A Passover Seder
Haggadah for Pesach
Delivered on April 1st, 2010 at The United Church of Winchester
Adapted heavily from The Velveteen Rabbi's Haggadah for Pesach
Before the Seder, take around a tray with the various items and help people organize their plates. Pour the juice and let each person know to sip only, as it needs to last through four “cups.”
Opening Prayer (responsive)
Long ago at this season, our people set out on a journey.
On such a night as this, Israel went from degradation to joy.
We give thanks for the liberation of days gone by.
And we pray for all who are still bound.
Eternal God, may all who hunger come to rejoice in a new Passover.
Let all the human family sit at Your table, drink the wine of deliverance,
eat the bread of freedom. Amen.
Kadesh: Sanctifying the Day
May the light of the candles we kindle together tonight bring radiance to all who still live in darkness. May this season, marking the deliverance of our people from Pharaoh, rouse us against anyone who keeps others in servitude. In gratitude for the freedom we enjoy, may we strive to bring about our own liberation and the liberation of all people everywhere.
The Hebrew prayer is spoken over the first candle:
Baruch atah, Adonai, eloheinu ruach ha’olam, asher kidshanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu l’hadlik ner shel Yom Tov.
The first candle is lit.
The Hebrew prayer over the second candle:
Baruch atah, Adonai, eloheinu melech ha’olam, shehecheyanu v’kiy’manu v’higiyanu lazman hazeh.
The second candle is lit.
The cup of wine is held up:
This first cup reminds us of God’s first declaration:
“I will bring you out from the oppression...”
Blessed are you, Adonai our God, Ruler of the Universe, creator of the fruit of the vine.
All should sip their wine.
Urchatz: Washing the Hands
Urchatz, the symbolic washing of the hands, recalls the story of Miriam's Well. Legend tells us that this well followed Miriam, sister of Moses, through the desert, sustaining the Jews in their wanderings. Filled with waters of life, the well was a source of strength and renewal to all who drew from it. One drink from its waters was said to alert the heart, mind and soul, and make the meaning of Torah become more clear. In Hebrew, urchatz means washing or cleansing. In Aramaic, sister language to Hebrew, urchatz means trusting. As we wash our hands, let us rejoice in this act of trust.
Pick up a cloth and wipe our hands.
Karpas: Eat a Green Vegetable
At this point in the seder, it is traditional to eat a green vegetable, usually parsley, dipped twice in salt water. The parsley represents rebirth, renewal and growth; the salt water represents the tears of enslavement.
Blessed are you, Adonai, Breath of Life, creator of the fruit of the earth.
Parsley is dipped into salt water and then eaten by all.
Yachatz: Break the Middle Matzah
First, one of the doors is opened as a show of hospitality. Then the middle matzah is lifted for all to see, and the prayer is recited:
This is the bread of affliction which our ancestors ate in the land of Egypt. Let all who are hungry come and eat; let all who are needy come and celebrate the Passover with us. Now we are here; next year may we be in the Land of Israel. Now we are slaves; next year may we be free.
The door is closed. The middle matzah is broken, and the larger half is wrapped up in a cloth or napkin.
We break the matzah as the Jews broke the chains of slavery, and as we break chains which bind us today. We will no more be fooled by movements which free only some of us, in which our so-called “freedom” rests upon the enslavement or embitterment of others.
The Questions
It is traditional for the youngest person at a seder to ask four questions. (It’s actually one question with four answers.) We know the question, and we know the answers, but we ask anyway because there is always something to learn. No matter how “wise” we become, we must remember to question!
The youngest child willing asks the question four times, before the answers are read. The answers will be read by people picked somewhat at random as they come in earlier in the night.
Why is tonight different from all other nights?
The Exodus: a story in seven short chapters
The Ten Plagues
10 plagues were visited upon the Egyptians. Though we rejoice at our freedom, we mourn the pain caused to the Egyptians in the name of that freedom. The plagues: Blood, Frogs, Lice, Insect swarms, Cattle plague, Boils, Hail, Locusts, Darkness, Death of the First-Born.
These plagues are in the past, but today’s world holds plagues as well. Let us spill drops of wine as we recite these ten new plagues.
The Second Cup of Wine
The second cup of wine represents God’s second declaration of redemption:
“I will free you from slavery.”
Blessed are you, Adonai our God, Breath of Life, creator of the fruit of the vine.
