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TABLE OF CONTENTS
The Matzah Show
Humorous
Bangitout.com
(to the theme of "The Muppet Show")
It's time to burn some chometz
It's time to bless the lights
It's time to start the seder, on the Matzah Show tonight
It's time to put on kittels
It's time to lean left, not right
It's time to raise the 4 cups, on the Matzah Show tonight
It's time to ask some questions
It's time to leave Egypt tonight
It's time to get things started on the most sensational
Inspirational, celebrational, sederational
This is what we call the Matzah Show!!!!!
(Discussion #1: How could Kermit be a plague?)
We cannot count the losses of 2020.
We lament the deaths of 2020. 1.8 million from the coronavirus. Deaths of healthcare workers, deaths of incarcerated people, deaths in refugee camps, deaths from homelessness during this pandemic.
We lament the deaths from police violence. Deaths of Black and Brown people. Deaths of trans people, murdered for existing.
We cannot count the losses of 2020.
We mourn time lost from family and friends. Cancelled weddings, funerals in isolation.
We mourn the loss of in-person education for our children and the socioeconomic barriers to education during a pandemic.
We mourn jobs lost, increased hunger and poverty. Evictions and unpayable bills.
We cannot count the losses of 2020.
We cry and we cry out.
We cry out against fascism. Against white supremacy.
We cry out for stolen indigenous land.
We cry out for those whose voices have been silenced.
We cry out for the injustice of our race, gender, socioeconomic class, and location determining how we experience this pandemic.
We cannot count the losses of 2020.
We grieve.
We grieve the damage humanity has inflicted on precious Earth.
We grieve poisoned water, poisoned air, drought and erosion. Floods, hurricanes, wildfires.
We cannot count the losses of 2020.
We grapple with new phrases we’ve come to say daily: Unprecedented. New normal. Pivot. Unforeseen. Abundance of caution. Surreal. Isolation. Difficult. Mute & unmute. Technical difficulties. Silver lining. Streaming. Quarantine & shelter in place & Lockdown. Masks. Misinformation.
We cannot count the losses of 2020.
May the One who makes peace in the heavens give us courage and resilience to make peace amongst our communities, our nations, and our world.
May the anguished learnings of this year lead to building better access for people on the margins of community.
May the memory of this year spark a revolution within us to build a stronger, more just and loving world.
May we know the privilege we hold by being alive as we say, Amen.
To wash your hands, you don’t need soap, but you do need a cup to pour water over your hands. Pour water on each of your hands three times, alternating between your hands. If the people around your table don’t want to get up to walk all the way over to the sink, you could pass a pitcher and a bowl around so everyone can wash at their seats… just be careful not to spill!
Too often during our daily lives we don’t stop and take the moment to prepare for whatever it is we’re about to do.
Let's pause to consider what we hope to get out of our evening together tonight. Go around the table and share one hope or expectation you have for tonight's seder.
Passover, like many of our holidays, combines the celebration of an event from our Jewish memory with a recognition of the cycles of nature. As we remember the liberation from Egypt, we also recognize the stirrings of spring and rebirth happening in the world around us. The symbols on our table bring together elements of both kinds of celebration.
We now take a vegetable, representing our joy at the dawning of spring after our long, cold winter. Most families use a green vegetable, such as parsley or celery, but some families from Eastern Europe have a tradition of using a boiled potato since greens were hard to come by at Passover time. Whatever symbol of spring and sustenance we’re using, we now dip it into salt water, a symbol of the tears our ancestors shed as slaves. Before we eat it, we recite a short blessing:
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ, אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הָאֲדָמָה
Baruch Atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech ha-olam, borei p’ree ha-adama.
We praise God, Ruler of Everything, who creates the fruits of the earth.
We look forward to spring and the reawakening of flowers and greenery. They haven’t been lost, just buried beneath the snow, getting ready for reappearance just when we most needed them.
-
We all have aspects of ourselves that sometimes get buried under the stresses of our busy lives. What has this winter taught us? What elements of our own lives do we hope to revive this spring?
There are three pieces of matzah stacked on the table. We now break the middle matzah into two pieces. The host should wrap up the larger of the pieces and, at some point between now and the end of dinner, hide it. This piece is called the afikomen, literally “dessert” in Greek. After dinner, the guests will have to hunt for the afikomen in order to wrap up the meal… and win a prize.
