Messianic Haggadah

A Messianic Haggadah for the Passover

Robert A. Singer

CBNW Annual Meeting March 2007

Bibliography Bogot, Howard and Robert Orkland. A Childrenâ€&#x;s Haggadah.

New York: Central Conference of American Rabbis, 1996.

Lipis, Joan R. Celebrate Passover Haggadah. San Francisco:Purple Pomegranate Productions, 1996.

Lipson, Eric-Peter. Passover Haggadah, A Messianic Celebration. San Francisco: JFJ Publishing, 1986.

Musleah, Rahel. Why on This Night? New York, Simon and Schuster, 2000 Rosen, Ceil and Moishe Rosen. Christ in the Passover.

Chicago: Moody Press, 1978.

All Scripture quotations are taken from the New International Version, Š1984

45

Why are we celebrating Passover?

PESACH

xs;p,

Thousands of years ago, the Jewish people were commanded to keep the Passover to remind them that God had freed them from slavery in Egypt. Jesus himself celebrated the Passover and we can understand more about His teaching as we discover and celebrate the Passover ourselves.

Haggadah

hd'G"h;

Everyone raise the fourth cup.

Wnyhel{a/ yyØ hT'a;Ø %WrB' ~l'A[hØ %l,m, `!p,Gh" ;Ø yrIP.Ø areAB

Baruch ata Adonai Eloheinu Melech ha-olam borei p‟ri hagafen.

Everyone says: Blessed are you, O LORD our God, King of the universe, who creates the fruit of the vine.

Everyone: lean to the left and drink from the fourth cup.

TELLING At your place setting you have a booklet called a Haggadah (hd'G"h; telling). For the Gentile, this word is a mouthful; for the Jewish person it is what Grandpa pulled out, dusted off and read every year at Pesach. It is from the word used in Exodus 13:8 On that day tell your son, „I do this because of what the LORD did for me when I came out of Egypt.‟ We also find the same thought in 1 Corinthians 11:26 “For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.”

This is a festive celebration. For both children and adults it is filled with seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting and touching.

So enjoy!

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THE CLOSE OF THE SEDER Our seder is now ending. We have said special words and have eaten different foods. We know that once we were slaves, but now we are free!

L‟shana haba-a bi-Y‟rushalayim!

~yIl'vW' ryBi ha'B'h;Ø hn"v'l

Everyone says: NEXT YEAR IN JERUSALEM! When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

(Matthew 26:30) You are invited to keep this copy of the Haggadah.

However, please return the kippa.

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O LORD, save us; (literally: Hosanna!)

O LORD, grant us success.

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD. From the house of the LORD we bless you.

The LORD is God, and he has made his light shine upon us.

With boughs in hand, join in the festal procession up to the horns of the altar.

You are my God, and I will give you thanks; you are my God, and I will exalt you.

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.

Kadeish vDeq; BEING HOLY, SANCTIFICATION We begin our Messianic Passover by praising God for this festival of freedom from sin in Y‟shua (Jesus) and for this special time with family and friends. This prayer sets apart, or sanctifies, the meal as a memorial to our redemption by God. (PRAYER)

hk'r'B.Ø sAK Kos B’racha THE CUP OF PRAISE (THE FOURTH CUP) Hosts: fill the fourth cup.

With this fourth cup we remember the fourth promise God made to the Jewish people: "I will take you as my own people." (from Exodus 6:6-7) We also praise God that all of us, Jew and Gentile, can become his people by faith in Y‟shua.

We have just celebrated Palm Sunday, the day when Jesus Christ, Jesus the Messiah (x:yviM'h; Ø [:WvyE - Y‟shua Ha Mashiach), rode into Jerusalem to these words inspired by Psalm 118:25-26.

"Hosanna!"

"Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!"

"Blessed is the King of Israel!"

(John 12:13b)

After all, if you were cut out of an olive tree that is wild by nature, and contrary to nature were grafted into a cultivated olive tree, how much more readily will these, the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree!

(Romans 11:24)

Y‟shua celebrated His last Passover (xs;p, Pesach) with His disciples on Thursday evening in the upper room. Exodus 12 tells us that the lamb for the meal had been chosen four days earlier, on the day of His Triumphal Entry.

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The observance of Passover is based on requirements specified more than 3400 years ago in the Torah, the five books of Moses (particularly in Exodus 12; Leviticus 23:4-8; Numbers 28:16-25; Deuteronomy 16:1-8) and in Jewish tradition (the Mishnah and Talmud).

The Passover seder has varied little in essentials for many centuries. To preserve the knowledge of traditional practices, a written outline was completed about 220 AD in the first part of the Talmud known as the Mishnah. Recorded here are the memories of Pesach as observed before 70 AD when the Temple was destroyed and sacrifices could no longer be offered.

The special meal for the Pesach is called the “seder” which means “order”. There is a set order for all the things done during this meal. The seder as described in the Mishnah is much like the one practiced today in Jewish homes.

