Passover Seder

The Passover Seder (Hebrew סדר, pronounced 'say-der', meaning "order") is a special Jewish ritual which takes place on the first evening of Passover in Israel (the 15th day of Nisan), and on the first and second evenings outside Israel (the 15th and 16th days of Nisan). Conducted as part of the holiday meal, the Seder relives the enslavement and subsequent Exodus of the Children of Israel from Ancient Egypt through the words of the Haggadah, the drinking of Four Cups of Wine, the eating of matzo for the first time in the holiday, and the eating of and reference to symbolic foods placed on the Passover Seder Plate.

The Seder is considered an integral aspect of Jewish faith and identity. As the Haggadah, which contains the complete Seder service, explains, without the Exodus, the Jews would still be slaves to the Egyptian Pharaoh and would never have realized their role as a nation. Therefore this is an occasion for much praise and thanksgiving to God. It is considered a mitzvah to embellish one's retelling of the Exodus on this night. Often the Seder lasts into the wee hours of the morning, as participants continue to talk about the events of the night and sing special Passover songs included in the Haggadah.

Unlike other public holiday observances which are traditionally held in the synagogue, the Seder is specifically designed to be conducted by a family at home, with or without guests. (However, the Seder may also be conducted by any group of people, including students, synagogue members, or hotel guests.) This focus is derived from the opening words of the Torah verse which is the source for the mitzvah of retelling the Exodus from Egypt: "Vehegadeta levincha bayom hahu leymor ba'avur zeh asah Adonay li betzaysi miMitzrayim - "And you shall tell it to your son on that day, saying, 'Because of this God did for me when He took me out of Egypt" (Exodus 13:8). The words and rituals of the Seder are a primary vehicle for the transmission of the faith from father to son.

Set-up

The Seder table is traditionally set with the finest place settings and silverware, in recognition of the importance of this evening. For the first half of the Seder, each participant will only need a plate and a cup or glass to hold each of the Four Cups of Wine that are drunk at designated intervals. Near the place setting of the leader of the Seder lies a Passover Seder Plate containing various symbolic foods that will be eaten or referred to during the course of the meal; a plate of three matzot; and salt water for dipping.

Each participant receives a copy of the Haggadah, an ancient text that contains the complete Seder service. In Orthodox Jewish homes, each participant at the Seder table will recite the Haggadah in the original Hebrew. The leader will often interrupt the reading to discuss different points with his children, or to offer a Torah insight into the meaning or interpretation of the words. (Women who must leave the table to tend to the cooking or the children may recite the Haggadah at their own pace, not necessarily keeping up with those at the table.)

In other homes, participants take turns reciting the paragraphs of the Hagaddah, and may use an English translation to better understand the text.

The participants at the Seder table are seated comfortably. According to the Halakha, men and boys over the age of bar mitzvah must lean to the left on a pillow when they drink one of the Four Cups of Wine or eat the matzo or afikoman. They do not lean while eating the maror or karpas.

Themes of the Seder

Slavery and freedom

The rituals and symbolic foods associated with the Seder evoke the twin themes of the evening: slavery and freedom. At the beginning of the night of the 15th of Nisan in Ancient Egypt, the Jewish people were enslaved to Pharaoh. After the Tenth Plague struck Egypt at midnight, killing all the first-born sons in the land, Pharaoh and the Egyptian people chased the Jews out, effectively making them freedmen for the second half of the night.

Thus, Seder participants recall the slavery that reigned during the first half of the night by eating matzo (the "poor man's bread"), maror (bitter herbs which symbolize the bitterness of slavery), and charoset (a sweet paste representing the mortar which the Jewish slaves used to cement bricks ). Recalling the freedom of the second half of the night, they eat the matzo and afikoman, and drink the four cups of wine, in a reclining position, and dip vegetables into salt water (the dipping being a sign of royalty and freedom, while the salt water recalls the tears the Jews shed during their servitude).

