Passover 5778
2018
ON THIS NIGHT we retrace our steps from then to now, reclaiming years of desert wandering. ON THIS NIGHT we ask questions, ancient and new, speaking of servitude and liberation, service and joy. ON THIS NIGHT we welcome each soul, sharing stories of courage, strength and faith. ON THIS NIGHT we open doors long closed, lifting our voices in songs of praise. ON THIS NIGHT we renew ancient hopes and dream of a future redeemed.ON THIS NIGHT we gather around Seder tables, remembering passage from bondage to freedom. ON THIS NIGHT we journey from now to then, telling the story of freedom. AS WE BEGIN TONIGHT’S SEDER, let us take a moment to be thankful for being together. We make a small community of storytellers. But, why this story again? Most of us already know the story of Passover. The answer is that we are not merely telling a story. We are being called to the act of empathy. Some at our table observe this holiday every year and some are experiencing it for the first time. Some of us are Jewish, others are not. Passover is enjoyed by people of various faiths because freedom is at the core of each of our stories. All who are in need, let them come celebrate Passover with us. Now we are here. Next year in the land of Israel.
Ruth, as in ‘The Book Of’, as in the great-grandmother of King David, was part of an
interfaith marriage. Introducing Ruth's Mix, a way to welcome everyone to your Seder table, and honor the growing diversity of the Jewish people those who were born Jewish, those who converted, those who are not Jewish, and those who just came for the singing and wine.Everyone take a bit of Ruth's Mix, a combination of almonds, raisins and chocolate chips. Each of these ingredients is good on its own, but when mixed together they’re even better. TOGETHER: We welcome everyone to our Passover table. May everyone who shares in a Jewish life feel welcomed and integrated. We are deeply grateful to all who have cast their lot with the Jewish people, and for the love and support they give to their Jewish partners and families. We pray with all of our hearts that the gifts and blessings you have given to your family, to the community, and to the Jewish People will come back to you and fill your life with joy and fulfillment (ADAPTED FROM RABBI JANET MARDER)
S E D E R = O R D E R
1. KADEISH Kiddush (the blessing over wine) 2. URCHATZ Ritual hand-washing in preparation for the Seder 3. KARPAS Dipping a green vegetable in salt water 4. MATZAH YACHATZ Breaking the middle of matzah 5. MAGGID Telling the story of Passover 6. RACHTZA Ritual hand-washing in preparation for the meal 7. MOTZI MATZAH The blessing over the meal and matzah 8. CHAROSET MAROR Dipping the bitter herb in sweet 9. KOREICH Eating a sandwich of matzah and bitter herb 10. SCHULAN OREICH Eating the meal 11.TZAFOON Finding and eating the Afikomen 12. BAREICH Saying grace after the meal and inviting Elijah the Prophet 13. HALLEL Singing songs that praise God 14. NIRTZAH Ending the Seder and thinking about the future
CANDLE LIGHTING
The day ends. The earth turns from sunshine to dusk and then to darkness. We assume for ourselves the task of kindling candles in the night, to enlighten the dark corners of our world. We still live in perilous times. Behind us, though receding into the memories of even the oldest among us, we can still sense the fires of Auschwitz and Hiroshima. Before us, the threat of acts of terrorism and gun violence. We gather tonight to create from fire, not the heat of destruction, but the light of instruction; indeed to see more clearly the wisdom, strength and caring that glows from within each of us. TOGETHER: May these candles, lit on the Festival of Freedom, bring light into our hearts and minds. May they renew our courage to act for justice and freedom here and now. May they Illuminate the path to truth, justice and peace. And so we repeat the ancient blessing. BARUCH ATAH ADONAI, ELOHEINU MELECH HA-OLAM, ASHER KIDDISHANU B’MITZVOTAV, V’TZIVANU LEHADLIK NEIR SHEL SHABBAT V’SHEL YOM TOV. We praise God, Spirit of Everything, who has directedus to kindle the Shabbat and holiday lights.