Y'shua Himself observed the Pesach throughout His life on earth. Many of the prayers and blessings of this liturgy were known to Him. As we repeat them in Hebrew we may hear sounds similar to those that were on his lips and will praise the Father in phrases our Lord Himself used.

This Messianic seder is divided into three sections. During the first hour, we retrace the story of freedom for the Jewish people from slavery in Egypt. The last hour we will be reminded of our freedom from sin in Y‟shua and look forward to the day when He will come back to claim His people.

What happens during the second hour? We eat!

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It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in princes.

All the nations surrounded me, but in the name of the LORD I cut them off.

They surrounded me on every side, but in the name of the LORD I cut them off.

They swarmed around me like bees, but they died out as quickly as burning thorns; in the name of the LORD I cut them off.

I was pushed back and about to fall, but the LORD helped me.

The LORD is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation.

Shouts of joy and victory resound in the tents of the righteous: "The LORD's right hand has done mighty things!

The Lord's right hand is lifted high; the LORD's right hand has done mighty things!"

I will not die but live, and will proclaim what the LORD has done.

The LORD has chastened me severely, but he has not given me over to death.

Open for me the gates of righteousness; I will enter and give thanks to the LORD. This is the gate of the LORD through which the righteous may enter.

I will give you thanks, for you answered me; you have become my salvation.

The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone; the LORD has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes.

This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.

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lLeh; Halleil PRAISE (PART 2) We have already mentioned that Psalms 113-118, known as the Hallel, were sung in the temple while the paschal lambs were slain. We read the first of these Psalms. Now we will read Psalm 118.

Leader: Blessed are You, O LORD our God Everyone: Who bids us rejoice with Psalms of praise.

Psalms 118 Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.

Let Israel say: "His love endures forever."

Let the house of Aaron say: "His love endures forever."

Let those who fear the LORD say: "His love endures forever."

In my anguish I cried to the LORD, and he answered by setting me free.

The LORD is with me; I will not be afraid.

What can man do to me?

The LORD is with me; he is my helper.

I will look in triumph on my enemies.

It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in man.

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PREPARING FOR THE SEDER

The Search for Leaven

#MEX' (Chametz - that which is leavened) Before pesach begins, all leaven in the home is searched out and removed.

In the first month you are to eat bread made without yeast, from the evening of the fourteenth day until the evening of the twenty-first day.

For seven days no yeast is to be found in your houses.

(Exodus 12:18-19a) This simple command has developed into a major and important ritual in preparing for the Pesach. In many homes the command has been expanded to include every speck of baking powder or other leavening agents. The housewife, who does not want to be guilty of disobeying this command, also removes all grain products that have the capability of becoming leavened.

The evening before the seder, the master of the house searches by candlelight for any crumbs that might remain after his wife has scrupulously cleaned the whole house. A kindly spouse will leave a morsel or two of leaven in a highly visible place. Then her husband will sweep it away with a feather into a wooden spoon and have maximum satisfaction in carrying out God's ordinance by actually finding apparently overlooked chametz. If mother occasionally places the offending -4-

crumbs in an unusual spot, it is amusing for the children to see dad hunting for chametz without immediate success and to listen to his sounds of frustration, for during this performance of the mitzvah (the God-given commandment) he is not permitted to speak.

All bread or leaven found is wrapped together and the following prayer is said: “All leaven or leavened bread in my possession that I have not seen, nor removed, nor known about is annulled and is useless, like the dust of the earth.”

Early the next morning, the leaven is burned. Both Gentile and Jewish children in Whitechapel, London used to carry pierced tin buckets containing burning coals. As they passed along the streets, loudly crying "Chametz," the householders responded by bringing out their leaven to be burned, paying a few coppers for the service.

Y‟shua, in speaking of Elijah, pointed both to John the Baptist and to Elijah‟s coming that still is in the future.

The disciples asked him, "Why then do the teachers of the law say that Elijah must come first?"

Jesus replied, "To be sure, Elijah comes and will restore all things.

But I tell you, Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but have done to him everything they wished.

In the same way the Son of Man is going to suffer at their hands."

Then the disciples understood that he was talking to them about John the Baptist.

(Matthew 17:10-13)

Leaven may also be stored in an out-of the-way place and sold to a Gentile neighbor for a dollar or two. After Pesach is over, the leaven is bought back.

Utensils used daily are most rigorously cleaned or they are set aside during Passover week. Many observant Jews keep a set of utensils, crockery and cutlery reserved for Passover use only.

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do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.

For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.”

(1 Corinthians 11:25-26) Everyone: lean to the left and drink from the third cup.

WhY"liaeØ sAK Kos Eiliahu THE CUP OF ELIJAH There is an extra cup of wine on our seder table that is filled to the brim. This is “Elijah‟s Cup.” It has been filled at each seder and left untouched for over 2,400 years. During the seder, in Jewish custom, a door is opened and all hope that Elijah will come that night.

