Passover Seder - Pesach Seder
Note: Regarding all dates on this Passover Seder / Pesach Seder web page, see the footnote near the bottom of this web page.
Passover Seder Night or Nights: Can Jewish People Invite People Of Other Faiths To The Seder?
This is a Passover Seder question I get frequently, so I placed it first. First, a little biblical history. Originally, before the creation of the modern-day Seder meal that is conducted using the 15-step structured formula, the commemoration of Passover / Pesach consisted of slaughtering and eating the Korban Pesach ("Passover sacrifice" in Hebrew, referring to the sacrifice of the lamb for the Passover holiday), matzo, and bitter herbs. Since the Korban Pesach symbolized Hebrew/Israelite identity, as it was actually the first mitzvah ("commandment" in Hebrew, referring to a commandment from G-d) given to all of B'nei Yisrael [Exodus 12:3, 12:6 - "Speak to the entire community of Israel, saying: On the tenth of this month, every man must take a lamb for each extended family, a lamb for each household. Hold it in safekeeping until the fourteenth day of this month. The entire community of Israel shall then slaughter (their sacrifices) in the afternoon.], the question of whether or not a person was permitted to participate in the rituals that were part of the commemoration of the Hebrews'/Israelites' Exodus from Egypt depended on whether or not a person was part of B'nei Yisrael (the "House of Israel", collectively referring to the Jewish people). This is referenced in Exodus 12:43 - "G-d said to Moses and Aaron, 'This is the law of the Passover sacrifice: No outsider (read: Gentile) may eat it.'" Thus, only those who were part of B'nei Yisrael could participate in the commemoration of the Exodus from Egypt and its associated rituals, including eating the Korban Pesach. The underlying principle here is that the Korban Pesach represented the uniqueness of the Hebrews/Israelites from other nations. In fact, the entire Passover / Pesach holiday represents a symbol for the formation of the Hebrews/Israelites into a nation borne out of a collection of 12 tribes. The Korban Pesach embodies the theme of the development of the Hebrew/Israelite nation and at the same time, embraces the importance of the Hebrews/Israelites (later known as the Jews) both individually and collectively. This is why only circumcised Hebrew/Israelite men - with the covenant of circumcision ("Brit Milah" in Hebrew) being another mark of Hebrew/Israelite identity - could participate in the commemoration of the Exodus from Egypt by eating the Korban Pesach, because uncircumcised Jewish men meant that they were not considered completely part of the Hebrew/Israelite people. The issue of circumcision differentiating a Hebrew/Israelite from a non-Hebrew/Israelite is referenced in Exodus 12:48-49 - "When a proselyte joins you and wants to offer the Passover sacrifice to G-d, every male (in his household) must be circumcised. He may then join in the observance, and be like a native-born (Hebrew/Israelite). But no uncircumcised man may eat (the sacrifice). The same law shall apply both for the native-born (Hebrew/Israelite) and for the proselyte who joins you." After the destruction of the Second Temple in Jerusalem in 70 C.E. by the Romans, the emerging rabbinical institutions ended the practice of the Korban Pesach and replaced it with two foods that symbolized the Korban Pesach when they developed the Seder meal and its 15-step structured order: a hard-boiled or roasted egg, and a shank bone. Therefore, since the institution of the hard-boiled or roasted egg and the shank bone into the Seder meal, the issues surrounding the Korban Pesach and who can participate in eating it when commemorating the Exodus from Egypt do not apply anymore.
Despite the ending of the Korban Pesach ritual which prevented people from nations other than the Hebrews/Israelites from eating the Korban Pesach and hence, participating in the commemoration of the Exodus from Egypt, there is a religious prohibition that could possibly prevent people of other faiths from participating in the Seder. The evening of the first day of Passover (if Passover is celebrated for 7 days) or first two evenings of Passover (if Passover is celebrated for 8 days) is/are the Seder day(s) and hence, is/are Yom Tov day(s). The religious laws for the Sabbath ("Shabbat" in Hebrew) and for Yom Tov (literally meaning "Good day" in Hebrew, but in essence, referring to a day that is a "full" holiday or "full" holy-day, meaning all the religious rules for a holiday apply to this type of day) as well as their source in an "isur d'oraysa ("a prohibition stated DIRECTLY in the Torah" in Hebrew)" state that a Jewish person is not permitted to cook on Shabbat or on Shabbat if it also occurs on Yom Tov. However, a Jewish person is permitted to cook for a Jewish person on Yom Tov (provided Yom Tov does not occur on Shabbat, as mentioned), but is not permitted to cook for people of other faiths on Yom Tov. As well, our Sages forbade even inviting a person of another faith to a Jewish household on Yom Tov (which includes the days when the Passover Seder meal is performed) because they feared the Jewish person would want to cook for the person of another faith and hence, violate the ruling. There are exceptions to this ruling, however, and it concerns circumstances that may result in ill-feeling on the part of the non-Jewish person or the possible loss of a job for the Jewish person at not being invited to the Jewish household on Yom Tov. In those circumstances, our Sages say that the Jewish person may invite the person of another faith, but he or she must add food to the pot before placing the pot on a fire. Other than this exception, adding a special pot of food on a fire for the non-Jew or adding more food to the pot after the pot was placed on the fire are methods which are prohibited for the Jewish person to do for the person of another faith on Yom Tov. So what does this all mean for inviting a person of another faith to the Seder? I knew I'd get around to that sooner or later. If a Jewish person adheres to the laws of the Sages, then he or she, based on the above information, will either: (A) not be able to cook for as well as not be able to invite a person of another faith to the Seder; (B) be able to invite a person of another faith to the Seder, but not be able to cook for them; (C) be able to invite a person of another faith to the Seder, but with regards to cooking for them, will only be able to add food to a pot before placing it on a fire, and will not be able to use a separate pot for the person of another faith. As mentioned, it is prohibited to use a special pot of food that is specifically for the person of another faith or to add food to a pot that is already on a fire. As well, apart from the aforementioned choices, if one chooses to invite a person of another faith to a Seder, and the Seder falls on Shabbat, then the Jewish person cannot cook for both Jewish people (including him/herself) and non-Jewish people but rather, prepare the food before Shabbat and keep the food on a low flame just before, while entering, and during Shabbat so that it remains warm for the Shabbat meals. So which choice applies to you? The answer is that one must consult one's local Halakhic authority, meaning one's local rabbinic authority on Jewish religious law [known as an acronym: CYLHA ("consult your local halakhic authority", in Hebrew)], which is usually a Va'ad Ha'ir ("Jewish Community Council" in Hebrew) or other rabbinic authority that serves a specific geographical area. Some Halakhic authorities will prohibit cooking additional food altogether for a person of another faith at a Seder no matter what method is used, and will translate that view into a total prohibition on inviting people of other faiths to a Seder. So CYLHA! :)
Aside from the traditional reasons concerning whether it is permitted or prohibited to invite people of other faiths to a Seder, a Conservative-Jewish opinion on the issue of inviting people of other faiths to a Seder takes another view. In Chapter 12 of the biblical Book of Exodus ("Shemot" or "Shmot" in Hebrew), the story of the Exodus itself is described. According to Exodus 12, a "mixed multitude" went out of Egypt with the Hebrews/Israelites [Exodus 12:38 - "A great mixture (of nationalities) left with them. There were (also) sheep and cattle, a huge amount of livestock."]. This raises the likelihood that the question may have arisen even at that time since the text stipulates that if you have a "stranger" (read: Gentile) who wants to join in the Passover service, he must be circumcised. From this, some Jewish people have interpreted this to mean that you may not invite people of other faiths who are uncircumcised to the Seder (as far as I know, no one has actually created a method for checking!). However, this belief is countered based on the Haggadic passage "bechol dor vador chayav adam lirot et atzmo k'ilu hu yatza mi'Mitzrayim," which from Hebrew is translated as: "In every generation, each individual (not just each Jewish person) should feel as though he or she had actually been redeemed from Mitzrayim ("Egypt" in Hebrew)." Therefore, in contemporary times at least, many families invite not only Jews who need a place to experience the Seder, but also people from other faiths as well.
Passover Seder : What Is The Ultimate Purpose Of The Seder?
Oy, did I just put myself in a corner! In a nutshell (a kosher one), the ultimate purpose of the Passover Seder is to fulfill G-d's Torah commandment to commemorate the Passover of Egypt, to learn from its many messages, and to pass these messages down to future generations, since the timeless messages of the Passover story are not only relevant to the Jewish people, but to all. The preeminent theme of Redemption in the Passover Seder is foretold in the Passover Haggadah and is two-fold: to be in Israel and to be free. The hope to someday return to be in Israel has been the dream for many centuries. In fact, the Passover Seder begins and ends with the following stated goal: "Next Year In Jerusalem!". For Jews living in Israel, the text reads: "Next Year In Jerusalem Rebuilt!"
In a nutshell, the ultimate purpose of the Seder and its ordered set of rituals is to make an idea tangible. The concepts and realities of slavery and physical freedom may be hard to grasp when we are not experiencing them. The Seder is a tool by which we associate concepts with tangible materials; in other to make an idea concrete. From this, we can get as close as possible to the meaning of the concept that is being described as we perform the ritual so that we are in a sense connecting ourselves with the past as well as making the concepts more true-to-life, that is, more realistic. We envision what it must have been like for the Hebrews in Egypt as we taste the symbolic foods of the Passover / Pesach Seder and Passover / Pesach story. The sensations we take in with our bodies when we eat the symbolic foods combined with the drama of the Passover story / Pesach story that we hear and engage with our minds gives us a complete body-and-mind feeling of what it must have been like for the Hebrews in the Passover story / Pesach story. On Passover / Pesach, we take a festive meal such as the Seder and transform it into a journey of liberation.
Passover Seder Instructions : How Does One Conduct The Passover Seder?
The Passover Seder is conducted using an "instruction manual" known in Hebrew as the Haggadah, which means "telling" or "narration" in Hebrew. The Haggadah is a booklet or manual that contains a 15-step structured process for conducting the Passover Seder according to Jewish religious law, known as "Halakhah" in Hebrew [also transliterated from Hebrew as: Halakha, Halacha, and Halachah; Hebrew: הלכה; the word "Halakhah" derives from the Hebrew word "Halach" meaning "going" or the "(correct) way"; therefore, a literal translation does not yield "law", rather "the way to go." The term Halakha may refer to a single rule, to the literary corpus of rabbinic legal texts, as well as to the overall system of religious law.]. There is usually a designated Passover Seder leader who conducts the Passover Seder, but there are family customs whereby each person at the Passover Seder table takes a turn at reciting sections of the Passover Haggadah. Another custom used at some Passover Seder tables is the collective recitation of the Passover Haggadah text by all participants at the Passover Seder table.