We eat matzah in memory of the quick flight of our ancestors from Egypt. As slaves, they had faced many false starts before finally being let go. So when the word of their freedom came, they took whatever dough they had and ran with it before it had the chance to rise, leaving it looking something like matzah.
Uncover and hold up the three pieces of matzah and say:
This is the bread of poverty which our ancestors ate in the land of Egypt. All who are hungry, come and eat; all who are needy, come and celebrate Passover with us. This year we are here; next year we will be in Israel. This year we are slaves; next year we will be free.
These days, matzah is a special food and we look forward to eating it on Passover. Imagine eating only matzah, or being one of the countless people around the world who don’t have enough to eat.
What does the symbol of matzah say to us about oppression in the world, both people literally enslaved and the many ways in which each of us is held down by forces beyond our control? How does this resonate with events happening now?
Pour the second glass of wine for everyone.
The Haggadah doesn’t tell the story of Passover in a linear fashion. We don’t hear of Moses being found by the daughter of Pharaoh – actually, we don’t hear much of Moses at all. Instead, we get an impressionistic collection of songs, images, and stories of both the Exodus from Egypt and from Passover celebrations through the centuries. Some say that minimizing the role of Moses keeps us focused on the miracles God performed for us. Others insist that we keep the focus on the role that every member of the community has in bringing about positive change.
The formal telling of the story of Passover is framed as a discussion with lots of questions and answers. The tradition that the youngest person asks the questions reflects the centrality of involving everyone in the seder. The rabbis who created the set format for the seder gave us the Four Questions to help break the ice in case no one had their own questions. Asking questions is a core tradition in Jewish life. If everyone at your seder is around the same age, perhaps the person with the least seder experience can ask them – or everyone can sing them all together.
מַה נִּשְׁתַּנָּה הַלַּֽיְלָה הַזֶּה מִכָּל הַלֵּילות
Ma nishtana halaila hazeh mikol haleilot?
Why is this night different from all other nights?
שֶׁבְּכָל הַלֵּילוֹת אָֽנוּ אוֹכלין חָמֵץ וּמַצָּה הַלַּֽיְלָה הַזֶּה כֻּלּוֹ מצה
Shebichol haleilot anu ochlin chameitz u-matzah. Halaila hazeh kulo matzah.
On all other nights we eat both leavened bread and matzah.
Tonight we only eat matzah.
שֶׁבְּכָל הַלֵּילוֹת אָֽנוּ אוֹכְלִין שְׁאָר יְרָקוֹת הַלַּֽיְלָה הַזֶּה מָרוֹר
Shebichol haleilot anu ochlin shi’ar yirakot haleila hazeh maror.
On all other nights we eat all kinds of vegetables,
but tonight we eat bitter herbs.
שֶׁבְּכָל הַלֵּילוֹת אֵין אָֽנוּ מַטְבִּילִין אֲפִילוּ פַּֽעַם אחָת הַלַּֽיְלָה הַזֶּה שְׁתֵּי פְעמים
Shebichol haleilot ain anu matbilin afilu pa-am echat. Halaila hazeh shtei fi-amim.
On all other nights we aren’t expected to dip our vegetables one time.
Tonight we do it twice.
שֶׁבְּכָל הַלֵּילוֹת אָֽנוּ אוֹכְלִין בֵּין יוֹשְׁבִין וּבֵין מְסֻבִּין. :הַלַּֽיְלָה הַזֶּה כֻּלָּֽנוּ מְסֻבין
Shebichol haleilot anu ochlin bein yoshvin uvein m’subin. Halaila hazeh kulanu m’subin.
On all other nights we eat either sitting normally or reclining.
Tonight we recline.
She turns off the news and closes the newspaper, speechless as she considers the magnitude of the problem. “70 million displaced people?” she wonders, “It couldn’t possibly be that many.”
They want to attend the rally for refugees and sign that petition, but they lost track of time with so many other pressing issues demanding their attention. “Someone else will take this one,” they console themselves, “I’ve got other priorities.”
He knows that Jewish values command him to welcome the stranger, but he cannot reconcile that with his worries about the economy and his fear of terrorism. “It’s not the same as when my grandparents came to this country,” he says.
