PASSOVER HAGADAH הדגהחספ לש

2

Welcome!

Rabbi Josh: “Seder” means “order.” This is the only meal in the Jewish calendar year with a prescribed order for the rituals, readings, and food. We read from the Hagadah, which means “the telling.” About three thousand years ago, our ancestors were preparing to leave Egypt. The Hebrew word for Egypt, “Mitzrayim”, means "narrow places." Our story is the first in history to record that slaves could become free. We sit together in friendship and comfort, but we say, “We, too, once were slaves in Egypt.” Next Reader: The story of the Exodus illustrates humanity’s dream of safety and freedom. We have experienced the dreams, the fear, and the hope of the refugee and the stranger. The Talmud tells us that when we tell the story of Pesach, we should begin with despair and end with joy. May we pursue justice for those who do not have the safety and privileges we enjoy tonight. May we remember that the way things are, is not the way they have to be. Same Reader leads the song and we all join in in our homes:

Hinei Mah Tov

Hinei mah tov u-ma na-im, shevet achim gam yachad. (repeat) Hinei mah tov, shevet achim gam yachad. (repeat) Hinei mah tov u-ma na-im, shevet achim gam yachad. (repeat) (How good and pleasant it is for brothers and sisters to live together in unity.)

! Lighting the Candles Next Reader: Please position the candles so they can be seen from your camera. Please light the candles and recite the blessing:

Baruch Atah, Adonai Eloheinu, Melech ha-olam, asher kid’shanu b’mitzvotav, v’tzivanu l’hadlik ner shel Yom Tov. Amen. (We praise God, Who hallows us with obligations such as kindling the lights of the holiday. Amen.)

3

Next Reader: This evening we will bless and drink wine or grape juice four times, to reflect the four times Torah mentions the promises of our Exodus:

" I will take you out of Egypt. " I will deliver you from slavery. " I will redeem you with My outstretched arm. " I will take you as My people.

! Kiddush – The first cup of wine or grape juice

We stand, if possible.

Next Reader--please raise a cup of juice or wine so we can see it on camera. Please read the blessing plus paragraph that follows)

Baruch Atah, Adonai Eloheinu Melech ha-olam, borei pri ha-gafen. Amen.

(We praise God, Creator of the fruit of the vine. Amen.)

Same Reader continues: We are grateful for the commandments, obligations, and the feasts of joy, like this festival of Pesach, the season of our freedom. We praise Adonai for sanctifying the House of Israel and the Festivals. We drink and are seated.

Refill the cups.

Rabbi Josh introduces Urchatz. Each of us can have a basin of water and a pitcher of water, or hand wipes, available.

! Urchatz--Washing our hands -no blessing

! Karpas—a non-bitter vegetable, such as parsley, celery, or potato Next Reader: Please have a vegetable and a dish of salt water available to be seen on camera. Please read the following and the blessing: We dip a vegetable in salt water to recall the tears shed during more than 400 years of slavery. (Read the following in Hebrew or English, and dip the vegetable)

Baruch Atah, Adonai Eloheinu, Melech haolam, borei pri ha-adamah. Amen. (We praise God for creating the bounty of the earth. Amen.)

4

Rabbi Josh discusses and demonstrates:

! Yachatz--Breaking the middle matzah From the matzot on the plate, one person at the table uncovers them, takes the middle piece, breaks it in two, and wraps the larger part to save as the Afikomen.

! Magid—Telling the story Next Reader holds up the plate of matzah so it can be seen on camera, and reads: Matzah is both the “bread of suffering” and a symbol of our rush to freedom—our ancestors could not wait for their bread to rise. Same Reader continues:

Ha LACH-ma ON-ya dee ach-a-LU av-ha-ta-NA b'ar-AH d'Mitz-RA-yim.

This is the bread of suffering that our ancestors ate in Egypt. Those who are hungry, let them come and eat, and help us tell the Pesach story. This year we are here; next year we may be in the promised land. This year people are enslaved; next year, may everyone be free.

The matzot are covered again.

5

EET Religious School students lead and we can all join in from our homes:

The Four Questions, or, One Question With Four Answers

Mah nishtanah ha-lailah hazeh mikol ha-leilot? (How is this night different from all other nights?) Shebechol ha-leilot anu ochlin chameitz umatzah—ha-lailah hazeh, kulo matzah. (On all other nights we eat leavened foods and matzah; tonight only matzah.) Shebechol ha-leilot anu ochlin sh’or y’rakot—ha-lailah hazeh, maror. (On all other nights we eat all kinds of herbs; tonight, bitter herbs.) Shebechol ha-leilot ein anu matbilin afilu paam echat—ha-lailah hazeh sh’tei f’amim. (On all other nights we don’t dip our vegetables even once; tonight we dip twice.) Shebechol ha-leilot anu ochlin bein yoshvin uvein m’subin—ha-lailah hazeh, kulanu m’subin. (On all other nights we sit or recline; tonight we recline.)

