Passover or Pesach is an annual Sabbath that occurs during the first full moon on the 14th day of the first month of the year (Nisan). Passover is often called "the feast of freedom," since it celebrates the deliverance of the Hebrews from bondage (religious, political, spiritual, and physical) in Egypt and memorializes the night the faithful were protected by the blood of a lamb - a clear forerunner of the sacrifice of Jesus, Yeshua the Messiah.

Before Pesach begins all leaven (chametz) is searched out and removed from the home. So, what's the big deal? Leaven or chametz represents a corrupting influence or sin. Just as a small amount of leaven can create a beautiful batch of bread, so can sin pervasively spread throughout your life and corrupt your testimony souring your inner life.

Part of the celebration of Passover is the seder plate, we will use it visually to help us tell the story of freedom. The items on the seder plate include a lamb shank bone, a roasted egg, a green vegetable, bitter herbs, salt water, and charoset.

Traditionally, women start the Passover seder to pay homage to their role in setting the religious, spiritual, and moral tone of a household. It is said that women were integral in leading the Hebrew people to freedom. We remember Shiphrah and Puah, the two Hebrew midwives mentioned in Exodus.

The eldest woman of the house covers her head, lights the candles and waves her hands over the flames three times. Covering her eyes with her hands she recites the blessing with those gathered.

All: Blessed are You, LORD our GOD, Master of the universe, who sanctifies us with Thy commandments, and commanded us to kindle the light of the holiday.

Seder Leader: Blessed are You, LORD our GOD, King of the universe, Who sanctified us with his commandments, and commanded us to be a light to the nations and Who gave to us Yeshua our Messiah the Passover Lamb.

Tonight, we remember that we are in Mitzraim (Egypt), the narrow place. There are four cups of wine that recall four of God's promises to His people.

I shall take you out.

I shall rescue you.

I shall redeem you.

I shall take you to me.

The first cup is the "Cup of Sanctification." It recalls how Yahweh has set us apart as His special people.

At this time, each person should fill the wine cup of the person seated next to them.

Seder Leader: Blessed art Thou, ADONAI, our ELOHIM, King of the universe, Creator of the fruit of the vine.

Blessed are You, YAHWEH our ELOHIM, King of the Universe, who chose us from all peoples and exalted us from all tongues, and sanctified us with His commandments. And You gave to us, YAHWEH our ELOHIM, with love appointed times for gladness, festivals, and times for joy.

Blessed art thou, YAHWEH our ELOHIM, Master of the universe, who has kept us alive and sustained us and has brought us to this special time.

All: Amen

Everyone raise your first cup. We are now ready to drink this first cup while leaning to the left. We lean because that was the posture of free people at meals. Those whom God liberated in the Exodus were no longer slaves.

Seder Leader: Urchatz

We will begin the ceremony of washing hands. This ceremony recalls the laws of ritual purity and impurity. It is possible that Yeshua washed the feet of the disciples at this step in the seder.

Seder Leader: Karpas

All: Blessed art Thou, YAHWEH, our ELOHIM, Master of the universe, Creator of the fruit of the Earth.

Now, dip your herbs in salt water, and eat. Shake a little of the salt water off on your plate to represent the tears shed in Hebrew bondage.

Seder Leader: Yachatz

Seder leader show everyone the three matzot placed in a cloth.

Seder Leader: This is the bread of suffering which our fathers ate in the land of Egypt. All who are hungry--let them come and eat. All who are needy--let them come and celebrate the Passover with us.

Seder Leader breaks the middle matzah. Take the large piece, the afikomen, and wrap it carefully in a linen cover like a burial shroud.

Look at the matzah, and see that it is striped.

By His stripes we are healed.

Look at the matzah, and see that it is pierced.

They shall look upon me whom they've pierced.

Look at the matzah, and see that it is pure (without leaven).

His body was without sin.

Seder Leader please hide the Afikomen.

Please fill your cups for the Second cup of the Seder, the "Cup of Deliverance."

Traditionally, there are four questions, four answers, and four sons to help illustrate Passover. Each is meant to encompass different types of people and their equally different learning styles while cementing this momentous event in history.

We will attempt the same with a quick skit.

Here is a kid and adult friendly alternative to for the Maggid section (the Passover story section) of the Haggadah. This short play/skit is in the style of "sedra scenes" -- a contemporary take which makes the story current but stays true to the Exodus narrative. I've written it for large crowds -- so there are 13 parts, but if you have a smaller gathering you can easily double up.

