This may take up to thirty seconds.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Jewish celebrations often include wine as a symbol of our 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 bless the source of compassion that creates the fruit of the vine.
We are grateful to participate in mitzvot (actions that enhance our relationship to what's sacred in life, and to celebrate special times. We are thankful to read our sacred stories, and remember the Exodus from Egypt. We experience blessing in the gift of Jewish traditions.
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. Let's bless the source of sacredness that keeps us alive, raises us up, and brings us to this happy moment.
Drink the first glass of wine!
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 as we wash our hands to consider what we hope to get out of our evening together.
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?
Breaking the middle matzah | yachatz | יַחַץ
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 must hunt for the afikomen in order to wrap up the meal. Because the meal cannot end until all guests taste the afikomen, whoever has found it may ransom it back to the other guests.
We eat matzah in memory of the quick flight of our ancestors from Egypt. As slaves, they faced many false starts before finally securing their freedom. 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, letting it bake in the sun, and thus looking something like matzah.
The host uncovers and holds up the three pieces of matzah and says:
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 may we be in Israel. This year we are slaves; next year we will be free.
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.
By Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Rabbi Lauren Holzblatt
On Passover, Jews are commanded to tell the story of the Exodus and to see ourselves as having lived through that story, so that we may better learn how to live our lives today. The stories we tell our children shape what they believe to be possible—which is why at Passover, we must tell the stories of the women who played a crucial role in the Exodus narrative.
The Book of Exodus, much like the Book of Genesis, opens in pervasive darkness. Genesis describes the earth as “unformed and void, with darkness over the surface of the deep.”1 In Exodus, darkness attends the accession of a new Pharaoh who feared the Israelites and so enslaved them. God alone lights the way out of the darkness in Genesis. But in Exodus, God has many partners, first among them, five brave women.
There is Yocheved, Moses’ mother, and Shifra and Puah, the famous midwives. Each defies Pharaoh’s decree to kill the Israelite baby boys. And there is Miriam, Moses’ sister, about whom the following midrash is taught:
[When Miriam’s only brother was Aaron] she prophesied… “my mother is destined to bear a son who will save Israel.” When [Moses] was born the whole house… filled with light[.] [Miriam’s] father arose and kissed her on the head, saying, “My daughter, your prophecy has been fulfilled.” But when they threw [Moses] into the river her father tapped her on the head saying, “Daughter, where is your prophecy?” So it is written, “And [Miriam] stood afar off to know what would be[come of] the latter part of her prophecy.”2
Finally, there is Pharaoh’s daughter Batya, who defies her own father and plucks baby Moses out of the Nile. The Midrash reminds us that Batya knew exactly what she doing:
When Pharaoh’s daughter’s handmaidens saw that she intended to rescue Moses, they attempted to dissuade her, and persuade her to heed her father. They said to her: “Our mistress, it is the way of the world that when a king issues a decree, it is not heeded by the entire world, but his children and the members of his household do observe it, and you wish to transgress your father’s decree?”3
But transgress she did.
These women had a vision leading out of the darkness shrouding their world. They were women of action, prepared to defy authority to make their vision a reality bathed in the light of the day.
Retelling the heroic stories of Yocheved, Shifra, Puah, Miriam and Batya reminds our daughters that with vision and the courage to act, they can carry forward the tradition those intrepid women launched.
While there is much light in today’s world, there remains in our universe disheartening darkness, inhumanity spawned by ignorance and hate. We see horrific examples in the Middle East, parts of Africa, and the Ukraine. The Passover story recalls to all of us—women and men—that with vision and action we can join hands with others of like mind, kindling lights along paths leading out of the terrifying darkness.
1 Genesis 1:2 2 Babylonian Talmud, Megillah 14a 3 Babylonian Talmud, Sotah 12b
Ruth Bader Ginsburg is a Justice of the United States Supreme Court. Appointed by President William Jefferson Clinton in 1993, she is known as a strong voice for gender equality, the rights of workers, and separation between church and state.
Rabbi Lauren Holtzblatt is a rabbi at Adas Israel Congregation in Washington, D.C.. She is co-creator of two nationally recognized community engagement projects—MakomDC and the Jewish Mindfulness Center of Washington.
Image Credit: Time Magazine https://time.com/3823889/ruth-bader-ginsburg-2015-time-100/
Passover is the celebration of life. The story of the Jewish people is truly a triumph of life. Against the odds of history, the Jewish people have done more than survive - we have adapted creatively to each new time, each new place, from the birth of our people to the present day.
Even though death has pursued us relentlessly, time and time again, we have chosen to live. During the many centuries of the Jewish experience, memories of destruction are tempered by the knowledge that the world can also be good.
We have endured slavery and humiliation. We have also enjoyed freedom and power. Darkness has been balanced by light.
Our forebears traveled the Earth in search of the safety and liberty they knew must exist. We have learned to endure. We have learned to progress.