Passover Seder Symbolism : What Is The Enduring, Universal Symbol Of The Passover Seder?
In short, matzo. Matzo is the only symbol among all the symbols at the Passover Seder table that symbolizes both slavery and freedom and that endures down through the generations. This dual symbolism demonstrates the power of G-d to transform a symbol of negative conditions into a symbol of positive conditions as one moves through the 15-step process for conducting the Passover Seder. Matzo is a universal symbol, not just for the Jewish people but for all humankind, as throughout the generations, it has been the goal of all humans to transform their condition from a negative, oppressive state to a positive, physically free state, be it from under a repressive political regime or even from freeing oneself from the catastrophes that arise out of natural disasters. When the Hebrews/Israelites were toiling as slaves, it was matzo that was given to them by the Egyptians. As well, when the Hebrews/Israelites were preparing to leave Egypt, their hasty preparations caused them to bake unleavened bread known as matzo rather than wait for the dough to leaven so that it would become leavened bread. So it was matzo that existed for the Hebrews/Israelites in times of slavery and matzo that existed for them in times of physical freedom. Thus, the dual symbolism of matzo.
Passover Seder Night or Nights: Is There Just One Type Of Passover Haggadah?
No. In fact, to date, there are over 3,000 versions of Passover Haggadahs (plural form in Hebrew: "Haggadot"). The Talmudic rabbis encouraged the Jewish people to tell the story of the Exodus from Egypt in as many ways as possible and as a result, there are Haggadahs that interpret the text based on political, social, and religious ideologies in Judaism. Interestingly, while the text of the Haggadah is encouraged to be told in as many ways as possible due to its importance to both the Jewish people and to humankind, the 15-step process used for conducting the Passover Seder that makes up the text of the Haggadah is in a highly structured format. While this seems a contradiction, it is not. The rabbis deemed it important to spread the messages and lessons of the Exodus from Egypt in as many ways as possible but in a way that does not dilute the method of telling the story. This method was originally used because the rabbis wanted persons to easily recall the 15 steps in case Haggadahs were not available where one was located. The method involved using a mnenomic system to create and organize the names for each of the 15 steps so that one could easily recall each of the names due to the rhyming, musical pattern of the names taken collectively. This helped one to easily remember the 15 steps and thus conduct the Passover Seder.
Passover Seder Night or Nights: When do they take place during the Passover Holiday?
The most logical place to begin this discussion is to mention the night or nights of the Passover holiday on which the Passover Seder takes place. For Jewish people who celebrate the Passover holiday for 8 days (most Jews living outside of Israel), the first two evenings of the Passover holiday are the Passover Seder evenings; for the Jewish people who celebrate Passover for 7 days (most Reform Jews, some Conservative Jews, and Jews in Israel), only the first evening of the Passover holiday is the Passover Seder evening, meaning that for both the 7-day and 8-day celebration of the Passover holiday, it is the Passover Seder that opens the Passover holiday, as the Jewish day in the lunisolar Hebrew calendar is from sundown to sundown in the solar Gregorian or Christian calendar. Furthermore, by the instructions of G-d as told in the biblical Book of Leviticus, specifically in Leviticus 23:5, the Passover Seder can only be held on the first evening of the Passover holiday for the 7-day celebration. The Passover holiday was originally celebrated for 7 days as instructed by G-d in Leviticus 23:8. An 8th day was eventually added to the Passover holiday by Jewish religious authorities in Israel for Jews living outside of Israel to compensate for the calendrical time differences, for in biblical times, it took more time for Jews living outside of Israel to hear about news from Israel. So, as the Passover holiday was extended to 8 days for Jews living outside of Israel, the first two nights of the Passover holiday were designated as the nights when the Passover Seder would be celebrated for the 8-day Passover holiday celebration, as outlined earlier in this paragraph. The Passover Seder cannot be held on any other day or days during the Passover holiday except on the aforementioned days for the 7-day and 8-day celebrations, respectively. The following are the quotes from Leviticus: "23:5 - 'The afternoon of the 14th day of the first month is [the time that you must sacrifice] G-d's Passover offering'; 23:6 - 'Then, on the 15th of that month, it is G-d's festival of matzahs, when you eat matzahs for seven days' ("on the 15th of that month" in the Hebrew calendar means 'at evening' in the Gregorian or Christian calendar, meaning just after sunset, as the Jewish day begins at sundown as previously mentioned. That is why the Passover holiday begins at sundown.); 23:7 - 'The first day shall be a sacred holiday to you, when you may not do any service work'; 23:8 - 'You shall then bring sacrifices to G-d for seven days. The seventh day is a sacred holiday when you may not do any service work." The religious calendar of the Passover holidays is as follows: for Jews celebrating the holiday for 7 days, the 1st day and 7th, or final day of the Passover holiday are called "Yom Tov" days ("Yom Tov" literally means: "Good Day" in Hebrew), and for Jews celebrating the Passover holiday for 8 days, the 1st and 2nd days and the 7th and 8th days are called "Yom Tov" days. Yom Tov days are full religious holidays, meaning Jews are not permitted to do most forms of work. The intermediate days or middle days of the Passover holiday days are called "Hol Hamoed" days (alternate spellings: "Hol Ha-Moed", "Hol Ha Mo'ed", Chol Ha-Moed", "Chol Hamoed", "Chol Ha Mo'ed"). "Hol Hamoed" in general terms means "the intermediate days" in Hebrew. "Chol" literally translates as "non-holy" in Hebrew (as opposed to "kodesh", meaning "holy" in Hebrew), part of the festival ("Moed" in Hebrew refers to the "appointed time"). Chol Hamoed days also occur for the agricultural Jewish festival of Sukkot. On Chol Ha-Moed days, Jews are permitted to do most forms of work as long as they adhere to specific religious conditions under Halakhah, or religious Jewish law. For this reason, Chol Ha-Moed days are known as half-holidays, where work is permitted but under certain religious conditions. According to Jewish religious law, there are 39 forms of work that are forbidden on Chol Hamoed days. On Shabbat (Sabbath) and Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) all 39 forms of forbidden work (the 39 "melakhot" in Hebrew) are prohibited. On the Yamim Tovim (the first and last days of Pesach, on Shavuot, Rosh Hashana, the first day of Sukkot and on Shemini Atzeret) the Torah permits work activities that are needed for food. On Chol Hamoed five types of work are permitted, although, once again, the starting point is the 39 prohibitions. However, after the 5 exceptions, quite a lot of work ends up being permitted. The five (permissible) exceptions (listed in the Mishneh Berurah's introduction to Chol Hamoed in Orach Chayim #530) are: 1. "Davar Ha'aveid" - work that will be lost if not done now. (Example: If the produce of a field will be lost if not irrigated, that irrigation is permitted.); 2. "Tzorkhei Hamoed" - things needed for the holiday (Example: If needed, a sukkah can be totally rebuilt.); 3. "Bishvil poeil she'ein lo ma yokhal" - work created to enable a worker to make enough money to eat; 4. "Tzorkhei rabim" - public needs (Example: Fixing a broken city water main is permitted.); 5. "Maasei hediot" - simple acts (Example: Flipping on a light switch, which involves no craftsmanship is permitted.). For Jews who celebrate Passover for 7 days, the Chol Ha-Moed days are the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, and 7th days of the Passover holiday. For Jews who celebrate Passover for 8 days, the Chol Ha-Moed days are the 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th days of the Passover holiday.
So now that we know when the Passover Seder takes place, let's move on to what is involved in the 24 hours leading up to the Passover holiday and Passover Seder.
The Day Before The Passover Holiday and Passover Seder
During the Passover holiday, we are forbidden to be in possession of any chametz ("leaven" in Hebrew), so after weeks of cleaning our household of any chametz, that is, of leaven, the 24 hour period before the start of the Passover holiday and of the Passover Seder marks the transition period from our ordinary lives which included eating and using leavened products to that of eating and using unleavened products in our lives during the Passover holiday. This 24 hour period begins from nightfall (not sunset, nightfall is a little later on) on the day before Passover begins and lasts until sunset on the following day (the day of Passover).
Beginning from nightfall on the night before the start of the Passover holiday, we conduct a final search of our household to locate and dispose of any leavened products we may have missed during the weeks leading up to Passover. This is known as the official search for leavened products and in Hebrew, it is called "Bedikat Chametz" ("search for leaven"). There are specific, prescribed guidelines which includes both practises and timelines for what to use to conduct the search for chametz as well as how to conduct the search for chametz in addition to when we must finish eating whatever chametz we choose to finish eating before Passover begins (usually well before noontime on the day before the start of Passover, however, the exact time will vary depending on one's location in the world), how and when to dispose of the chametz (usually before noontime on the day before the start of Passover, however, the exact time will vary depending on one's location in the world), and/or "sell" any remaining chametz that we discover after conducting the search and having disposed of the chametz, usually either to a rabbi or to a person of another faith to "hold" for us until after the Passover holiday is completed, whereupon we "buy back" the chametz from them. After noontime has passed, chametz is out of our possession and mind and it is at this point we are ready for the Passover holiday.
From midday onward, we use the remaining time to prepare the Passover Seder table, which includes setting up and arranging the Passover Seder plate which contains most of the symbolic foods for the Passover holiday, as well as a separate plate which contains another symbolic food, matzo; specifically, three sheets of matzos. The cup or bowl which contains the liquid that is used as part of the Passover Seder rituals - usually either salt water, or vinegar, lemon juice, or lime juice - is also filled and is the final symbolic food of Passover, and along with the Passover Seder plate and plate of three matzos, is placed on the Passover Seder festive table. Red wine is preferred for the Passover Seder, although white wine is acceptable, or grape juice is used as the beverage and also plays a symbolic part in the Passover Seder rituals.
The final task we must do after the Passover Seder table has been set and the symbolic foods have been placed on the Passover Seder table is to light the two candles precisely 18 minutes before sunset. These two kindled candles usher in the Passover holiday.
So now that we know what is involved in the 24 hours leading up to the Passover holiday and Passover Seder, let's move on to what is involved in conducting a Passover Seder.
Passover Seder Requirements
The Passover Seder table should be set up with the finest dishes, glasses and cutlery in the household. After all, this is a celebration about freedom from slavery and we are to dine as if we were kings or queens, who symbolized independence and freedom in ancient times!
Along with setting the table with the finest tableware, each person attending the Passover Seder is given a copy of the special Passover "instruction manual" known as the Passover Haggadah. Each copy of the Passover Haggadah is placed beside the plate on the Passover Seder table that is reserved for each person.
Observant Jews will have four sets of dishes - For Passover: one set of dishes for meat, and another set of dishes for dairy. For the remainder of the year: an additional set of dishes for meat, and another additional set of dishes for dairy. This complies with the dietary laws as outlined in Halachah, the book of Jewish dietary laws.
