A Journey to Freedom A Passover Haggadah

The pomegranate is one of the seven fruits named in the Torah. It is said to contain 613 seeds, one for each of the 613 mitzvot named in the Torah. It is the symbol of fertility and abundance, a Jewish life and our commitment to tikkum olam. It reminds us of the mitzvoth yet to be done for people throughout the world who need our help to live in dignity and peace.

We are here to celebrate once again the very first festival the Jewish people ever observed. The first Pesah took place in Egypt thousands of years ago. Many Jews consider Pesah the most beautiful of all our holidays and they love it with a special love. When we think of Pesah we think of the warmth and joy of the seder. The sedar brings together families and friends who eat and drink together, sing together, and recite together the old, yet ever new, story of the Exodus from Egyptian slavery, when our ancestors were brought to light from darkness when they left Mitzrayim. Each seder guest has a copy of the Haggadah. Haggadah means to tell and that is the purpose of the seder, to tell the dramatic and exciting events that Pesah recalls. When we join in reading the Haggadah we fulfill the Mitzvah, the duty, that the Torah commanded long ago. This is important so we may learn to appreciate more deeply the freedom we enjoy. May we also learn to care about all those who are not yet free. May we join in working for the day when all people everywhere shall be free from tyranny, from poverty, and from war.

The Journey Song By Debbie Friedman and Tamara Ruth Cohen Where does the journey begin? Where will we go? Hours pass the answers might change, as we keep moving along. Stand at the shores of the sea, fearful we want to turn back The sea parts, our eyes fill with wonder As we go along on our journey Where does the journey begin? Where will we go? Days pass the answers can change, as we keep moving along Stepping into the unknown, hear the echoes of Miriams song We awaken, retelling our stories as we go along on our journey Where does the journey begin? Where will we go? Years pass; the answers have changed as we keep moving along Cross the sea, its the time to sign a song; we are free Dance with your timbrels in hand Theres no turning back from this journey Where does the journey begin? Where will we go? Hours pass; the answers might change as we keep moving along Days pass; the answers can change as we keep moving along Years pass; the answers have changed as we keep moving along.

Candle Lighting We welcome every Shabbat and every Yom Tov with the lighting of the candles. As we light these candles in honor of Pesah, we pray that their brightness and warmth may bring joy and hope to us and to all our dear ones.

Barukh atah Adonai, Eloheinu, melekh ha'olam Blessed are you, Lord, our God, sovereign of the universe

asher kidishanu b'mitz'votav v'tzivanu Who has sanctified us and commanded us

l'had'lik neir shel Shabbat. (Amein) to light the lights of Shabbat. (Amen)

The First Cup of Wine During the seder we drink four cups of wine. This win is in gratitude to God, who wants all people to be free and who has put a love of freedom in our hearts, we rise to recite the Kiddush over the first of the four cups of wine. This first cup of wine is dedicated to Sarah, who forged our earliest steps toward community. Together with Abraham, inspired by the promise of a homeland for her people, Sarah courageously embarked on this long and arduous journey.

Baruch Atah Adonai, Eloheinu melech haolam borei pri hagafen. Blessed are you, Adonai our God, sovereign of the universe who creates the fruit of the vine.

Hand Washing Hands are washed without blessing. This is an act of ritual cleansing.

Karpas

We take a green vegetable which symbolizes the coming of spring and the rebirth of hope. We dip the vegetable into the salt water which reminds us of the bitter tears our ancestors shed when they were slaves. They were able to survive their cruel ordeal because they dared to hope that one day God would help them to become free. The action of dipping the greens in the salt water also serves as a reminder that we cannot rest until we free all of Gods children who continue to be enslaved by poverty, ignorance, fear or tyranny. We join in thanking God for the things that grow in the earth and with faith that God will guide us through the tumult of our lives.

Baruch Ata Adonai, Eloheinu melech haolam, borei pri haadamah.

Blessed are You, Adonai our God, sovereign of the universe who crease the fruit of the earth.