WOMAN'S PRAYER AT CANDLE LIGHTING
May you grant my family and all Israel a good and long life. Remember us with blessings and kindness. Give me the opportunity to raise my children and grandchildren to be truly wise and people of truth. Please hear my prayer at this time. Regard me as a worthy descendant of Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel and Leah, and let my candles never be extinguished. Let the light of Your face shine upon us. Amen. 1 KIDDUSH Fill your cup with the first glass of wine, lift the cup, say the Kiddush, and drink, leaning to the left. All Jewish celebrations, from holidays to weddings, include wine as a symbol of our joy – not to mention a practical way to increase that joy. The Seder starts with first cup of wine and then gives us three more opportunities to refill our cup and drink.Baruch Atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech ha-olam, borei p’ree hagafen. We praise God, Spirit of Everything, who creates the fruit of the vine.
SHEHECHEYANU BARUCH ATAH ADONAI, ELOHEINU MELECH HA-OLAM, SHE-HECHIYANU V’KEY’MANU V’HIGIYANU LAZMAN HAZEH. We praise God, Spirit of Everything, who has kept us alive, raised us up and brought us to this happy moment.
SEDER PLATE
The seder plate holds the ritual items that are compassion and indignation, the sublime and inspired screaming of a prophet uttered by a whole community.
A TIME OF REMEMBERING
On this Seder night, we recall with anguish and love our martyred brothers and sisters, the six million Jews of Europe who were destroyed at the hands of a tyrant more fiendish than Pharaoh. Their memory will never be forgotten.
shankbone
charoset maror chazeret egg karpas
Trapped in ghettos, caged in death camps, abandoned by an unseeing or uncaring world, Jews gave their lives in acts that sanctified God’s name and the name of the people Israel. Some rebelled against their tormentors, fighting with makeshift weapons, gathering the last remnants of their failing strength in peerless gestures of courage and defiance. Others went to their death with their faith in God miraculously unimpaired. Unchecked, unchallenged, evil ran rampant and devoured the holy innocents. But the light of the Six Million will never be extinguished. Their glow illuminates our path. We will tech our children and our children’s children to remember them with reverence and with pride.
THIS YEAR WE ARE SLAVES What do these words mean? We are slaves because yesterday our people were in slavery and memory makes yesterday real for us. We are slaves because today there are still people in chains around the world and no one can be truly free while others are in chains. We are slaves because freedom means more than broken chains. Where there is poverty and hunger and homelessness, there is no freedom; where there is prejudice and bigotry and discrimination, there is no freedom; where there is violence and torture and war, there is no freedom. And where each of usis less than he or she might be, we are not free, not yet. And who, this year, can be deaf to the continuing oppression of the downtrodden, who can be blind to the burdens and the rigors that are now to be added to the most vulnerable in our midst? If these things be so, who among us can say that he or she is free?
WHAT HAPPENS TO THEM HAPPENS TO ME
LEADER: Prejudice is like a monster which has many heads, an evil which requires many efforts to overcome. One head sends forth poison against the people of a different race, another against the people of a different religion or culture. Thus the evil of prejudice is indivisible. GROUP: Human progress never rolls in on the wheels of inevitability. It comes through the tireless efforts and the persistent work of dedicated individuals who are willing to be co-workers with God. Without this hard work, time itself becomes an ally of the insurgent and primitive forces of irrational emotionalism and social stagnation. LEADER: What is called for is not a silent sigh but a voice of moral compassion and indignation, the sublime and inspired screaming of a prophet uttered by a whole community GROUP:The voice of justice is stronger than bigotry and the hour calls for that voice as well as the concerted and incessant action.
LEADER: I have personal faith. I believe firmly that in spite of the difficulties of these days, in spite of the struggles ahead, we can solve this problem. I believe there will be a better world.
2 URCHATZ: RITUAL HAND WASHING 3 KARPAS: DIPPING A GREEN VEGETABLE IN SALT WATER Passover, like many of our holidays, combines the celebration of an event from our Jewish memory with recognition of the cycles of nature.