What are the Passover Seder Requirements?
Well, guess what. Here they are!
- Passover Seder Requirement #1: Matzah, Matza, Matzo, Matzoh, Mazzah, Massah, or Massa (meaning of Matzah: "sweet", "unleavened bread" in Hebrew) - as we will see in the discussion below, matzah is used in many rituals in the Passover seder, and has a number of symbolic meanings. Because matzah is sweet as opposed to leavened bread which is sour, matzah primarily symbolizes the sweetness of freedom for the Hebrews from slavery in Egypt. Matzah also symbolizes the speed with which the Hebrews became free people, as they had to leave Egypt in haste in order to attain their freedom, only leaving enough time to bake the unleavened bread known as matzah, which symbolized the haste of the Hebrews. On the other hand, matzah also symbolizes the somber fact that the Hebrews baked unleavened bread because they were trying to escape slavery. Therefore, matzah represents the dual meanings of recalling the hardships of slavery while experiencing the sweetness of freedom.
- Passover Seder Requirement #2: Marror (meaning of Marror: "bitter herbs" in Hebrew) - Marror or Morror are bitter herbs, usually represented by horseradish or romaine lettuce, that symbolize the hardships experienced by the Hebrews when they were slaves in Egypt. Marror is placed in two areas on the Passover seder plate. Some Jewish communities replace the second marror on the Passover seder plate by using a second bitter vegetable called "Chazeret" (meaning of Chazeret: "bitter vegetable" in Hebrew). This second bitter vegetable must not be the same type of bitter vegetable that is used for the Karpas. Examples of chazeret include watercress, cucumber, romaine lettuce, endive, and radishes. The chazeret is used in some Jewish communities to replace the second marror when making Koreich, meaning Hillel's Sandwich. (See Passover Seder Step #10).
- Passover Seder Requirement #3: Beitzah (meaning of Beitzah: "Roasted or Hard Boiled Egg" in Hebrew) - The roasted or hard boiled egg primarily symbolizes the first Passover sacrifice of the lamb in biblical times by the Hebrews as commanded by G-d. This sacrifice was eventually performed in the first and second Temples in Jerusalem. The first Temple was built in 7 years by King Solomon circa 950 B.C.E. (or B.C.) and lasted until its destruction by the Babylonians in 587 B.C.E. or 586 B.C.E. The construction of the second Temple was begun in 541 B.C.E. under Persian rule, and, after a 15-year delay, it was completed in either 516 B.C.E. or 515 B.C.E. After Antiochus Epiphanes IV desecrated the second Temple in 167 B.C.E., it was purified and worship was restored in 165 B.C.E. During the reign of King Herod, the second Temple was rebuilt on a grander scale starting in 20 B.C.E. until its completion in 26 C.E. - a period of 46 years - and it lasted until its destruction in 70 C.E. (or A.D.) by the Romans. The roasted or hard boiled egg also symbolizes - in addition to the zeroah or shank bone (see: Passover Seder Requirement #4) - an offering brought to the Temple in Jerusalem in biblical times. This offering was known as the "festival offering" because it was brought on each of the three pilgrim festivals: Pesach or Passover, Shavuot, and Succot. The roasted or hard boiled egg also symbolizes mourning for the destruction of the second Temple in Jerusalem in 70 C.E. by the Romans. Because of the destruction of the second Temple, Rabbinical authorities decreed that the roasted or hard boiled egg would replace the Passover lamb sacrifice. Other symbolic meanings represented by the roasted or hard boiled egg include fertility, the never-ending cycle of life, Springtime - when the first Passover occurred, and rebirth. "Beitzah" also means "want" or "desire" in Aramaic, and implies the "want" or "desire" of G-d to deliver His people from slavery in Egypt.
- Passover Seder Requirement #4: Z'roah, Zeroah, or Zeroa (meaning of zeroah: "arm" or "wing" in Hebrew, as in the arm or wing of an animal) - This is either a cooked shank bone, thigh, or neck of a chicken which symbolizes the Pesach, meaning the lamb that was sacrificed during the first Passover, when G-d posach ("passed over" in Hebrew) the homes of the Hebrews and killed the first-born son in each Egyptian household. It also symbolizes the later Passover offering brought to the first and second Temples in Jerusalem. It is not eaten but simply serves as a reminder and symbol. The term "zeroah" also symbolizes the outstretched arm or hand which with G-d delivered the Jewish people from slavery in Egypt.
- Passover Seder Requirement #5: Karpas (meaning of Karpas: "green vegetable" in Hebrew) - Karpas primarily symbolizes the tears and sweat of the Hebrews when they toiled as slaves in Egypt.
- Passover Seder Requirement #6: Charoset, Charoseth, Haroset, or Haroseth (meaning of charoset: "mixture of fruits and nuts with wine or grape juice" in Hebrew) - The composition and mixture of Charoset symbolizes the mortar with which the Hebrews used to create bricks which in turn were used to build cities such as Pithom and Ra'amses [not to be confused with the Pharaoh (King) Ramses] for the ancient Egyptians. The sweet taste of charoset is supposed to overtake the bitter taste of maror in both a literal and symbolic sense, symbolically because freedom is represented by the sweet taste of charoset and overtakes slavery, represented by the bitter taste of maror. Moving from slavery to freedom also represents a transition from dependence to independence, from depending on other cultures to survive to depending on one's own self and group to survive and self-govern.
- Passover Seder Requirement #7: Mei Melach (meaning of Mei Melach: "salt water" in Hebrew, as in a small quantity of salt water) - Salt Water is used in the Passover seder to symbolize two things: salt water symbolizes the tears of the Hebrews while in slavery in Egypt, and it also symbolizes the Red Sea which the Hebrews crossed when they were fleeing Egypt and the pursuing Egyptian army. Note that Sephardim may use either vinegar, lemon juice, or lime juice in place of salt water, depending on the custom of the community of their origin.
- Passover Seder Requirement #8: Kos Eliyahu (meaning of Kos Eliyahu: "Cup of Elijah" in Hebrew) - A cup or preferably a goblet to represent the Cup of Elijah. This cup symbolizes that on this joyous festival of freedom from slavery, Jews invite all people to join in the festivities and rejoice in the feeling of freedom. Since Elijah the Prophet symbolizes the humble wayfarer and as such represents all people - rich or poor - a cup filled with wine is placed on the Passover seder table for Elijah the Prophet.
- Passover Seder Requirement #9: Yayin (meaning of Yayin: "Wine" in Hebrew) - Wine or grape juice is also a requirement and must have a Kosher for Passover symbol on it from either a local, regional, or country-specific rabbinical council, and the same applies for all Passover foods sold in either cans or other containers. Red wine is preferred for the Passover Seder, although white wine is acceptable. On the one hand, wine symbolizes celebration and freedom. The Arba Kosos (meaning of Arba Kosos or Arba Kossos: "Four Cups of Wine" in Hebrew) refer to the four promises of redemption as stated in Exodus 6:6-7: "I will free you from the labor of the Egyptians: and I will deliver you from their slavery. I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and great judgments: and I will take you to be my people". Therefore, wine symbolizes and is the drink of free men. On the other hand, wine represents the blood of Hebrew children, recalling the time when the Pharaoh of Egypt ordered newly-born Hebrew male infants thrown into the Nile River while the Hebrews were slaves in Egypt. The dual symbolisms of joy and sorrow can be interpreted to mean that one must experience suffering before one can realize the joyful meaning of freedom. During the Passover seder, both the matzah we eat and the wine we drink carry with them the dual symbolisms and knowledge that the Jewish people understand what it means to be free by remembering what it was like to be slaves in Egypt.
- Passover Seder Requirement #10: Ka'arat Haseder (meaning of Ka'arat Haseder: "Passover Seder Plate" in Hebrew) - a special plate that holds the symbolic foods of Passover.
- Passover Seder Requirement #11: Kiddush Cups for all at the Passover seder table. Kiddush (meaning of Kiddush: "sanctification" in Hebrew, and refers to the blessing of Kiddush itself) - Kiddush cups filled with wine are drunk after the Kiddush blessing by the Passover seder participants to symbolize the sanctification of G-d and to commemorate His feats during the first Passover. These cups are filled four times during the Passover Seder by following the instructions in the 15 steps of the Passover Haggadah, hence the four cups of wine for the Passover Seder. In Hebrew, the first cup of wine is called "Kos Kiddush" (or "Kos Rishon"), the second cup of wine is called "Kos G'ulah" (or "Kos Sheni"), the third cup of wine is called "Kos B'racha" (or "Kos Sh'lishi"), and the fourth cup of wine is called "Kos Hartza'ah" (or "Kos Revii"). As mentioned, the 5th cup of wine for Elijah is called "Kos Eliyahu", and in some Passover Seders, a 6th cup filled with water is reserved for Moses's sister Miriam and is called "Kos Miriam" in Hebrew.
- Passover Seder Requirement #12: Passover Haggadot (plural form of Haggadah in Hebrew) for all at the Passover seder table. The meaning of Haggadah in Hebrew is "narration" or "telling", and refers to the Book of Passover which tells the story of the first Passover and also contains the blessings related to the events in the first Passover.
- Passover Seder Requirement #13: Hassava (meaning of Hassava: "reclining" in Hebrew) - Cushions are needed for all Passover seder participants when performing the ritual of reclining at the Passover seder table or if there are no cushions available, then all in attendance can simply recline or lean to the left.
- Passover Seder Requirement #14: Hadlakat ha-Nerot (meaning of Hadlakat ha-Nerot: "Lighting the festival candles" in Hebrew) - To start everything off, we create a holy space of positive spiritual energy, dispersing the negative around us by lighting festival candles and creating candle-light. We use two candles for the Passover festival. As we light the two candles, we say the following prayer: "Blessed art Thou, O Eternal our G-d, Ruler of the Universe, Creator of the radiance of the fire".
- Passover Seder Requirement #15: A Sense Of Perspective - Well, it's not really a requirement, but the Passover Seder and holiday consists of many paradoxes in which we celebrate freedom while recalling the hardships of slavery. Bringing a sense of perspective to the Passover Seder table and Passover holiday as a whole enables us to be ever more grateful for the gift of physical freedom from slavery. Physical freedom in and of itself is not as joyful as recalling the hardships we and our ancestors have and had endured respectively in relation to our physical freedom. For in every past, present, and future generation, we are to recall our ancestors' hardships as if we ourselves were personally led out of Egypt from slavery. Through the 15 step process in the Passover Seder, we are in fact connecting the past, present, and future. We move from an awareness of past hardships of bondage to an awareness of our present state in the world to the positive and eager hopefulness of the future. For those who are physically free, the 15 step process of moving from slavery to physical freedom combined with an ever-present awareness of both slavery and physical freedom even as we ultimately become completely physically free by moving through the 15 steps of the Passover Seder enables us to broaden our perspective about life and to become more aware and grateful for what we already possess from birth: our personal dignity and worth, our physical freedom, and our ability to freely elevate our emotional, physical, intellectual, and spiritual selves.