The Four Cups

There is an obligation to drink four cups of wine (or pure grape juice) during the Seder. This applies to both men and women. The Mishnah says (Pes. 10:1) that even the poorest man in Israel has an obligation to drink. Each cup is connected to a different part of the Seder. The first is for Kiddush, the second is for Magid, the third is for Birkat Hamazon and the fourth is for Hallel.

The Four Cups represent the four expressions of deliverance promised by God Exodus 6:6–7: "I will bring out," "I will deliver," "I will redeem," and "I will take."

The Vilna Gaon relates the Four Cups to four worlds: this world, the Messianic age, the world at the revival of the dead, and the world to come. The Maharal connects them to the four Matriarchs, Sarah, Rebeccah, Rachel, and Leah. (The three matzot, in turn, are connected to the three Patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.) The Abarbanel relates the cups to the four historical redemptions of the Jewish people: the choosing of Abraham, the Exodus from Egypt, the survival of the Jewish people thoughout the exile, and the fourth which will happen at the end of days.

Seder Plate

The Passover Seder Plate (ke'ara) is a special plate containing six symbolic foods used during the Passover Seder. Each of the six items arranged on the plate have special significance to the retelling of the story of the Exodus from Egypt. The seventh symbolic item used during the meal—a stack of three matzot—is placed on its own plate on the Seder table.

The six items on the Seder Plate are:

Maror; Bitter herbs, symbolizing the bitterness and harshness of the slavery which the Jews endured in Ancient Egypt.
Charoset; A sweet, brown, pebbly mixture, representing the mortar used by the Jewish slaves to build the storehouses of Egypt.
Karpas; A vegetable other than bitter herbs, such as celery or cooked potato, which is dipped into salt water at the beginning of the Seder.
Z'roa; A roasted shank bone, symbolizing the korban Pesach (Pesach sacrifice), which was a lamb offered in the Temple in Jerusalem, then roasted and eaten as part of the meal on Seder night.
Beitzah; A roasted egg, symbolizing the korban chagigah (festival sacrifice) that was offered in the Temple in Jerusalem and roasted and eaten as part of the meal on Seder night.

Focus on the children

Since the retelling of the Exodus to one's child is the object of the Seder experience, much effort is made to arouse the interest and curiosity of the children and keep them awake during the meal. To that end, questions and answers are a central device in the Seder ritual. By encouraging children to ask questions, they will be more open to hearing the answers.

The Haggadah sets the tone for this question-and-answer format with several examples. The most famous question which the youngest child asks at the Seder is the Mah Nishtanah - "Why is this night different from all other nights?" After the asking of these questions, the main portion of the Seder, Magid, gives over the answers in the form of a historical review. Also, at different points in the Seder, the leader of the Seder will cover the matzot and uncover the Seder Plate; then cover the Seder Plate and uncover the matzot—all to elicit questions from the children.

Families will follow the Haggadah's lead by asking their own questions at various points in the Haggadah and offering prizes such as nuts and candies for correct answers. Some families act out parts of the Exodus story to keep the children lively and awake. The afikoman, which is hidden away for the "dessert" after the meal, is another device used to encourage children's participation. In some families, the leader of the Seder hides the afikoman and the children must find it, whereupon they receive a prize or reward. In other homes, the children hide the afikoman and the parent must look for it; when he gives up, the children demand a prize for revealing its location.

Order of the Seder

Kadeish (blessings and the first cup of wine)

Kadeish is Aramaic for Kiddush. This Kiddush is a special one for Passover, it refers to matzo and the Exodus from Egypt. Acting in a way that shows freedom and majesty, most Jews have the custom of filling each other's cups at the Seder table. The Kiddush is normally said by the father of the house.

Ur'chatz (wash hands)

In traditional Jewish homes, it is common to ritually wash the hands before a meal. No blessing is recited at this point in the Seder, unlike the blessing recited over the washing of the hands before eating bread at any other time. Some customs hold that only the head of the household washes his hands at this point.

Karpas (appetizer)

Each participant dips a vegetable into salt water as a reminder of the tears shed by their enslaved ancestors.

Yachatz (breaking of the middle matzah)

The middle of the three matzot on the Seder Plate is broken in two. The larger half is hidden, to be used later as the afikoman, the "dessert" after the meal.