We are proud survivors. We celebrate our good fortune and seek the advancement of all.
Leader:
One of the customs of the seder is the asking of questions - questions about what the ritual actions of the seder mean. The Passover tradition involves the youngest children asking - actually singing - about these matters in a song we call "The Four Questions."
The four questions are asked every year, and we are meant to pretend not to know the answers. The point of these questions is to inspire you to ask more questions. Tonight you should question everything. The youngest person at the table is meant to read them, but usually we all sing them together.
מַה נִּשְּׁתַּנָה הַלַּיְלָה הַזֶּה מִכָּל הַלֵּילוֹת
שֶׁבְּכָל הַלֵּילוֹת אָנוּ אוֹכְלִין חָמֵץ וּמַצָּה,
-הַלַּיְלָה הַזֶּה כּוּלוֹ מַצָּה.
שֶׁבְּכָל הַלֵּילוֹת אָנוּ אוֹכְלִין שְׁאָר יְרָקוֹת,
- הַלַּיְלָה הַזֶּה מָרוֹר.
שֶׁבְּכָל הַלֵּילוֹת אֵין אֶנוּ מַטְבִּילִין אֲפִילוּ פַּעַם אֶחָת,
- הַלַּיְלָה הַזֶּה שְׁתֵּי פְעָמִים.
שֶׁבְּכָל הַלֵּילוֹת אָנוּ אוֹכְלִין בֵּין יוֹשְׁבִין וּבֵין מְסֻבִּין,
- הַלַּיְלָה הַזֶּה כֻּלָנו מְסֻבִּין
Ma nishtanah halailah hazeh mikol haleilot?
Sheb’khol haleilot anu okhlin hametz umatzoh; halailah hazeh, kuloh matzoh.
Sheb’khol haleilot anu okhlin sh’ar y’rakot; halailah hazeh, maror.
Sheb’khol haleilot ein anu matbilin afilu pa’am ehat; halailah hazeh, shtei f’amim.
Sheb’khol haleilot anu okhlin bein yoshvin uvein m’subin; halailah hazeh, kulanu m’subin.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Why is this night different from all other nights?
On all other nights we eat leavened products and matzoh. Why on this night do we eat only matzoh?
On all other nights we eat all vegetables. Why on this night do we eat only bitter herbs?
On all other nights, we don’t dip our food even once. Why on this night do we dip twice?
On all other nights we eat sitting or reclining. Why on this night do we only recline?
LEADER: We will now answer the four questions and begin to tell the story of our enslavement in Egypt
ASSEMBLED: Once we were slaves to Pharoah in Egypt, and the Lord, in His goodness and mercy, brought us forth from that land, with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm.
LEADER: Had He not brought our ancestors out of Mitzrayim, we and our children and our children's children would still be enslaved to Pharoh in Mitzrayim and deprived of liberty.
ASSEMBLED: We, therefore, gather year after year, to retell this ancient story. For, in reality, it is not ancient but eternal in its message and its spirit. It proclaims man's burning desire for freedom.
PARTICIPANT: The first question asked concerns the use of Matzoh. We eat these unleavened breads to remember that our ancestors, in their haste to leave Egypt, could not wait for bread to rise, and so removed them from the ovens while they were still flat.
PARTICIPANT: The second question asks why we eat only bitter herbs tonight. We partake of the Morror, bitter herbs, on this night so that we might taste of some bitterness to remind us how bitter is the lot of one caught in the grip of slavery.
PARTICIPANT: The third question asks why we dip on this night. We dip twice in the course of this Seder: Greens in salt water and Morror in Charoset, once to replace the tears with gratefulness, and once to sweeten the bitterness and suffering.
PARTICIPANT: The fourth question asks why, on this night, we eat in a reclining position. To recline at mealtimes in ancient days was the sign of a free man. On this night of Passover, we demonstrate our sense of complete freedom by reclining.
The seder plate is returned to the table. Matzot are uncovered and all respond:
The Torah speaks of four types of children: one is wise, one is wicked, one is simple, and one does not know how to ask.
The Wise One asks: "What is the meaning of the laws and traditions God has commanded?" (Deuteronomy 6:20) You should teach him all the traditions of Passover, even to the last detail.
The Wicked One asks: "What does this ritual mean to you?" (Exodus 12:26) By using the expression "to you" he excludes himself from his people and denies God. Shake his arrogance and say to him: "It is because of what the Lord did for me when I came out of Egypt..." (Exodus 13:8) "For me" and not for him -- for had he been in Egypt, he would not have been freed.
The Simple One asks: "What is all this?" You should tell him: "It was with a mighty hand that the Lord took us out of Egypt, out of the house of bondage."