6

Next Reader (we can each read aloud in unison in our homes:

ונייה םידבע A-va-DEEM ha-YEE-nu… “We were slaves” to Pharaoh in Egypt, and we came out, as if brought out by a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. If our ancestors had not come out of Egypt, then we, our children, and our children’s children, would have remained slaves.

Next Reader: The story is told of five great rabbis living in second century Judea, who defied their Roman rulers, held their seder, and told the story of the Exodus. Hours later, a student came running to remind them that it was time to say the morning prayers. They had lost track of time. We are instructed that even if we were all as wise and dedicated as they were, it would still be our obligation to retell our Passover story. Next Reader: Four times Torah tells us to talk to each other about leaving Egypt, and because of that, we describe four children. The wise one asks, “What are the laws and observances?” In response, we explain Passover/Pesach in detail. The cynical one asks, “What does this observance mean to you?” We are told to help that one feel included. The naive child asks, “What is this all about?” We say, “We are recalling a time when we were forced to work as slaves. We became a free people, and we are celebrating.” The fourth one doesn't even know how to ask. To this one we would say, “During Pesach, we remember that we came out of slavery.” Readers take turns reading the numbered sections that follow.

7

8

9

10

Rabbi Josh leads us in this Hebrew and English:

ונ ל ק ת א ה וה י ע מ ׁש ּי ו ּוני ת ב א י ה0 א ה וה י ל א ק ע צ ּנ ו Va-NEE-tzak el Adonai, Elohei avo-TEI-nu, va-yish’MA Adonai et kol-AY-nu.

And we cried out to the God of our ancestors, Who heard our voice.

Esser Makot--The Ten Plagues We each have a cup or cups of wine or grape juice in front of us. Rabbi Josh leads us in the chanting and ritual. At the mention of each plague, we remove a drop from our cups. It is suggested that this year we remove the drops with the tip of a spoon or fork. These are the ten plagues that fell upon the Egyptians:

Dom (Blood) Tzfar-DEI-a (Frogs) KI-nim (Lice) AH-rov (Wild beasts) DEH-ver (Disease) Sh'CHEEN (Boils) BAH-rad (Hail) AR-beh (Locusts) CHO-shech (Darkness) Ma-KAT B'chor-OT (Death of the First-Born)

Next Reader: Our traditions and our memories have been essential to our survival. In April 1943, just before Passover, Jews in the Warsaw Ghetto rose up in defiance of their oppressors. It took the Nazis 27 days to destroy the Ghetto, longer than it took them to overcome all of Poland. Tonight we remember with reverence our six million, and all the millions murdered by tyrants. May the memories of our lost ones be for blessings.

11

Each participant has a cup of water in front of them. Next Reader raises Miriam’s cup and reads: We filled Miriam’s cup with water. Moses’s sister Miriam was a hero and a prophet. When Pharaoh ordered the drowning of all Israelite baby boys, Miriam helped her brother Moses to survive. After we crossed the sea to freedom, Miriam led the women in song and dance. A story tells us that in Miriam’s honor, God gave the Israelites a well that traveled with them during the forty years in the wilderness. We each take a sip of water. Song Leader: And the women dancing with their timbrels, Followed Miriam as she sang her song, Sing a song to the One whom we've exalted, Miriam and the women danced, and danced the whole night long. And Miriam the Prophet took her timbrel in her hand, And all the women followed her, just as she had planned. And Miriam raised her voice with song, she sang with praise and might, “We've just lived through a miracle, we're going to dance tonight.” And the women dancing with their timbrels, Followed Miriam as she sang her song, Sing a song to the One whom we've exalted, Miriam and the women danced, and danced the whole night long.

—Debbie Friedman ! The Second Cup

Next Reader reads the blessing:

Baruch Atah Adonai Eloheinu Melech ha-olam, borei pri ha-gafen. Amen.

(God, we praise You, for creating the fruit of the vine. Amen.)

We lean to the left, and drink. Refill the cups.