"See, I will send you the prophet Elijah before that great and dreadful day of the LORD comes.

He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers; or else I will come and strike the land with a curse."

(Malachi 4:5-6) One or more children: go to a door and open it, calling out for Elijah.

Everyone, as the door opens: Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!

Leader: Oh, well perhaps next year!

(The Preparation of the Upper Room) On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, when it was customary to sacrifice the Passover lamb, Jesus' disciples asked him, "Where do you want us to go and make preparations for you to eat the Passover?"

So he sent two of his disciples, telling them, "Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him.

Say to the owner of the house he enters, 'The Teacher asks: Where is my guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?'

He will show you a large upper room, furnished and ready.

Make preparations for us there."

The disciples left, went into the city and found things just as Jesus had told them.

So they prepared the Passover.

(Mark 14:12-16)

The Seder Table These items are on the seder plate:

[:Arz> (Z‟roa - arm) A lamb’s shank bone reminds us of the special lamb brought to the temple in Jerusalem on Pesach as an offering to God; it represents the Passover lamb that was slain.

This lamb can no longer be sacrificed so it is customary not to eat lamb at the seder.

Children: return to your seats.

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This bone also reminds us of Deuteronomy 26:8a

hl'WaG>Ø sAK

So the LORD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm...

Kos G’ula THE CUP OF REDEMPTION (THE THIRD CUP)

In Exodus we read: “Tell the whole community of Israel that on the tenth day of this month each man is to take a lamb for his family, one for each household.”

(Exodus 12:3) “Take care of them until the fourteenth day of the month, when all the people of the community of Israel must slaughter them at twilight. Then they are to take some of the blood and put it on the sides and tops of the door frames of the houses where they eat the lambs. That same night they are to eat the meat roasted over the fire, along with bitter herbs, and bread made without yeast.”

(Exodus 12:6-8) “This is how you are to eat it: with your cloak tucked into your belt, your sandals on your feet and your staff in your hand.

Eat it in haste; it is the LORD‟S Passover.”

(Exodus 12:11) “It must be eaten inside one house; take none of the meat outside the house.

Do not break any of the bones.”

(Exodus 12:46) The lamb bone also reminds us of Y'shua, who was called "the Lamb which takes away the sin of the world." When, by faith, we apply his blood to our hearts, God's hand of judgment passes over our sins and we are saved.

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Hosts fill third cup.

With this third cup we remember the third promise God made to the Jewish people: "I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment." (from Exodus 6:6-7) But more importantly we remember that Y'shua's blood was shed for us.

Everyone raise the third cup.

Wnyhel{a/ yyØ hT'a;Ø %WrB' ~l'A[hØ %l,m, `!p,Gh" ;Ø yrIP.Ø areAB

Baruch ata Adonai Eloheinu Melech ha-olam borei p‟ri hagafen.

Everyone says:

Blessed are you, O LORD our God, King of the universe, who creates the fruit of the vine.

Again, the Apostle Paul writes: In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood; -38-

Everyone says:

The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!

(John 1:29)

Blessed are you, O LORD our God, King of the universe, who brings forth bread from the earth.

These things happened so that the scripture would be fulfilled: "Not one of his bones will be broken" (John 19:36) The Apostle Paul writes: For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, "This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me."

(1 Corinthians 11:23-24)

Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.

Therefore let us keep the Festival.

(1 Corinthians 5:7b-8a)

hc'yBe (Beitsa - egg)

Everyone: Eat the afikoman.

Nothing further is eaten at the seder after this. The afikoman is our dessert. Its taste is to remain in our mouths as long as possible to remind us of our freedom from sin in Yâ€&#x;shua.

%rEB'

The egg is usually referred to as the "chagigah" (festival offering). In ancient days, on the Jewish festivals of Pesach, Shavuot (Pentecost) and Sukkot (Tabernacles), the Jews would bring an offering to the temple to be roasted in honor of the holiday. At Pesach this offering also supplemented the meat from the Passover lamb.

The roasted egg reminds us of that sacrifice which could no longer be made after the destruction of the Temple in 70 AD.

Bareich

sP;r>K; (Karpas)

THE BLESSING FOR THE MEAL As in Jewish custom, we thank God after the meal for the food we have eaten.

(PRAYER) -37-

A green vegetable, such as parsley, reminds us that Pesach occurs during the spring, when new life brings a feeling of hope.

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rArm' (Maror - bitter herb)

!Wpc'

Bitter herbs, such as horseradish, remind us of the bitterness of slavery in Egypt. It seems fitting that this dish of maror should be tear producing!

Tsafun

ts,r{x] (Charoset) A mixture of nuts, apples and wine reminds us of clay, the mud from which Israel made bricks for Pharoah.

THE SEARCH FOR THE AFIKOMAN

Children age 12 and under: search for the afikoman and bring it to the main table.

