Our Haggadah

Happy Passover everyone and welcome to our interactive Virtual Seder! We are so honored that you are able to join us! The Passover Seder is one of the most commonly- observed Jewish practices, passed from generation to generation for millennia. The Seder engages every participant from the youngest to eldest, by following carefully prescribed rituals that invite questions and an active discussion.

The very word Seder means order -- everything has its place on an organized list.

We are going through the essence of the Seder: Kiddush, The Four Questions, We Were Slaves, Four Children, Plagues, Dayeinu, Pesach, Matzah, Maror and Hallel— all in around 30 minutes. Hold on to your Matzahs! Now we are going to bless the holiday of Passover together:

PARTICIPANTS SAY TOGETHER OVER CUP OF WINE

Blessed is the maker of the fruit of the vine!

בָּ רּוְך אַתָּ ה י -יָּ א -ֹלהֵ ינּו מֶ לְֶך הָּ עֹולָּם אבֹורֵ פ ירִ הַ גָּפֶן

Baruch ata adonai eloheinu melech haolam, borei pri hagafen.

Thank you for God for giving us festivals and seasons to rejoice, and this Festival of Matzot to commemorate the Exodus from Egypt. You have made us and our seasons of joy holy! [Drink first cup of grape juice / wine]

PARTICIPANTS SAY TOGETHER

Let us recite the Shehechiyanu Prayer thanking God that we have come together for this Seder: Thank you God for bringing us to this time and place!

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Baruch Ata Adonay Elohenu Melech Ha-olam, She-hechiyanu, V’kimanu, V’heegianu, La’zman hazeh.

LEADER

(Holding Miriam’s cup filled with water) As an evolving ritual, Miriam’s cup is used in various ways. Some fill it at the beginning of the seder, others after the Ten Plagues and before Dayyenu. Others use it in conjunction with Elijah’s cup at the end of the seder. Some pass it around for everyone to take a drink, others pour water from the cup into individual glasses. Whatever your custom, Miriam’s cup enhances the celebration of a historic event in our people’s history.

The legend of Miriam’s well is told in a number of Midrashic stories. The rabbis juxtaposed the story of Miriam’s death in Numbers 20:1 with the account of the waters of Meribah that follows immediately after. Because the stories are consecutive, the rabbis surmise that Miriam’s death resulted in the dearth of water, and they credit her with the well that provided the Israelites with their drinking water.

[Holding matzah high] This is the poor man’s bread that our ancestors ate in the land of Egypt. All who are hungry, come and eat, all who are in distress, come share Passover with us! This year we are here, next year let’s celebrate in Jerusalem. This year we are slaves, next year may we be free! Now, I have four questions:

The Four Questions

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 chametz (leavened foods) and matzah. Why on this night, only matzah? 2

Sheb’chol haleilot anu ochlin sh’ar y’rakot, halailah hazeh, maror. On all other nights, we eat all vegetables. Why, on this night, maror (bitter herbs)?

Sheb’chol haleilot ein anu matbilin afilu pa’am echat; halailah hazeh, sh’tei f’amim. On all other nights, we don’t dip even once. Why on this night do we dip 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. Why on this night do we all recline?

PARTICIPANTS SAY TOGETHER

We were slaves in Egypt. God took us out with awesome miracles. Had God not taken us out of Egypt, then what? We, and our children, and grandchildren would still be slaves in Egypt! So, even if we were all great Torah scholars, we would still have to tell about the Exodus from Egypt. The more we talk about this the better – but God I’m short on time!

LEADER

The Torah reflects upon four types of kids: One Wise, One Evil, One Simple, and One Who Doesn’t Know How to Ask. GUIDE the wise one through the obligations of Passover. TELL the Evil One, we need you to be part of our people. EXPLAIN to the Simple One, “with a strong hand God brought us out of Egypt.” ENGAGE the one who doesn’t know how to ask, make that child feel comfortable, and tell them about the Exodus.