Signs and Symbols
There are many things on our Seder Plate tonight. It's our job to learn what they are and to experience them fully. They are:
In every generation it is important to see oneself as if one had personally experienced the Exodus from Egypt. As it is written: "You shall speak to your children on that day, saying, this is how the Holy Blessed One redeemed me from Egypt. It wasn't merely my ancestors who were redeemed, but the Holy Blessed One also redeemed us with them, as it is said, 'And we went forth from there, in order that God might lead us to the land which had been promised to our ancestors."
Redemption wasn't a one-time thing that happened to our ancestors in bygone times; it is an ongoing experience, something that can ripple into our consciousness every day. We too were redeemed from Egypt, and we are perennially offered the possibility of living in a state of redemption if only we will open our hearts and our eyes.
Wash the Hands
Before eating, we wash our hands, thanking God for the commandment which impels us to mindfulness. What does washing our hands tell us? That we can become clean; that our bodies are sacred and deserving of care. We wash our hands not to absolve ourselves of responsibility, but to affirm the need to make our hands holy. At this season of freedom and rebirth, we consecrate our hands to the task of building freedom for all who suffer.
Blessed are You, Source of all Being, who sanctifies us with Your commandments, and commands us to wash our hands.
Eating the Egg
The egg represents the new life of springtime. It makes us think of baby chicks and growing things. The egg is roasted rather than boiled, because it also represents the burnt offerings made by our ancestors on the burning altars to our Holy God. As we eat our egg, let us accept into our bodies new life, new thought, fresh hope, and vital growth.
Eat the egg.
Matzah: Bless and Eat
Why do we eat matzah? Because during the Exodus, our ancestors had no time to wait for dough to rise. So they improvised flat cakes without yeast, which could be baked and consumed in haste. The matzah reminds us that when the chance for liberation comes, we must seize it even if we do not feel ready—indeed, if we wait until we feel fully ready, we may never act at all.
Blessed are you, Adonai, Breath of Life, who brings forth bread from the earth.
Blessed are you, Adonai, Breath of Life, who sanctifies us with the commandment to eat matzah.
Everyone eats a piece of matzah.
Maror: Bitter Herb / Haroset: Mortar of our Ancestors
Why do we eat maror? Maror represents the bitterness of bondage. Why do we eat haroset? It symbolizes the mortar for the bricks our ancestors laid in Egypt. Though it represents slave labor, haroset is sweet, reminding us that sometimes constriction or enslavement can be masked in familiar sweetness. Eating the two together, we remind ourselves to be mindful of life with all its sweetness and bitterness, and to seek balance between the two.
Blessed are you, Adonai, sovereign of all worlds, who sanctifies us with the commandment to eat the bitter herb.
Everyone eats some maror and haroset.
Barech: Bless the Meal
Let us praise the Eternal, of Whose bounty we have partaken and by Whose goodness we live.
On this Festival of Matzot, inspire us to goodness.
On this Festival of Freedom, make us a blessing.
On this Festival of Pesach, preserve us in life.
All-Merciful, You are our Source.
Sustain us with honorable work.
Make us worthy of the promise of a world that is yet to come.
May the One who blessed Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob,
Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel, and Leah,
bless this home, this table, and all assembled here;
and may all our loved ones share our blessing.
May the One who brings harmony into the spheres on high
bring peace to earth for all humanity.
Hallel: Praise - Responsive reading:
Give thanks to God, Who is good:
Whose lovingkindness is everlasting.
Give thanks to the supreme God,
Whose loving kindness is everlasting.
Give thanks to the supreme Ruler,
Whose lovingkindness is everlasting.
Give thanks to God who alone performs great wonders
Whose wisdom made the heavens
Who spread the earth over the waters
Who made the heavenly lights, the sun to rule by day,
The moon and stars to rule by night;
God's loving kindness is everlasting.
The Third Cup of Wine
The third cup of wine represents God’s third declaration of redemption:
“I will liberate you with an outstretched arm...”
Let us bless the source of life that ripens fruit on the vine.
The Fourth Cup of Wine
The fourth cup of wine represents God’s fourth declaration of redemption:
“I will claim you for me as a people, and I will be your God.”
Our coming together in celebration blesses the sweetness of the fruit of the vine.
Nirtzah: Conclusion
Tonight we have acknowledged our ancestors. We vow that we will not allow their stories, their experiences, their wisdom to fade. These are our legacy, which we will study and teach to our friends and children. The task of liberation is long, and it is work we ourselves must do. As it is written in Pirke Avot, a collection of rabbinic wisdom: “It is not incumbent upon us to finish the task, but neither may we refrain from beginning it.”
Final Prayer (read together):
And then all that has divided us will merge
And then compassion will be wedded to power
And then softness will come to a world that is harsh and unkind
And then both men and women will be gentle
And then both women and men will be strong
And then all will live in harmony with each other and the earth
And then everywhere will be called Eden once again
Amen!