They see that the Jewish refugee story never really ends; our role in the story shifts. Together, they take actions big and small. While they know they cannot complete the work, they do not desist from trying to make a difference. “We used to help refugees because they were Jewish,” they say, “But now we help refugees because we are Jewish.”
Moses, it is me in the bush. I said
Moses, well, you just need a push. I said
Moses, just a whack on the tush,
And you’ll make your people happy.
Moses, you’ve been lucky from birth. I said
Moses, you were put on this earth. I said
Moses, you can show what you’re worth,
You can make your people happy.
(Chorus)
I want to tell you now
Why You Are Here.
I want to tell you now
Why You Are Here.
He’s done everything just to ruin their joy.
He has taken their first born boys.
I want to tell you now
Why You Are Here.
I want to tell you now
Why You Are Here.
Moses, don’t be a schmo.
When the Pharaoh says no, tell him
Let all my people go.
Moses, all your people are slaves, I said
Moses, and they have to be saved, I said
Moses, you wil have to be brave.
You can make your people happy.
Moses, soon your people will be. I said
Moses, they’ll be happy and free. I said
Moses, they will cross the Red Sea.
You can make your people happy.
(Repeat Chorus)
You think the land and everyone who lands
here
Are nothing more than things that you
control
.But I am here to tell you every person
Is a person with a heart and with a soul.
You think the only people who are people
Are the people who pray the way you do.
But listen to a family chant “Ha Motzi.”
You will hear the spirit deep in every Jew.
(Chorus)
Have you ever seen a Hebrew standing tall
and proud?
Or felt the winds of freedom start to blow?
Have you ever heard the voice of the
Almighty
Saying, “Pharaoh, you must let my people
go."
Saying, “Pharaoh, you must let my people
go.”
I know that I could hold the golden scepter.
And I could sit so coldly on the throne.
And I could open up the door to riches
If I close my eyes to all the slaves you own.
The beaten and the broken are my
brothers
.The lonely and low-born are my friends.
And we are all connected to each other
By a covenant with God that never ends.
(Repeat chorus)
How much can your misery grow?
Set them free and you’ll never know.
(Repeat chorus)
Roles - Narrator, Moses, Pharaoh, Egyptians, Chorus
Narrator: A burning bush - and it began.
As God told Moses, "Here's my plan."
But Moses was a simple man.
He said,
Moses: I just don't think I can.
Chorus: POOR MOSES!
Narrator: God wouldn't hear the answer, "No."
And said, "With Aaron you will go.
To lead my people from Pharaoh.
Tell him that your God said so."
So Moses spoke to mean Pharaoh,
Moses: Our God says, 'Let my people go!'
Narrator: And Pharaoh
shouted,
Pharaoh: NO, NO, NO!
Narrator: A big mistake! He didn't know
That God would deal a mighty blow.
Chorus: A PLAGUE! A PLAGUE! A PLAGUE!
Narrator: Egyptians to the Pharaoh said:
Egyptians: Their God has turned our water red.
No more fish. They are all dead.
Where's some water we can drink?
We cannot stand this bloody stink!
Chorus: P.U.!
Narrator: Then Moses spoke to mean Pharaoh.
Moses: Our God says, 'Let my people go!'
Narrator: And Pharaoh shouted,
Pharaoh: NO, NO, NO!
Chorus: A PLAGUE! A PLAGUE! A PLAGUE!
Narrator: Frogs were Pharaoh's next
nightmare. He cried,
Pharaoh: They're hopping everywhere!
Tell God to send the frogs away,
Then you can go without delay.
They're in my oven, in my bed.
I think a frog jumped on my head.
Narrator: So Moses prayed, and
the frogs were dead.
Then Moses spoke to mean Pharaoh.
Moses: Our God says, 'Let my people go!'
Narrator: And Pharaoh shouted,
Pharaoh: NO, NO, NO!
Chorus: A PLAGUE! A PLAGUE! A PLAGUE!
Narrator: Egyptians cried,
Egyptians: Oh no, now gnats,
Covering cows and dogs and cats,
Covering us from head to toe,
Please, Pharaoh let those people go.
Narrator: Then Moses spoke to mean Pharaoh,
Moses: Our God says, 'Let my people go!'
