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Passover Repeat the Amidah, and Recite the Kaddish Prayers

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Passover Repeat the Amidah, and Recite the Kaddish Prayers The last several weeks have been tough for our shul, especially with the recent illness of our spiritual leader and President, Dr. Larry Block, but with God’s help we continue to survive, holding services every Saturday. But we cannot rely upon God alone to continue to sustain us. We must also sustain ourselves. After all, God helps those who help themselves, doesn’t He? So please, please, if you possibly can, try to attend an occasional Sabbath service. It is a great mitzvah to help us achieve a minyan so that we can read the Torah, Happy Passover repeat the Amidah, and recite the Kaddish prayers. From the officers of With your help we can be sure that the miracle of the The Carnegie Shul little shul in Carnegie never ends. Dr. Larry Block, President Rick D’Loss, First Vice President Dr. Paul Spivak, Second Vice President The Passover Seder Joel Roteman, Treasurer Elaine Rosenfield, Secretary We all know that the Passover seder is a mitzvah we are called upon to perform every year – to retell the story Board Members of our ancestors’ bondage as slaves in Egypt and the Rosalyn Hoffman, Irwin Norvitch, Wendy Panizzi, Michael Roteman, and Marcia Steinberger miracle of their deliverance from slavery. But what exactly does the word “Seder” mean? “Seder” Passover – quite literally, is the Hebrew word for “order” and is used to define the strict order of rituals that the The Holiday of Miracles Passover Seder service is meant to follow. Over the Passover is a holiday of miracles, big miracles, like the years, however, many families have chosen to add their plagues set upon Egypt, the Angel of Death passing over own family traditions to the service, making the Seder the homes of the Jews while taking the lives of Egypt’s more personalized. Still, there are many parts of the first born, our ancestors deliverance from slavery, and traditional Seder that the Rabbis tell us must be the parting of the Red Sea. followed in every Seder. These include, but are not limited to, such things as the asking of the Four Some say that such big miracles do not occur in our own Questions, the four cups of wine, and Elijah’s cup. everyday lives, but isn’t the survival of our very own little Carnegie Shul a big miracle? apples, nuts, wine, and cinnamon that represents The Seder Plate & Table the mortar used by the Hebrew slaves to make bricks. Karpas: Karpas is a green vegetable, usually parsley (though any spring green will do). While karpas may symbolize the freshness of spring, others say people eat it to make them feel like nobility or aristocracy. Some families still use boiled potatoes for karpas, continuing a tradition from Eastern Europe where it was difficult to obtain fresh green vegetables. Chazeret: The chazeret (“khah-ZER-et”) is a second bitter herb, most often romaine lettuce, but people also use the leafy greens of a horseradish or carrot plant. The symbolism is the same as that of maror. Also to be included on the Seder table are: Salt water: Salt water symbolizes the tears and The Seder table features the Seder Plate which includes sweat of enslavement, though paradoxically, it’s also the following items: a symbol for purity, springtime, and the sea, the mother of all life. Often a single bowl of salt water Roasted lamb shankbone: One of the most striking sits on the table, into which each person dips his symbols of Passover is the roasted lamb shankbone karpas during the seder. Then, it’s traditional to (called zeroah), which commemorates the paschal begin the actual seder meal with each person eating (lamb) sacrifice made the night the ancient Hebrews a hardboiled egg (not the roasted egg!) dipped in the fled Egypt. Some people say it symbolizes the bowl of salt water. outstretched arm of God (the Hebrew word zeroah Matzah: Perhaps the most important symbol on the can mean “arm”). seder table is a plate that has a stack of three pieces Roasted egg: The roasted egg (baytsah) is a symbol of matzah (unleavened bread) on it. The matzot in many different cultures, usually signifying (that’s plural for matzah) are typically covered with a springtime and renewal. Here it stands in place of cloth. People have come up with numerous one of the sacrificial offerings which was performed interpretations for the three matzot. Some say they in the days of the Second Temple. Another popular represent the Kohen class (the Jewish priests in interpretation is that the egg is like the Jewish ancient times), the Levis (who supported the people: the hotter you make it for them, the tougher priests), and the Israelites (the rest of the Jews). they get. This egg isn’t even eaten during the meal; What symbolism you attribute to this stack of three the shell just needs to look roasted. isn’t all that important, as long as you’re thinking Maror (“bitter herb”): Any bitter herb will work, about it. though horseradish is the most common. Bitter Wine cups and wine (or grape juice): Everyone at herbs bring tears to the eyes and recall the the Seder has a (usually very small) cup or glass from bitterness of slavery. The seder refers to the slavery which they drink four cups of wine. Traditionally, the in Egypt, but people are called to look at their own four cups represent the four biblical promises of bitter enslavements, whether addiction or habit. redemption: “I will bring you out from under the Charoset: There’s nothing further from maror than burdens of the Egyptians, and I will rid you from charoset (“kha-ROH-set”), that sweet salad of their slavery, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm, and with great judgments. And I will take you to me for a people . .” Others say the four cups represent the four letters in the unspeakable Name of God. Some of the symbols aren’t eaten, such as the roasted lamb shankbone and the roasted egg. However, when it comes time to eat the karpas, the charoset, and the other symbols, different families have different traditions. Some eat the symbols from the seder plate; others give each person their own mini-seder plate to eat from; at larger events, these items may be served family style, with large bowls being passed around so that people can serve themselves. An extra wine glass for Elijah the Prophet. 1. On all other nights we eat either bread or matzah; on this night, why only matzah? 2. On all other nights we eat herbs or vegetables of any kind; on this night why bitter herbs? 3. On all other nights we do not dip even once; on this night why do we dip twice? 4. On all other nights we eat our meals in any manner; on this night why do we sit around the table together in a reclining position? The rest of the participants at the Seder answer thusly: We were slaves to Pharaoh in Egypt, and God brought us out with a strong hand and an outstretched arm. And if God had not brought our ancestors out of Egypt, we Additionally, some families have also added a and our children and our children's children would still Miriam’s Cup to the Seder table. The Miriam’s cup is be subjugated to Pharaoh in Egypt. Even if we were all filled with water. It serves as a symbol of Miriam’s old and wise and learned in Torah, we would still be Well, which was the source of water for the commanded to tell the story of the Exodus from Egypt. Israelites in the desert. Putting a Miriam’s Cup on And the more we talk about the Exodus from Egypt, the the table is done by those who want to make their more praiseworthy we are. seder more inclusive. Interestingly, this response, which is found in most Hagaddahs , does not actually answer the Four The Four Questions Questions. So here are some actual answers: One of the highlights of the Seder occurs when the Matzah was the bread of slaves and poor, it was youngest child asks the Four Questions. cheap to produce and easy to make. Actually, in most Hagaddahs, there is only one question, Matzah also commemorates the fact that the bread “Why is this night different from all other nights?” did not have enough time to rise when the Jews followed by four statements, but here is a rephrasing hastily left Egypt. that makes questions out of the four statements: The maror (bitter herbs) reminds us of the bitterness The parent should answer, “With an almighty hand God of slavery in Egypt. brought us out of Egypt. Therefore, we commemorate that event tonight through this Seder.” The salt water into which we dip the karpas (vegetable) represents the tears we cried while in And then there is the son who does not know how to Egypt. Similarly, the charoset (fruit-nut paste) into ask. which the bitter herbs are dipped reminds us of the cement we used to create the bricks in Egypt. The parent should begin a discussion with that child based on the verse: “And you shall tell your child on Additionally, dipping food is considered a luxury; a that day, ‘We commemorate Passover tonight because sign of freedom — as opposed to the poor (and of what God did for us when we went out of Egypt.’” enslaved) who eat "dry" and un-dipped foods. And we recline in order to commemorate our freedom as reclining on cushions was reserved for royalty, not slaves.
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