Each child will receive a small “ransom.”

Hosts: Come to the main table, get the afikoman and return to your seats.

On the seder table we will also find:

!yIy: (Yayin - wine) During the seder meal we will drink four cups of wine (grape juice). They remind us of four of God‟s promises of freedom for the Jewish people.

xl;m,-yme (Mei-melach - salt water) The salt water reminds us of the sad and bitter tears shed by the Jews when they were slaves. We will dip the karpas in the salt water.

hC'm; (Matzah - unleavened bread) The matzah in the unity (the matzah cloth with three pockets) reminds us that the Jews left Egypt before their bread could rise. The three matzot (plural) remind us that God is one, yet three.

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It was during Y‟shua‟s last Pesach that He took the afikoman and the third cup, and gave them a greater significance.

Passover, the retelling of Israel's liberation from bodily slavery, was transformed into a remembrance of regeneration and redemption, whereby we could be freed from the slavery of sin.

The afikoman was broken, hidden away and brought back.

In like manner Messiah was broken, buried and brought back to life.

Hosts: Break the afikoman into small pieces and give one to each person.

(A GOSPEL INVITATION AND SILENT PRAYER) Baruch ata Adonai Eloheinu Melech ha-olam hamotsi lechem min ha-arets.

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Wnyhel{a/ yyØ hT'a;Ø %WrB' ~l'A[hØ %l,m, `#r<a'h'Ø !miØ ~x,l,Ø ayciAMh;

(The Arrival of Jesus and the Twelve) When the hour came, Jesus and his apostles reclined at the table. And he said to them, "I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer.

For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God." (Luke 22:14-16)

%rEA[Ă&#x2DC; !x'l.vu Shulchan Oreich THE TABLE IS SPREAD

Dinner is served!

Enjoy!

tArNeh;Ă&#x2DC; tq;l'd>h; Hadlaqat Ha-Neirot LIGHTING THE FESTIVAL CANDLES According to tradition, the Israelites were redeemed from Egypt because of the pious women of that generation, considered to be more righteous than the men. It is therefore a woman's privilege to kindle the Sabbath and festival lights in the home.

Hostesses stand and cover their heads.

At sunset, to usher in the new day and to sanctify the seder, the lady of the house lights the candles with blessings.

Hostesses may now light the candles and then recite:

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Baruch ata Adonai Eloheinu Melech ha-olam asher natan lanu et mitzvotav v‟kidshanu b‟Yeishua Mishicheinu or ha-olam.

Wnyhel{a/ yyØ hT'a;Ø %WrB' ~l'A[hØ %l,m, wyt'Ac.mi-ta,Ø Wnl'Ø !t;n"Ø rv,a] WnxeyvimiØ [:WvyEB.Ø Wnv'd>qiw> `~l'A[h'Ø rAa tAqylid>m;Ø Wnx.n;a] xs;PeØ lv,Ø tArnEØ `tWdb.[;miØ Wnytel'Wag.Ø rk,zl< .

Anachnu madlikot neirot shel Pesach l‟zecher g‟ulateinu miavdut.

Blessed are You O LORD our God, King of the universe, Who gave us His commandments and sanctified us by Y‟shua our Messiah, the light of the world.

We kindle the lights of Passover for a remembrance of our redemption from bondage Hostesses may now uncover their heads and sit down.

John 13:21b-32 Jesus was troubled in spirit and testified, "I tell you the truth, one of you is going to betray me."

His disciples stared at one another, at a loss to know which of them he meant. One of them, the disciple whom Jesus loved, was reclining next to him. Simon Peter motioned to this disciple and said, "Ask him which one he means."

Leaning back against Jesus, he asked him, "Lord, who is it?"

Jesus answered, "It is the one to whom I will give this piece of bread when I have dipped it in the dish." Then, dipping the piece of bread, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, son of Simon. As soon as Judas took the bread, Satan entered into him.

"What you are about to do, do quickly," Jesus told him but no one at the meal understood why Jesus said this to him. Since Judas had charge of the money, some thought Jesus was telling him to buy what was needed for the Feast, or to give something to the poor. As soon as Judas had taken the bread, he went out. And it was night.

When he was gone, Jesus said, "Now is the Son of Man glorified and God is glorified in him. If God is glorified in him, God will glorify the Son in himself, and will glorify him at once.”

The Four Cups Though not commanded in the Torah, the four cups of the Pesach are a very ancient tradition of the seder. In the Pesach story we are told four times (Exodus 6:6-7) that God promised freedom to His people. We remember each of those promises with a cup of wine.

First Cup: The Cup of Sanctification "I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians."

Second Cup: The Cup of Judgment "I will free you from being slaves to them."