Magid (The telling)

The story of Passover, and the change from slavery to freedom is told.

Ha Lachma Anya (invitation to the Seder)

The matzot are uncovered, and referred to as the "bread of affliction". Participants declare (in Aramaic) an invitation to all who are hungry or needy to join in the Seder.

Mah Nishtanah (The Four Questions)

It is customary for the youngest child to recite the Four Questions, and for the other participants to recite them quietly to themselves. Tradition holds that the questions are first asked by the youngest child who is able to do so. In some families, this means that the requirement remains on an adult "child" until a grandchild of the family receives sufficient Jewish education to take on the responsibility.

Ashkenazi version: Mah nishtanah ha-lahylah ha-zeh mi-kol ha-layloht?
Why is this night different from all other nights?

She-b'khol ha-layloht anu okhlin chameytz u-matzo. Ha-lahylah ha-zeh, ha-lahylah ha-zeh, kooloh matzo?
Why is it that on all other nights during the year we eat either bread or matzo, but on this night we eat only matzo?
She-b'khol ha-layloht anu okhlin sh'ar y'rakot. Ha-lahylah ha-zeh, ha-lahylah ha-zeh, maror?
Why is it that on all other nights we eat all kinds of herbs, but on this night we eat bitter herbs?
She-b'khol ha-layloht ayn anu mat'bilin afilu pa'am echat. Ha-lahylah ha-zeh, ha-lahylah ha-zeh, sh'tay p'amim?
Why is it that on all other nights we do not dip our herbs even once, but on this night we dip them twice?
She-b'khol ha-layloht anu okhlin bayn yosh'bin u'vayn m'soobin. Ha-lahylah ha-zeh, ha-lahylah ha-zeh, koolanu m'soobin?
Why is it that on all other nights we sit straight or leaning, but on this night we are all seated leaning?

The Four Sons

The Haggadah speaks of "four sons"—one who is wise, one who is wicked, one who is simple, and one who is too young to ask. Each of these sons phrase the question, "What is the meaning of this service?" in different ways. The Haggadah recommends answering each son according to his question, using one of the three verses in the Torah that refer to this father-son exchange.

The wise son, who inquires at length of the service, should be answered with the complete set of customs of the service. The wicked son, who asks his father, "What is this service to you?", isolates himself from the Jewish people. Therefore, he is rebuked by the explanation that "It is because God acted for my sake when I left Egypt." The simple son, who asks, "What is this?" is answered with "With a strong hand the Almighty led us out from Egypt, from the house of bondage." And the one who is too young to ask is told, "It is because of what the Almighty did for me when I left Egypt."

"Go and learn"

Four verses in Deuteronomy are then expounded. The Haggadah explores the meaning of those verses, and embellishes the story. This telling refers to the life of Moses, and his demand that Pharaoh free the Jewish slaves. According to the Bible, when Pharaoh refused, God brought Ten Plagues upon Egypt. The Ten Plagues were:

Dam (blood)—All the water was changed to blood
Tzefardeyah (frogs)—An infestation of frogs sprang up in Egypt
Kinim (lice)—The Egyptians were afflicted by lice
Arov (wild animals)—An infestation of wild animals (some say flies) sprang up in Egypt
Dever (pestilence)—A plague killed off the Egyptian livestock
Sh'chin (boils)—An epidemic of boils afflicted the Egyptians
Barad (hail)—Hail rained from the sky
Arbeh (locusts)—Locusts swarmed over Egypt
Choshech (darkness)—Egypt was covered in darkness
Makkat Bechorot (killing of the first-born)—All the first-born sons of the Egyptians were slain by God

Throughout the plagues, Pharaoh promises to free the Jewish slaves, but refuses when the plague subsides. The Jewish slaves were not affected by any of the plagues. When the tenth and final plague struck, Pharaoh ordered the Jewish slaves to leave Egypt immediately. However, he soon had a change of heart and chased after the Jewish slaves with his entire army, catching up with them at the Red Sea. At that point, God commanded Moses to raise his staff over the sea, and the waters parted. The Jewish people safely passed through the dried-up seabed; when the Egyptians followed, the sea closed up again and the entire army was drowned.