Delivered on April 1st, 2010 at The United Church of Winchester
Adapted heavily from The Velveteen Rabbi's Haggadah for Pesach
Before the Seder, take around a tray with the various items and help people organize their plates. Pour the juice and let each person know to sip only, as it needs to last through four “cups.”
Opening Prayer (responsive)
Long ago at this season, our people set out on a journey.
On such a night as this, Israel went from degradation to joy.
We give thanks for the liberation of days gone by.
And we pray for all who are still bound.
Eternal God, may all who hunger come to rejoice in a new Passover.
Let all the human family sit at Your table, drink the wine of deliverance,
eat the bread of freedom. Amen.
Kadesh: Sanctifying the Day
May the light of the candles we kindle together tonight bring radiance to all who still live in darkness. May this season, marking the deliverance of our people from Pharaoh, rouse us against anyone who keeps others in servitude. In gratitude for the freedom we enjoy, may we strive to bring about our own liberation and the liberation of all people everywhere.
The Hebrew prayer is spoken over the first candle:
Baruch atah, Adonai, eloheinu ruach ha’olam, asher kidshanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu l’hadlik ner shel Yom Tov.
The first candle is lit.
The Hebrew prayer over the second candle:
Baruch atah, Adonai, eloheinu melech ha’olam, shehecheyanu v’kiy’manu v’higiyanu lazman hazeh.
The second candle is lit.
The cup of wine is held up:
This first cup reminds us of God’s first declaration:
“I will bring you out from the oppression...”
Blessed are you, Adonai our God, Ruler of the Universe, creator of the fruit of the vine.
All should sip their wine.
Urchatz: Washing the Hands
Urchatz, the symbolic washing of the hands, recalls the story of Miriam's Well. Legend tells us that this well followed Miriam, sister of Moses, through the desert, sustaining the Jews in their wanderings. Filled with waters of life, the well was a source of strength and renewal to all who drew from it. One drink from its waters was said to alert the heart, mind and soul, and make the meaning of Torah become more clear. In Hebrew, urchatz means washing or cleansing. In Aramaic, sister language to Hebrew, urchatz means trusting. As we wash our hands, let us rejoice in this act of trust.
Pick up a cloth and wipe our hands.
Karpas: Eat a Green Vegetable
At this point in the seder, it is traditional to eat a green vegetable, usually parsley, dipped twice in salt water. The parsley represents rebirth, renewal and growth; the salt water represents the tears of enslavement.
Blessed are you, Adonai, Breath of Life, creator of the fruit of the earth.
Parsley is dipped into salt water and then eaten by all.
Yachatz: Break the Middle Matzah
First, one of the doors is opened as a show of hospitality. Then the middle matzah is lifted for all to see, and the prayer is recited:
This is the bread of affliction which our ancestors ate in the land of Egypt. Let all who are hungry come and eat; let all who are needy come and celebrate the Passover with us. Now we are here; next year may we be in the Land of Israel. Now we are slaves; next year may we be free.
The door is closed. The middle matzah is broken, and the larger half is wrapped up in a cloth or napkin.
We break the matzah as the Jews broke the chains of slavery, and as we break chains which bind us today. We will no more be fooled by movements which free only some of us, in which our so-called “freedom” rests upon the enslavement or embitterment of others.
The Questions
It is traditional for the youngest person at a seder to ask four questions. (It’s actually one question with four answers.) We know the question, and we know the answers, but we ask anyway because there is always something to learn. No matter how “wise” we become, we must remember to question!
The youngest child willing asks the question four times, before the answers are read. The answers will be read by people picked somewhat at random as they come in earlier in the night.
Why is tonight different from all other nights?
- On all other nights we may eat either leavened bread or matzah; tonight, only matzah, that we may recall the unleavened bread our ancestors baked in haste when they left slavery.
- On all other nights we need not taste bitterness; tonight, we eat bitter herbs, that we may recall the suffering of slavery.
- On all other nights we needn't dip our food in condiments even once; tonight we dip twice, in saltwater to remember our tears when we were enslaved, and in haroset to remember the mortar and the bricks which we made.
- On all other nights we eat sitting up; tonight, we recline, to remind ourselves to savor our liberation.
- In addition to the Four Questions, tonight we ask ourselves a fifth:
We are commanded to celebrate as if each one of us were personally liberated from Egypt. In the last year, how have you been liberated from bondage — and in the next year, how do you hope to bring yourself closer to your personal place of freedom?