LET MY PEOPLE GO!
A short play for the seder

CAST: NARRATOR, JOSEPH, BENJAMIN, PHAROAH, ADVISOR, HEBREW 1, HEBREW 2, HEBREW 3, BOSS, BAT PHAROAH, MOSES, GOD, AARON (13 parts)

NARRATOR: Our story begins in the land of Egypt where Joseph, once a prisoner, is now the Pharaoh’s chief advisor.

JOSEPH: So how are things back in Israel?

BENJAMIN: Oy! Terrible. Our gardens and crops are dying. There is no rain this year. That is why we had to come down to Egypt!

JOSEPH: Well, don’t worry..life in Egypt is fantastic. Playstation 3 in every house, High Definition Television, Lincoln Navigators in the driveway, This is the most powerful nation on the planet!

BENJAMIN: Did you have rain this year? Are the gardens and crops doing well?

JOSEPH: We don’t have to worry about that. I’ve stored away tons of food in giant warehouses. The Pharaoh will be able to feed the people for three years at least, even if we get no rain.

BENJAMIN: What does the Pharaoh think of us Hebrews?

JOSEPH: He loves me. He welcomes the Hebrews into his land. Bring the entire family, we’ll make a great life here.

Narrator: The Hebrews all moved to Egypt and had many children and lived a successful life. But after many years, after Joseph and his brothers had died, a new Pharaoh rose to power.

PHAROAH: Advisor, bring me the latest census report. I want to know all the people who I rule over!

ADVISOR: Yes, you’re Royal Highness. I have the numbers here.

PHAROAH: Let’s see..Nubians, Midians, yes, very good. Are there really that many Hebrews?

ADVISOR: Oh yes, your highness. They are growing in number. They are very strong workers.

PHAROAH: Do you think that might be a danger? Perhaps they will challenge my rule – make demands. You know how these workers are always complaining about the size of the rocks for the new Pyramids. I am worried that they will use their strength in numbers to rise up against me!

ADVISOR: Yes, you are right, we must do something to break their spirits.

PHAROAH: First, let us begin with something small. We’ll get them to make more bricks each day. If that doesn’t work, we’ll eliminate the fifteen-minute breaks. If that doesn’t break them, then maybe we’ll turn to harsher measures.

Narrator: The Hebrew workers struggled to keep up with Pharaoh’s demands.

HEBREW 1: My hands are killing me. And my back, oy! I can’t take this pace.

HEBREW 2: We can make a thousand bricks a day—but two thousand? No team can work that hard! We’ll fall over!

HEBREW 3: Get back to work, the boss is coming!

BOSS: Efficiency, people! We have got to make 900 more bricks by sundown! Come on, let’s work faster!

HEBREW 1: We are working as fast as we can, boss.

BOSS: Listen, smart aleck, I’ve got a lot of pressure on my shoulders. If Pharaoh doesn’t get his bricks, I’m out of a job. I got a family to feed, too, you know. So get back down in the pit and start working!

HEBREW 2: We haven’t had a break all day!

BOSS: And you are not going to get one! Work!

HEBREW 3: You know what, boss; you have become a real pain in the backside!

BOSS: What’d you say?

HEBREW 3: You heard me.

[The BOSS walks over and pushes Hebrew 3 to the ground]

BOSS: Now get back to work before I get really angry!

Narrator: Meanwhile, Pharaoh’s daughter adopted a young Hebrew child. The child, Moses, was raised with the finest Egypt had to offer.

BAT PHAROAH: Here, sweetheart, eat your honey cakes before your flute lesson.

MOSES: I’m so excited about the party this evening.

BAT PHAROAH: Your new robe looks lovely, dear. I just hope that the Pyramid is finished. Your grandfather has the workers working double time just to get the place finished before the great assembly.

MOSES: I heard that the Hebrews were complaining.

BAT PHAROAH: Complaining? Don’t worry about that. We take care of the needs of all our workers, dear. They are fed, given homes, and we give them a new pair of shoes each year. We are very generous. The only problem is that there are simply too many Hebrews. For that reason, we are cutting down their number. I know that it is sad that we have to kill off their baby boys, but we are really doing it for their own good.

MOSES: I know so little about the world. Someday I’d like to go out of the palace and see how they live.