As for the One Who Does Not Know How To Ask, you should open the discussion for him, as it is written: "And you shall explain to your child on that day, 'It is because of what the Lord did for me when I came out of Egypt." (Exodus 13:8)
Our story starts in ancient times, with Abraham, the first person to have the idea that maybe all those little statues his contemporaries worshiped as gods were just statues. The idea of one God, invisible and all-powerful, inspired him to leave his family and begin a new people in Canaan, the land that would one day bear his grandson Jacob’s adopted name, Israel.
God had made a promise to Abraham that his family would become a great nation, but this promise came with a frightening vision of the troubles along the way: “Your descendants will dwell for a time in a land that is not their own, and they will be enslaved and afflicted for four hundred years; however, I will punish the nation that enslaved them, and afterwards they shall leave with great wealth."
Raise the glass of wine and say:
וְהִיא שֶׁעָמְדָה לַאֲבוֹתֵֽינוּ וְלָֽנוּ
V’hi she-amda l’avoteinu v’lanu.
This promise has sustained our ancestors and us.
For not only one enemy has risen against us to annihilate us, but in every generation there are those who rise against us. But God saves us from those who seek to harm us.
The glass of wine is put down.
In the years our ancestors lived in Egypt, our numbers grew, and soon the family of Jacob became the People of Israel. Pharaoh and the leaders of Egypt grew alarmed by this great nation growing within their borders, so they enslaved us. We were forced to perform hard labor, perhaps even building pyramids. The Egyptians feared that even as slaves, the Israelites might grow strong and rebel. So Pharaoh decreed that Israelite baby boys should be drowned, to prevent the Israelites from overthrowing those who had enslaved them.
But God heard the cries of the Israelites. And God brought us out of Egypt with a strong hand and outstretched arm, with great awe, miraculous signs and wonders. God brought us out not by angel or messenger, but through God’s own intervention.
When Israel came out of Egypt, the house of Jacob from a people of strange language, Judah became His sanctuary, Israel His dominion.
The sea saw it, and fled.
The Jordan turned backwards.
The mountains skipped like rams, the hills like young sheep.
What aileth thee, o' sea, that though flee-ist? Thou Jordan, that thou turnest backwards?
Ye mountains that ye skip like rams, ye hills like young sheep?
Tremble, though earth, in the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the G-d of Jacob;
Who turned the rock into a pool of water, the flint into a fountain of waters
These are the Plagues that the holy one, blessed be he, brought upon Egypt.
“Blood, and fire and pillars of smoke…”
“Before the great and terrible day of the Lord comes, I will set wonders in the sky and on the earth… blood, fire and pillars of smoke: The sun shall turn to darkness and the moon into blood.” Joel 3:3
Another interpretation of Deuteronomy 26:8 is: “strong hand” indicates two plagues; “out-stretched arm” indicates two more plagues; “great awe” indicates two plagues; “signs” indicates two more plagues because it is plural; and “wonders” two more plagues because it is in the plural. This then is a total of Ten Plagues.
Eilu eser makot sheheivi hakadosh baruch hu al hamitzrim b'mitzrayim, v'eilu hein:
These are the Plagues that the holy one, blessed be he, brought upon Egypt.
(As each plague is recited first in Hebrew then English dip the little finger in the Cup of Redemption and splatter on a napkin or paper plate)
Blood | Dom | דָּם
Frogs | Tzfardeyah | צְפֵרְדֵּע
Lice | Kinim | כִּנִים
Beasts | Arov | עָרוֹב
Cattle Plague | Dever | דֶּבֶר
Boils | Sh’chin | שְׁחִין
Hail | Barad | בָּרד
Locusts | Arbeh | אַרְבֶּה
Darkness | Choshech | חשֶׁךְ
Slaying of First Born |Makat Bechorot | מַכַּת בְּכוֹרוֹת
Rabbi Yehuda formed the initials of the plagues as follows
Remove three more drops from the Cup of Redemption as these are recited
DeTZaK, (Blood, Frogs and Lice)
ADaSH (Beasts, Cattle Plague and Boils)
BeAKHaB (Hail, Darkness and Slaying of First Born)
Take a moment to meditate on the visual image made on the napkin or paper plate of your Redemption from Egypt. Then refill the Cup of Redemption to replace the drops removed.
Rabbi Yose the Galilean says: How does one derive that, after the ten plagues in Egypt, the Egyptians suffered fifty plagues at the Sea? Concerning the plagues in Egypt the Torah states that “the magicians said to Pharaoh, it is the finger of God.” However, at the Sea, the Torah relates that “Israel saw the great hand which the Lord laid upon the Egyptians, and the people revered the Lord and they believed in the Lord and in His servant Moses.” It reasons that if they suffered ten plagues in Egypt, they must have been made to suffer fifty plagues at the Sea.
Rabbi Eliezer says: How does one derive that every plague that God inflicted upon the Egyptians in Egypt was equal in intensity to four plagues? It is written: “He sent upon them his fierce anger, wrath, fury and trouble, a band of evil messengers.” Since each plague was comprised of 1) wrath, 2) fury, 3) trouble and 4) a band of evil messengers, they must have suffered forty plagues in Egypt and two hundred at the Sea.