As we remember the liberation from Egypt, we also recognize the stirrings of spring and rebirth happening in the world around us. We now take a vegetable,representing spring, and dip it into salt water, a symbol of the tears our ancestors shed as slaves. Before we eat it, we recite a short blessing: BARUCH ATAH ADONAI, ELOHEINU MELECH HA-OLAM, BOREI P’REE HA-ADAMA. We praise God, Spirit of Everything, who creates the fruits of the earth. 4 YACHATZ: BREAKING THE MIDDLE MATZAH There are three pieces of matzah stacked on the table. We now break the middle matzah into twopieces. One piece is called the Afikomen, literally “dessert” in Greek. The Afikomen is hidden and must be found before the Seder can be finished. We eat matzah in memory of the quick flight of our ancestors from Egypt. As slaves, they faced many false starts before finally being let go. So when the word of their freedom came, they took whatever dough they had and ran before it had the chance to rise, leaving it looking something like matzah. Uncover and hold up the three pieces of matzah and say together: This is the bread of poverty which our ancestors ate in the land of Egypt. All who are hungry come and eat; all who are needy, come and celebrate Passover with us. This year we are hear; next year we will be in Israel. This year we are slaves; next year we will be free.
THE FOUR QUESTIONS
The telling of the story of Passover is framed as a discussion with questions and answers. The tradition that the youngest person asks the questions reflects the idea of involving everyone at the Seder.
MA NISHTANA HALAILA HAZEH MIKOL HALEILOT?
Why is this night different from all other nights? 1 SHEBICHOL HALEILOT ANU OCHLIN CHAMEITZ U-MATZAH. HALAILA HAZEH KULO MATZAH? Why is it that on all other nights during the year we eat either bread or matzah, but on this night we eat only matzah? Matzah is the symbol of our affliction and our freedom. Legend has it that when Moses and his followers fled Egypt, they moved so quickly that the bread they baked did not have time to rise. 2 SHEBICHOL HALEILOT ANU OCHLIN SHI’AR YIRAKOT HALEILA HAZEH MAROR? Why is it that on all other nights we eat all kinds of herbs, but on this night we eat only bitter herbs? Tradition says that this root is to remind us of the time of our slavery. We force ourselves to taste pain so that we may more readily value pleasure.
3 SHEBICHOL HALEILOT AIN ANU MATBILIN AFILU PA-AM ECHAT. HALAILA HAZEH SHTEI FI-AMIM? Why is it that on all other nights we do not dip our herbs even once but on this night we dip them twice? The first time, the salty taste reminds us of the tears we cried when we were slaves. The second time, the salt water andthe green help us to remember the ocean and green plants and the Earth, from which we get air and water and food that enable us to live. 4 SHEBICHOL HALEILOT ANU OCHLIN BEIN YOSHVIN UVEIN M’SUBIN. HALAILA HAZEH KULANU M’SUBIN? Why is it that on all other nights we eat either sitting or reclining, but on this night we eat in a reclining position? This question goes back to ancient times in Rome, when it was the custom for rich people to eat while lying on a couch leaning on one elbow as slaves and servants fed them. The Jewish people thought of this relaxed type of eating as a sign of freedom and prosperity, so they would lean to one side eating at the Seder on Passover, the festival of freedom.
THE FOUR SONS
As we tell the story, we think about it from all angles. Our tradition speaks of four different types of children who react individually to the Passover Seder. It is our job to make our story accessible to all the members of our community:
WHAT DOES THE WISE CHILD SAY? The wise child asks, “What are the testimonies and laws which God commanded you?“
WHAT DOES THE WICKED CHILD SAY?
The wicked child asks, “What does this service mean to you?” To you and not to himself! Because he takes himself out of the community and misses the point, say to him: “It is because of what God did for me in taking me out of Egypt.” Me, not him. Had that child been there, he would have been left behind.“
WHAT DOES THE SIMPLE CHILD SAY?
The simple child asks, “What is this?” To this child, answer plainly, “With a strong hand God took us out of Egypt, where we were slaves.”
WHAT ABOUT THE CHILD WHO DOESN'T KNOW HOW TO ASK A QUESTION?
Help this child ask. Start telling the story, “It is because of what God did for me in taking me out of Egypt.”
MUSIC: GO DOWN MOSES
5 MAGGID THE STORY OF PASSOVER As we rejoice at our deliverance from slavery, we acknowledge that our freedom was hard-earned. We regret that our freedom came at the cost of the Egyptians’ suffering, for we are all human beings.We pour out a drop of wine for each of the plagues as we recite them to signify having a little less sweetness in our celebration. Dip a finger or a spoon into your wine glass for a drop for each plague.