BAT PHAROAH: They are not clean like us, dear. Especially the Hebrews. They throw garbage on the streets, and the smells are truly horrible.

Narrator: One day Moses decides to sneak out of the palace, and see for himself the plight of the Hebrews.

HEBREW 1: I can’t work, today, I’m sick! And I hurt my arm yesterday lifting stones!

BOSS: I don’t want to hear excuses. This pyramid has got to be finished by Thursday! Today is Wednesday! So get moving!

HEBREW 1: I can’t work. Please, listen to me, have some compassion!

HEBREW 2: Give him a break, boss!

BOSS: Shut up!

HEBREW 3: Don’t get involved!

HEBREW 2: I’m tired of this, boss! My cousin there is hurt. He can’t work today. And he’s not working. So go tell Pharaoh that he’ll have to hire some more workers or this isn’t getting done!

BOSS: Shut up!

[Boss pushes Hebrew 2 to the ground.]

HEBREW 1: Stop it!

BOSS: I’m going to hurt you bad, you whiny Hebrew!

HEBREW 3: Stop! One of Pharaoh’s princes is coming!

MOSES: What is happening?

BOSS: I am going to give this man the beating he deserves, your honor! Watch this!

MOSES: No!

[Moses hits the Boss, who falls to the ground]

HEBREW 3: Oh no! What did you do to the boss? We’ll be blamed for this! We’ll be punished!

MOSES: What have I done? What have I done?

Narrator: Moses ran away, far off into the wilderness. Where he is taken in by Yitro, and marries one of Yitro’s daughter’s Zipporah. One day, as Moses is taking care of yitro’s sheep, he stumbles across a burning bush.

GOD: Moses, Moses!

MOSES: Who is that? What is going on? What is happening?

GOD: It is me, the God of your ancestors, Abraham, Issac, and Jacob.

MOSES: You must have the wrong number.

GOD: This is no time for jokes. You must go back to Egypt and stand up to Pharaoh! Then you will lead the people back to their homeland!

MOSES: How will I do that? The people do not know me! I have no power now that I have run away!

GOD: I will be with you. Go to your sister, Miriam, and brother, Aaron, and stand up to Pharaoh!

Narrator: Moses returns to Egypt, with his wife and son, Gershom. Aaron and Moses approach Pharaoh.

PHAROAH: What do you want?

AARON: Our people need a three-day vacation. We need to go outside of the city so that we can pray to God in our own way.

PHAROAH: Why can’t you wait for the festival of the pyramids? Then your people will have a chance to celebrate with everyone.

MOSES: We do not wish to pray to your gods. We have one God, who is mightier than all of your gods.

PHAROAH: You must be joking. The gods have made Egypt a great nation. What has your God done for you?

MOSES: You’ll see what our God can do! And then you’ll give in to our demands!

PHAROAH: Don’t count on it, Hebrew!

Narrator: Pharaoh was a stubborn man. Even after plagues of blood, frogs, lice, disease, hail, and darkness, he would not let the Hebrews take a day off. It wasn’t until a disease struck and killed the first born of every Egyptian, that the Pharaoh changed his mind.

PHAROAH: Don’t you understand what is happening?

ADVISOR: No, your highness, I don’t know why our gods are not protecting us.

PHAROAH: Everything we did to the Hebrews is now happening to us!!!

ADVISOR: Maybe their God is powerful!

PHAROAH: Tell the police that are surrounding their neighborhood to let them go.

Narrator: That night, Moses, spoke to the people.

MOSES: Put on your sandals, we will not have time to bake the bread for tomorrow! Tonight we will leave Egypt, and set out for a new land! Our children, and our children’s children will remember this night! They will tell the story of how we stood up to Pharaoh, and how God helped us to be free!

AARON: Let all who are hungry come and eat!

Narrator: And thus ends our little play.

Seder Leader: Blood and fire and thick smoke...

These are the plagues, that the Holy One, Blessed be He, sent upon the Egyptians in Egypt.

As each plague is named, we will take a drop of wine and spill it from our cups onto our plates.

Dam - Blood

Ts'fardei-a -- Frogs

Kinim - Gnats

Arov - Flies

Dever - Disease

Sh'chin - Boils

Barad - Hail

Arbeh - Locusts

Chosech - Darkness

Makat B'chorot - Death of the first-born

Finally, Pharaoh let the Hebrew people go. They left laden with silver and gold. Then, Pharaoh changed his mind. Yahweh protected the people by parting the Red Sea before them. As Pharaoh's men closed in on them the sea swallowed them up, trapping them and destroying the army. The Hebrew nation, however, was safe.