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Baruch ata Adonai Eloheinu Melech ha-olam asher kid‟shanu b‟Yeishua Ha Mashiach

Wnyhel{a/ yyØ hT'a;Ø %WrB' ~l'A[hØ %l,m,

WnxeyvimiØ [:WvyEB.Ø Wnv'd>qi rv,a\ `hC'm;Ø tl;ykia]Ø l[;Ø WnW"ciw>

v‟tsivanu al achilat maror.

Third Cup: The Cup of Redemption "I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment."

Fourth Cup: The Cup of Praise "I will take you as my own people."

Everyone says: Blessed are you, O LORD our God, King of the universe, who has sanctified us by Yeshua our Messiah and bid us to eat maror.

All: Eat the maror.

Hillel, a famous rabbi who died in 10 AD, established the custom of combining bitter herbs and matzah with a piece of the paschal lamb to literally fulfill the Scripture: That same night they are to eat the meat roasted over the fire, along with bitter herbs, and bread made without yeast.

(Exodus 12:8) It is commonly called "the sop." As it is no longer customary to eat lamb during the seder, a special sandwich of matzah, maror, and charoset is eaten.

Host: Break two pieces of the lower matzah for each participant. Make a sandwich of matzah, maror and charoset from them and distribute to all.

All: Eat the korech without saying a special blessing.

vWDqiØ sAK Kos Kiddush THE CUP OF SANCTIFICATION (THE FIRST CUP) Hosts: Fill the first cup for everyone.

With this first cup we remember the first promise God made to the Jewish people.

"I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians." (from Exodus 6:6-7) The word sanctification means "to separate." The LORD separated Israel as His people. It is Y‟shua who sanctifies us by grace through faith and separates us to live holy lives.

After taking the cup, he gave thanks and said, "Take this and divide it among you.

For I tell you I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes."

(Luke 22:17-18) (Notice this is not the same cup as mentioned in Luke 22:20) Everyone raise the first cup.

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Wnyhel{a/ yyØ hT'a;Ø %WrB' ~l'A[hØ %l,m, `!p,Gh" ;Ø yrIP.Ø areAB

Baruch ata Adonai Eloheinu Melech ha-olam borei p‟ri hagafen.

Host: Break half of the uppermost matzah into small pieces and distribute to all.

Baruch ata Adonai Eloheinu

Everyone says: Blessed are you, O LORD our God, King of the universe, who creates the fruit of the vine.

Melech ha-olam

Everyone: lean to the left and drink from the first cup.

Melech ha-olam

hamotsi lechem min ha-arets.

asher kid‟shanu b‟Yeishua v‟tsivanu al achilat matzah.

#x;r>W

Everyone says:

Urchatz

Blessed are you, O LORD our God, King of the universe, who brings forth bread from the earth.

WASHING THE HANDS Ancient Jewish tradition required that hands must be washed before dipping food into any liquid.

At this time only the hosts will ceremonially wash their hands in preparation to serve the meal by dipping their fingertips into the water and then drying them with the towel.

Blessed are you, O LORD our God, King of the universe, who has sanctified us by Y’shua and bid us to eat matzah.

All: Eat the Matzah.

All hosts: Ceremonially wash your hands.

sP;r>K; Karpas EATING OF GREENS As we say a blessing and eat a green herb or vegetable, we remember that it was springtime when the Pesach, and Y‟shua‟s sacrifice, took place.

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Wnyhel{a/ yyØ hT'a;Ø %WrB' ~l'A[hØ %l,m, WnxeyvimiØ [:WvyEB.Ø Wnv'd>qi rv,a\ `rArm' tl;ykia]Ø l[;Ø WnW"ciw>

Baruch ata Adonai Eloheinu

Why do we lean? This will be explained later.

Wnyhel{a/ yyØ hT'a;Ø %WrB' ~l'A[hØ %l,m, `#r<a'h'Ø !miØ ~x,l,Ø ayciAMh;

Let us remember the bitterness of slavery by eating the maror.

Host: Break the remaining half of the uppermost matzoh into small pieces, dip each piece in the maror, and distribute to all.

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needs only to wash his feet; his whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you." For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean.

When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. "Do you understand what I have done for you?" he asked them. "You call me 'Teacher' and 'Lord,' and rightly so, for that is what I am.

Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.

"I am not referring to all of you; I know those I have chosen. But this is to fulfill the scripture: 'He who shares my bread has lifted up his heel against me.'

"I am telling you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe that I am He. I tell you the truth, whoever accepts anyone I send accepts me; and whoever accepts me accepts the one who sent me."

We dip the greens in salt water to remind us of the tears of slavery. The Jews were slaves in Egypt and we were all born slaves to sin.

Host: take a sprig of parsley from the seder plate and dip it into the salt water. Break off a piece of parsley for each person.

Wnyhel{a/ yyØ hT'a;Ø %WrB' ~l'A[hØ %l,m, `hm'd'a]h'Ø yrIP.Ø areAB

Baruch ata Adonai Eloheinu Melech ha-olam borei p‟ri ha-adama Everyone says:

Blessed are you, O LORD our God, King of the universe, who creates the fruit of the earth.

