michigan

We wash our hands
and accept our responsibilities
to those threatened
by the presence and absence of water

and commit to urging those
with the human power to change things and to stop
washing their hands
of what the world needs them to correct.

Why a green vegetable?  Why not an apple or a carrot or a fish all of which also all come from nature? One  idea is that a vegetable which starts as a seed, unseen below the ground and then breaks through above the surface to become a beautiful, edible item is symbolic of breaking the constraints which Pesach is all about. It also is emblematic of spiritual renewal going from a “dead”, hard, lost seed to a live, supple, growing plant. (Carrots grow below the ground and apples don’t follow this same “from below to above the ground” growth. And fish also don’t sprout to where they become visible as they grow).

One idea is that a vegetable which starts as a seed, unseen below the ground and then breaks through above the surface to become a beautiful, edible item is symbolic of breaking the constraints which Passover is all about. It also is emblematic of spiritual renewal going from a “dead”, hard, lost seed to a live, supple, growing plant. (Carrots grow below the ground and apples don’t follow this same “from below to above the ground” growth. And fish also don’t sprout to where they become visible as they grow).

Dip your green vegetable into the salt water.

Baruch atah Adonai eloheinu melech haolum borei pri hadamah. 

Blessed are You, Creator of the universe who creates the fruit of the earth. 

We recognize our interconnectedness with nature and our reliance on nature for our survival.

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.

-

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?

Yachatz

We hide a piece of matzah to remind us of the poor who dare not eat without setting aside some food for the next meal.  We break the matzah to remind us that we must set aside some of our own food for those who go hungry today

This is the bread of poverty and affliction that our ancestors ate in the land of Egypt.  Let all who are hungry come and eat with us.  Let all who are in need come and share a meal.  This year we are here.  Next year may we be in Jerusalem.  This year we are slaves. Next year may we all be free.

(Break the middle matzah and hide the Afikomen – the larger half)

The Four Questions

On all other nights we eat leavened bread.  Why on this night do we eat only unleavened bread?

Once we were slaves in Egypt.  In our escape from slavery we had no time to let the dough rise.  Matzah symbolizes the natural human impulse to rush to freedom.

On all other nights we eat all kinds of vegetables.  Why on this night do we eat bitter ones?

Once we were slaves in Egypt.  The bitter taste helps us to feel the pain of our ancestors under slavery and the pain of so many people who are still not free today.

On all other nights we don’t dip our herbs at all.  Why on this night do we dip our herbs twice?

Once we were slaves in Egypt.  We dip once to taste the bitterness of slavery and again to remind ourselves that holding on to bitterness is not good for us.

On all other nights we eat sitting up.  Why on this night must we all recline?

Once we were slaves in Egypt.  We lean back to symbolize our release from slavery as if we were being released from chains that strapped us upright in our chair.

Since the Seder story is meant for all of us, it can be viewed that the four children are each actually a part of each of us…

What does the Activist Child ask?
“The Torah tells me, ‘Justice shall you pursue,’ but how can I pursue justice?”
Empower children always to seek pathways to advocate for the vulnerable. As the Book of Proverbs teaches, “Speak up for the mute, for the rights of the unfortunate. Speak up, judge righteously, champion the poor and the needy.”

What does the Skeptical Child ask?
“How can I solve problems of such enormity?”
Encourage this child by explaining that they need not solve the problems, they must only do what they are capable of doing, but that means that when they see a problem, they must work toward its resolution. As we read in Pirke Avot, “It is not your responsibility to complete the work, but neither are you free to desist from it.”

What does the Indifferent Child say?
“It’s not my responsibility.”
This child needs to be persuaded that responsibility cannot be shirked. As Abraham Joshua Heschel writes, “The opposite of good is not evil, the opposite of good is indifference. In a free society where terrible wrongs exist, some are guilty, but all are responsible.”

And the Uninformed Child who does not know how to ask…
This child asks “What problems?  My world is fine, so what else is there?”  This child needs to be given opportunities to learn empathy, to be grateful for what they have while recognizing that with their privilege comes responsibility for ensuring equity.

Our Story

When Pharoah decided he would kill all new born Jewish sons, Miriam’s father felt it was better not to have any more children, and so he separated from Miriam’s mother.  Miriam became angry with her father, accusing him of being no better than Pharoah by behaving this way – Miriam’s father hadn’t just decreed against sons, but against all future children by refusing to live with his wife.  Her father was convinced and soon after he was the father of a new son. 