Narrator: And Pharaoh shouted,
Pharaoh: NO, NO, NO!
Chorus: A PLAGUE! A PLAGUE! A PLAGUE!
Narrator: God spread the ground
with nasty flies,
But Pharaoh answered
only lies.
Pharaoh: I'll let your people
leave this place.
Just get these flies
out of my face.
Narrator: When Moses said,
Moses: It's done! We'll go.
Narrator: Pharaoh shouted,
Pharaoh: NO, NO, NO!
Chorus: A PLAGUE! A PLAGUE! A PLAGUE!
Narrator: Soon animals began to die. Egyptians pleaded,
Egyptians: Hear our cry!
Pharaoh, Pharaoh, WHY, WHY, WHY?
Narrator: But Pharaoh still
would not comply.
Then Moses spoke to mean Pharaoh,
Moses: Our God says, 'Let my people go!'
Narrator: Pharaoh shouted,
Pharaoh: NO, NO, NO!
Choruse: A PLAGUE! A PLAGUE! A PLAGUE!
Narrator: Egyptians moaned and cried in dread.
To see their skin turn purply red
And nasty boils begin to spread.
But Pharaoh was an old hardhead!
When Moses spoke to mean Pharaoh,
Moses: "Our God says, 'Let my people go!'
Narrator: Pharaoh shouted,
Pharaoh: NO, NO, NO!
Chorus: A PLAGUE! A PLAGUE! A PLAGUE!
Narrator: God continued the campaign
With hail and thunder, mighty rain.
There'd never been a worse event.
It looked like Pharaoh might relent.
When Moses spoke to mean Pharaoh,
Moses: Our God says, 'Let my people go!'
Narrator: Pharaoh shouted,
Pharaoh: NO, NO, NO!
Chorus: A PLAGUE! A PLAGUE! A PLAGUE!
Narrator: Now God sent down
a new command.
And Moses, with his
outstreched hand,
Sent hungry locusts
throughout the land.
Said Pharaoh,
Pharaoh: This I cannot stand.
Leave Egypt now as you
have planned.
Narrator: But when the people packed to go,
Pharaoh shouted,
Pharaoh: NO, NO, NO!
Chorus: A PLAGUE! A PLAGUE! A PLAGUE!
Narrator: Then Egypt had three days of night
While Israelites enjoyed God's light.
So Pharaoh, tired
of the fight, said
Pharaoh: Wives and children
all can go. You cannot take
your livestock though.
Narrator: He really didn't mean it, so
He soon was shouting,
Pharaoh: NO, NO, NO!
Chorus: A PLAGUE! A PLAGUE! A PLAGUE!
Narrator: God, through Moses, said,
"Beware!
This plague is bad
beyond compare.
Death to every first-born son
From royal born to poorest one."
"But sons of Israel, I will spare.
So listen now, you must prepare."
And as God struck this final blow,
Pharaoh shouted,
Pharaoh: GO, GO, GO!
Come on, babe, it’s time to say a prayer
WITH ALL THESE JEWS.
Grab some matzah, lean back in your chair
WITH ALL THESE JEWS.
Tell a story from the days of old
When our people could be bought and sold.
Just sit back and let the tale be told
WITH ALL THESE JEWS.
God said, “Moses, take a look around.
AT ALL THESE JEWS.
Go tell Pharaoh that it’s way past time
TO FREE THESE JEWS.”
God showed Moses what he had to do,
Helped the Jews tell Pharaoh “Toodleoo.”
So tonight we’re singing Dayenu
WITH ALL THESE JEWS.
Master of the Jews, giving us a push.
Sure that God is hiding in a burning bush.
Here another frog, there a little lice.
Thinking Pharaoh’s gonna follow his advice.
If we do as Moses tells us, all of us will surely lose.
Heading to disaster following the Master of the Jews.
Water from a stone, manna from the sky.
Everything he promises is just a lie.
We will all be lost. It will be a mess
Wandering the desert without G.P.S.
Can’t you see the front page headlines? We’ll be on the late night news.
Meeting with disaster following the Master of the Jews.
(sung by the Pharaoh’s daughter)
I used to dream that I would raise a prince,
But gods almighty, have you seen what happened since?