Rabbi Akiva says: How does one derive that every plague that God inflicted upon the Egyptians in Egypt was equal in intensity to five plagues? It is written: “He sent upon them his fierce anger, wrath, fury and trouble, a band of evil messengers.” Since each plague was comprised of 1) fierce anger 2) wrath 3) fury 4) trouble and 5) a band of evil messengers, they must have suffered fifty plagues in Egypt and two hundred and fifty at the Sea.
Avadim hayinu hayinu. Ata b'nei chorin.
Once we were slaves in Egypt. Now, we are free.
Each year we tell the story of the Exodus, and of the Passover, as a reminder that freedom is something we cannot take for granted, and that it something that too-often comes with a price. This year, we remember the sacrifices that have been made to keep us free, and the work that is still needed to bring freedom to those who still fight for it.
This year, we celebrate where we are, for it is what we are free to do.
Next year we hope to celebrate in Jerusalem, in a world where everyone is free.
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!
The plagues and our subsequent redemption from Egypt are but one example of the care God has shown for us in our history. Had God but done any one of these kindnesses, it would have been enough – dayeinu.
אִלּוּ הוֹצִיאָֽנוּ מִמִּצְרַֽיִם, דַּיֵּנוּ
Ilu hotzi- hotzianu, Hotzianu mi-mitzrayim Hotzianu mi-mitzrayim, Dayeinu
If God had only taken us out of Egypt, that would have been enough!
אִלּוּ נָתַן לָֽנוּ אֶת־הַתּוֹרָה, דַּיֵּנוּ
Ilu natan natan lanu, natan lanu et ha-Torah, Natan lanu et ha-Torah , Dayeinu
If God had only given us the Torah, that would have been enough.
The complete lyrics to Dayeinu tell the entire story of the Exodus from Egypt as a series of miracles God performed for us. (See the Additional Readings if you want to read or sing them all.)
Dayeinu also reminds us that each of our lives is the cumulative result of many blessings, small and large.
We have now told the story of Passover…but wait! We’re not quite done. There are still some symbols on our seder plate we haven’t talked about yet. Rabban Gamliel would say that whoever didn’t explain the shank bone, matzah, and marror (or bitter herbs) hasn’t done Passover justice.
The shank bone represents the Pesach, the special lamb sacrifice made in the days of the Temple for the Passover holiday. It is called the pesach, from the Hebrew word meaning “to pass over,” because God passed over the houses of our ancestors in Egypt when visiting plagues upon our oppressors.
The matzah reminds us that when our ancestors were finally free to leave Egypt, there was no time to pack or prepare. Our ancestors grabbed whatever dough was made and set out on their journey, letting their dough bake into matzah as they fled.
The bitter herbs provide a visceral reminder of the bitterness of slavery, the life of hard labor our ancestors experienced in Egypt.
Why is there an orange on the Seder plate?
An orange is not one of the traditional symbols of Passover, yet today many choose to include it on their Seder plate. The story goes that a man once yelled at Rabbi Susannah Heschel that "a woman belongs on the bima like an orange belongs on the Seder plate", but this story as actually untrue.
The real story of the orange on the Seder plate comes from a story that Heschel had read wherein a girl asked her rabbi what room there was in Judaism for lesbians, and the rabbi proclaimed, "there is as much room for lesbians in Judaism as there is for a crust of bread on the Seder plate". Heschel adapted the story and began to add an orange to the Seder plate, to symbolize the fruitfulness for all Jews when those marginalized by the community--women, widows, LGBTQ-identified individuals, orphans--would be fully accepted in Judaism. Solidarity with the queer community has always been at the heart of the orange on the Seder plate, and is an important reminder of the growth towards equality that the Jewish community is still undertaking.
As we now transition from the formal telling of the Passover story to the celebratory meal, we once again wash our hands to prepare ourselves. In Judaism, a good meal together with friends and family is itself a sacred act, so we prepare for it just as we prepared for our holiday ritual, recalling the way ancient priests once prepared for service in the Temple.
Some people distinguish between washing to prepare for prayer and washing to prepare for food by changing the way they pour water on their hands. For washing before food, pour water three times on your right hand and then three times on your left hand.
After you have poured the water over your hands, recite this short blessing.
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָֽׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו, וְצִוָּנוּ עַל נְטִילַת יָדָֽיִם
Baruch Atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech ha-olam, asher kid’shanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu al n’tilat yadayim.
We praise God, Ruler of Everything, who made us holy through obligations, commanding us to wash our hands.
The blessing over the meal and matzah | motzi matzah | מוֹצִיא מַצָּה
The familiar hamotzi blessing marks the formal start of the meal. Because we are using matzah instead of bread, we add a blessing celebrating this mitzvah.