This is the time when traditionally songs of praise are sung. After escaping Egypt, the Hebrews sang songs of praise and thanksgiving. Before we begin eating matzah, it is appropriate to reference Psalms 113-118, known as the Hallel. As the Hallel was sung in the temple the paschal lambs were slain.

Seder Leader: Blessed are You, O LORD our God who bids us rejoice with psalms of praise.

It is time for the second cup, the "Cup of Deliverance," with this cup we remember the second promise Yahweh made to the Hebrew people:

I will free you from being slaves to them. (Exodus 6:6-7)

Everyone raise the second cup.

All: Blessed are you, O LORD our God, King of the universe, who creates the fruit of the vine.

Everyone lean to the left and drink.

Seder Leader: Rachtzah

Before we begin our seder meal, we will wash our hands and recite the traditional blessing.

All: Blessed art thou, YAHWEH our ELOHIM, Master of the universe, Who gave us commandments and sanctified us by Yeshua our Messiah, the light of the world.

Seder Leader: Motzi Matzah

The Seder Leader will distribute the top and the middle matzah to guest. The traditional blessing over the bread and matzah will be recited.

All: Blessed are YOU, YAHWEH our ELOHIM, King of the universe, Who brings forth bread from the earth.

All: Blessed are YOU, O LORD our GOD, King of the universe, who has sanctified us by Yeshua and bid us to eat matzah.

Everyone should eat their portion of matzah.

Seder Leader: Maror

It is now time to eat some bitter herbs. Take a piece of matzah load it with some horseradish. (You can add a little charoset to soften the effect.) After reciting the blessing, eat it to remember the bitter afflictions suffered.

All: Blessed are You, YAHWEH our ELOHIM, King of the universe, Who sanctified us by YESHUA and bid us to eat maror.

Eat.

Seder Leader: Korekh

They shall eat the flesh that night, roasted on the fire; with matzah and maror they shall eat it. (Exodus 12:8)

As a substitute for lamb, we use charoset. Take some matzah and smear some maror on and then smear on some charoset. Lastly, add another piece of matzah. When we eat, we want to move from the bitter to the sweet. The sweet being redemption.

Eat.

Seder Leader: (Pray over the meal.)

Let's Eat!

Seder Leader: Tzafun

Find the hidden Afikomen. Break it into pieces and allow everyone to have a piece.

All: Blessed are YOU, YAHWEH our ELOHIM, King of the universe, who brings forth the True Bread from heaven.

Eat.

Traditionally, Jewish custom was to thank God after the meal for the food we have eaten. 

It is traditional to find an extra filled wine glass on the seder table. This is Elijah's cup. It is traditional to have a child open the door and call for Elijah to come.

See, I will send you the prophet Elijah before that great and dreadful day of the LORD comes. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers; or else I will come and strike the land with a curse. (Malachi 4:5-6)

The disciples asked him, "Why then do the teachers of the law say that Elijah must come first?" Jesus replied, "To be sure, Elijah comes and will restore all things. But I tell you, Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but have done to him everything they wished. In the same way the Son of Man is going to suffer at their hands." Then the disciples understood that he was talking about John the Baptist. (Matthew 17:10-13)

All: Worthy is the LAMB who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing! (Revelation 5:12)

Seder Leader pour the fourth and final cup, it is called the Cup of Restoration or the Cup of Praise. It fulfills the fourth statement - "I will acquire you as a nation (Exodus 6:6). Jesus told his disciples that He would not drink of this cup but promised to do so in the coming Kingdom (Matthew 26:29).

Everyone lean to the left and drink from the fourth cup.

For the LORD HIMSELF shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the shofar blast of ELOHIM: and the dead in Messiah shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the LORD in the air: and so shall we ever be with the LORD. (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17)

The seder has come to an end.

Seder Leader: Now to the ONE who is able to keep you from falling, and to cause you to stand, rejoicing, without blemish before His glorious presence, to the only ELOHIM our Saviour through YESHUA THE MESSIAH, our LORD and great Lamb of HA 'ELOHIM, be glory, majesty, power, and authority, before all time, and now, and for all eternity. AMEN.