Master of the Jews — just a rotten kid!
Can’t he see we need another pyramid?
Foolish little man, doesn’t Moses know
Pharaoh’s never gonna let the Hebrews go.
What a cruel trick of nature! This is not the son I’d choose.
Once a Hebrew bastard, now he is the Master of the Jews.
(sung by the Hebrews)
Master of the Jews — isn’t that a laugh?
We’d be better worshiping a golden calf.
Telling us to pack, telling us to flee,
Promising that God will end our slavery.
Holding out the hope of freedom, saying that it’s ours to choose
.Heading to disaster quick — Hey, don’t the Pharaoh’s cows look sick? –
Heading to disaster following the Master of the Jews.
As we rejoice at our deliverance from slavery, we acknowledge that our freedom was hard-earned. We regret that our freedom came at the cost of the Egyptians’ suffering, for we are all human beings made in the image of God. We pour out a drop of wine for each of the plagues as we recite them.
Dip a finger or a spoon into your wine glass for a drop for each plague.
These are the ten plagues which God brought down on the Egyptians:
Blood | dam | דָּם
Frogs | tzfardeiya | צְפַרְדֵּֽעַ
Lice | kinim | כִּנִּים
Beasts | arov | עָרוֹב
Cattle disease | dever | דֶּֽבֶר
Boils | sh’chin | שְׁחִין
Hail | barad | בָּרָד
Locusts | arbeh | אַרְבֶּה
Darkness | choshech | חֹֽשֶׁךְ
Death of the Firstborn | makat b’chorot | מַכַּת בְּכוֹרוֹת
The Egyptians needed ten plagues because after each one they were able to come up with excuses and explanations rather than change their behavior. Could we be making the same mistakes? Make up your own list. What are the plagues in your life? What are the plagues in our world today? What behaviors do we need to change to fix them?
As all good term papers do, we start with the main idea:
ּעֲבָדִים הָיִינוּ הָיִינו. עַתָּה בְּנֵי חוֹרִין
Avadim hayinu hayinu. Ata b’nei chorin.
We were slaves to Pharaoh in Egypt. Now we are free.
We were slaves to Pharaoh in Egypt, and God took us from there with a strong hand and outstretched arm. Had God not brought our ancestors out of Egypt, then even today we and our children and our grandchildren would still be slaves. Even if we were all wise, knowledgeable scholars and Torah experts, we would still be obligated to tell the story of the exodus from Egypt.
אִלּוּ הוֹצִיאָֽנוּ מִמִּצְרַֽיִם, דַּיֵּנוּ
Ilu hotzi- hotzianu, Hotzianu mi-mitzrayim Hotzianu mi-mitzrayim, Dayeinu
If God had only taken us out of Egypt, that would have been enough!
אִלוּ נָתַן לָנוּ אֶת הַשַׁבָּת, דַּיֵינוּ
Ilu natan natan lanu, natan lanu et ha-Shabbat, Natan lanu et ha-Shabbat, Dayeinu
If God had only given us Shabbat, that would have been enough.
אִלּוּ נָתַן לָֽנוּ אֶת־הַתּוֹרָה, דַּיֵּנוּ
Ilu natan natan lanu, natan lanu et ha-Torah, Natan lanu et ha-Torah, Dayeinu
If God had only given us the Torah, that would have been enough.
Rabban Gamliel would say: Whoever does not discuss the following three things on Passover, has not fulfilled his obligation: the passover offering, matzah and maror.
The passover offering, which our ancestors ate during the time of the Holy Temple - for what reason did they do so? Because G‑d passed over their homes in Egypt, as it is written: "You shall say: It is a Passover-offering to the L‑rd, because He passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt when He struck the Egyptians with a plague, and He saved our houses... "
This matzah that we eat - for what reason? Because the dough of our fathers did not have time to become leavened before the King of the kings of kings, the Holy One, blessed be He, revealed Himself to them and redeemed them. As it is written: "They baked matzah-cakes from the dough that they had brought out of Egypt, because it was not leavened; for they had been driven out of Egypt and could not delay, and they had also not prepared any provisions."
This maror (bitter herb) that we eat - for what reason? Because the Egyptians embittered our fathers' lives in Egypt, as it is written: "They made their lives bitter with hard work, with mortar and with bricks, and with all manner of work in the field; all their work which they made them serve with crushing labor."