Miriam predicted that this son would free Israel from bondage and deliver them out of the hands of the Egyptians.  However in order for that fate to be fulfilled, they realized they needed a plan to save Moses.  So, they put him in a basket and pushed him out into the river.

Miriam hid in the reeds by the riverside and followed the basket as it floated down the river.

Pharoah’s daughter – another important woman in this story - was bathing in the river when the baby drifted by.  She rescued him, named him, and became Mother to raising him as her own.

Miriam, seeing that Pharoah’s daughter had saved Moses Miriam asked Pharaoh’s daughter if she (Miriam) should go find an Israelite woman who could nurse the baby. Pharaoh’s daughter said yes and Miriam brought her own mother – who was also Moses’ mother – to fulfill the task. The point is still well taken, that Miriam played a key role in saving Moses, but she is never mentioned as being a nanny to him.

Moses had a very good life until the day he killed an Egyptian for beating a Jewish slave.  Destined to be punished for killing the Egyptian, Moses ran away and became a shepherd.

While tending his sheep Moses came upon a bush that was on fire; a bush that kept burning, and burning but did not turn to ash.  The fire did not go out.  Tradition says that God spoke to Moses through this bush, telling him to return to Egypt and free the Jews from slavery. 

One interpretation of the burning bush is that Moses came to understand that he was not alone in his understanding of injustice and knowing that gave him the courage to confront the perpetrators of injustice.  Even Moses needed to know he was a part of something greater than himself in order to have the strength to pursue justice

Moses returned to Egypt and met with Pharoah, asking him to release the Jews.  Pharoah refused.  

Moses returned to Egypt and met with Pharoah, asking him to release the Jews.  Pharoah refused.  And Pharoah continued to refuse despite the reign of plagues sent down on his people. 

We spill a drop of wine while we recite each of the plagues, not to commemorate the plagues, but to remember the suffering of the Egyptians during this time by reducing from our own cup the wine that lifts our spirits in order not to celebrate pain and suffering, even of our of our enemies.

1. Blood
2. Frogs
3. Lice
4. Beasts
5. Cattle disease
6. Boils
7. Hail
8. Locusts
9. Darkness
10. Killing of the first born[D1] 

Not until the 10th plague was visited on the Egyptians did Pharoah finally get the message, and agree to free the Jews.  So there was a collection of physical afflictions visited upon the Egyptians.  This can be read as a metaphor for bad things happening to bad people.  It can also be interpreted that there are powers over the water, all animal life, health, the sky and all that is in it, time and life itself that we do not understand and that are beyond human… some would call that God, others the rules of the universe, or physics or some combination of all.

Dayenu

Ilu hutsi, hutsianu

Hutsi anu mi mitzrayim

Hutsi anu mi mitzrayim

Dayenu!

Day-Day-enu

Day-Day-enu

Day-day-enu

Dayenu Dayenu

Ilu natan natan lanu

Natan lanu et ha Shabat

Natan lanu et ha Shabat

Dayenu

Chorus

Ilu natan natan lanu

Natan lanu et ha Torah

Natan lanu et ha Torah

Dayenu

Chorus

We are thankful that we are free.

The Second Cup

As we recite the prayer over the wine, let us also pray for and work toward the moment when all human beings will celebrate their liberation, experience equality, and live secure, peaceful lives.

As we recline in comfort this night and remember our suffering we commit to support children, wherever they live, who have been robbed of their childhoods because of violent conflict; We commit to support those who struggle with the horrors of hunger and fight to sustain their families; We commit to stand in solidarity with people whose freedoms are denied by leaders and governments that abuse the rights of their citizens.

As we raise our glasses, let us pledge to raise ourselves up to support those throughout the world who seek to shed the chains of poverty, violence and discrimination, and who strive for a future of dignity and justice.

Baruch atah Adonai Eloheinu melech ha’olum boray pre hagafen.

Motzi

(Everyone take some matzah)

Baruch atah Adonai eloheinu melech ha’olam hamotzi lechem min ha’aretz

We praise, You, Creator of the universe, who brings forth bread from the earth.

Baruch atah Adonai elheinu melech ha’olam, asher kidishanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu al achilat matzah.

Why do we make a blessing on maror? Are we thankful for the bitterness? Ultimately, yes. We recognize in this blessing that that everything is ultimately for the best, that everything – even the bitter – is actually good, even if we don’t always see it as such at the time. Our greatest growth is from those places and situations in which we struggle.