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ, אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, הַמּוֹצִיא לֶֽחֶם מִן הָאָֽרֶץ
Baruch Atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech ha-olam, hamotzi lechem min ha-aretz.
We praise God, Ruler of Everything, who brings bread from the land.
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ, אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָֽׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתַָיו וְצִוָּֽנוּ עַל אֲכִילַת מַצָּה
Baruch Atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech ha-olam, asher kid’shanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu al achilat matzah.
We praise God, Ruler of Everything, who made us holy through obligations, commanding us to eat matzah.
Distribute and eat the top and middle matzah for everyone to eat.
Dipping the bitter herb in sweet charoset | maror |מָרוֹר
In creating a holiday about the joy of freedom, we turn the story of our bitter history into a sweet celebration. We recognize this by dipping our bitter herbs into the sweet charoset. We don’t totally eradicate the taste of the bitter with the taste of the sweet… but doesn’t the sweet mean more when it’s layered over the bitterness?
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ, אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָֽׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו וְצִוָּֽנוּ עַל אֲכִילַת מרוֹר
Baruch Atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech ha-olam, asher kid’shanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu al achilat maror.
We praise God, Ruler of Everything, who made us holy through obligations, commanding us to eat bitter herbs.
Eating a sandwich of matzah and bitter herb | koreich | כּוֹרֵךְ
When the Temple stood in Jerusalem, the biggest ritual of them all was eating the lamb offered as the pesach or Passover sacrifice. The great sage Hillel would put the meat in a sandwich made of matzah, along with some of the bitter herbs. While we do not make sacrifices any more – and, in fact, some Jews have a custom of purposely avoiding lamb during the seder so that it is not mistaken as a sacrifice – we honor this custom by eating a sandwich of the remaining matzah and bitter herbs. Some people will also include charoset in the sandwich to remind us that God’s kindness helped relieve the bitterness of slavery.
Eating the meal! | shulchan oreich | שֻׁלְחָן עוֹרֵךְ
Enjoy! But don’t forget when you’re done we’ve got a little more seder to go, including the final two cups of wine!
Finding and eating the Afikomen | tzafoon | צָפוּן
The playfulness of finding the afikomen reminds us that we balance our solemn memories of slavery with a joyous celebration of freedom. As we eat the afikomen, our last taste of matzah for the evening, we are grateful for moments of silliness and happiness in our lives.
Refill everyone’s wine glass.
We now say grace after the meal, thanking God for the food we’ve eaten. On Passover, this becomes something like an extended toast to God, culminating with drinking our third glass of wine for the evening:
We praise God, Ruler of Everything, whose goodness sustains the world. You are the origin of love and compassion, the source of bread for all. Thanks to You, we need never lack for food; You provide food enough for everyone. We praise God, source of food for everyone.
As it says in the Torah: When you have eaten and are satisfied, give praise to your God who has given you this good earth. We praise God for the earth and for its sustenance.
Renew our spiritual center in our time. We praise God, who centers us.
May the source of peace grant peace to us, to the Jewish people, and to the entire world. Amen.
The Third Glass of Wine
The blessing over the meal is immediately followed by another blessing over the wine:
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ, אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הַגָּפֶן
Baruch Atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech ha-olam, borei p’ree hagafen.
We praise God, Ruler of Everything, who creates the fruit of the vine.
Drink the third glass of wine!
Ba-ruch a-tah A-do-nai, E-lo-hei-nu Me-lech Ha-o-lam,
Ha-zan et ha-o-lam ku-lo, b'tu-vo,
b'chein b'che-sed uv-ra-cha-mim,
hu no-tein le-chem l'chawl ba-sar, ki l'o-lam chas-do.
Uv-tu-vo ha-ga-dol i-ma-nu, ta-mid lo cha-seir la-nu,
v'al yech-sar la-nu, ma-zon l'o-lam va-ed.
Ba-a-vur sh'mo ha-ga-dol, ki hu Eil zan um-far-neis la-kol,
u-mei-tiv la-kol, u-mei-chin ma-zon
l'chawl b'ri-yo-tav a-sher ba-ra.
Ka-a-mur: Po-tei-ach et ya-de-cha, u-mas-bi-a l'chawl chai ra-tson.
Ba-ruch a-tah A-do-nai, ha-zan et ha-kol. (A-mein. )
The second benediction is traditionally attributed to Joshua. It is said in appreciation for the Land of Israel:
No-deh l'cha
A-do-nai E-lo-hei-nu,
al she-hin-chal-ta la-a-vo-tei-nu
e-rets chem-dah to-vah ur-cha-vah.