With the recital of the Ten Plagues, each participant removes a drop of wine from his or her cup using a fingertip. Although this night is one of salvation, the Sages explain that one cannot be completely joyous when some of God's creatures had to suffer.

At this part in the Seder, songs of praise are sung, including the song Dayeinu, which proclaims that had God performed any single one of the many deeds performed for the Jewish people, it would have been enough.

Kos Sheini (Second Cup of Wine)

Magid concludes with the drinking of the Second Cup of Wine.

Rachtzah (ritual washing of hands)

The ritual hand-washing is repeated, this time with the traditional blessing before breaking bread.

Motzi Matzo (blessings over the matzo)

The eating of the matzo, after the regular blessing for bread and another for the mitzvah of eating matzo.

Maror (bitter herb)

Bitter herbs are dipped into charoset, then the charoset is shaken off and the maror is eaten as a symbol of former slavery.

Koreich (sandwich)

The matzo and maror are combined, similar to a sandwich, and eaten. This follows the tradition of Hillel, who did the same at his Seder table 2000 years ago.

Shulchan Orech (the meal [literally, "set table"])

The festive meal is eaten.

Tzafun (eating of the afikoman)

The afikoman, which was hidden earlier in the Seder, is the last morsel of food eaten by participants in the Seder. In some homes, after an adult hides it, children search the house, trying to locate it. They are rewarded by money or a small gift after they locate it, since the Seder cannot be completed without the afikoman. Other families have a tradition where the children hide the afikoman and demand a ransom for it.

Each participant receives an olive-sized portion of matzo to be eaten as afikoman; many eat an additional, olive-sized portion of matzo as well. If there are many participants at the table, the leader of the Seder will supplement pieces of the original afikoman with other pieces of matzo to complete the required amount.

After the consumption of the afikoman, no other food may be eaten for the rest of the night.

Bareich (Grace after Meals)

The recital of Birkat Hamazon.

Kos Shlishi (the Third Cup of Wine)

The drinking of the Third Cup of Wine.

Kos shel Eliyahu ha-Navi (cup of Elijah the Prophet)

The front door of the house is opened and two verses from Psalms (79:6-7) are recited by all. Traditionally, Elijah the Prophet visits each home on Seder night as a foreshadowing of his future arrival at the end of the days, when he will come to announce the coming of the Jewish Messiah.

Hallel (songs of praise)

The entire order of Hallel which is usually recited in the synagogue on Jewish holidays is also recited at the Seder table, albeit sitting down. Afterwards the Fourth Cup of Wine is drunk.

Nirtzah

The Seder concludes with a prayer that the night's service be accepted. A hope for the Messiah is expressed: "L'shanah haba'ah b'Yerushalayim! - Next year in Jerusalem!"

Special Passover songs

Although the 15 orders of the Seder have been complete, the Haggadah concludes with additional songs which further recount the miracles that occurred on this night in Ancient Egypt as well as throughout history. Some songs express a prayer that the Beit Hamikdash will soon be rebuilt. The last song to be sung is Chad Gadya ("One Kid Goat"). This seemingly childish song about different animals and people who attempted to punish others for their crimes and were in turn punished themselves, was interpreted by the Vilna Gaon as an allegory to the retribution God will levy over the enemies of the Jewish people at the end of days.

Following the Seder, those who are still awake may recite the Song of Songs, engage in Torah learning, or continue talking about the events of the Exodus until sleep overtakes them.

Reference

Taub, Jonathan and Shaw, Yisroel (1993). The Malbim Haggadah. Southfield, Mich.: Targum Press Inc. ISBN 1-56871-007-0

External links

Passover Seder Explained by Eli Ha-Levi, BA, M.L.I.S.
A guide to the Seder chabad.org
Meta-questions for Discussion at the Passover Seder from a Conservative viewpoint
Haggadah and Seder insights Ohr Somayach
International Seder Directory - Find a Local Passover Seder