Why does one dip vegetables into salt water, vinegar, lemon juice, or lime juice (the liquid depends on one's custom)?
The custom of dipping vegetables into salt water, vinegar, lemon juice, or lime juice may have been derived from the activities at ancient Roman banquets where guests would begin the banquet by dipping vegetables in either vinegar or a fruit sauce. Charoset may have eventually represented the fruit sauce. The ancient rabbis who formulated the Passover seder instructions were writing the Passover seder instructions at a time when the Romans ruled Palestine and so they may have incorporated many of the Roman rituals they saw at ritualized Roman feasts or banquets that were known as "Symposia" into the instructions for conducting the Passover seder as well as both transforming and re-interpreting them to fit the needs of the Passover seder.
What do the Zeroah and Beitzah have in common?
The zeroah (roasted shankbone) and beitzah (hard-boiled roasted egg) both represent Passover lamb sacrifices. In addition to the original Passover lamb sacrifice represented by the zeroah, a second Passover lamb sacrifice called the "chagigah" or "hagigah" came to be represented by the beitzah. Chagigah means "festival offering" in Hebrew. In ancient times, the chagigah now represented by the beitzah was served at the Passover seder meal followed later on by serving the original Passover lamb sacrifice represented by the zeroah. This was done so that the Passover lamb sacrifice would be eaten for the sole pupose of fulfilling the religious commandment to eat a paschal lamb, and not to quell hunger.
The Passover Seder Plate
How Does One Set Up The Passover Seder Plate?
A good question. I'm happy that I remembered to ask. There are many rabbinical opinions as to how one sets up the Passover seder plate as suggested by rabbis throughout Jewish history. The following are two of the more popular opinions: the first rabbinical opinion is from Rabbi Isaac Ben Solomon Luria (1534 - 1572), known by his acronym as the "Arizal". Most Sephardim follow the opinion of the "Arizal". The second rabbinical opinion is from Rabbi Moses Ben Israel Isserlis (1525 - 1572), known by his acronym as the "Ramah". Most Ashkenazim follow the opinion of the "Ramah".
This is the first rabbinical opinion for setting up the Passover seder plate:
The Passover seder plate is placed before the leader of the Passover seder, usually the head of the household.
- Passover Seder Plate Opinion #1: (A) Matzah: Three matzot (plural form of matzah in Hebrew) are placed in the three compartments of the Passover seder plate. What is the meaning of these three matzot? The three matzot symbolize the three groupings of the Jewish people. The top matzah symbolizes the Cohain, the middle matzah symbolizes the Levite, and the bottom matzah symbolizes the Israelite.
- Passover Seder Plate Opinion #1: (B) Shank Bone: On the top right of the Passover seder plate the shank bone is placed which represents the Passover sacrifice of the lamb, which was one of many G-ds in ancient Egypt that symbolizes idolatry to the Jews.
- Passover Seder Plate Opinion #1: (C) Roasted Hard Boiled Egg: On the opposite top left of the Passover seder plate the hard boiled egg is placed which symbolizes the traditional festival sacrifice brought during biblical times in the days of the Holy Temple.
- Passover Seder Plate Opinion #1: (D) Marror: In the middle of the Passover seder plate, just below the top two Passover symbols, the marror is placed which symbolizes the bitterness of slavery. The marror can be a combination of a variety of bitter herbs.
- Passover Seder Plate Opinion #1: (E) Charoset: On the bottom right of the Passover seder plate just below the marror, the charoset is placed which symbolizes the brick and mortar used by the Hebrews in building cities while they were slaves in Egypt.
- Passover Seder Plate Opinion #1: (F) Karpas: On the opposite bottom left of the Passover seder plate just below the marror, the karpas is placed which symbolizes Springtime and renewal because the event of Passover takes place in the spring.
- Passover Seder Plate Opinion #1: (G) Marror again: In the middle at the bottom of the Passover seder plate the karpas the marror is again placed. This particular marror is to be used for making Koreich, or 'Hillel's Sandwich'. Note that some Jewish communities use a bitter vegetable called "chazeret" to replace the second marror. It must not be the same type of bitter vegetable as the Karpas.
The following is the second rabbinical opinion for setting up the Passover seder plate:
The Passover seder plate is placed before the leader of the Passover seder, usually the head of the household.
- Passover Seder Plate Opinion #2: (A) Matzah: Three matzot (plural form of matzah in Hebrew) are placed in the three compartments of the Passover seder plate. What is the meaning of these three matzot? The top matzah symbolizes the Cohain, the middle matzah symbolizes the Levite, and the bottom matzah symbolizes the Israelite.
- Passover Seder Plate Opinion #2: (A) Shank Bone: On the top right of the Passover seder plate the shank bone is placed which represents the Passover sacrifice of the lamb, which was one of many G-ds in ancient Egypt that symbolizes idolatry to the Jews.
- Passover Seder Plate Opinion #2: (B) Roasted Hard Boiled Egg: On the opposite top left of the Passover seder plate the hard boiled egg is placed which symbolizes the traditional Passover festival sacrifice brought during biblical times in the days of the Holy Temple. The roasted hard-boiled egg also symbolizes Springtime - when the first Passover took place, rebirth, the never-ending cycle of life, and fertility.
- Passover Seder Plate Opinion #2: (C) Marror: Beneath the shank bone the marror is placed which symbolizes the bitterness of slavery.
- Passover Seder Plate Opinion #2: (D) Charoset: Beneath the hard boiled egg the charoset is placed which symbolizes the brick and mortar used by the Hebrews in building cities while they were slaves in Egypt.
- Passover Seder Plate Opinion #2: (E) Matzah: In the middle beneath the marror and charoset the three matzot are placed. What is the meaning of these three matzot? The three matzot symbolize the three groupings of the Jewish people. The top matzah symbolizes the Cohain, the middle matzah symbolizes the Levite, and the bottom matzah symbolizes the Israelite.
- Passover Seder Plate Opinion #2: (F) Karpas: At the bottom on the right the karpas is placed which symbolizes Springtime and renewal because the event of Passover takes place in the spring.
- Passover Seder Plate Opinion #2: (G) Salt Water, vinegar, lemon juice, or lime juice: At the bottom on the left the salt water, vinegar, lemon juice, or lime juice is placed which symbolizes our tears for the destruction of the Second Temple.
Got it? You're smart. A maven. I like to have mavens read what's on my website. In case you're wondering, maven means "expert", "authority", or "knowledgeable person" in Yiddish. Now that I know you're a maven, surely you can read on to find out about and understand the 15 Passover Seder steps in detail!
The 15 Passover Seder Steps Explained.
Each step in the Passover seder contains rituals, each of which represents a symbolic value that both reminds one of an event in the story of the Passover holiday and the ultimate theme of Passover: freedom from slavery, and the importance that freedom means to an individual. The following 15 steps detail the order of events and customs from an Ashkenazic (Jews whose ancestors came from Central and Eastern Europe) perspective. Sephardic (Jews whose ancestors came from Spain or Portugal before they were expelled from those countries in 1492 and 1497 respectively), Mizrahi (Jews who come from Central, South, and Eastern Asia, and the Middle East; "Mizrahi" means 'Eastern' in Hebrew), and many African Jews, such as the Ethiopian Jews, vary in their practice of the customs and order of those customs within each of these 15 steps, depending on their community.
- Passover Seder Step #1: Kadeish (Aramaic form of "Kiddush" in Hebrew), Kaddesh, Kadesh, Qaddesh, or Qiddush
- Just after nightfall arrives, the two festival candles are lit and the blessing over them is recited. Everyone who is participating in the Passover Seder is then seated at the Passover Seder table and the Passover Seder begins by having everyone at the Passover Seder table raise their first cup of wine, called the Kadeish. Kadeish means "cup of sanctification", or "the blessing" in Aramaic. Its equivalent in Hebrew is "Kiddush". More specifically, "Kiddush" is from the Hebrew root word "Qof-Dalet-Shin", meaning "holy". While the cups are raised, everyone recites the Kiddush. The purpose of the Kiddush - which means "sanctification" in Hebrew - blessing is to fulfill G-d's commandment to sanctify the Jewish festivals and to sanctify the Holy Day of Passover and also to sanctify time and its ability to be filled with holiness. G-d is also praised for both sanctifying the Jewish people and for allowing the Jewish people to reach the current year so they could celebrate Passover in His honor. In this step called "Kadeish", we are thanking G-d for being the One to make Israel holy, thereby giving Israel mastery over time in order to be able to confer holiness upon the Jewish festivals. There are 3 blessings in the Kiddush: first, there is a blessing over the wine ("Kiddush" blessing), next is a blessing over the festival of Passover, and finally, there is the shehechayanu (or shehecheyanu) blessing, which praises G-d for enabling the Jewish people to reach the current day of Passover. "Shehechayanu" or "Shehecheyanu" means "He Who has kept us in life" in Hebrew. There are 4 cups of kosher wine that are drunk during the Passover seder, with a 5th cup symbolically reserved for the Prophet Elijah. In some Passover Seders, an additional 6th cup for Moses's sister Miriam is filled with water. Miriam was a prophetess in her own right (Exodus 15:20). The cup filled with water in Miriam's cup represents a well filled with water because according to tradition, Miriam's righteous actions in helping to save her younger brother Moses when he was an infant by watching over him as he lay in a basket of reeds floating in the Nile River resulted in G-d creating a well filled with water that followed the Hebrews through their wanderings in the desert after they left Egypt, and that well remained with them until the day of Miriam's death. After the Kiddush is recited, everyone drinks the first cup of kosher wine while reclining to the left side in their chair. To fulfill the ritual, at least half the cup must be drunk (2.9 fl. oz.) - preferably the entire cup - so a smaller cup is usually used, as one does not want their guests falling face first into their plate after 4 large cups of kosher wine! You may ask: What is the symbolic value of this ritual? In ancient times, kings symbolized freedom, for they could do what they wanted in their kingdoms. So, to symbolize the freedom of Passover as if one were a king in biblical times, it is preferable that a person who is not seated and participating in the Passover seder be the one to pour the kosher wine for participants in order that the participants may feel like kings.