V'al she-ho-tsei-ta-nu
A-do-nai E-lo-hei-nu
mei-e-rets mits-ra-yim,
uf-di-ta-nu mi-beit a-va-dim,
v'al b'ri-t'cha she-cha-tam-ta biv-sa-rei-nu,
v'al to-ra-t'cha she-li-mad-ta-nu,
v'al chu-ke-cha she-ho-da-ta-nu,
v'al chai-yim chein va-che-sed she-cho-nan-ta-nu,
v'al a-chi-lat ma-zon sha-a-tah zan um-far-neis o-ta-nu ta-mid,
b'chawl yom uv-chawl eit uv-chawl sha-ah.
The third benediction is traditionally attributed to King David, with later modifications attributed to King Solomon. It is said in appreciation forJerusalem and the Temple:
Ra-cheim A-do-nai E-lo-hei-nu al Yis-ra-eil a-me-cha,
v'al Y'ru-sha-la-yim i-re-cha,
v'al Tsi-yon mish-kan k'vo-de-cha,
v'al mal-chut beit Da-vid m'shi-che-cha,
v'al ha-ba-yit ha-ga-dol v'ha-ka-dosh she-nik-ra shim-cha a-lav.
E-lo-hei-nu A-vi-nu r'ei-nu ( on Shabbat and festivals substitute: ro-ei-nu) zo-nei-nu
par-n'sei-nu v'chal-k'lei-nu v'har-vi-chei-nu,
v'har-vach la-nu A-do-nai E-lo-hei-nu
m'hei-rah mi-kawl tsa-ro-tei-nu.
V'na al tats-ri-chei-nu A-do-nai E-lo-hei-nu,
lo li-dei ma-t'nat ba-sar v'dam,
v'lo li-dei hal-va-a-tam,
ki im l'ya-d'cha ha-m'lei-ah ha-p'tu-chah ha-k'do-shah v'ha-r'cha-vah,
she-lo nei-vosh v'lo ni-ka-leim l'o-lam va-ed.
An extra paragraph is inserted here on Rosh Chodesh, festivals, and Rosh Hashanah.
Uv-nei Y'ru-sha-la-yim ir ha-ko-desh bim-hei-rah v'ya-mei-nu.
Ba-ruch a-tah A-do-nai,
bo-nei b'ra-cha-mav Y'ru-sha-la-yim. A-mein. ( A-mein. )
Ba-ruch a-tah A-do-nai,
E-lo-hei-nu Me-lech Ha-o-lam,
ha-Eil a-vi-nu mal-kei-nu a-di-rei-nu bor-ei-nu go-a-lei-nu yots-rei-nu k'do-shei-nu
k'dosh Ya-a-kov,
ro-ei-nu, ro-ei Yis-ra-eil,
ha-me-lech ha-tov v'ha-mei-tiv la-kol,
b'chawl yom va-yom hu hei-tiv la-nu,
hu mei-tiv la-nu, hu yei-tiv la-nu.
Hu g'ma-la-nu, hu gom-lei-nu, hu yig-m'lei-nu la-ad,
l'chein ul-che-sed ul-ra-cha-mim ul-re-vach,
ha-tsa-lah v'hats-la-chah,
b'ra-cha vi-shu-ah, ne-cha-mah par-na-sah v'chal-ka-lah,
v'ra-cha-mim v'chai-yim v'sha-lom v'chawl tov,
u-mi-kawl tuv l'o-lam al y'chas-rei-nu.
Ha-ra-cha-man,
hu yim-loch a-lei-nu l'o-lam va-ed.
Ha-ra-cha-man,
hu yit-ba-reich ba-sha-ma-yim u-va-a-rets.
Ha-ra-cha-man, hu yish-ta-bach l'dor do-rim,
v'yit-pa-eir ba-nu la-ad ul-nei-tsach n'tsa-chim,
v'yit-ha-dar ba-nu la-ad ul-ol-mei o-la-mim.
Ha-ra-cha-man,
hu y'far-n'sei-nu b'cha-vod.
Ha-ra-cha-man,
hu yish-bor ol hago-yim mei-al tsa-va-rei-nu,
v'hu yo-li-chei-nu ko-m'mi-yut l'ar-tsei-nu.
Ha-ra-cha-man,
hu yish-lach b'ra-chah m'ru-bah b'-va-yit zeh,
v'al shul-chan zeh she-a-chal-nu a-lav.
Ha-ra-cha-man,
hu yish-lach la-nu et Ei-li-ya-hu ha-na-vi,
za-chur la-tov, vi-va-ser la-nu b'so-rot to-vot,
y'shu-ot v'ne-cha-mot.
Ha-ra-cha-man,
hu y'va-reich
et a-vi mo-ri
ba-al ha-ba-yit ha-zeh,
v'et i-mi mo-ra-ti
ba-a-lat ha-ba-yit ha-zeh,
o-tam v'et bei-tam v'et zar-am
v'et kawl a-sher la-hem,
o-ta-nu v'et kawl a-sher la-nu,
k'mo she-berach et a-vo-tei-nu
Av-ra-ham Yits-chak v'Ya-a-kov
ba-kol mi-kol kol,
kein y'va-reich o-ta-nu,
ku-la-nu ya-chad,
biv-ra-chah sh'lei-mah, v'no-mar a-mein.