THESE ARE THE TEN PLAGUES: BLOOD/dam BOILS/ sh’chin FROGS/tzfardeiya HAIL/barad K C U Y LICE/kinim LOCUSTS/arbeh INSECTS/arov DARKNESS/choshech CATTLE DISEASE/dever DEATH OF THE FIRST BORN/makat b’chorot Even though we are happy that the Jews escaped slavery, let us once more take a drop of wine as we together recite the names of these modern plagues: HUNGER INJUSTICE WAR POVERTY ‘ TERRORISM IGNORANCE GREED POLLUTION OF THE EARTH BIGOTRY INDIFFERENCE TO SUFFERING
DAYEINU: IT WOULD HAVE BEEN ENOUGH.
One of the most beloved songs in the Passover Seder is Dayeinu. Dayeinu commemorates a long list of miraculous things God did, any one of which would have been pretty amazing just by itself. For example, “Had God taken us out of Egypt but not punished the Egyptians-it would have been enough.” Dayeinu, translated liberally, means, “Thank you,God, for overdoing it.” Dayeinu is a reminder to never forget all the miracles in our lives. When we stand and wait impatiently for the next one to appear, we are missing the point of life. Instead, we can actively seek a new reason to be grateful, a reason to say, “Dayeinu” VIDEO: MACCABEATS SING DAYEINU ILU HO-TSI, HO-TSI-A-NU, HO-TSI-A-NU MI-MITZ-RA-YIM, HOTSI-A-NU MI-MITZ-RA-YIM, DA-YE-NU! If he had brought us all out of Egypt, it would have been enough! CHORUS DAI, DA-YE-NU, DAI, DA-YE-NU, DAI, DA-YE-NU, DA-YE-NU, DA-YE-NU, DA-YE-NU! ILU NA-TAN, NA-TAN LA-NU, NA-TAN LA-NU ET-HA-SHA-BAT, NA-TAN LA-NU ET-HA-SHA-BAT, DA-YE-NU! If he had given us Shabbat it would have been enough!
CHORUS: DAI, DA-YE-NU, DAI, DA-YE-NU, DAI, DA-YE-NU, DA-YE-NU, DA-YE-NU, DA-YE-NU! ILU NA-TAN, NA-TAN LA-NU, NA-TAN LA-NU ET-HA-TO-RAH, NA-TAN LA-NU ET-HA-TO-RAH, DA-YE-NU! If he had given us the Torah it would have been enough! CHORUS: DAI, DA-YE-NU, DAI, DA-YE-NU, DAI, DA-YE-NU, DA-YE-NU, DA-YE-NU, DA-YE-NU! Dai, da-ye-nu, Dai, da-ye-nu, Dai, da-ye-nu, Da-ye-nu, da-ye-nu!
THE SECOND GLASS OF WINE
We recall our story of deliverance to freedom by blessing the second glass of wine: BARUCH ATAH ADONAI, ELOHEINU MELECH HA-OLAM, BOREI P’REE HAGAFEN. We praise God, Spirit of Everything, who creates the fruit of the vine.
6 RACHTZA 7 MOTZI MATZAH: EATING THE MATZAH Raise the matzah and recite two blessings: the regular bread blessing and then one specifically mentioning the mitzvah of eating matzah at Passover.
BARUCH ATAH ADONAI, ELOHEINU MELECH HA-OLAM, HAMOTZI LECHEM MIN HA-ARETZ. We praise God, Spirit of Everything, who brings bread from the land. BARUCH ATAH ADONAI, ELOHEINU MELECH HA-OLAM, ASHER KID’SHANU B’MITZVOTAV V’TZIVANU AL ACHILAT MATZAH. ‘ Blessed are You, Spirit of Everything, who commands us to eat matzah.
BARUCH ATAH ADONAI, ELOHEINU MELECH HA-OLAM, ASHER KID’SHANU B’MITZVOTAV V’TZIVANU AL ACHILAT Blessed are You, Spirit of Everything, who commands us to eat bitter herbs.