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The Ballad of the Four Sons (to the tune of "Clementine")

Said the father to his children, "At the seder you will dine, You will eat your fill of matzoh, you will drink four cups of wine." Now this father had no daughters, but his sons they numbered four. One was wise and one was wicked, one was simple and a bore.

And the fourth was sweet and winsome, he was young and he was small. While his brothers asked the questions, he could scarcely speak at all. Said the wise one to his father, "Would you please explain the laws? Of the customs of the seder, will you please explain the cause?" And the father proudly answered, "As our fathers ate in speed, Ate the paschal lamb 'ere midnight, and from slavery were freed."

So, we follow their example, and 'ere midnight must complete All the seder and we should not, after 12 remain to eat. Then did sneer the son so wicked, "What does all this mean to you?" And the father's voice was bitter, as his grief and anger grew. "If you yourself don't consider, a son of Israel, Then for you this has no meaning, you could be a slave as well."

Then the simple son said simply, "What is this," and quietly The good father told his offspring, "We were freed from slavery." But the youngest son was silent, for he could not ask at all. His bright eyes were bright with wonder as his father told him all.

My dear children, heed the lesson and remember ever more What the father told his children, told his sons who numbered four!

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PARTICIPANTS SAY TOGETHER:

[Take a drop of juice/wine from your cup for each plague] There are ten plagues which God brought upon the Egyptians

Explanation of Passover Symbols Rabbi Gamliel, the head of the Sanhedrin (rabbinical court) near of the end of the Second Temple Period (first century CE), said one must discuss the three symbols of Passover as part of the Seder:

Pesach The Passover sacrifice represented by the shank bone (or a roasted beet). The Pesach sacrifice reminds us that God passed over the Israelite houses when the tenth plague was visited upon the Egyptians after the Israelites offered the Passover sacrifice.

Matzah The unleavened bread. The matzah represents the hurried Exodus from Egypt wherein the Israelites left so quickly that their dough did not have time to rise.

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Maror The bitter herbs. The maror reminds us of the bitter pain and suffering the Israelites went through as slaves to the Egyptians.

We now conclude the Magid section of the Seder: Tradition teaches us that in every generation, we ought to look upon ourselves as if we personally had gone out of Egypt. Therefore, it is our duty to thank the One who performed all the miracles for generations past and present. We start saying Psalms praising God for taking us of Egypt. We will continue after we eat the meal.

Participants sing:

LEADER Rabbi Gamliel said: On Passover we must discuss three things: Pesach, Matzah and Maror.

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PARTICIPANTS SAY TOGETHER [point to the shank bone] PESACH is the sacrifice our ancestors would eat during the time of the Temple, because God passed over the houses of our ancestors in Egypt.

PARTICIPANTS SAY TOGETHER [point to matzah] This is MATZAH. Because the dough of our ancestors did not have time to rise before God redeemed them from Egypt.

PARTICIPANTS SAY TOGETHER [point to Maror] This is MAROR - why do we eat it? Because the Egyptians oppressed our ancestors in Egypt, they made their lives bitter with hard labor, with mortar and bricks, and other hardships.

LEADER

Friends, in every generation we need to feel like WE had left Egypt. So now we need to thank and praise God for the miracles of the Exodus. Hallelujah! Thank you, G-d, for everything!

PARTICIPANTS SAY TOGETHER

בָּ רּוְך אַתָּ ה י -יָּ א -ֹלהֵ ינּו מֶ לְֶך הָּ עֹולָּם אבֹורֵ פ ירִ הַ גָּפֶן

Blessed is the maker of the fruit of the vine! [Drink the Second Cup]

LEADER

Blessed is the maker of bread. Blessed is God who commanded us to eat Matzah!

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Baruch ata adonai eloheinu melech ha olam, ha motzi lechem min haaretz, Baruch ata adonai eloheinu melech haolam asher kidshanu b mitzvotav v tzivanu al achilat matzah. [everyone eat matzah]

Blessed is God who commanded us to eat Maror!