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!
As we now transition from the formal telling of the Passover story to the celebratory meal, we once again wash our hands to prepare ourselves. In Judaism, a good meal together with friends and family is itself a sacred act, so we prepare for it just as we prepared for our holiday ritual, recalling the way ancient priests once prepared for service in the Temple.
Some people distinguish between washing to prepare for prayer and washing to prepare for food by changing the way they pour water on their hands. For washing before food, pour water three times on your right hand and then three times on your left hand.
After you have poured the water over your hands, recite this short blessing.
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָֽׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו, וְצִוָּנוּ עַל נְטִילַת יָדָֽיִם
Baruch Atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech ha-olam, asher kid’shanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu al n’tilat yadayim.
We praise God, Ruler of Everything, who made us holy through obligations, commanding us to wash our hands.
The blessing over the meal and matzah | motzi matzah | מוֹצִיא מַצָּה
The familiar hamotzi blessing marks the formal start of the meal. Because we are using matzah instead of bread, we add a blessing celebrating this mitzvah.
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ, אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, הַמּוֹצִיא לֶֽחֶם מִן הָאָֽרֶץ
Baruch Atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech ha-olam, hamotzi lechem min ha-aretz.
We praise God, Ruler of Everything, who brings bread from the land.
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ, אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָֽׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתַָיו וְצִוָּֽנוּ עַל אֲכִילַת מַצָּה
Baruch Atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech ha-olam, asher kid’shanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu al achilat matzah.
We praise God, Ruler of Everything, who made us holy through obligations, commanding us to eat matzah.
Distribute and eat the top and middle matzah for everyone to eat.
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ, אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָֽׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו וְצִוָּֽנוּ עַל אֲכִילַת מרוֹר
Baruch Atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech ha-olam, asher kid’shanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu al achilat maror.
We praise God, Ruler of Everything, who made us holy through obligations, commanding us to eat bitter herbs.
Eating a sandwich of matzah and bitter herb | koreich | כּוֹרֵךְ
When the Temple stood in Jerusalem, the biggest ritual of them all was eating the lamb offered as the pesach or Passover sacrifice. The great sage Hillel would put the meat in a sandwich made of matzah, along with some of the bitter herbs. While we do not make sacrifices any more – and, in fact, some Jews have a custom of purposely avoiding lamb during the seder so that it is not mistaken as a sacrifice – we honor this custom by eating a sandwich of the remaining matzah and bitter herbs. Some people will also include charoset in the sandwich to remind us that God’s kindness helped relieve the bitterness of slavery.
Eating the meal! | shulchan oreich | שֻׁלְחָן עוֹרֵךְ
Enjoy! But don’t forget when you’re done we’ve got a little more seder to go, including the final two cups of wine!
Finding and eating the Afikomen | tzafoon | צָפוּן
The playfulness of finding the afikomen reminds us that we balance our solemn memories of slavery with a joyous celebration of freedom. As we eat the afikomen, our last taste of matzah for the evening, we are grateful for moments of silliness and happiness in our lives.
Rub a dub dub,
thanks for the grub.
Yay, God!
The Third Glass of Wine
Refill everyone's wine glass.
The blessing over the meal is immediately followed by another blessing over the wine:
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ, אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הַגָּפֶן
Baruch Atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech ha-olam, borei p’ree hagafen.
We praise God, Ruler of Everything, who creates the fruit of the vine.
Drink the third glass of wine!
The Cup of Elijah
We now refill our wine glasses one last time and open the front door to invite the prophet Elijah to join our seder.
In the Bible, Elijah was a fierce defender of God to a disbelieving people. At the end of his life, rather than dying, he was whisked away to heaven. Tradition holds that he will return in advance of messianic days to herald a new era of peace, so we set a place for Elijah at many joyous, hopeful Jewish occasions, such as a baby’s bris and the Passover seder.