8 MOROR: THE BITTER HERB
9 MATZAH: SANDWICH OF BITTER HERB AND CHAROSET
While the English Earl of Sandwich is generally credited for inventing the snack of his namesake, Hillel may have originated it two thousand years ago by combining matzah, a slice of paschal lamb, and a bitter herb. Jews no longer sacrifice and eat the lamb, so now the Passover sandwich is only matzah,charoset and a bitter herb. 10 SHULCHAN ORECH: THE MEAL Let’s eat! 11 THE AFIKOMEN The half matzah, which was hidden earlier, now needs to be found before we can finish the Seder!
12 BAREIC: GRACE AFTER THE MEAL
BARUCH ATAH ADONAI ELOHEINU MELECH HA’OLAM, HAZAN ET HA’OLAM KULO B’CHEN B’CHESED W’RACHAMIN. HU NOTEN LECHEM L’CHOL BASAR KI L’OLAM CHASDO. UV’TUVO HAGADOL TAMID LO CHASAR LANU V’AL YECH’ SAR LANU MASON L’OLAM VA’ED. BA’AVUR SH’MO HAGADOL KI HU ZAN UM’FARNES LAKOL UMETIV LAKOL UMECHIN MAZON L’CHOL B’RIYOTAV ASHER BARA. BARUCH ATAH ADONAI HAZAN ET HAKOL. We praise God, Spirit of Everything, whose goodness sustains the world. You are the origin of love and compassion, the source of bread for all, food for everyone. As it says in the Torah: When you have eaten
and are satisfied we thank you for the earth and for its sustenance. Renew our spiritual center in our time. May the source of peace grant peace to us, to the Jewish people, and to the entire world. Amen.
THE THIRD GLASS OF WINE The blessing over the meal is immediately followed by another blessing over the wine: BARUCH ATAH ADONAI, ELOHEINU MELECH HA-OLAM, BOREI P’REE HAGAFEN. We praise God, Spirit of Everything, who creates the fruit of the vine. THE FOURTH GLASS OF WINE
We refill our wine glasses one last time but before we drink it, we open the door for the prophet Elijah. BARUCH ATAH ADONAI, ELOHEINU MELECH HA-OLAM, BOREI PREE HAGAFEN. We praise God, Spirit of Everything, who creates the fruit of the vine.
ELIJAH'S CUP We begin by pouring wine into the prophet Elijah’s cup from our own cups until it is filled. This helps us remember that we must all contribute our best talents and energies to help fulfill Elijah’s promise of a peaceful world. Elijah dedicated himself to defending God against non-believers, and as reward for his devotion and hard work he was whisked away to heaven at the end of his life. Tradition says that Elijah will return to earth one day to signal the arrival of the Messiah, and the end of hatred, intolerance and war. As we sing Elijah’s song, we watch to see if the wine in Elijah’s cup decreases even a little, a sure sign that he has visited.
ELIYAHU HANAVI ELIYAHU HATISHBI ELIYAHU, ELIYAHU, ELIYAHU HAGILADI BIMHEIRAH B’YAMEINU, YAVO EILEINU IM MASHIACH BEN-DAVID IM MASHIACH BEN-DAVID Elijah the prophet, the returning, the man of Gilad: return to us speedily, in our days with the messiah, son of David.
MIRIAM'S CUP
Miriam’s cup is filled with water to symbolize Miriam’s Well, a magical source of water that lasted during the 40 years the Jews spent wandering in the desert. We also honor Miriam’s role in liberating theJewish people, first by saving Moses from death on the Nile and then helping to raise him. Miriam’s cup also celebrates the critical role of all Jewish women, past and present. TOGETHER: This is the Cup of Miriam, to symbolize the water which gave new life to Israel as we struggled with ourselves in the wilderness. Blessed are You, Spirit of the Universe, who sustains us with endless possibilities, and enables us to reach a new place. 14 NIRTZAH Our Seder is over, according to Jewish tradition and law. As we had the pleasure to gather for a Seder this year, we hope to once again have the opportunity in the years to come. We pray that God brings health and healing to Israel and all the people of the world, as we say.
Next year in Jerusalem L'shana haba-ah biy'rushalayim