WELCOME TO THE SEDER . As recounted in the Bible, Passover celebrates the Israelites’ freedom from Egyptian bondage under a cruel Pharaoh. But while the observance goes back millennia, each time we gather for the holiday represents an opportunity to fill old vessels with new wine. Fresh insights, meaning and even humor are prompted through participation in ancient rituals. The four cups of wine not only gladden the heart but also act to liberate our imagination. The occasion serves as an annual landmark in the life of a family and community. Cherished moments around the Seder table confirm our humanity, bonds with others, and sense of responsibility regarding those who continue to be denied the fruits of liberties we experience. KINDLING LIGHT Let these lights inspire worthy purposes: to heal, not harm, help, not hinder, bless, not curse, hope, not fear. May the sense of God's nearness illuminate our homes and world. Baruch Atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech haolam, asher kid'shanu b'mitzvotav v'tzivanu l'hadlik ner shel (Shabbat v'shel) Yom Tov. Blessed are You, our God, Ruler of the world, Who sanctifies us with mitzvot and calls us to kindle the light of (Shabbat and) Yom Tov. 2 SHEHECHEYANU Baruch Atah, Adonai Eloheinu, Melech haolam, shehecheyanu v’kiy’manu v’higianu laz’man hazeh. Blessed are you our God who has given us life, sustained us, and enabled us to reach this sacred time. KIDDUSH We bless the wine because it symbolizes the sacred character of the Passover observance. Kiddush is derived from the Hebrew word for holiness, kadosh. Baruch Atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech Ha-Olam Borei pre hagafen. Blessed are you O God, Eternal Sovereign of the universe and Creator of the fruit of the vine. KARPAS At ancient Roman banquets, vegetables dipped in salt water were eaten as appetizers. This custom is transformed to help tell the Passover story. Dipping parsley into salt water suggests the salty tears that were shed during enslavement in Egypt. But salt also brings out the flavor of food by enhancing its taste. Baruch Atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech Ha-Olam,Borei pre ha-adamah Blessed are you God, Ruler of the Universe, Who creates the fruit of the earth. 3 2 YAHATZ, A BOND FORMED BY SHARING Now we break the middle matzah, concealing one-half as the afikoman (which will be subsequently hid). Among people everywhere, the sharing of bread forms a bond of fellowship. This is the bread of affliction, "the poor bread," that our fathers ate in the land of Egypt. Let all who are hungry come in and eat. ABOUT MATZAH Traditionally, matzah recalls the dough prepared by the Israelites when they had to leave Egypt in haste and didn’t have time to let it rise. But this isn’t the only meaning. Leavening or chometz, can suggest egotism and arrogance. An inflated self-image often leads to haughtiness, insensitivity and, sometimes, the abuse of power. This is the virtue of the seemingly simple matzah. That it is flat is not a reflection of low self-esteem. Hardly. The matzah exemplifies the humble servant who plays an essential role but without the need to draw attention to him or herself. Compounded of only two ingredients, matzah's purity reflects wholesome, unadorned service on behalf of the sacred. 4 4 A focal point of the Seder is the telling of the story of the Exodus from Egypt. After being sold into enslavement in Egypt by his brothers, Joseph rises to become a powerful leader when he correctly interprets Pharaoh and predicts a great famine. Joseph prepares for the calamity by stockpiling huge amounts of grain in massive warehouses. When the famine arrives, people from all over the region come to Egypt for food. This included Joseph’s own family with whom he is reunited. For many years, the Israelites lived in peace in Egypt. But then a “new Pharaoh” arose who decided to enslave them. Saved from death by Pharaoh’s daughter, Moses is raised in luxury. However, he shows concern for the suffering of the Israelites when he sees an Egyptian taskmaster beating one of them. When he subsequently slays the Egyptian he thinks the act will be revealed. Though he flees Egypt, he cannot escape his destiny because God encounters him at the Burning Bush and commands him to return to Egypt to free the Israelites. This episode in Jewish history prompts, and the Seder that highlights it, prompts many questions including, of course, the four especially famous ones. Mah nishtanah halailah hazeh mikol haleilot? How is this night different from all other nights? Sheb'chol haleilot anu ochlin chametz umatzah, halailah hazeh, kuloh matzah. On all other nights, we eat leavened products and matzah but on this night, only matzah. Sheb'chol haleilot anu ochlin sh'ar y'rakot, halailah hazeh, maror. On all other nights, we eat all vegetables but on this night, only bitter herbs. 