The Exodus: a story in seven short chapters
- Once upon a time our people went into exile, in the land of Egypt. During a famine our ancestor Jacob and his family fled to Egypt where food was plentiful. His son Joseph had risen to high position in Pharaoh’s court, and our people were well-respected and well-regarded, secure in the power structure of the time.
- Generations passed and our people remained in Egypt. As rulers came and went, a new Pharaoh ascended to the throne. He felt threatened by Otherness, and ordered our people enslaved. In fear of rebellion, Pharaoh decreed that all Hebrew boy-children be killed. Two midwives named Shifrah and Puah defied his orders, claiming that “the Hebrew women are so hardy, they give birth before we arrive!” Through their courage, a boy survived; midrash tells us he was radiant with light. Fearing for his safety, his family placed him in a basket and he floated down the Nile. He was found, and adopted, by Pharaoh’s daughter, who named him Moshe because from the water she drew him forth. She hired his mother Yocheved as his wet-nurse. Thus he survived to adulthood, and was raised as Prince of Egypt.
- Although a child of privilege, as he grew he became aware of the slaves who worked in the brick yards of his father. When he saw an overseer mistreat a slave, he struck the overseer and killed him. Fearing retribution, he set out across the Sinai alone. God spoke to him from a burning bush, which though it flamed was not consumed. The Voice called him to lead the Hebrew people to freedom. Moses argued with God, pleading inadequacy, but God disagreed. Sometimes our responsibilities choose us.
- Moses returned to Egypt and went to Pharaoh to argue the injustice of slavery. He gave Pharaoh a mandate which resounds through history: Let my people go. Pharaoh refused, and Moses warned him that Mighty God would strike the Egyptian people. These threats were not idle: ten terrible plagues were unleashed upon the Egyptians. Only when his nation lay in ruins did Pharaoh agree to our liberation.
- Fearful that Pharaoh would change his mind, our people fled, not waiting for their bread dough to rise. For this reason we eat unleavened bread as we take part in their journey. Our people did not leave Egypt alone; a “mixed multitude” went with them. From this we learn that liberation is not for us alone, but for all the nations of the earth. Even Pharaoh’s daughter came with us, and traded her old title (bat-Pharaoh, daughter of Pharaoh) for the name Batya, “daughter of God.”
- Pharaoh’s army followed us to the Sea of Reeds. We plunged into the waters. Only when we had gone as far as we could did the waters part for us. We mourn, even now, that Pharaoh’s army drowned: our liberation is bittersweet because people died in our pursuit.
- To this day we relive our liberation, that we may not become complacent, that we may always rejoice in our freedom.
The Ten Plagues
10 plagues were visited upon the Egyptians. Though we rejoice at our freedom, we mourn the pain caused to the Egyptians in the name of that freedom. The plagues: Blood, Frogs, Lice, Insect swarms, Cattle plague, Boils, Hail, Locusts, Darkness, Death of the First-Born.
These plagues are in the past, but today’s world holds plagues as well. Let us spill drops of wine as we recite these ten new plagues.
- Apathy in the face of evil
- Brutal torture of the helpless
- Cruel mockery of the old and the weak
- Despair of human goodness
- Envy of the joy of others
- Falsehood and deception corroding our faith
- Greedy theft of earth’s resources
- Hatred of learning and culture
- Instigation of war and aggression
- Justice delayed, denied, mocked...
The Second Cup of Wine
The second cup of wine represents God’s second declaration of redemption:
“I will free you from slavery.”
Blessed are you, Adonai our God, Breath of Life, creator of the fruit of the vine.
Signs and Symbols
There are many things on our Seder Plate tonight. It's our job to learn what they are and to experience them fully. They are:
- The Maror, bitter herb or horseradish, which represents the bitterness of slavery.
- The Haroset, traditionally a mixture of apples and nuts and wine, which represents the bricks and mortar we made in ancient times, and the new structures we are beginning to build in our lives today.
- The Lamb Shank which represents the sacrifices we have made to survive. Before the tenth plague, the Jews slaughtered lambs and marked their doors with blood: because of this marking, the Angel of Death passed over their homes and their first- born were spared.
- The Egg, which symbolizes creative power, our rebirth.
- The Parsley, which represents the new growth of spring, for we are earthy, rooted beings, connected to the Earth and nourished by our connection.
- Salt water of our tears, both then and now.
- Matzot of our unleavened hearts: may this Seder enable our spirits to rise.
In every generation it is important to see oneself as if one had personally experienced the Exodus from Egypt. As it is written: "You shall speak to your children on that day, saying, this is how the Holy Blessed One redeemed me from Egypt. It wasn't merely my ancestors who were redeemed, but the Holy Blessed One also redeemed us with them, as it is said, 'And we went forth from there, in order that God might lead us to the land which had been promised to our ancestors."