Mi-ma-rom y'lam-du a-lav v'-a-lei-nu
z'chut, shet-hei l'mish-me-ret sha-lom.
V'ni-sa v'ra-chah mei-eit A-do-nai,
uts-da-kah mei-E-lo-hei yish-ei-nu,
v'nim-tsa chein v'sei-chel tov
b'ei-nei E-lo-him v'a-dam.
Ha-ra-cha-man, hu y'za-kei-nu li-mot ha-ma-shi-ach
ul-chai-yei ha-o-lam ha-ba.
On ordinary days: Mag-dil
On Shabbat, festivals, and days we don’t say Tachanun: Mig-dol
y'shu-ot mal-ko
v'o-seh che-sed lim-shi-cho,
l'Da-vid ul-zar-o ad o-lam.
O-seh sha-lom bim-ro-mav,
hu ya-a-seh sha-lom a-lei-nu
v'al kawl Yis-ra-eil,
v'im-ru a-mein.
Y'ru et A-do-nai, k'do-shav,
ki ein mach-sor li-rei-av.
K'fi-rim ra-shu v'ra-ei-vu,
v'dor-shei A-do-nai lo yach-s'ru chawl tov.
Ho-du La-do-nai ki tov,
ki l'o-lam chas-do.
Po-tei-ach et ya-de-cha,
u-mas-bi-a l'chawl chai ra-tson.
Ba-ruch ha-ge-ver a-sher yiv-tach ba-do-nai,
v'ha-yah A-do-nai miv-ta-cho.
We now refill our wine glasses one last time. We lift up Miriam's cup to honor her leadership, and open the front door to imagine the prophet Elijah joining our seder.
In the Bible, Miriam was bold and brave, saving Moses from death. She led the Israelites through the Red Sea to dance and celebrate their freedom on the other side. She provided strong leadership and found sources of water during the wandering in the desert. The Babylonian Talmud teaches, "If it wasn’t for the righteousness of women of that generation, we would not have been redeemed from Egypt." Miriam's cup symbolizes her courage.
Elijah was a charismatic prophet who cajoled a disbelieving people to live more harmoniously and equally with one another. Jewish stories imagine Elijah as a harbinger 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 הַתִּשְׁבִּי, אֵלִיָּֽהוּ, 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, to redemption.
Singing songs that praise God | hallel | הַלֵּל
This is the time set aside for singing. Some of us might sing traditional prayers from the Book of Psalms. Others take this moment for favorites like Chad Gadya & Who Knows One, which you can find in the appendix. To celebrate the theme of freedom, we might sing songs from the civil rights movement. Or perhaps your crazy Uncle Frank has some parody lyrics about Passover to the tunes from a musical. We’re at least three glasses of wine into the night, so just roll with it.
Fourth Glass of Wine
As we come to the end of the seder, we drink one more glass of wine. With this final cup, we give thanks for the experience of celebrating Passover together, for the traditions that help inform our daily lives and guide our actions and aspirations.
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ, אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הַגָּפֶן
Baruch Atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech ha-olam, borei p’ree hagafen.
We praise God, Ruler of Everything, who creates the fruit of the vine.
Drink the fourth and final glass of wine!
Hinei ma tov umanaim
Shevet achim gam yachad
Hinei ma tov umanaim
Shevet achim gam yachad
Behold how good and
How pleasant it is
For brothers to dwell together
Now is the time to know that our service tonight has found favor in the eyes of the Redeemer. Nirtzah is not a prayer which attempts to fix what was, or even a joyful offering to God of what has just come to be. Nirtzah is an assertion of hope. It is the confidence that the true fruit of our service tonight will be a redeemed future. The power of Nirtzah lies in our knowledge that we have succeeded in telling a story of our past which now infuses our present with joy. And that our rejoicing in freedom has planted within us the seeds of our future. May our present joy become the fertile ground out of which a truly redeemed future will grow − l’shana haba’ah b’Yerushalayim habenuyah! Next year in the Jerusalem of which we dream!
Who Knows One?
At some seders, people go around the table reading the question and all 13 answers in one breath. Thirteen is hard!
Who knows one?
I know one.
One is our God in Heaven and Earth
Who knows two?
I know two.
Two are the tablets of the covenant
One is our God in Heaven and Earth
Who knows two?
I know two.
Three are the patriarchs
Two are the tablets of the covenant
One is our God in Heaven and Earth
Who knows four?
I know four.
Four are the matriarchs
Three are the patriarchs
Two are the tablets of the covenant
One is our God in Heaven and Earth
Who knows five?
I know five.
Five are the books of the Torah
Four are the matriarchs
Three are the patriarchs
Two are the tablets of the covenant
One is our God in Heaven and Earth
Who knows six?