Breaking the Middle Matzah The middle matzah from the seder plate is now taken and broken in half. The larger piece will be set aside and saved for the Afikomen. We do this, so tonight we remind ourselves that it is human nature to want to make whole that which is broken, to unite pieces that have been separated. It is our responsibility as individuals to help unite the pieces of our community. Only when we break the silence and join together with a strong voice can we be whole and realize our greatest potential as a people. Why do we break the middle matzah? Breaking the matzah in half reminds us that in Judaism joy and sorrow are often paired together. As we rejoice in the nourishment that matzah symbolizes, we are also reminded of those still in need of care and support. Breaking bread also signifies hospitality, as we are about to invite the needy and the hungry to ear with us and to share with us.

Welcoming the Stranger Hospitality to strangers and to those in need is considered a mitzvah. This is especially true at Pesah time. We must make it possible for every Jew who wishes to do so, to observe Pesah at a Seder. In the prayer that follows we invite those in need to join us at our Seder table. We open the door as a sign of welcome to anyone who wishes to join us. Behold the matzah, bread of poverty, which our ancestors ate in the land of Egypt. Let all who are hungry come and eat; all who are needy, come and celebrate Pesah with us. Now we are here; next year we observe Pesah in the Land of Israel. Now many are still enslaved; next year may all be free.

1. 2. 3. 4.

The Four Questions ~ Why is this night different from all other nights? On all other nights we eat chametz or matzah. Why on this night only matzah? On all other nights we eat herbs of all kinds. Why on this night do we eat bitter herbs? On all other nights we do not even dip once. Why on this night do we dip twice? On all other nights we dine either sitting up or reclining. Why on this night do we dine reclining?

The Answers we were slaves and now we are free. Before the end of the seder, deeper answers to all the questions will become clear. At this point we shall answer the last question which deals with reclining. In ancient days, slaves ate hurriedly because their masters did not wish them to waste a single moment when they could be working. And so the slaves ate either standing up or squatting on the ground. The masters, however, ate leisurely in a relaxed mood as they reclined on couches. Since our ancestors became free on this festival, how natural that we should eat in the manner of free people!

The Four Children Once we were slaves to Pharaoh in Egypt until God rescued us. If God had not brought our ancestors out of Egypt, all of us might still be slaves. Therefore, regardless of how wise we are, or how old we are, or how well we know the story, it is still a Mitzvah, a duty, to tell and retell the story of the Exodus from Egypt. And the more we discuss it, the better we will understand how terrible it is to be a slave and how wonderful it is to be free. In four different passages in the Torah it commands us to tell the Pesah story to our children. Why was it necessary to repeat this commandment four times? The reason is that no two people are alike and each had to be told the story in a different way. The first child is the wise child, who says What is the meaning of all the laws and the rules which God has commanded concerning Pesah? Thw wise child loves Pesah and is eager to celebrate it. This child wants to know the meaning of every custom, the reason behind every practice. The parent should patiently explain all there is to know about Pesah. The story should be told in such a way that the child will know not only how to observe the festival but also why we observe it. The child should also be helped to understand the meaning that Pesah has for us today, in a world in which so many people are still not free. The second child is the rebellious child, who says What does this service mean to you? Notice that this child says to you as would a person who does not consider himself or herself a part of the Jewish people. This child talks like an outsider, like someone who does not care about our peoples past or present. For Jewish people who love their people this sounds horrible. To such a child a parent should emphasize the importance of loyality to the Jewish people. The parent should say, I observe this festival because of what God did for me when I came out of Egypt. If you had been in Egypt, you would not have deserved to be brought out. Pesah is not merely an event which involved our ancestors thousands of years ago, but one which involves every Jew in every age. I was in Egypt. God brought me out. What happened to my ancestors long ago also happened to me. What happens to my brothers and sisters today also happens to me. The third child is the immature child, who says What is this all about? The child understands that something special is happening, sees the large gathering, the Haggadah at every place, the unusual foods on the table, yet does not understand the real meaning of what is going on. The parents should explain the festival simply on this childs level. Growing older, learning more about our people, and observing Pesah year by year, this child too will come to love Pesah and to appreciate its beauty and its message.