Everyone: eat the parsley dipped in salt water.

#x;y: %rEAK rArm' hC'm;Ø ayciAm Motzi, Matzoh Maror, Korech EATING THE PESACH FOODS Motzi: Blessing the matzoh Matzoh: Eating the matzoh Maror: Eating the matzoh with bitter herb Korech: Eating combination of matzoh, maror and charoset We understand the meaning of our Pesach foods. Now we are ready to eat them. First the matzah.

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Yachats BREAKING THE MATZOH The matzah, or unleavened bread, that is used in the seder is kept in a linen cloth. Tonight each table has one. You can see that the cloth has three compartments to hold three matzot, which symbolizes a unity (dx'a), echad). This is a whole, consisting of three parts.

There is no agreement among Jews as to why there are three matzot. But believers in Y'shua know that it could easily represent the tri-unity of God: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one.

(Deuteronomy 6:4) -14-

We take the middle matzah and break it in two. We then put the smaller piece back between the other two pieces and wrap the larger piece in a separate napkin. This larger piece is now called the afikoman, which means "dessert." We will hide the afikoman until after the meal. Later we will find the afikoman and everyone will be invited to share a taste of it.

Hosts: Break your middle matzah in two. Place one half of the matzah in the unity and lay it on the table.

Bring the other half to the head table.

#x;r" Rachatz WASHING THE HANDS We all wash our hands now in preparation for the eating of the Passover elements.

Host: Take cleansing water and towel around the table so that all my dip their fingertips into the water and dry them with the towel.

All the children must now close their eyes while the afikoman is hidden. Once it is hidden, they may open their eyes.

John 13:2-20 Hosts: pour the second cup for everyone.

hN"Tv; .NIĂ&#x2DC; hm; Ma Nishtanah WHY IS IT DIFFERENT? This next section is developed from Exodus 12:25-27a.

When you enter the land that the LORD will give you as he promised, observe this ceremony.

And when your children ask you, 'What does this ceremony mean to you?' then tell them, 'It is the Passover sacrifice to the LORD, who passed over the houses of the Israelites in Egypt and spared our homes when he struck down the Egyptians.'

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The evening meal was being served, and the devil had already prompted Judas Iscariot, son of Simon, to betray Jesus.

Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples' feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.

He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, "Lord, are you going to wash my feet?"

Jesus replied, "You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand."

"No," said Peter, "you shall never wash my feet."

Jesus answered, "Unless I wash you, you have no part with me."

"Then, Lord," Simon Peter replied, "not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!"

Jesus answered, "A person who has had a bath -30-

jp;v'Ø sAK Kos Shapat THE CUP OF JUDGMENT (THE SECOND CUP) With this second cup we remember the second promise God made to the Jewish people: "I will free you from being slaves to them." (from Exodus 6:6-7) The LORD freed Israel through His judgment on Egypt. And God freed us from darkness and brought us into the kingdom of Y‟shua.

For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

(Colossians 1:13-14) Everyone raise the second cup.

Wnyhel{a/ yyØ hT'a;Ø %WrB' ~l'A[hØ %l,m, `!p,Gh" ;Ø yrIP.Ø areAB

Baruch ata Adonai Eloheinu Melech ha-olam borei p‟ri hagafen.

Everyone says: Blessed are you, O LORD our God, King of the universe, who creates the fruit of the vine.

Everyone: lean to the left and drink from the second cup.

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The Four Questions Child #1: Why is this night different from all other nights?

On all other nights we may eat either leavened bread or matzah. Why on this night only matzah?

Child #2: On all other nights we eat all kinds of vegetables.

Why on this night do we eat a bitter herb?

Child #3: On all other nights we are not required to dip our vegetables even once. Why on this night two times? First we dip karpas in salt water and then we dip maror in charoset.

Child #4: On all other nights we sit straight in our chairs.

Why on this night do we lean to one side?

The Four Children The Torah commands four times that the Jews must teach their children about the Exodus from Egypt. These four commands suggest that there are four kinds of children, each of whom learns in a different way.

God's Word will call to mind four types of sons: The wise, the wicked, and the simple one, The fourth who cannot ask why things are done.

The wise son questions the father thus: "What mean these many laws to us Our God has given?" Tell him all There is to tell of the Festival.

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lLeh;

In the future, when your son asks you, "What is the meaning of the stipulations, decrees and laws the LORD our God has commanded you?" tell him...

(Deuteronomy 6:20-21a) The wicked son asks, "What's this to you, The slavery of all you do?"

The father answers sadly, "Lo! It seems God's love you do not know; He ransomed me long years ago."

And when your children ask you, 'What does this ceremony mean to you?' then tell them, 'It is the Passover sacrifice to the LORD, who passed over the houses of the Israelites in Egypt and spared our homes when he struck down the Egyptians.'"

(Exodus 12:26-27a) The simple son cries, "Dad, what's this?"