אֵלִיָּֽהוּ הַנָּבִיא, אֵלִיָּֽהוּ הַתִּשְׁבִּיאֵלִיָּֽהוּ, אֵלִיָּֽהוּ,אֵלִיָּֽהוּ הַגִּלְעָדִי
בִּמְהֵרָה בְיָמֵֽנוּ יָבוֹא אֵלֵֽינוּ
עִם מָשִֽׁיחַ בֶּן דָּוִד
עִם מָשִֽׁיחַ בֶּן דָּוִד
Eliyahu hanavi
Eliyahu hatishbi
Eliyahu, Eliyahu, Eliyahu hagiladi
Bimheirah b’yameinu, yavo eileinu
Im mashiach ben-David,
Im mashiach ben-David
Elijah the prophet, the returning, the man of Gilad:
return to us speedily,
in our days with the messiah,
son of David.
Singing songs that praise God | hallel | הַלֵּל
This is the time set aside for singing. Some of us might sing traditional prayers from the Book of Psalms. Others take this moment for favorites like Chad Gadya & Who Knows One, which you can find in the appendix. To celebrate the theme of freedom, we might sing songs from the civil rights movement. Or perhaps your crazy Uncle Frank has some parody lyrics about Passover to the tunes from a musical. We’re at least three glasses of wine into the night, so just roll with it.
No one sees like our God
No one frees like our God
No one issues almighty decrees
like our God
God is better than brawny and brainy.
Perfect, a pure paragon.
God can make any dry desert rainy
And can topple the throne Pharaoh’s
sitting upon.
God can make a cow sick,
Make the lice come real quick.
God can make a big snake come from
Moses’ stick.
God’s especially good at emancipating!
Three cheers for God, Adonai!
Who knows one? I know one. One is our God in Heaven and Earth.
Who knows two? I know two. Two are the tablets of the covenant. One is our God in Heaven and Earth.
Who knows three? I know three. Three are the patriarchs. Two are the tablets of the covenant. One is our God in Heaven and Earth.
Who knows four? I know four. Four are the matriarchs. Three are the patriarchs. Two are the tablets of the covenant. One is our God in Heaven and Earth.
Who knows five? I know five. Five are the books of the Torah. Four are the matriarchs. Three are the patriarchs. Two are the tablets of the covenant. One is our God in Heaven and Earth.
Who knows six? I know six. Six are the orders of the Mishnah. Five are the books of the Torah. Four are the matriarchs. Three are the patriarchs. Two are the tablets of the covenant. One is our God in Heaven and Earth.
Who knows seven? I know seven. Seven are the days of the week. Six are the orders of the Mishnah. Five are the books of the Torah. Four are the matriarchs. Three are the patriarchs. Two are the tablets of the covenant. One is our God in Heaven and Earth
Who knows eight? I know eight. Eight are the days for circumcision. Seven are the days of the week. Six are the orders of the Mishnah. Five are the books of the Torah. Four are the matriarchs. Three are the patriarchs. Two are the tablets of the covenant. One is our God in Heaven and Earth.
Who knows nine? I know nine. Nine are the months of childbirth. Eight are the days for circumcision. Seven are the days of the week. Six are the orders of the Mishnah. Five are the books of the Torah. Four are the matriarchs. Three are the patriarchs. Two are the tablets of the covenant. One is our God in Heaven and Earth.
Who knows ten? I know ten. Ten are the Words from Sinai. Nine are the months of childbirth. Eight are the days for circumcision. Seven are the days of the week. Six are the orders of the Mishnah. Five are the books of the Torah. Four are the matriarchs. Three are the patriarchs. Two are the tablets of the covenant. One is our God in Heaven and Earth.
Who knows eleven? I know eleven. Eleven are the stars [in Joseph's Dream]. Ten are the Words from Sinai. Nine are the months of childbirth. Eight are the days for circumcision. Seven are the days of the week. Six are the orders of the Mishnah. Five are the books of the Torah. Four are the matriarchs. Three are the patriarchs. Two are the tablets of the covenant. One is our God in Heaven and Earth.
Who knows twelve? I know twelve. Twelve are the tribes. Eleven are the stars [in Joseph's Dream]. Ten are the Words from Sinai. Nine are the months of childbirth. Eight are the days for circumcision. Seven are the days of the week. Six are the orders of the Mishnah. Five are the books of the Torah. Four are the matriarchs. Three are the patriarchs. Two are the tablets of the covenant. One is our God in Heaven and Earth.