12

Reader:

רֹוד ו רֹוּד ל כ ב

B’chol dor va-dor… “In every generation”, each person retells the Exodus as though he or she personally went out of Egypt. "You shall explain to your child, ‘It is because of what Adonai did for me when I came out of Egypt.’” We are thankful that we went from slavery to freedom, from a narrow place to endless possibilities, and from sorrow to joy. Same Reader sings:

Dai-einu (Enough for us!) ּונ ּי ּד

Ilu hotzi, hotzianu, hotzianu miMitzrayim, hotzianu miMitzrayim,Dai-einu! Chorus: Dai, dai-einu! Dai, dai-einu! Dai, dai-einu! Dai-einu, Dai-einu, Dai-einu! (repeat) Ilu natan, natan lanu, natan lanu et HaShabbat, natan lanu et HaShabbat,Dai-einu! Chorus Ilu natan, natan lanu, natan lanu et HaTorah, natan lanu et HaTorah,Dai-einu! Chorus (If we’d only been taken out of Egypt, it would have been enough for us. If we’d only been given Shabbat, it would have been enough for us. Had we only been given Torah, it would have been enough for us!)

! Rochtza--Washing hands, with a blessing Next Reader reads the blessing in Hebrew and/or English:

Baruch Atah, Adonai Eloheinu, Melech ha-olam, asher kid’shanu b’mitzvotav v'tzivanu al n’tilat ya-da-im. Amen. (We praise God, Who makes us holy with mitzvot, such as washing our hands before eating. Amen.

13

Uncover the matzah and distribute some to everyone.

! Blessings over Matzah Next Reader leads the next two blessings over the matzah, in Hebrew or English:

Baruch Atah, Adonai Eloheinu, Melech ha-olam, hamotzi lechem min haaretz. (We praise God, Who brings forth bread from the land. Amen.)

Baruch Atah, Adonai Eloheinu, Melech ha-olam, asher kid’shanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu al achilat matzah. Amen. (We praise God for making us holy through obligations, such as eating matzah. Amen.) We each eat some matzah.

! Blessing for the Maror-- Bitter herbs Next Reader: The taste of maror is meant to remind us, as we read In Torah, “They made life bitter for them, with harsh labor.” Same Reader continues with the following blessing in Hebrew or English:

ה וה י ה ּת א %ּור ּב ! ל ע ּונ ּו צ ו ,וי תֹוו צ מ ּב ּונ ׁש ּד ק ר ׁש א ,ם לֹוע ה % ל מ ּוני ה+ א !

.רֹור מ ת לי כ א Baruch Atah, Adonai Eloheinu, Melech ha-olam, asher kid’shanu b’mitzvotav, v’tzivanu al achi-LAT maror. Amen. (We are made holy by fulfilling obligations, such as eating bitter herbs. Amen.) Each takes a piece of a bitter vegetable and eats it with some charoset.

! Korech—Rabbi Hillel’s sandwich Each makes a tiny “sandwich” using two small pieces of matzah with maror (romaine, radish, or horseradish) and charoset. Reader: In eating this combination, we taste the bitterness of oppression and the sweetness of freedom. We eat.

14

! Zeroa and Beitzah—The Shankbone and the Egg (a roasted beet may be substituted for the bone

Reader: The shank bone or the beet represents the lamb’s blood smeared on the outside of the Israelite homes which were “passed over” for the death of the first-born. The roasted egg represents the promise of spring and new life. Song leader:

Our Passover Things (to the tune of “My Favorite Things”)

Much cooking and cleaning, get out the good dishes Out with the bagels, no rye bread, no knishes

Fish that’s gefilte, horseradish that stings--these are a few of our Passover things.

Salt water and parsley, some kind of charoset An egg and a shank bone, a symbol, we roast it

The sweets after dinner, delight that this brings--these are a few of our Passover things.

In the long night, when the plagues fright, when we’re feeling sad We simply remember our Passover things, and then we don’t feel so bad.

They packed up the matzah, no time for bread rising The Reed Sea was parted--a sight quite surprising

With most of us tone deaf, Daieinu we sing, that is another sweet Passover thing.

We don’t use yeast, in our big feast, not even just a tad, Four cups of wine with our Passover things, and then we don’t feel so bad.

ך רֹוע ן ח ל ׁש ! The Prepared Table—Nosh for a few minutes

Rabbi Josh: Please ask everyone to mute. We will have play some background music for about 5 minutes during the nosh—each participant can turn down the volume if they wish, but they’ll want to hear the signal to come back together. --------------------------------------------------------------------- We resume. Rabbi Josh discusses Tzafun.

! Tzafun—Unwrapping the Afikomen We distribute and eat the Afikomen, and we refill our cups.

15

! Birkat HaMazon Praise and Gratitude after eating

Next Reader: When Israel went forth from Egypt, the house of Jacob from a people of strange speech, Judah became God’s holy one, Israel, God’s dominion. The sea saw them and fled, the Jordan ran backwards, mountains skipped like rams, hills like sheep. What alarmed you, O Sea, that you fled; Jordan, that you ran backward; Mountains, that you skipped like rams; Hills, like sheep? Tremble, Earth, at the presence of Adonai, at the Presence of the God of Jacob, who turned the rock into a pool of water, the flinty rock into a fountain. Next Reader: This day, like every day, is a gift; let us be glad for it. We hope to live our lives this year in health, with gratitude for our gifts, and in fulfillment of our obligations. Baruch Atah Adonai, Ga’al Yisrael. We praise God, the Redeemer of Israel. Amen.