Complexities you may dismiss, But simply and with patience tell How God delivered Israel.

"In days to come, when your son asks you, 'What does this mean?' say to him, 'With a mighty hand the LORD brought us out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.

(Exodus 13:14) And as for him who cannot ask, The father has a happy task: He takes the symbols one by one And shows them to his silent son.

On that day tell your son, -17-

Halleil PRAISE (PART 1) Psalms 113-118, known as the Hallel, were sung in the temple while the paschal lambs were slain. We begin by reading the first of these Psalms before we eat the meal.

Leader: Blessed are You, O LORD our God Everyone: Who bids us rejoice with psalms of praise.

PSALMS 113 Praise the LORD. Praise, O servants of the LORD, praise the name of the LORD. Let the name of the LORD be praised, both now and forevermore.

From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets, the name of the LORD is to be praised.

The LORD is exalted over all the nations, his glory above the heavens.

Who is like the LORD our God, the One who sits enthroned on high, who stoops down to look on the heavens and the earth?

He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap; he seats them with princes, with the princes of their people.

He settles the barren woman in her home as a happy mother of children.

Praise the LORD.

We dip the matzoh in the charoset to remind us of the sweetness of freedom, which the LORD brought about through the Exodus and through Y‟shua.

4. Why do we lean in our

'I do this because of what the LORD did for me when I came out of Egypt.'

(Exodus 13:8) As believers in Y‟shua we must also be sensitive to how our children are asking about salvation and answer them appropriately.

chairs at the seder?

On this night we recline because in ancient times that was the posture of free people at meals. Those whom God liberated in the Exodus were no longer slaves.

It is helpful to know that the tables of that time did not look like the famous painting of Leonardo da Vinci. Instead they were horseshoe shaped and were very close to the ground.

Since there were no chairs people sat on the ground. On Passover, to demonstrate freedom, pillows were placed around the table and Jews would recline rather than sit upright.

Jesus, at the Last Supper, would have reclined upon cushions, leaning on his left elbow.

dyGIm; Maggid THE STORY The leader now begins to reply to the Ma Nishtanah by telling the story of freedom from bondage in Egypt.

This Pesach seder is a special way to relive a time when the Jewish people were slaves. With God's help, they became free.

Jacob's son, Joseph, had been sold into slavery in Egypt by his brothers, but God had blessed him. He became second only to Pharaoh, the ruler of Egypt. With God‟s help Joseph was able to help all the Egyptian people avoid a famine.

When Jacob discovered that Joseph was alive in Egypt and that there was plenty of food there, he came with his family from Canaan.

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In those days, the Jewish people were called Hebrews, and they were a small group when they arrived in Egypt. It was the best of times, and the Hebrews grew in number and were happy.

2. Why do we eat maror

About 400 years passed.

Maror is the bitter herb on our seder plate. It reminds us that the Egyptians made the lives of the Jews bitter when they were slaves.

“Then a new king, who did not know about Joseph, came to power in Egypt.”

(Exodus 1:8) He was afraid of the large number of Hebrews in his country.

He was afraid that the Jewish people would turn against him.

The Pharaoh ordered that the Hebrew people become slaves.

They were forced to work day and night to make bricks and build cities. It was a terrible time for the Jewish people!

They made their lives bitter with hard labor in brick and mortar...

(Exodus 1:14a) But the Jewish people continued to multiply, so the king ordered that every newborn boy be killed. But in faithfulness to His people, the LORD raised up a deliverer.

His name was Moses.

God spoke to Moses from the burning bush.

The LORD said, "I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt.

I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering.

So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land -19-

at the seder?

They made their lives bitter with hard labor in brick and mortar and with all kinds of work in the fields; in all their hard labor the Egyptians used them ruthlessly.

(Exodus 1:14) Each year, as we sit together at the seder table, we imagine that each of us went out of Egypt. The Torah teaches us: On that day tell your son, 'I do this because of what the LORD did for me when I came out of Egypt.'

(Exodus 13:8) Similarly, as believers in Y‟shua we remember the bitterness of the bondage to sin and death from which He has freed us.

3. Why do we dip foods twice?

On this night we dip the greens into salt water to remind us of the tears shed in bondage.

Charoset is the sweet mixture on the seder plate. It looks like the clay the Jews used to make the bricks for the Pharaoh. We dip the maror in the charoset to remind us that the Jewish slaves worked very hard in Egypt. When we combine something bitter with something sweet, we remember that even when people are sad there is always hope for a happier time.

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The Three Essentials and Four Answers Rabbi Gamaliel, president of the Sanhedrin and Paul's teacher, used to say, "Whoever does not explain the following three essentials of the Passover has not fulfilled his duty." These are pesach (the Passover lamb), matzoh (the unleavened bread) and maror (the bitter herbs).

We have already explained the meaning of the Passover lamb. Now we will learn about the matzoh and the maror by answering the four questions asked by the children.