The fourth child does not even know how to ask a question. Here the parents should begin the discussion, pointing out how special this night is and why we celebrate it. In this way, the parents fulfill the worlds of the Torah, You shall tell your child on that day, I do all this because of what the Lord did for me when I came out of Egypt.

The Story of Passover The story of the Jewish people in Egypt begins with Joseph. When Joseph succeeded in interpreting Pharaohs dreams, Pharaoh rewarded him by appointing him prince over the land. In that position, Joseph helped Egypt to survive during the years of hunger which he predicted would come. In fact, Joseph served Egypt so well that all the neighboring countries had to buy food from Egypt when the famine came. The hunger in Ertz Yisreal also brought Jacob and his family to Egypt. They were seventy people in all. As time went by, they grew in number until it seemed that they were everywhere. After Joseph died, a new Pharaoh rose. He disregarded the great contributions which Joseph had made to Egypt. He issued harsh decrees against the Israelites, made slaves out of them, and even ordered every baby boy born to the Israelites to be put to death. One such baby boy was saved from the Kings evil decree by his mothers courage and love. His name was Moses. By a strange twist of events, he was raised in the Pharaohs palace. There he could have lived peacefully and happily, enjoying the wealth, the protection and the excitement of the palace. But Moses saw the suffering of the Israelites slaves and he felt pain in his heart for them. One day when he saw an Egyptian taskmaster beating an Israelite slave, Moses could not control his anger. He killed the Egyptian. Moses now had to run away from Egypt. He fled to Midian where he became a shepherd. One day, while he was looking after his sheep, he heard the voice of God calling to him from a bush. God spoke to Moses and told him to go back and bring the people out of Egypt. Moses went back to Egypt and to the Pharaoh passing along the message from God. Despite his pleas and the threat of Gods punishment, Pharaoh stubbornly refused to free the Israelite slaves. One plague after another was brought upon the Egyptians. After each one, Pharaoh would promise to obey Gods command. But as soon as the plague had passed and relief came, Pharaoh changed his mind. Only after the tenth and most horrible plague, the death of the first born, did Pharaoh finally agree to let the Israelites go.

The Ten Plagues God brought ten plagues upon the Egyptians. As we recite the name of each plague, we use our finger to remove a drop of wine from our cup. In this way, we are reminded that it was the hand of God which caused these horrors. A full cup is the sign of complete joy. Because the Egyptians had to suffer in order for us to be free, our joy has been diminished by their suffering. By spilling wine, we acknowledge the pain of others.

Blood Frogs Lice Beasts Cattle Plague Boils Hail Locusts Darkness Death of the First Born The story of the plagues contains a reminder and a warning to all nations. When they oppress any of their people, when they show no concern for human beings, when they do not care about human suffering, they are preparing for destruction.

Dayeynu How many acts of kindness has God performed for us? For each one we are deeply thankful. If God had brought us out of Egypt but had not split the sea for us, Dayeynu. If God had given us the Shabbat but not brought us to Mount Sinai, Dayeynu. If God had given us the Torah but not brought us into Eretz Yisreal, Dayeynu. If God had brought us into Eretz Yisreal but not built the holy Temple, Dayeynu.

The Three Major Pesah Symbols The Pesah Offering Why did our ancestors eat the Pesah offering at the seder? As a reminder that God passed over the Israelite dwellings in Mitzrayim, marked with lambs blood. It serves as a symbol of the outstretched arm of God, as the Almighty who led us out of Egypt into the promise land. Matzah This Matzah, why do we eat it? To remind us that even though there was no time for the bread to rise, the Israelites had matzah to eat along their difficult journey. It is also a reminder that although our people have been uprooted suddenly at times throughout our history, God has always provided sustenance for our journey. Maror The Maror, why do we eat it? As a reminder that we learned from our experiences in Egypt that the life of slavery is a bitter one. The maror reminds us of our obligation to work towards the end of slavery of any kind, wherever it exists.

The Second Cup of Wine Let us now raise the second glass of wine. We thank God for this beautiful festival of Pesah and how it reminds us of Gods gift of freedom to us and our ancestors. This second glass of wine is dedicated to Rebecca, and all those who refused to give up their Jewish heritage, even when confronted with the threat of death.

