The Union Haggadah Home Service for the Passover
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
ED ITED A N D PU BL IS HED B Y THE CENT RAL CO N F EREN CE O E AM ER I CA N RA BBIé CO PY R IGHT 1 923 C ONTENTS - A ore or The Seder F w d . The Uni on Hagga da h . Rites an d Symb ols of the Se der Directi ons for Setting the Tab l e O rder of the Service T'HE SEDER SERVICE e ore the ea A . B f M l Lighting of the Festival Lights Kiddush text an d musi c The es ve C u mu c F ti p , si The S r n - e of the Y ea mus c p i g tid r, i The Four Q uesti ons The Four Son s . The Story of the Oppressi on D ayenu . The Passover Symb ols The Watchnight of the Eterna l Psa lms C XI I I and C XIV text an d m usi c Blessi ngs A er the ea B . ft M l T o ee ove mus c Th Ab , i Gra ce a fter the M ea l — Psa lms C XVI I and C XVI I I : 1 4 text an d musi c — Psa lms C XVI I I : 5 29 text and musi c The Fi na l B enedi ction God of m us c Might , i Addir E u mus c , i . Our Sou s We Ra se mus c l i , i Ki Lo oeh m s N u c . , i A M a driga l of Numb ers text an d musi c Ha d Ga dyo text a n d musi c ’ ’ Vay hi B a hatzi Halay loh En Kelohenu mus c , i mer ca mus c A i , i HE SSOVER IN HISTO Y LI RA UR AND ART T PA R , TE T E Histor y of the Pa ssover The es va of the S e er s A . F ti l h ph d ’ The a m er s S r n e va B . F r p i g F sti l ’ C The eas of I srae s r . F t l Bi th D The Na on al C e e ra ion . ti l b t 1 The a s over ur n the Secon T em le . P s d i g d p 2 The a sover Sa cr ce . P s ifi E The eas of ree om . F t F d Th E ca n can ce of th e a sso er e thi l Sig ifi P v . M oses Prepa rati on for the Passover T m e of the ea s A . i F t a o— a n B . M tz B ki g Rem ov n the Leaven . C . i g K as e n the ens s D . h ri g Ut il Survi va ls of the An ci ent Pa ssover Th r ss r A . e Sama itan Pa ove The a o er a s s r e the a a a . B . P ss v ob e v d by F l sh s Passover an d C h r isten dom a s o n E r A . P s ver a d aste asso er an d r u ce B . P v P ejdi oo c sa C . Bl d A cu ti on r s D . Ch i ti anPr otests . Reform J u daism an d Passover . ’ I srae l s J ourney Free dom T he Sea s on of J oy l T e Secre of the eas h t F t . The Hagga da h Gro of its L ra re A . wth ite tu e o a s n he Ha a a B . R f rm J ud i m a d t gg d h um na Ha s C . I ll i ted gga da h ILLUSTRATIONS OOK L TE F ONTI S IECE O DE S AND INITI LS B P A , R P , B R R A SEDER DISH SEDER EVE HE E D S T X O U . RELIGIOUS LIBERTY MOSES AND THE T LES OF THE LAW AB . QED» é cher jut emnrh Among the ceremonials which nurtured the Jewish O f idealism generations , a place of peculiar charm is S D held by the E E R , celebrated on the Passover Eve , and repeated on the following night by those who O b s . L serve the econd days of festivals iterally , the name means THE ORD E R of the service . The ritual pro v ided H D H for the service is known as the AGGA A , A RRA I V . Th that is , TH E N T E of the Passover e cere mony grows out O f the several inj unctions in the Pentateuch for the Israelite TO RELATE to his child s E t a n d ren the story of the Exodus from gyp , to explain to them the meaning of the rites and symbols connected f with the celebration O the Passover . I n the Seder are blended , in happy combination , the influences which have contributed so much toward in spiring our people , though scattered throughout the f O . world , with a genuine feeling kinship Year after year , the Seder has thrilled them with an appreciation O f the glories of their past , imbued them with an heroic power O f endurance under the severest trials and per sec u tio n s , and quickened within them the enthusiasm O f f high ideals O freedom . I t has helped to forge not easily dissoluble links between the individual and the Jewish people . I n his O f tribute to the poetic beauty the Seder , Heinrich Heine expressed a sentiment , evidently founded on his “ personal experience : I t thrills the heart as though one h eard the lilt O f some sweet lullaby . Even those Jews who have fallen away from the faith O f their fathers in the m ad pursuit O f other joys and other glo - ries are moved to the very depths of their being when by chance they hear again the O ld Passover melodies s o once dear to them . l Z ‘l ‘ H a t : 1 3 11 ! B E N T U R 13 m C E N T U R Y mine flanion flaaggahab HE M O RAL and spiritual worth O f th e O f hallowed institution the Seder , which has become a vital part O f the Jewish consciousness , is priceless . We should suffer an irretrievable loss , were it allowed to pass into neglect . To a nx avert such a danger, has been the ious thought to which the Union Haggadah owes its origin I n carrying on the chain of piety which links the ” generations to each other , it is necessary fran kly to face and honestly to meet the needs O f our own day . O ld The Haggadah , while full of poetic charm , contains passages and sentiments wholly out of harmony with the spirit O f the present time . Hence the proper edit ing O f the O ld material demanded much care and a t tention on the part O f the editors . O f the first edition of the Union Haggadah . Benefiting by their labors , those entrusted with the task of its revision are abl e to present a work at once modern in spirit and rich in those traditional elements that lend color to the service . The Seder service was never purely devotional . I ts intensely spiritual tone mingled with bursts of good b humor , its serious o servations on Jewish li fe and des i t e in li hter vein o tiny wi h comm nts a g , and its lofty p etry with playful ditties for the entertainment of the viii ‘ dra ma re children . I t assumes the form of an historical p sen ted at the festal table , with the father and children as leading actors . The children question and the father O f answers . He explains the nature the service , preach es , entertains , and prays . I n the course of the evening , a complete philosophy of Jewish history is revealed , ’ r e dealing with Israel s eventful past , with his delive anc from physical and from spiritual bondage , and with his - great future world mission . I n its variety , the Hag gadah reflects the moods of the Jewish spirit . Rab in ica l b homily follows dignified narrative , soulful pray ers and Psalms mingle with the Ha d Gadyo and the E 1i1 i ‘ O f od Yode a . madrigal numbers , b The assignment to the child O f a prominent part in the Seder service is in consonance with the biblical “ ” ordinance : And thou shalt tell thy son in that day ‘ : (Ex . XI I I The visible symbols , the living word O f instruction , and the ceremonial acts , are sure to stimulate religious feeling . Parent and child are thus brought into a union of warm religious sympathy , which is all the more indissoluble because strengthened by the ties of na tural affection . Their souls are fired with the love of liberty , and their hearts are roused to ’ greater loyalty to Israel and to Isra el s God of Freedom . SED E R D ISH Rites anti g i mbals of tip» fi sher THE SE DE R service is marked with special concern n for the children .