1. Why do we eat matzah on Pesach?

into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey...”

(Exodus 3:7-8a) “

But I know that the king of Egypt will not let you go unless a mighty hand compels him. So I will stretch out my hand and strike the Egyptians with all the wonders that I will perform among them. After that, he will let you go.”

(Exodus 3:19-20)

The ten plagues that the LORD inflicted upon Egypt punished them for their harsh treatment of His people and humiliated their "gods."

The Ten Plagues

Matzah is made with carefully prepared flour mixed with water. It has no yeast. Matzot are baked until crispy, brown and flat. To ensure that it does not become leavened during baking, it is pierced in many places. Jewish tradition states that the baking of matzot may only take 18 minutes from the moment the flour meets the water until it is tossed into the oven. Originally matzah was round.

Square matzah came into predominance during the 20th century. It was quite a hullabaloo. The rabbis were not sure if it was kosher or not.

Eating matzah reminds us that when the Jewish people were escaping to freedom, they did not have time to let their dough rise.

The matzoh also reminds us of Y'shua.

But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.

(Isaiah 53:5) -25-

As we name the plagues together, take a drop of wine from your cup with your finger and allow it to drip onto your plate .

~D' (Dam - blood) There was BLOOD in all the water of Egypt.

The Egyptians could not bathe. They could not take a drink. They could not water their flowers or crops. They could not enjoy a refreshing swim. The fish died and the river smelled horrible.

[:Der>p;c. (Ts‟fardei-a - frogs) Frogs hopped and croaked everywhere. No one could sleep, walk or play in peace.

They were even in their kitchens and ovens.

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~yNIKi (Kinim - gnats) Gnats made everyone scratch their skin so hard that people hurt all over.

bAr[' (Arov - flies) Swarms of stinging FLIES landed on the Egyptians, poured into their houses and covered the ground. The land was ruined by them.

rb,D, (Dever - disease) The Egyptians‟ livestock got DISEASES that could not be cured. Horses, donkeys, camels, sheep and goats died. But not one animal belonging to the Israelites died.

!yxiv. (Sh‟chin - boils) Boils burst from their skin. They were so uncomfortable!

The Egyptians could not even get dressed without screaming from the pain. Their animals got boils too.

dr"B' (Barad - hail) Hail rained down as dangerous balls of ice and lightning flashed. The hail smashed roofs and damaged crops. It broke everything the Egyptians owned.

hB.r>a; (Arbeh - locusts) Locusts swarmed over all the trees and blades of grass. The buzzing and sound of flapping wings frightened everyone.

Vegetables and fruits were gobbled up and only dust remained on the ground.

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`WnYED;Ø ~yIr;cM. imi ØWna'yciAhØ Wlai If He brought If He brought If He brought If He brought Dayeinu

us us us out of Egypt us out of Egypt

`WnYED;Ø hr"ATh;-ta,Ø Wnl'Ø !t;n" Wlai If He gave If He gave If He gave If He gave Dayeinu

us us to us the Torah to us the Torah

`WnYED;Ø x:yvim-. ta,Ø Wnl' xl;v'" Wlai If He sent If He sent If He sent If He sent Dayeinu

us us to us Messiah to us Messiah

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Dayeinu (It would have been enough for us) This song is an expression of thankfulness for the many gifts that God has given to us. One author explains, Picture a box with a beautiful bow.

Open it… it‟s a present you‟ve been dreaming of!

Wait… there‟s more inside: another box with a second gift.

“How many kindnesses you show me!” you say.

Inside the second gift, there‟s a third. “This is beyond my hopes!” you exclaim. Inside the third gift there‟s a fourth, and then a fifth—a whole series of gifts.

“If you had just given me one gift,” you say, shaking your head in disbelief, “that would have been enough.

But for all these gifts I say, thank you.”

Pesach is a time to thank God for making our lives better.

We are grateful for all of His gifts!

%v,x{ (Choshech - darkness) Darkness blotted out the sun. People were always cold.

Moonlight and stars did not appear. Every day was pitch black.

tArAkB.Ø tK;m; (Makat B‟chorot - death of the first-born) The firstborn son in every Egyptian family DIED. Also the firstborn of their animals DIED. "On that same night I will pass through Egypt and strike down every firstborn --both men and animals-and I will bring judgment on all the gods of Egypt.

I am the LORD.” (Exodus 12:12) Finally, the Pharaoh was convinced that the Hebrew people had to go and he allowed them to leave Egypt. And God brought out Israel, laden with silver and gold.

But after they left Pharaoh changed his mind.

The armies of Egypt were behind the Jews and the great Red Sea was in front of them. The sea held them back, but with God's help, the sea parted and the Jewish people passed through on dry land. Pharaoh's chariots and horses and all his army were trapped and drowned in the sea.

A new and happy time began for the Jews. As they stood on the other side of the sea they sang.

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