- Passover Seder Step #2: Urchatz, U-Rehaz, or Rahatz
- The next Passover Seder ritual is the washing of hands, called Urchatz. Urchatz means "and wash" in Hebrew. Urchatz is done by the leader of the Passover seder. This action closely symbolizes the metaphor "I wash my hands of it", meaning one washes away one's troubling thoughts by asking G-d for help. In addition, water symbolizes wisdom, and by washing one's hands with water, one hopes that their heart and emotions are touched with wisdom so that in turn one can shape their interactions with the world for the better. There are two other explanations for performing this purifying ritual. During the time of the Temple periods in ancient Jerusalem, ritual purity required that one washed their hands before dipping any food into a liquid and then eating it, as is done in the next step in the Passover seder. The other explanation is that one washes their hands to symbolically demonstrate the separation between our previous state or condition and that of the journey on which we are about to undertake, for instance, from a troubling thought to seeking and receiving wisdom to relieve us of its grip, or in the case of the Passover story, from slavery to freedom. Outside of the symbolic representations of Urchatz, one performs this ritual for hygiene and cleanliness.
- Passover Seder Step #3: Karpas
- The next Passover Seder ritual is the dipping of Karpas into salt water, vinegar, lemon juice, or lime juice, depending on one's custom. Karpas means "greens" or "green vegetable" in Hebrew. Why do we do this? Glad I asked. Again, symbolism is the answer. The green color of the Karpas vegetable symbolizes springtime and rebirth of the land, occurring around the time of Passover, which in turn represents the spirit of hope for the future. In addition, Passover in ancient times was an agricultural festival, and the Karpas or green vegetable we use in this ritual reminds us of the gathering of the Spring harvest which coincided with Passover. The action of dipping the Karpas vegetable in salt water, vinegar, lemon juice, or lime juice reminds us of the tears our ancestors shed when they were slaves in the land of Egypt, and concurrently, reminds us of the renewal of our longing for redemption for those who are enslaved or are unjustly imprisoned. Dipping the green vegetable into salt water, vinegar, lemon juice, or lime juice is also a symbolic act of replacing our ancestors' tears (represented by the liquid) with gratefulness (represented by the green vegetable). The green vegetable that is used is usually a piece of parsley, celery, or lettuce. As one dips the green vegetable into the salt water, vinegar, lemon juice, or lime juice, one recites the traditional blessing from the Haggadah: 'Borai pri ha-adamah', which translates as: "Blessed is the Source of Life, the Fountain of Being, by whose power the earth gives birth to vegetables". Dipping the Karpas in liquid is the first of two dippings we make as stated in the Mah Nishtanah (The Four Questions). The second dipping occurs when we dip the marror in charoses as told in Passover Seder Step #9.
- Passover Seder Step #4: Yachatz, Yahaz, or Yahatz
- The next Passover Seder ritual is the breaking of the middle matzah into two pieces, called Yachatz. Yachatz means "dividing" in Hebrew. There are 3 compartments on the seder plate for the 3 matzot or matzahs. These 3 matzot are placed in their compartments on the seder plate, which is then placed before the leader of the Passover seder when preparing the Passover Seder table. Each matzah symbolizes one of the three ancestral affiliations that comprise the Jewish people. The three matzahs also represent the three religious groupings of the Jewish people. Why are the three matzot (plural form of "matzah" in Hebrew) placed together on the same plate? Ok, I won't keep you in suspense any longer. The three matzot are placed together to indicate the unity of the Jewish people, for in unity we discover our strength and our power and will to survive. The top matzah represents the Kohanim or Kohen. Kohanim means 'priests' in Hebrew, and Kohen simply means 'priest' in Hebrew. The Kohanim were members of the priesthood in Jewish history prior to the establishment of the Rabbinical institutions and Rabbinical title in the period just before and after the beginning of the Common Era. The middle matzah represents the Levite, meaning 'a descendant of Levi' in Hebrew. Levi was the 3rd of 12 sons of the Hebrew patriarch Jacob. Jacob was also named 'Israel' in the Hebrew bible, hence the expressions '12 tribes of Israel' or the 'children of Israel', where each of Jacob's sons represents a tribe, and the descendants of Jacob's sons represent the 'children of Israel' or Jewish people, collectively speaking. The Levites were the priestly tribe prior to the establishment of Rabbis and consisted of the Kohanim and their assistants, where the latter were simply called Levites. Incidentally, the word 'Levi' means 'to join' in Hebrew, which described Levi and his descendants - the Levites - as a group of people who were devoted and fervent worshippers of G-d. Finally, the bottom or third matzah represents the rest of the Jewish people, collectively known as 'Israelites'. When the Passover seder has reached step 4 - Yachatz - the middle matzah is then taken by the leader of the Passover seder and broken into a larger half and smaller half. These two pieces of matzah are also known as the "Afikoman". What is the "Afikoman"? I'm guessing that was your next question. The term "Afikoman" (alternate spelling: "Afikomen") derives either from the Aramaic word for "dessert", or derives from a Greek word "epikoman" (alternate spellings: "epikomaizon", or "epikomazein") meaning "after-dish" or "dessert" and has two interpretations: one by the ancient Talmudic Sages from Palestine in the Palestinian Talmud and one by the ancient Talmudic Sages from Babylonia in the Babylonian Talmud. In the Mishnah of the Palestinian Talmud, the Palestinian Sages interpreted "Afikoman" as meaning that "after the Passover Offering, one should not end with Afikoman", where "Afikoman" referred to a Greek word and custom known as "epikomion" meaning "after dinner revelry" or "entertainment" which meant going off to another party or banquet following the initial banquet one attended, as was the Roman and Greek custom of the day. If the Jews did this, they would be following too closely the pagan customs of the Romans and Greeks, which would make it more difficult for the Jews to differentiate Jewish customs relating to the Passover Seder meal from their pagan neighbors. In contrast, the Babylonian Talmudic Sages in the Mishnah of the Babylonian Talmud interpreted "Afikoman" as a Greek word meaning "dessert" in Greek, and stated that the word "Afikoman" meant that "one should not eat anything after eating the Passover Afikoman", where the "Afikoman" represented the "dessert" for the Passover Seder meal. So how does all this relate to "breaking" the Afikoman into a larger piece and a smaller piece in this Passover Seder step known as Yachatz? The answer is that "breaking" the Afikoman into a larger piece and a smaller piece satisfies both the Palestinian and Babylonian Talmudic explanations of what "Afikoman" means! After the Afikoman or the middle matzah is split into a larger half and a smaller half, the larger half is hidden away somewhere in the household for the children to find after the Passover Seder meal is over. Once a child finds the Afikoman, he or she brings it back to the Passover Seder table and asks for a "ransom" from the person who hid the Afikoman so that the person who hid the Afikoman could get it back. This "ransom" for the Afikoman can be in the form of a chocolate coin or some small amount of pocket money. Why do this? The purpose of finding the Afikoman is to both satisfy the Palestinian Talmudic explanation of the "Afikoman" as representing or symbolizing "after dinner revelry" or "entertainment" as well as to maintain the interest of the children in the Passover Seder proceedings. And what about the smaller half of the Afikoman? After splitting the Afikoman or the middle matzah into a larger half and a smaller half, the smaller half remains between the top and bottom matzot to later be broken up into small pieces and eaten by the Passover Seder participants as the Passover "dessert" or "Afikoman", which satisfies the Babylonian Talmudic interpretation of the Afikoman as representing or symbolizing the "dessert" for the Passover Seder meal.
- Passover Seder Step #5: Maggid
- The next Passover Seder ritual is the reciting of the story of Passover as told in the Passover Haggadah. The term 'Maggid' in Hebrew means either "preacher", "storyteller", "teller", or "itinerant speaker". By telling the Passover story, one is keeping the Mitzvah (meaning both 'commandment' and 'connection' in Hebrew) of what G-d said to Moses once the Jews were freed from slavery in Egypt, as told in the biblical Book of Exodus: "And you shall tell your son on that day (meaning the day that Passover begins), saying: 'this (meaning the Passover rituals that G-d commanded Moses and the Hebrews to do) is for that (freedom from slavery) which the Lord did for me when I went out of Egypt'". By tradition, the Mitzvah - or commandment - of telling the Passover story, symbolically establishes a connection - hence the 2nd definition of Mitzvah - between oneself and G-d. Another tradition states that telling the Passover story is primarily reserved for those younger than Bar Mitzvah - or confirmation - age, which is usually age 13, but one can either tell the story oneself or hear it from others. The Passover story is not told directly in traditional Passover Haggadahs, but rather is referred to through Rabbinic texts. It is through these Rabbinic texts that we learn indirectly about the Passover story. Ideally, one should read the Passover story in Hebrew and then translate and explain it in the local language, but if this is not possible, then one should recite the Passover story in a language that everyone at the table can understand. There are many Passover customs surrounding how the Passover story is read: some families read, translate and explain the Passover story in unison; others read the Passover story in unison, and then ask each member around the Passover seder table to translate and/or explain each part of the Passover story, while still others have other traditions. There are also many different Passover Haggadah versions and hence, many "orders" or arrangements as to how different parts of each of the 15 Passover Seder steps, including this Passover Seder step - Maggid - is performed, in addition to different versions of how each Passover Seder step is worded, in accordance with the beliefs of the author(s) of the Passover Haggadah, but the underlying themes of Passover in the Passover Haggadah remain the same. The purpose of these various orders or arrangements in the Passover Haggadah is to stimulate question-asking about the Passover story. For instance, the first part of this step begins by making a declaration about the matzah that is placed before us on the Passover Seder table. This declaration is known as "Ha Lachma Anya", which invites those who are less fortunate to join in the Passover Seder. This declaration stimulates one to ask: "Why are we making this declaration?" The answer to this question is in the following part of this step: asking the Four Questions, which initiate the expansion of the primary themes of Passover being both a recollection of slavery and a recollection of becoming physically free people. This further stimuates one to ask: "Why are we recalling both slavery and freedom? Isn't this being contradictory?" The answer to this question lies in the part following the asking of the Four Questions in this Passover Seder step. This part of Maggid is known as "Avadim Hayinu", meaning "We were slaves" or "Once we were slaves" in Hebrew. By recalling both slavery and freedom, we realize that there is a great disparity between being under oppression and being physically free human beings. Thus, our realization that being physically free can truly be appreciated by comparing it with the hardships of slavery helps to stimulate our consciousness toward helping all those who are less fortunate to realize their physical freedom as well in areas of the world where they are under oppression. This format of stimulating question-asking and answering continues through out the Passover Haggadah. So, you can see by the aforementioned example that the order or arrangement in a Passover Haggadah is arranged as such because the ancient rabbis want to encourage question-asking in the Passover Haggadah so that one may be able to learn more about the story of Passover and thus keep the traditions alive from generation to generation. In fact, the ancient rabbis considered it praiseworthy for one to tell not only the story of Passover as told in the Passover Haggadah, but to increase their telling about our departure above and beyond that contained in the Passover Haggadah. The following order or arrangement is but one version for 'telling' this step: The Passover Seder 5th step or Maggid begins with describing the symbolism of matzah to all those at the