Baruch ata adonai eloheinu melech haolam asher kidshanu b mitzvotav v tzivanu al achilat maror [Everyone eat the Maror- Horseradish or Romain lettuce]

Rabbi Hillel combined the Passover offering, the Matzah and Maror together in a sandwich and eat them to fulfill the words of the Torah “They shall eat it with Matzah and bitter herbs.” [Make a sandwich from matzah, Charoset and Horseradish ] [Usual time to EAT the Passover meal ]

PARTICIPANTS SAY TOGETHER

בָּ רּוְך אַ תָּ ה י -יָּ א -ֹלהֵ ינּו מֶ לְֶך הָּ עֹולָּם אבֹורֵ פ ירִ הַ גָּפֶן

Thank you G-d for this awesome meal! Blessed is the maker of the fruit of the vine!

[Drink the Third Cup]

Mi Shebeirach

These comforting words can be said on behalf of those who are ill. Whether friends or loved ones are struggling with physical, emotional or spiritual challenges, especially during this unprecedented Covid-19 pandemic, prayer speaks to our desire for their healing.

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Mi Shebeirach avoteinu v’imoteinu, ul’rapotam Avraham, Yitzchak v’Yaakov, Sarah, Rivkah, ul’hachazikam, v’yishlach lahem m’heirah Rachel v’Lei-ah, hu y’vareich et hacholim r’fuah, r’fuah shleimah min hashamayim, [names]. HaKadosh Baruch Hu yimalei r’fuat hanefesh ur’fuat haguf, hashta rachamim aleihem, l’hachalimam baagala uviz’man kariv. V’nomar: Amen.

May the one who blessed our ancestors, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel and Leah, bless and heal those who are ill [names]. May the Blessed Holy One be filled with compassion for their health to be restored and their strength to be revived. May God swiftly send them a complete renewal of body and spirit, and let us say, Amen.

Mi Shebeirach – (Join together to sing)

Mi Shebeirach avoteinu, Mi Shebeirach imoteinu, M'kor M'kor hab'rachah l'imoteinu. hab'rachah la'avoteinu. May the Source of Strength, Bless those in need of healing, with Who blessed the ones before us, r'fuah sh'leima. Help us find the courage, to make our The renewal of body, the renewal of lives a blessing, spirit. And let us say - Amen. And let us say - Amen.

(Words and music by Debbie Friedman)

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Welcoming Elijah

The fourth and final cup of wine is now filled. An additional cup is then filled and set aside for the prophet Elijah (Eliyahu). Tradition says that Elijah, who will precede the arrival of the Messiah, makes an appearance at every Seder. We traditionally open a door to the home to allow Elijah to enter and sing the song Eliyahu Hanavi:

Eliyahu Hanavi, Eliyahu Hatishbi, Eliyahu Hagiladi, Bimheirah Yavo Eileinu Im Mashiach Ben David.

[ Sing together] עֹושֶׂהשָׁ לֹום בִּמְ רֹומָׁ יו הּוא יַעֲשֶׂ השָׁ לֹום עָׁלֵינּו וְעַל כָׁליִּשְרָׁאֵ ל וְאִּמְ רּו: אָׁמֵ ן.

“Oseh Shalom bimromav, who ya’aseh shalom aleinu, v al kol yisrael, v’imru, amen! Yaaseh shalom,

yaaseh shalom, shalom aleinu, v al kol yisrael.

[Say together] G-d bring peace to all People!

בָּ רּוְך אַתָּ ה י -יָּ א -ֹלהֵ ינּו מֶ לְֶך הָּ עֹולָּם אבֹורֵ פ ירִ הַ גָּפֶן

Blessed is the maker of the fruit of the vine!

[Drink the Fourth Cup]

NEXT YEAR AT THE MYERBERG!

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