Who knows thirteen? I know thirteen. Thirteen are the attributes of God. Twelve are the tribes. Eleven are the stars. Ten are the Words from Sinai. Nine are the months of childbirth. Eight are the days for circumcision. Seven are the days of the week. Six are the orders of the Mishnah. Five are the books of the Torah. Four are the matriarchs. Three are the patriarchs. Two are the tablets of the covenant. One is our God in Heaven and Earth.
Chad gadya. Chad gadya.
That Father bought for two zuzim, Chad gadya. Chad gadya.
Then came a cat and ate the goat, That Father bought for two zuzim, Chad gadya. Chad gadya.
Then came a dog and bit the cat, that ate the goat, That Father bought for two zuzim, Chad gadya. Chad gadya.
Then came a stick and beat the dog, that bit the cat, that ate the goat, That Father bought for two zuzim, Chad gadya. Chad gadya.
Then came fire and burnt the stick, that beat the dog, that bit the cat, that ate the goat, That Father bought for two zuzim, Chad gadya. Chad gadya.
Then came water and quenched the fire, that burnt the stick, that beat the dog, that bit the cat, that ate the goat, That Father bought for two zuzim, Chad gadya. Chad gadya.
Then came the ox and drank the water, that quenched the fire, that burnt the stick, that beat the dog, that bit the cat, that ate the goat, That Father bought for two zuzim, Chad gadya. Chad gadya.
Then came the butcher and slaughtered the ox, that drank the water, that quenched the fire, that burnt the stick, that beat the dog, that bit the cat, that ate the goat, That Father bought for two zuzim, Chad gadya. Chad gadya.
Then came the Angel of Death and killed the butcher, that slaughtered the ox, that drank the water, that quenched the fire, that burnt the stick, that beat the dog, that bit the cat, that ate the goat, That Father bought for two zuzim, Chad gadya. Chad gadya.
Then came the Holy One, Blessed be He and slew the the Angel of Death, that killed the butcher, that slaughtered the ox, that drank the water, that quenched the fire, that burnt the stick, that beat the dog, that bit the cat, that ate the goat, That Father bought for two zuzim, Chad gadya. Chad gadya.
Fourth Glass of Wine
As we come to the end of the seder, we drink one more glass of wine. With this final cup, we give thanks for the experience of celebrating Passover together, for the traditions that help inform our daily lives and guide our actions and aspirations.
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ, אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הַגָּפֶן
Baruch Atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech ha-olam, borei p’ree hagafen.
We praise God, Ruler of Everything, who creates the fruit of the vine.
Drink the fourth and final glass of wine!
Nirtzah marks the conclusion of the seder. Our bellies are full, we have had several glasses of wine, we have told stories and sung songs, and now it is time for the evening to come to a close. At the end of the seder, we honor the tradition of declaring, “Next year in Jerusalem!”
For some people, the recitation of this phrase expresses the anticipation of rebuilding the Temple in Jerusalem and the return of the Messiah. For others, it is an affirmation of hope and of connectedness with Klal Yisrael, the whole of the Jewish community. Still others yearn for peace in Israel and for all those living in the Diaspora.
Though it comes at the end of the seder, this moment also marks a beginning. We are beginning the next season with a renewed awareness of the freedoms we enjoy and the obstacles we must still confront. We are looking forward to the time that we gather together again. Having retold stories of the Jewish people, recalled historic movements of liberation, and reflected on the struggles people still face for freedom and equality, we are ready to embark on a year that we hope will bring positive change in the world and freedom to people everywhere.
In The Leader's Guide to the Family Participation Haggadah: A Different Night, Rabbi David Hartman writes: “Passover is the night for reckless dreams; for visions about what a human being can be, what society can be, what people can be, what history may become.”
What can we do to fulfill our reckless dreams? What will be our legacy for future generations?
Our seder is over, according to Jewish tradition and law. As we had the pleasure to gather for a seder this year, we hope to once again have the opportunity in the years to come. We pray that God brings health and healing to Israel and all the people of the world, especially those impacted by natural tragedy and war. As we say…
לְשָׁנָה הַבָּאָה בִּירוּשָׁלָֽיִם
L’shana haba-ah biy’rushalayim
NEXT YEAR IN JERUSALEM!