! Third Cup

Next Reader:

Baruch Atah, Adonai Eloheinu, Melech ha-olam, borei pri ha-gafen. Amen.

(Blessed is God, Who creates the fruit of the vine. Amen.)

We lean and drink, refill our cups, and open the door--or this year, a window. Next Reader/singer: Elijah, the prophet from the village of Tishbi in the region of Gilead, challenged injustice, and comforted the sick and the bereaved. Tradition says that Elijah will return to announce the Messianic age, when all will find safety and justice. We have his cup of wine ready.

Eiliahu HaNavi (Elijah the Prophet)

Eil-i-ahu hanavi, Eil-i-ahu haTishbi, Eil-i-ahu, Eil-i-ahu, Eli-i-ahu ha-Giladi. Bim-heirah v’ya-meinu, yavo eileinu, im Moshiach ben Dovid, im Moshiach ben Dovid. Eil-i-ahu hanavi, Eil-i-ahu haTishbi, Eil-i-ahu, Eil-i-ahu, Eli-i-ahu ha-Giladi. (Elijah the Prophet, Elijah of Tishbi, Elijah of Gilead, speedily, and in our time, come to us with the Messiah, King David’s descendant. We close the door/window.

16

! Fourth Cup

Next Reader reads in Hebrew or English:

Baruch Atah, Adonai Eloheinu, Melech ha-olam, borei pri ha-gafen. Amen.

(You are praised, Adonai, Creator of the fruit of the vine. Amen.)

We lean and drink. Next Reader: How, tell me, is this Passover different from all other Passovers? Light the lamp, open the door wide so the pilgrim can come in, Gentile or Jew; Under the rags, perhaps the prophet is concealed. Let him enter and sit down with us. Let him listen, drink, sing and celebrate Passover; Let him consume the bread of affliction, the Paschal Lamb, sweet mortar and bitter herbs. This is the night of differences, in which you lean your elbow on the table. Since the forbidden becomes prescribed, evil is translated into good. We will spend the night recounting far-off events full of wonder, and because of all the wine, the mountains will skip like rams. Tonight, they exchange questions: the wise, the godless, the simple-minded, and the child. And time reverses its course: Today, flowing back into yesterday, like a river enclosed at its mouth. Each of us has been a slave in Egypt, soaked straw and clay with sweat, and crossed the sea dry-footed. You, too, stranger. This year in fear and shame, Next year in virtue and justice.

“Passover”, by Primo Levi (poet, author, Auschwitz survivor)

17

Rabbi Josh introduces the counting of the Omer. Next Reader reads the blessing:

Baruch Atah, Adonai Eloheinu, Melech ha-olam, asher kid’shanu b’mitzvotav, v’tzivanu al Sfirat Ha-Omer. Amen. (Praised is Adonai who sanctifies us and commands us to count the Omer.)

Ha-yom yom echad la’Omer. (Today is the first day of the Omer.) Next Reader: My father was a god and did not know it. He gave me The Ten Commandments neither in thunder nor in fury; neither in fire nor in cloud But rather in gentleness and love. And he added caresses and kind words and he added “I beg You,” and “please.” And he sang “keep” and “remember” the Shabbat In a single melody and he pleaded and cried quietly between one utterance and the next, “Do not take the name of God in vain,” do not take it, not in vain, I beg you, “do not bear false witness against your neighbor.” And he hugged me tightly and whispered in my ear “Do not steal. Do not commit adultery. Do not murder.” And he put the palms of his open hands On my head with the Yom Kippur blessing. “Honor, love, in order that your days might be long On the earth.” And my father’s voice was white like the hair on his head. Later on he turned his face to me one last time As on the day when he died in my arms and said I want to add Two to the Ten Commandments: The eleventh commandment – “Thou shall not change.” And the twelfth commandment – “Thou must surely change.” So said my father and then he turned from me and walked off Disappearing into his strange distances.

“Passover”, by Yehuda Amichai (Israeli poet)

18

! Nirtzah—Conclusion Rabbi Josh: Our Seder is ended. We look forward to the day when Jerusalem, whose name means “City of Peace,” will be at peace. We say together:

L’ sha-NAH ha ba-AH b’Y’roo-sha-LA-yeem!

Song leader starts us singing to conclude our seder. Chag Sameach!

Oseh shalom bim-ro-mav, hu ya-aseh shalom aleinu v’al kol Yisrael, v’imru Amen. (May the Source of peace grant peace to us, and to all, and to this we say, Amen.