Passover table and then calling for assistance to all those who are still suffering spiritual and physical slavery. This introductory part of Maggid is known as "Ha Lachma Anya" in Hebrew, meaning "This is the bread of affliction" in Hebrew. The plate of matzah is held up and the following is said: "This is the bread of affliction which our fathers ate in the land of Egypt. Let those who are hungry come in and partake. Let all who are in need come and celebrate the Passover". The next part of this step is to recite the "Ma Nishtana" (alternate spelling: "Mah Nishtanah"), meaning "The Four Questions" in Hebrew. Before the "The Four Questions" from the Passover Haggadah are read, the second cup of wine is filled. The purpose of the four questions, as mentioned, is to introduce and expand on the primary themes of slavery and physical freedom so as to stimulate further inquiry from adults and particularly children about the history and meaning of the Passover story, in particular, by inquiring about why Jews celebrate Passover and its connection to this series of Four Questions, which, as mentioned, introduce the theme that Passover is both a recollection of slavery and of freedom. After the four questions are asked, usually by the youngest child at the Passover seder table so that they are actively learning about their history, the Passover story is then told as a series of events which are organized into parts. This Passover Seder step is then concluded with the telling and description of the 10 Plagues. The next part, as mentioned, is where all at the Passover seder table are reminded of the greatness of how G-d liberated the Hebrews from Egypt and of the obligation to tell the Passover story in a declaration from the Passover Haggadah called "Avadim Hayinu", meaning "We were slaves" (in Egypt) or "Once we were slaves" (in Egypt) in Hebrew. So why are we reminded in "Avadim Hayinu" of the miracles that G-d performed for us in the Passover of Egypt story and also of the need to tell or 'increase' our telling over of the Passover story each year? The reason why we "increase" our telling over of the story of Passover is because in the Gemara of the Talmud (Pesachim tractate), it states in Hebrew the following: "Bechol dor vador, chayav adam..., "In every generation, a person is required to view himself as if he went out of Egypt". Thus, by each of us recalling each year the miraculous adventures and happy outcome of the Passover story - which it would be in our nature to want to tell in any case if we truly felt that G-d performed these miracles for us, including being released from bondage and brought to freedom by being taken out of Egypt - we are demonstrating that we truly feel that we were taken out of Egypt by increasing our telling of the Passover story each year. Next is the story of "The Four Children". The story of the Four Children or Four Sons fulfills the obligation to tell the Passover story to other people. In particular, this story explains the meaning of the Passover seder to four different types of personalities so that all can understand the importance of the exodus from Egypt. After this step comes the telling of the story of Passover, which includes a telling of the chain of events in several parts. Finally, there is the introduction and description of the 10 Plagues. As each plague is read out aloud, each person at the seder table dips their pinky finger into their wine glass and spills a drop of wine onto a plate. The origin of this practise may have been rooted either in a desire to ward off evil, or to symbolize that our joy at being free should be reduced because of the suffering of our ancestors, meaning having less wine in our glass to drink. The final step in the recitation of the Passover story is the singing of Dayenu, a song of praise ["Dayenu" means "Enough" in Hebrew, as in approximately meaning: "It would have been enough (for us)" or "It would have been sufficient (for us)" or "It would have sufficed (for us)" in Hebrew]. This song praises G-d's feats from the time the Almighty helped the Hebrews escape Egyptian slavery to the time when the Hebrews constructed the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. The Passover Haggadah explains the various rituals of when to lift the cup of wine, when to pour wine from the cup, and so forth. After completing the recitation of the Passover story, the first two psalms of Hallel for Passover are recited (Psalms 113 and 114 from the Book of Psalms in the Hebrew Bible). What are these two Hallel Psalms about? They express gratitude to G-d for being our constant source of salvation in every past generation of Jewish people. There is a request to G-d to bring about the Final Redemption so that we will have the opportunity to celebrate future Passover's and the other Festivals in Jerusalem and at the Temple. This request is sought when we recite: "Blessed are You, O L-rd, Who has Redeemed Israel." Following the recitation of the first two Psalms of Hallel that are relevant for Passover, we then bless the second cup of wine and then drink the second cup of wine in a reclining position to the left. The second cup of wine is where the obligation to lean on one's left side as an expression of freedom, while drinking, is strongest.
- Passover Seder Step #6: Rochtzah, Rahaz, Rahatz, or Rochtza
- The next Passover Seder ritual is Rochtzah. Rochtzah means "washing" or "celebrant washes" in Hebrew. This prepares us for the next step, which is the blessing and eating of matzah. Because Jewish law states that the law for matzah is the same as that for bread, one then must wash one's hands a second time during the Passover seder meal. While one washes their hands, a blessing called Al Netilat Yadayim is said, which is a Hebrew phrase meaning "the blessing over the washing of hands before the meal". In transliterated Hebrew, the blessing goes as follows: Baruch atah adonai eloheinu melech ha'olam, asher kidshanu bemitzvotav vitzeivanu, al netilat yadaim. Again, the symbolism of water as 'wisdom', and of the hands as 'growth', reminds us that we are symbolically cleansing ourselves from what enslaves and prevents our mind from reaching greater heights of wisdom. There are also many rabbinical interpretations of how one's hands are washed, and in what order the hands and fingers are washed. One is also not allowed to talk between this blessing and the eating of matzah in step 5. Oy! So many rules! At least there isn't a rule that has you washing your hands while standing on your head. For that alone, I'm thankful!
- Passover Seder Step #7: Motzee, Motzi, Mozi, or Motzie
- The next Passover Seder ritual is Motzee, also spelled Motzi or Motzei. Motzee means "blessing" in Hebrew and is the first part of the "Motzee Matzah", which means "blessing of the Matzah" in Hebrew. In this Passover ritual, the leader of the Passover seder takes hold of all 3 matzot (plural form of matzah in Hebrew), and recites the "Hamotzi" or "Ha-Motzi" prayer from the Passover Haggadah. Hamotzi means "to bring forth" or "bringing forth" in Hebrew, and refers to G-d as "bringing forth" bread from the Earth. The blessing, in transliterated Hebrew, goes as follows: Baruch atah adonai eloheinu melech ha'olam, hamotzi lechem min ha'aretz. In this blessing, we are thanking G-d for bringing forth bread from the earth. This prayer is recited before eating. At other times of the year besides Passover, the Hamotzi prayer is known as "Ha-Motzi Lechem" which means "the blessing over bread" in Hebrew, but since we eat only matzah during Passover which is unleavened bread, then we refer to the blessing over bread as "Motzee Matzah" ("blessing over matzah" in Hebrew) or "Ha-Motzi Matzah" ("the blessing over matzah" in Hebrew) instead of "Ha-Motzi Lechem." Just thought you'd like to know that!
- Passover Seder Step #8: Matzah, Matza, Matzo, Mazzah, Massah, Massa, or Matzoh
- The next Passover Seder ritual is Matzah, and is the second part of the "Motzee Matzah". Matzah means "sweet" in Hebrew, and refers to unleavened bread as being sweet in taste, as opposed to leavened bread - or bread with yeast in it - as being bitter. "Chometz", "Chametz", or "Chameitz" means either "bitter", "sour", "leavened", "fermented", "harsh", or "to be pungent" in Hebrew and usually refers to leavened bread, or bread with yeast in it. As you may have guessed in the Passover story, the sweetness of Matzah symbolizes freedom, as opposed to the bitterness of slavery, symbolized by leavened bread, or Chametz. That is why on the eve of Passover, observant Jews conduct a search of the house to locate and remove from the house any chametz, or foods with yeast in them. They then usually sell the chametz to a non-Jew. In this Passover ritual, after the Hamotzi has been recited while holding the 3 matzot, the leader of the seder then lets go of the bottom matzah to drop back onto the plate and holds the whole of the top matzah and both halves of the middle matzah. The Passover seder leader then recites the next blessing, called "Al Achilat Matzah" from the Passover Haggadah. "Al Achilat Matzah" means "the blessing over eating matzah" in Hebrew. After this prayer is recited, the Passover seder leader takes the top matzah, breaks it up into small pieces, and gives a piece to each person at the Passover seder table. For observant Jews, there are laws concerning the minimum amount of matzah eaten, and even the minimum and maximum amount of time allowed to eat the matzah for this ritual. For instance, one rabbinical interpretation states that the minimum requirement of matzah eaten is 7 x 6 and 1/4 inches of a square matzah, and that it should be eaten in no less than 2 minutes and no more than 4 minutes from the first swallow. The matzah should also be eaten while reclining in a left position. Why recline to the left? The answer is rooted in ancient symbolism. During Roman times, it was customary for the Roman aristocracy at feasts to eat reclining on their side on a couch while taking food from a small, private table. The rabbis at that time interpreted this custom as a sign of independence and freedom. If one is right-handed, then in order to follow this custom it would make sense that one would lean to the left so that one could have their right hand free to take the food from the table. As for how eating matzah is related to the act of reclining, both matzah and the act of reclining symbolize independence and freedom at different times in Jewish history, the former during the exodus from Egypt, and the latter during Roman times, and the fact that these two customs are side-by-side in the Passover seder ritual order symbolizes the continuity of independence and freedom down through the ages.
- Passover Seder Step #9: Marror, Maror, Morror, or Moror
The next Passover Seder ritual is eating Marror, after dipping it in charoset (alternate spellings: charoseth, haroset, and haroseth). Marror means "bitter herb" in Hebrew, and the origin of the term charoset is unclear: the Encyclopedia Judaica suggests it might come from the word "cheres", which means "clay" in Hebrew. Horseradish or romaine lettuce is usually used to represent Marror. In this ritual, the Passover seder leader takes a piece of matzah and then takes at least 3/4 of an ounce of marror from the seder plate to put on the matzah, and everyone else at the seder table takes the same amount of marror as well. Everyone at the seder table including the seder leader then dips the matzah with the marror into the charoset. After they dip the marror into the charoset, they then all shake off the charoset and the following blessing is recited from the Passover Haggadah, entitled: "Al Achilat Marror", which means "the blessing over eating marror" in Hebrew. Everyone then eats the bitter herb, but there is no reclining for this ritual, as this is a ritual reminding one of slavery, not freedom. One does not recline when one is enslaved. However when one is free, one can be free to recline. The act of dipping marror into charoses is performed in order to sweeten the bitterness and suffering that the Hebrews experienced as slaves in ancient Egypt. How much marror should be eaten to fulfill this ritual? The answer depends on the type of marror used: if one is using raw leaves as marror, the minimum amount required is 8 x 10 inches; if one is using a stalk, the minimum amount required is 3 x 5 inches; and if one is using horseradish, the minimum amount required is 1.1 fl. oz., and one can only use fresh horseradish. Why dip the marror in charoset? The answer is that the bitter herb of marror symbolizes the bitterness of slavery, and charoset symbolizes the bricks and mortar used by the Hebrews when they were slaves building cities with names such as Pithom and Ra'amses [not to be confused with the Pharaoh (King) Ramses] in Egypt. Another reason is that the charoset serves to soften the harsh taste of the marror. Charoset is usually a mixture of apples, nuts, wine and spices, and the reason for these ingredients is that the charoset is made to look as close to the color of bricks and mortar as possible to add more realism to the ritual. Even the Jews of Saloniki, Greece have been known to add in a little ground stone into the charoset mixture! Now that's coming as close as possible to the real thing as one can!