Redemption wasn't a one-time thing that happened to our ancestors in bygone times; it is an ongoing experience, something that can ripple into our consciousness every day. We too were redeemed from Egypt, and we are perennially offered the possibility of living in a state of redemption if only we will open our hearts and our eyes.
Wash the Hands
Before eating, we wash our hands, thanking God for the commandment which impels us to mindfulness. What does washing our hands tell us? That we can become clean; that our bodies are sacred and deserving of care. We wash our hands not to absolve ourselves of responsibility, but to affirm the need to make our hands holy. At this season of freedom and rebirth, we consecrate our hands to the task of building freedom for all who suffer.
Blessed are You, Source of all Being, who sanctifies us with Your commandments, and commands us to wash our hands.
Eating the Egg
The egg represents the new life of springtime. It makes us think of baby chicks and growing things. The egg is roasted rather than boiled, because it also represents the burnt offerings made by our ancestors on the burning altars to our Holy God. As we eat our egg, let us accept into our bodies new life, new thought, fresh hope, and vital growth.
Eat the egg.
Matzah: Bless and Eat
Why do we eat matzah? Because during the Exodus, our ancestors had no time to wait for dough to rise. So they improvised flat cakes without yeast, which could be baked and consumed in haste. The matzah reminds us that when the chance for liberation comes, we must seize it even if we do not feel ready—indeed, if we wait until we feel fully ready, we may never act at all.
Blessed are you, Adonai, Breath of Life, who brings forth bread from the earth.
Blessed are you, Adonai, Breath of Life, who sanctifies us with the commandment to eat matzah.
Everyone eats a piece of matzah.
Maror: Bitter Herb / Haroset: Mortar of our Ancestors
Why do we eat maror? Maror represents the bitterness of bondage. Why do we eat haroset? It symbolizes the mortar for the bricks our ancestors laid in Egypt. Though it represents slave labor, haroset is sweet, reminding us that sometimes constriction or enslavement can be masked in familiar sweetness. Eating the two together, we remind ourselves to be mindful of life with all its sweetness and bitterness, and to seek balance between the two.
Blessed are you, Adonai, sovereign of all worlds, who sanctifies us with the commandment to eat the bitter herb.
Everyone eats some maror and haroset.
Barech: Bless the Meal
Let us praise the Eternal, of Whose bounty we have partaken and by Whose goodness we live.
On this Festival of Matzot, inspire us to goodness.
On this Festival of Freedom, make us a blessing.
On this Festival of Pesach, preserve us in life.
All-Merciful, You are our Source.
Sustain us with honorable work.
Make us worthy of the promise of a world that is yet to come.
May the One who blessed Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob,
Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel, and Leah,
bless this home, this table, and all assembled here;
and may all our loved ones share our blessing.
May the One who brings harmony into the spheres on high
bring peace to earth for all humanity.
Hallel: Praise - Responsive reading:
Give thanks to God, Who is good:
Whose lovingkindness is everlasting.
Give thanks to the supreme God,
Whose loving kindness is everlasting.
Give thanks to the supreme Ruler,
Whose lovingkindness is everlasting.
Give thanks to God who alone performs great wonders
Whose wisdom made the heavens
Who spread the earth over the waters
Who made the heavenly lights, the sun to rule by day,
The moon and stars to rule by night;
God's loving kindness is everlasting.
The Third Cup of Wine
The third cup of wine represents God’s third declaration of redemption:
“I will liberate you with an outstretched arm...”
Let us bless the source of life that ripens fruit on the vine.
The Fourth Cup of Wine
The fourth cup of wine represents God’s fourth declaration of redemption:
“I will claim you for me as a people, and I will be your God.”
Our coming together in celebration blesses the sweetness of the fruit of the vine.
Nirtzah: Conclusion
Tonight we have acknowledged our ancestors. We vow that we will not allow their stories, their experiences, their wisdom to fade. These are our legacy, which we will study and teach to our friends and children. The task of liberation is long, and it is work we ourselves must do. As it is written in Pirke Avot, a collection of rabbinic wisdom: “It is not incumbent upon us to finish the task, but neither may we refrain from beginning it.”
Final Prayer (read together):
And then all that has divided us will merge
And then compassion will be wedded to power
And then softness will come to a world that is harsh and unkind
And then both men and women will be gentle
And then both women and men will be strong
And then all will live in harmony with each other and the earth
And then everywhere will be called Eden once again
Amen!