I know six.
Six are the orders of the Mishnah
Five are the books of the Torah
Four are the matriarchs
Three are the patriarchs
Two are the tablets of the covenant
One is our God in Heaven and Earth
Who knows seven?
I know seven.
Seven are the days of the week
Six are the orders of the Mishnah
Five are the books of the Torah
Four are the matriarchs
Three are the patriarchs
Two are the tablets of the covenant
One is our God in Heaven and Earth
Who knows eight?
I know eight.
Eight are the days for circumcision
Seven are the days of the week
Six are the orders of the Mishnah
Five are the books of the Torah
Four are the matriarchs
Three are the patriarchs
Two are the tablets of the covenant
One is our God in Heaven and Earth
Who knows nine?
I know nine.
Eight are the days for circumcision
Seven are the days of the week
Six are the orders of the Mishnah
Five are the books of the Torah
Four are the matriarchs
Three are the patriarchs
Two are the tablets of the covenant
One is our God in Heaven and Earth
Who knows ten?
I know ten.
Ten are the Words from Sinai
Nine are the months of childbirth
Eight are the days for circumcision
Seven are the days of the week
Six are the orders of the Mishnah
Five are the books of the Torah
Four are the matriarchs
Three are the patriarchs
Two are the tablets of the covenant
One is our God in Heaven and Earth
Who knows eleven?
I know eleven.
Eleven are the stars
Ten are the Words from Sinai
Nine are the months of childbirth
Eight are the days for circumcision
Seven are the days of the week
Six are the orders of the Mishnah
Five are the books of the Torah
Four are the matriarchs
Three are the patriarchs
Two are the tablets of the covenant
One is our God in Heaven and Earth
Who knows twelve?
I know twelve.
Twelve are the tribes
Eleven are the stars
Ten are the Words from Sinai
Nine are the months of childbirth
Eight are the days for circumcision
Seven are the days of the week
Six are the orders of the Mishnah
Five are the books of the Torah
Four are the matriarchs
Three are the patriarchs
Two are the tablets of the covenant
One is our God in Heaven and Earth
Who knows thirteen?
I know thirteen
Thirteen are the attributes of God
Twelve are the tribes
Eleven are the stars
Ten are the Words from Sinai
Nine are the months of childbirth
Eight are the days for circumcision
Seven are the days of the week
Six are the orders of the Mishnah
Five are the books of the Torah
Four are the matriarchs
Three are the patriarchs
Two are the tablets of the covenant
One is our God in Heaven and Earth
Chad Gadya
חַד גַּדְיָא, חַד גַּדְיָא
דְזַבִּין אַבָּא בִּתְרֵי זוּזֵי
חַד גַּדְיָא, חַד גַּדְיָא
Chad gadya, chad gadya
Dizabin abah bitrei zuzei
Chad gadya, chad gadya.
One little goat, one little goat:
Which my father brought for two zuzim.
One little goat, one little goat:
The cat came and ate the goat,
Which my father bought for two zuzim.
One little goat, one little goat:
The dog came and bit the cat
That ate the goat,
Which my father bought for two zuzim.
One little goat, one little goat:
The stick came and beat the dog
That bit the cat that ate the goat,
Which my father bought for two zuzim.
One little goat, one little goat:
The fire came and burned the stick
That beat the dog that bit the cat
That ate the goat,
Which my father bought for two zuzim.
One little goat, one little goat:
The water came and extinguished the
Fire that burned the stick
That beat the dog that bit the cat
That ate the goat,
Which my father bought for two zuzim.
One little goat, one little goat:
The ox came and drank the water
That extinguished the fire
That burned the stick that beat the dog That bit the cat that ate the goat,
Which my father bought for two zuzim.
One little goat, one little goat:
The butcher came and killed the ox,
That drank the water
That extinguished the fire
That burned the stick that beat the dog That bit the cat that ate the goat,
Which my father bought for two zuzim.
One little goat, one little goat:
The angle of death came and slew
The butcher who killed the ox,
That drank the water
That extinguished the fire
That burned the stick that beat the dog That bit the cat that ate the goat,
Which my father bought for two zuzim.
One little goat, one little goat:
The Holy One, Blessed Be He came and
Smote the angle of death who slew
The butcher who killed the ox,
That drank the water
That extinguished the fire
That burned the stick that beat the dog That bit the cat that ate the goat,
Which my father bought for two zuzim.
When Israel was in Egypt land,
Let my people go.
Oppressed so hard they could not stand.
Let my people go.
Refrain
Go down Moses, way down in Egypt land,
Tell ol' Pharaoh, let my people go.
Thus saith the Lord, behold Moses said,
Let my people go.
If not I'll smite your firstborn dead,
Let my people go. (Refrain)
As Israel stood by the water side,
Let my people go.
By God's command it did divide,
Let my people go. (Refrain)