5 Sheb'chol haleilot ein anu matbilin afilu pa'am echat; halailah hazeh, sh'tei f'amim. On all other nights, we don't even dip our food, on this night we dip it twice. Sheb'chol haleilot anu ochlin bein yoshvin uvein m'subin; halailah hazeh, kulanu m'subin. On all other nights, we eat either sitting upright or reclining. On this night we recline. Judaism teaches that God is the guardian of humanity. A midrash indicates that when God saw the Israelites rejoicing at the Egyptians who drowned at the Red Sea He rebuked them: “My creatures perish and you sing?” As each plague is mentioned, we spill a drop from the wine cup to remind us of the pain even suffered by our enemies. דם (Dahm (Blood צפרדיע (Tzefardaya (Frogs כנים (Kinim (Lice ערוב (Arov (Wild Beasts דבר (Dever (Cattle Disease שחין (Sh’cheen (Boils ברד (Barad (Hail ארבה (Arbeh (Locusts חשך (Choshech (Darkness 6 מכת בכורות (Makat B’chorot (Slaying of the firstborn Dayenu means “enough.” Passover’s most famous song suggests that it would have been enough that God saved the Israelites from the Egyptians but much more was done for them including the giving of the Torah and Shabbat. Elu hotsi, hotsianu, Had God done no more than Hotsianu miMitzrayim, save us From Egypt, it would Hotsianu miMitzrayim, Dayenu! have been enough. (Chorus) Day, dayeinu, (3X) Dayenu! Dayenu! Elu natan, natan lanu, Had God done no more than Natan lanu et ha’Shabbat, given us the Sabbath, it would Natan lanu et ha’Shabbat, Dayenu! (Chorus) have been enough. Elu natan, natan lanu, Natan lanu et haTorah, Had Gone done no more than Natan lanu et haTorah, given us the Torah, it would Dayenu! (Chorus) have been enough. WELCOME THE STRANGER Because we were once “strangers in the land,” it is customary to invite those who may be of a different faith or background to the Seder. Though we are unable to do it at this year’s Seder we need to be sensitive to the stranger among us and, sometimes, even within us. 7 SECOND CUP OF WINE Baruch Atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech Ha-Olam Borei pre hagafen. Blessed are you O God, Eternal Sovereign of the universe and Creator of the fruit of the vine. MATZAH Baruch Ata Adonai, Eloheinu Melech Ha-Olam, asher kidshanu b’mitzvotav vitzivanu al achilat matzah. Blessed are You, O God, Ruler of the Universe Who sanctifies us with commandments and commands us to eat matzah. MAROR Baruch Ata Adonai, Eloheinu Melech Ha-Olam, asher kidshanu b’mitzvotav vitzivanu al achilat maror. Blessed are You, O God, Ruler of the Universe, Who sanctifies us with your commandments and commands us to eat maror. 8 ADIR HU ~ GOD IS MIGHTY Adir hu, adir hu God of might, God of right, Yivneh veito b'karov Thee we give all glory. Bim'heirah, bim'heirah, Thine all praise in these days. b'yameinu b'karov As in ages hoary. Ei-l b'neih! Ei-l b'neih! When we hear, year by year, B'nei veit'kha b'karov Freedom’s wondrous story. KORECH ~ HILLEL SANDWICH Charoset is likened to the mortar Israelite slaves used to make bricks. However, made with apples, the fruit and nut mixture also can refer to the apple orchards in whose shade, according to Jewish tradition, our foremothers gave birth to the next generation. Preserving a practice identified with Hillel when the Temple stood, we combine the matzah and maror to observe the precept: "They shall eat the matzah and maror together.” Later, the charoset was added to sweeten things up a bit. Place some maror and charoset between the matzahs and enjoy. THIRD CUP OF WINE Baruch Atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech Ha-Olam Borei pre hagafen. Blessed are you O God, Eternal Sovereign of the universe and Creator of the fruit of the vine. DINNER IS SERVED 9 WHO TOOK IT? Many of us have Afikoman memories. Perhaps you’d like to share one. ELIJAH Eliyahu HaNavi, Elijah the Prophet, is sung in welcome for Elijah who is an invited guest to the Seder. According to tradition, the prophet will herald the messianic age. But he is also considered the arbiter of challenging Jewish legal/ritual questions. Based on verses mentioned in the Torah in conjunction with the Exodus narrative, there was a question whether four or five glasses of wine should be imbibed at the Seder. The cup of Elijah may be the fifth cup. Eliyahu hanavi. Eliyahu haTishbi. Eliyahu, Eliyahu, Eliyahu haGiladi. Bim'heira-ah b’yameinu, yavoh eleinu, im mashiach ben-david. (x2) Elijah the Prophet, Elijah the Tishbite, Elijah, Elijah, Elijah the Gileadite Speedily and in our days, come to us, with the messiah, son of David, with the messiah, son of David.