Baruch atah Adonai Eloheynu Melech haolam Asher Kidishanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu Al a-chilat Maror

The great sage Hillel provided us with the tradition of constructing the Hillel sandwich, combining the bitterness of the maror with the sweetness of the charoset between the fortitude of the two pieces of matzah--the symbol of freedom. Through this ritual, we think about mortar and brick. We think of the Israelites traveling through the desert with no homes, no place to land and build up their strong communities, and only the matzah as a reminder of their freedom. It is not until they came to the biblical Promised Land that they experienced the sweetness of their redemption.

We sit tonight in a place of both freedom and comfort, while we remember the bitterness of the hardships of our ancestors. But what about those who cannot foresee their own redemption from the impending impacts of climate change, those who literally do not have the infrastructure that the mortar and brick of redemption affords? There are people all over the world on the edges of shorelines which are slowly slipping away, whose homes cannot withstand the rising waters and violent winds of extreme weather caused by climate change. Already over 22 million people a year are being displaced from their homes due to natural disasters (Internal Displacement Monitoring Center, 2014).

Tonight, as we eat this sandwich, let us remember the privilege of our infrastructure and the freedom and comfort that our homes provide us. The bitterness of the salty ocean waters continues to destroy many people's homes, for many a symbol of sweetness and freedom. Without proper adaptation and mitigation, people will continue to lose their homes. They will continue to be wandering, without a strong community or place they can call home.

Make a sandwich of matzoh charoset and bitter herbs

This is our second bite of bitters tonight, and reminds us that it is not good to hold on to bitterness.

At a traditional seder, there is a cup of wine left on the table for the prophet Elijah. Toward the end of the night, the door is opened for Elijah, symbolizing that all are welcome at the seder, all can take refuge here.

In this spirit, tonight we open the door to the 60 million refugees and displaced people around the world still waiting to be free — for all those who deserve to be welcomed in not as strangers but as fellow human beings.

Tzafun We loosely wrap the matza as a reminder that we packed with haste and took only what we could when we fled Egypt.

Go look for the Afikomen!

With the third cup of wine we remember God’s promise to redeem the Israelites with an outstretched arm. With this cup we turn our thoughts to those not being offered a helping hand. Scant resources are allocated within the criminal justice system to provide alternatives to incarceration and prepare incarcerated individuals for successfully reentering society. 

The criminal justice system has become the primary strategy by which we address many of the challenges facing members of low income and minority communities, including drug addiction, mental illness, behavioral issues at schools, and limited access to employment. However, we have designed the criminal justice system as a maze that is easy to enter and difficult to leave. 

Recite together:

Baruch ata adonai, eloheinu melech ha’olam, borei pri hagafen.

ברוך אתה י-י אלוקינו מלך העולם בורא פרי הגפן

(Drink the third cup. Refill immediately.)

Rather than filling our own cup this time, and focusing on ourselves as individuals, let’s fill someone else’s cup recognizing that, as a family and group of friends, we have the resources to help each other and those in our community if we are willing to share what we have, whether that’s time, money, or skills, and work.

Tell the person beside you something you do to help others.

Baruch atah Adonai eloheinu melech haolum borei pre hagafen.

Group:

As we now end the Seder, let us pass around a 5th cup into which we will each pour a drop of wine as we express our prayers for the world’s refugees.

Pass an empty wine glass around the Seder table and have everyone add a drop of wine from their cup into this new cup. After everyone has added some wine to this 5th cup, read this blessing aloud together:

Tonight we honor the strength and resilience of refugees across the globe. We commit ourselves to ensuring that our country remains open to them, to supporting them as they rebuild their lives, and to championing their right for protection. Just as our own people now eat the bread of liberation, we pray that today’s refugees will fulfill their dreams of rebuilding their lives in safety and freedom in the year to come.

Blessed are all those who yearn to be free.
Blessed are we who commit ourselves to their freedom.
 

Everyone: We have recalled struggles against slavery and injustice, revisited times of persecution and times of fulfillment. Today, in Canada we are free. Yet Jewish history shows that life is ever-changing, and we must learn how to survive under all conditions. When we are persecuted, we must struggle for our own freedom. The more freedom we attain, the more we must help others attain freedom. This is the lesson of Passover. This is why we celebrate the Festival of Freedom.