Some Jewish communities use a second bitter herb in addition to the marror, called the "Chazeret" (plural form: "Chazeres" in Hebrew). Chazeret means "bitter vegetable" in Hebrew, and the bitter vegetable used is often lettuce and/or a radish. The reason for using a second bitter herb derives from the biblical line in the Book of Numbers (Numbers 9:11), which states the commandment to eat the paschal lamb "with unleavened bread and bitter herbs". Since "bitter herbs" is plural in the commandment, most Jewish communities place a second or even third bitter herb on the seder plate. If one uses a green bitter vegetable as the chazeret, it must not be the same vegetable as the Karpas. Also, eating the paschal lamb, which was worshipped as a G-d in ancient Egypt, symbolizes destroying one of the many G-ds of ancient Egypt, meaning one is destroying idolatry.
- Passover Seder Step #10: Koreich, Korekh, Korek, or Korech
- The next Passover Seder ritual is the eating of Koreich. Koreich means "sandwich" or "wrap" in Hebrew. This sandwich consists of either marror or the second bitter herb, the chazeret, with some charoses (charoses is the plural form of charoset in Hebrew) surrounded by two pieces of matzah. Since the Passover Haggadah clearly links the origin of this sandwich with the great sage, Hillel, "who took Matzah and Marror and ate them together", this sandwich is also known as "Hillel's Sandwich". Hillel also ate this sandwich with the meat of the Passover lamb, but animal sacrifices are no longer performed, so this meat is omitted from the sandwich. Eating this sandwich is done to commemorate Hillel and the Second Temple, for Hillel ate this sandwich when the Second Temple stood in Jerusalem 21 centuries ago. Eating the koreich is the final ritual before serving the Passover seder meal. In this ritual, this Passover seder leader takes the bottom matzah from the seder plate and breaks off two pieces, with each piece of matzah totalling at least one ounce. The Passover seder leader then takes at least 3/4 of an ounce of marror, then dips the marror into the charoset. After dipping the marror into the charoset, the marror is then placed between the two pieces of matzah. Everyone else at the seder table then does the same thing. The seder leader then says "kein asah Hillel," and then eats the sandwich while in a reclining position to the left. We say this because the great Rabbi Hillel used to do this: he would take the matzah and maror, place them together, and then eat them. The minimum amount of matzah eaten per person for this ritual is a total of 7 x 4 inches, while the minimum amount of marror eaten, usually represented by horseradish or romaine lettuce, is 0.7 ounces or as mentioned, about 3/4 of an ounce. Its symbolism derives from the bitterness of the marror being softened by the sweetness of the matzah, meaning that beyond the hard work and bitterness of slavery lies freedom, as symbolized by the sweetness of the matzah. This can also mean that at the end of a period of hard work will lie the satisfaction of reaching one's goal.
- Passover Seder Step #11: Shulchan Orech, Shulhan Orekh, Shulkhan Orekh, Shulchan Aruch, or Shulhan Orek
- The next Passover Seder ritual is Shulchan Orech. Shulchan Orech means "prepared table" or "set table" in Hebrew and symbolizes the idea that at Passover, we are supposed to be like wealthy people. Wealthy people do not wait to eat but already have their food prepared for them and placed on the table beforehand, hence the term "prepared table". It is in this ritual that the Passover seder meal is served to all those at the Passover seder table with a feeling of freedom and joy. It is also only during the Passover seder meal that additional wine may be drunk other than when one drinks for the rituals concerning the four cups of wine. Some families like to begin the Passover seder meal by dipping a hard boiled egg into salt water. This Passover custom has several explanations: some say the egg symbolizes Springtime, others say the egg replaces the sacrifice of the lamb, still others say it was taken from a Roman tradition of beginning their meals with an hors d'oeuvres. In this case, the salt water symbolizes our tears because of the destruction of the Second Temple in Jerusalem in 70 C.E. by the Romans.
- Passover Seder Step #12: Tzafun, Zafun or Tzafoon
- The next Passover Seder ritual is the act of Tzafun. Tzafun means "hidden", or "hidden one" in Hebrew, and refers to when the hidden Afikoman is taken out of its hiding place and brought back to the Passover seder table. This ritual represents the eating of dessert, as "Afikoman" means "dessert" or "after-dish" in Greek or "dessert" in Aramaic. Each person at the Passover seder table then takes a piece of the Afikoman matzah and eats the Afikoman matzah while in a reclining position to the left. There are laws which state that the minimum amount of matzah eaten to fulfill this ritual is 7 x 6 and 1/4 inches of a square matzah. Another law states that on the first night of Passover, the Afikoman should be eaten before 12:00 A.M. The Tzafun ritual is also the final step in the Passover seder rituals where food is eaten. After this step, nothing else may be eaten or drunk except for the two remaining cups of wine. Why do we break the Afikoman matzah in two? The answer is that the broken Afikoman matzah symbolizes a Jewish history of expulsion, exile, bondage, betrayal, and slavery. But it also symbolizes that the world is incomplete, and that there is hope to complete and fulfill the promise of the world. The search for the Afikoman symbolizes this search for fulfilling the promise of the world. The purpose of eating the Afikoman is to remember the Pesach (meaning "Passover" in Hebrew) sacrifice that was served at the end of the first Passover meal. Incidentally, many families make a game out of finding the hidden Afikoman by having their children participate in the hunt for the Afikoman in the house. The one who finds the Afikoman is usually rewarded with either a coin of the real or chocolate variety!
- Passover Seder Step #13: Bareich, Barekh, Bareikh, Barek or Barech
- The next Passover Seder ritual is performing Bareich. Bareich means "grace" in Hebrew, and refers to collectively reciting the "Birkat HaMazon" (meaning "Grace After Meals" in Hebrew) blessing by everyone at the Passover seder table after they have completed the Passover meal. It is in this ritual that the third cup of wine is filled and then the Birkat HaMazon blessing is recited together. The "Grace After Meals" blessing is also known as the "Benching." After reciting this blessing, a blessing is said over the third cup of wine and then the third cup of wine is drunk by all at the Passover Seder table in a reclining position to the left.
- Passover Seder Step #14: Hallel
- The next Passover Seder ritual is the singing of songs of praise from Hallel (Psalms 115-118 from the Book of Psalms in the Hebrew Bible). Hallel for Passover is split up into two parts in the Passover Seder steps: the first part of Hallel was sung near the conclusion of Passover Seder Step #5 (Psalms 113 and 114). Psalms 115-118 comprise the second part of Hallel that is relevant for Passover. Hallel means "praise" in Hebrew. In this ritual, we are praising G-d, not for G-d's pleasure, but for our own. As we go through the Passover rituals, we build up an appreciation for freedom and the beauty of life. In such an emotional state, one wants to sing and praise G-d for everything that the Almighty has done to bring us to this day, with the happy knowledge that there is a G-d. However, during the days of the Passover holiday when there is no Passover seder - meaning the final 6 days of the Passover holiday - the first half of Psalm 115 and the first half of Psalm 116 are not sung out of respect for the drowned Egyptian army in the Red Sea. This means that the full Hallel is recited on the Passover seder nights, and half-Hallel is recited on the remaining days of the Passover holiday. The 14th Passover seder step ritual begins by filling a fifth cup of wine, called the Cup of Eliyahu HaNavi (meaning "Elijah the Prophet" in Hebrew). The Passover seder leader then reads the remainder of the Passover Haggadah starting with a description of the symbolism and purpose of the Prophet Elijah and then welcoming the Prophet Elijah into the household. Everyone at the seder table then stands as the door is opened to the household for the Prophet Elijah. With everyone standing, the seder leader then recites an appeal to G-d to direct G-ds' wrath upon evil and persecution and to protect the Jewish people from those who would want to destroy them. The seder leader then follows with a wish for the spirit of the Prophet Elijah to enter the hearts of all people, to love G-d, and to be inspired to build a good world where justice and freedom will be inherited by all of humanity. After this wish is recited, the door is then closed and all who are standing then sit down again. Following this, the fourth cup of wine is then filled, and then the seder leader invites all at the Passover seder table to join in reciting a specific selection of Songs (or Psalms) of Praise to G-d that are known as the 'Hallel', hence the name for Passover Seder Step #14. As outlined earlier in this step, these are Psalms 115-118 from the Book of Psalms in the Hebrew Bible.