Baruch Atah Adonai, Eloheinu melech haolam borei pri hagafen. Blessed are you, Adonai our God, sovereign of the universe who creates the fruit of the vine.

Wash the Hands We are now ready to enjoy the seder meal. Before we eat we wash our hands and then say:

Baruch Atah Adonai, Eloheinu melech haolam, asher kidshanu bmitzvotav vtzivanu al ntilat yadayim. Blessed are you, Adonai our God, sovereign of the universe who sanctifies us with Your commandments, and commands us to wash our hands.

Blessing over the Matzah

Baruch Atah Adonai, Eloheinu melech haolam, hamotzi lechem min ha aretz. Blessed are You, Adonai our God, soverign of the universe who brings forth bread from the earth.

Bitter Herbs Let us now take the bitter herbs, dip them into the Haroset and say Baruch Atah Adonai, Eloheinu melech haolam, asher kidshanu bmitzvotav vtzivanu al achilat maror. Blessed are You, Adonai our God, sovereign of the universe who sanctifies us with your commandments and commands us to eat bitter herbs.

The Hillel Sandwich This reminds of the practice of Hillel. Hillel would make a sandwich of the Pesah offering, with the matzah and maror and eat all three together.

Eat the Meal (Possible reflection questions for meal: What are current injustices on a local, national, or global level? How do these injustices connect to the Passover story? What work needs to be done to address these injustices? What is the connection between telling our children of the Passover story and making them aware of current injustices?)

Dessert ~ Find of the Afikoman

The Third Cup of Wine May God give strength to our people and bless us with peace. As we raise this third cup of wine, we remember Leah who rejoiced in the birth of her children. She gave them names revealing her deep connection to God. Those names tell of how God saw Leahs tears, heard her prayers, and blessed her with children. Those names sing praise to God and express thanks for Gods blessings. We dedicate this cup of wine to Leah, who carried Bnai Yisrael in her womb. She gave us life and was a model of eternal faith.

Baruch Atah Adonai, Eloheinu melech haolam borei pri hagafen. Blessed are you, Adonai our God, sovereign of the universe who creates the fruit of the vine.

Welcome Elijah On our seder table there is a large cup of wine which none of us have touched. We have reserved it for a special guest. His name is Elijah, the Prophet. The Torah tells us many wonderful stories about Elijah. He was a man of great courage who fought for what is just and right. According to the tradition, Elijah never died. One day he will return to announce the arrival of a time when all people will live in peace and treat each other with kindness and love. Many legends have been told about him. He is the champion of those who are in need or in trouble. He performs miracles to help those in danger. He brings hope and cheer. Legend tells us that on Pesah Elijah appears at every seder and sips a little win from his cup. Some people watch the wine in Elijahs cup to see if any disappears while the door is open. Now let us open the door for Elijah and let us welcome him.

The Fourth Cup of Wine Before we drink from the fourth and last cup of wine, let us understand why we drink four cups of wine at the seder. The reason is to be found in the Torah. When God sent Moses to the Israelities in Egypt, He told him to tell them that God had seen their misery, had heard their cries and was ready to bring them out of slavery. In fact, Gods promise was put in four different ways. I will bring you our from under the burdens of the Egyptians. I will deliver you from their bondage. I will redeem you with an outreached arm. I will take you to be my people. Those four promises are celebrated with four cups of wine. This fourth cup of wine is in memory of Rachel. Tonight we are revitalized by the fresh energy and innocent promise of Rachels youth.

Baruch Atah Adonai, Eloheinu melech haolam borei pri hagafen. Blessed are you, Adonai our God, sovereign of the universe who creates the fruit of the vine.

Concluding the Seder Our seder is now ended. We have remembered who we are, and have seen who we can be. We have journeyed from Mitzrayim to freedom. May we be granted the blessing of celebrating Pesah for many years to come. May we go forth in strength, our faces turned toward a future when all Israel, and all the world, shall be free and at peace.