There are many symbolic reasons for this ritual of opening the door at Passover for Elijah the Prophet. Jewish tradition says that Elijah the Prophet never really died but instead was taken to Heaven in a flaming chariot and being a Prophet, he continues to deliver messages from G-d. Jewish tradition also states that Elijah visits every Passover seder that takes place around the world. Since the Book of Prophets says that Elijah the Prophet is the forerunner of the arrival of the Messiah, opening the door for Elijah means that Jews hope that Elijah will arrive to mark the coming of the Messiah and the ultimate redemption for the Jewish people. Another reason is that Elijah is the symbol of the humble wayfarer and that at Passover, we open our door to allow those who are less fortunate to share in the joyous celebration of freedom - both spiritually and physically - spiritually in that one shares in the symbolic rituals and meanings of freedom and physically, in the Passover food and wine. Opening the door also symbolizes that those at the Passover seder table should have no fear since they are under G-d's protection, just as the Hebrews were under G-d's protection when the Angel of Death "passed over" the homes of the Hebrews in the Passover story. Opening the door during the Passover festival is also a reference to the phrase "night of watching" as mentioned in the Torah (meaning the first 5 books of the Hebrew Bible, written by Moses). The "night of watching" describes the night the Jews left Egypt (Exodus 12:42) and so the open door means that a watching or guarding is taking place. The Passover Haggadah readings that follow include a short prayer called "Shefoch Hamatcha" or "Shefoch Chamascha." It is a very unusual and unique prayer in our liturgy but clearly important and cathartic. It is a bitter prayer for revenge against those who attack and kill the Jews. After this prayer, Hallel is then recited from the Passover Haggadah. After finishing the readings from the Passover Haggadah, a blessing over wine is said for the fourth cup of wine. Following this blessing, the fourth cup of wine is then drunk in a reclining position to the left. After drinking the fourth cup of wine, the Birkat HaMazon blessing I.E. the "Grace After Meals" blessing is said. Only water may be drunk after drinking the fourth cup of wine. It is at this point that all at the Passover seder table join in singing all the beautiful Passover songs. These Passover songs are either from the Passover Haggadah or are simply songs about being liberated from slavery and attaining freedom and redemption. These include such Passover songs with Hebrew names like: "Dayenu", "Adon Olam", "Echod Mi Yodea", "Chad Gadyoh", "Adir Hoo" or "Adeer Hu", "Yerushalayim Shel Zahav", "Beshana Haba'ah Biyerushalayim", "Avadim", "Eli Eli", "T'filah", "Am Yisroel Chai", "Avadim Hayinu", "Vihee She'omdo", "Artza", "Mikimi", "Ten Shabat", "Chayav Adam", "Bitzeis Yisroel Mimitzrayim", "Yareyach", "Atah Kadosh", "Ta Yere Malke", "Bashana", "Yodei Teidah", "Min Hameitzar", "Betzetis", "Elu Esser Makot", "Eser Ha-Makos", "Chasal Sedur Pesach", "Pesach Shuv Higiya", "Emunim", "Bchol Dor Vodor", "Ekdimiyod", "Betzet-Israel", "Zum Gali Gali", "Kineret", "Hin'ni Muchan", "Hinei Ma Tov", "Hoshiya", "Barhku", "Halel: Pis'khu Li", "Na'ar Hayiti", "Ma Lecho Ha-yam", "Od Lecha Ki", "Kol Dichfin", "Vaamartem Zevach Pesach", "Go'al Yisroel", "Halel: Shoykhen ad", "Dona, Dona", "Adir B'melukhah", "Hashvenu", "Ki Lo Einueh", "Hkahd Gahdyah", "Sh'fokh Ha-matkhah", "Yeride", "Al Achat", "Halel: K'mohem yih'yu oseihem", "Kacholym", "Kol Rina V'yishu'a", "Halel: Yoseyf adoshem aleichem", "Erev Shet Shoshanim", "Kaved Yom", "Karev Yom", "B'tset Israel Mi'mitsra'im - Yehoram Gaon", "Hava Nagila", "B'leil Haseder - Eliyahu", "Elihanvi", "Sisu", "Chai", "Hallel", "Pesach", "Haveinu Shalom Aleichem", "Eliyahu HaNavi", "Zenier Atik", "Haleluya", "Seder Nahkt", "Baruch Haba B'Shem Adonai", "Manistan", "L'shanah Habaa", "Pesach, Matzoh, u'Maror", "Mi k'Adoshem Elokeynu", "Arba'a Banim", "Bim Bam", Lishonoh Habo'oh", and of course "Ma Nishtana" (sung at the beginning of The Four Questions from the Passover Haggadah). There are also Judeo-Spanish Sephardic Passover songs from the Ladino dialect. Ladino is a mixture of mostly medival Spanish from the 14th and 15th centuries and modern Spanish along with Portuguese plus various words taken from countries where Spanish Jews settled after 1492. Examples of Sephardic Passover songs in the Ladino dialect are: "Mose salyo de Mizrayim" (Moses went out of Egypt), "Kadesh Urchatz", "Ha Lachma Anya", "Elohenu Shebashamaim" (a Turkish, Spanish, and Dutch Jewish Pesach song), and "Quen Su Piese". The purpose of this ritual is to be oriented towards the future, when the Jewish people will gain ultimate redemption, and herald the arrival of the Moshiach (meaning "Messiah" in Hebrew. An alternate spelling is "Mashiach"), a descendant of King David of the Davidic Dynasty, who will build the Third Temple and will preside over the return of the Jewish people to Jerusalem and Israel. After singing all the Passover Seder songs, this step is completed.
- Passover Seder Step #15: Nirtzah, Nirzah or Nirtza
The final Passover Seder ritual is Nirtzah. Nirtzah means "accepted", or "it should be accepted" in Hebrew. This refers to being assured that the way we conducted the Passover Seder - with conscientiousness and detail - will be accepted by G-d. In this final ritual, we conclude the Passover seder with the following statement: "The order of the Seder is complete, according to its laws, all of its ordinances and statutes. Just as we merited to perform it, so too may we merit to truly offer the sacrifice. O Pure One, Who Dwells on High, uplift the assembly of the community who cannot be counted. Soon, and in joy, may you lead the offshoots of the stock which you have planted, redeemed to Zion. Next year may we be in Jerusalem!" Another similar statement says: "This year we are slaves, next year may we be free men in Jerusalem!" Historically, these statements are referring to the fact that most of the Jewish people have dispersed from the land of Israel to many other countries since the destruction of the second temple in Jerusalem by the Romans in 70 C.E., often referred to as the Diaspora (Diaspora means "scattering" or "dispersion" in Greek) and that in those countries, Jews have often seen themselves in a religious and cultural sense as "slaves" or adhering to the rule and often discrimination of people from other cultures. These declarations express the hope that while this year the Jewish people are slaves to others in other countries, hopefully next year the Jewish people will be completely free once they return to the land of Israel, particularly Jerusalem. In a religious sense, these statements ultimately refer to the Jewish people's willingness to be close to G-d. It means that although Jews feel truly lucky to be a free nation, free to serve G-d, there is something that is lacking that would make our happiness truly complete. In order to completely fear G-d and fulfill G-d's commands properly so that we may feel pure joy, the pure joy that can only be found in Jerusalem - which symbolizes pure peace, joy, and freedom to the Jewish people - Jews must ask that G-d bring the entire Jewish population living outside of Israel in the diaspora or exile, to Jerusalem so that they will gain redemption from their current exile and truly know the meaning of pure peace, joy, and freedom. It is at that point that we hope the Holy Temple will be rebuilt in Jerusalem, peace, joy, and freedom will reign throughout the world, and all people will be free from their "personal Egypts". It is then that the Exodus will have been completed.
The Passover Seder closes with two declarations: (1) A declaration that references Jerusalem, which is followed by (2) A declaration that the Passover Seder was carried out according to Halakhah (Jewish law) as reflected in the prescribed 15-step formula outlined in the Passover Haggadah, and that we are now confident that it has been well-received by G-d (or another way of saying it is that we hope that it has been accepted by G-d).
(1) The first declaration is a reference to Jerusalem and Messianic times. The following declaration is for Jews living outside of Israel:
L'Shana Haba'ah B'Yerushalayim! ("Next year in Jerusalem!" in Hebrew)
For all Jews living in Israel and particularly in Jerusalem (since Jews living in Jerusalem are already in Jerusalem), the declaration is:
L'Shana Haba'ah B'Yerushalyim Ha-Benuya! ("Next year in Jerusalem rebuilt!" or "Next year we should be in the rebuilt Jerusalem!" in Hebrew)
The purpose of the above declaration is that Jews everywhere hope that when Moshiach or the Messiah first appears, which will be in Jerusalem, all Jews, past and present, will be reunited again in Jerusalem, peace and prosperity will reign supreme, not only for the Jews but for all humankind, and the Third Temple will be miraculously rebuilt by the hand of G-d as opposed to the First and Second Temples, which were built with human hands. For Jews living outside Israel, the hope is that Moshaich will arrive next year in Jerusalem so that all the aforementioned events will occur. For Jews living in Israel and particularly in Jerusalem, the hope is that Jerusalem and the Third Temple will be rebuilt in Messianic times by the hand of G-d in addition to the aforementioned events that will occur in Messianic times.
Note that in Palestine prior to the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948, the declaration was as follows: "Next year in Jerusalem rebuilt - next year a free people everywhere".
The declaration that follows is known in Hebrew as: "Chasal Siddur Pesach", meaning "The Pesach Seder has been concluded" or, more specifically, "The order of Pesach is now completed". It is a prayer which, as mentioned, declares that the Passover Seder has now been completed according to the laws of Halakhah and that we hope it has been accepted by G-d (or HaShem, one of many other names for G-d in Judaism). Some Jews say that they have completed the Passover Seder according to the prescribed 15-step formula and are now confident that it has been well-received by HaShem or G-d. The name for the 15th and final step in the Passover Seder, Nirtzah ("accepted" or "it should be accepted" in Hebrew), derives from the name "Chasal Siddur Pesach". This declaration concludes the Passover Seder. As you can see, the Passover Seder moves through the 15 steps, recalling events through each step that speak of both slavery and physical freedom. This was formulated by the Talmudic rabbis so that one could gain perspective and great appreciation for one's physical freedom by first describing how difficult one's life was in slavery (and the collective group - the Hebrews/Israelites - as a whole) before one's (and the collective group - the Hebrews/Israelites - as a whole) physical freedom. From this perspective, one gains awareness of the priceless value of one's (and the Hebrews/Israelites as a collective whole) physical freedom given by G-d, and the 15-step ordered process of the Passover Seder eventually moves from this awareness toward the hope of the future, that in future times, all will live in physical freedom, peace, prosperity, and harmony in Messianic times when Jerusalem will be rebuilt and the Third Temple will be miraculously built by the hand of G-d. In other words, the Passover Seder ends on a high note for humankind.
Hag Sameach! Happy Holiday!
One final note is upon completing the 15 steps, tradition dictates that a person should then discuss the Passover laws and the story of the Exodus until he falls asleep. Now that's keeping the tradition alive, by discussing and thinking about Passover and its meanings and messages so that it might even carry over into one's dreams and subconscious! :)
Note: Remember, because of different rabbinical opinions held by and within different Jewish streams of belief or denominations, for instance, in Orthodox, Conservative, Reform, Reconstructionist, or Humanistic Judaism, and cultural classifications (Sephardic, Ashkenazic, or Mizrahi) please check with a rabbi or rabbinical authority in your city, region, or country that are from any or all of these streams of belief to find out the particular Passover celebration practices where you live. Orthodox Judaism is the traditional form of Judaism, while the other streams are more recent creations. This website is meant to give a general overview of the Passover celebration observed by Jews around the world. Variations within the Passover celebration exist and differ from family to family, city to city, country to country, and region to region due to the influence and integration of local customs, including one's local linguistic, culinary, and musical traditions into the Passover holiday. The tractates Mishnah (or Mishna) Pesachim and Gemarah (or Gemara) Pesachim, which are part of the Talmud, explain in great and scholarly detail about Passover customs and practices. One should be strongly familiar with Passover practices before attempting to read and understand these essays.
Footnote regarding the dates on this Passover Seder / Pesach Seder web page: all dates discussed on this website are based on the modern Gregorian calendar, however, these dates are but one secular scholarly deduction; there are many other secular scholarly deductions as well as traditional Jewish chronological dates in addition to modern Hebrew/Jewish calendar dates regarding the timeline of events in Jewish history. To see a table of some important events in Jewish history discussed on this website and their various dates deduced from traditional Jewish sources, the modern Hebrew/Jewish calendar, and secular historical timelines, check out our Jewish History Timeline web page.
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