Some groundrules before we start:

1. You can opt out at any time from anything without challenge
2. You are encouraged to ask questions. Please ask questions.
There are no stupid questions. QUESTIONS.
3. You can be irreverent but being irreligious is just killing the party,
dudes.
4. We know Judaism is weird compared to Christianity. Weird
things can have power and significance, and be important unifying
factors. You're allowed to find things foreign and odd but please
understand that they have been important to millions of people for
thousands of years
5. Jewish humour involves a lot of self-deprecation. Pesach is a
festival with a lot of opportunity for this humour, because it is a
festival about discussing our heritage. We're going to play around
with stuff a lot, and for tonight you can too, because you're our
guests. We just ask you to be mindful that these are jokes of
cultural ownership, and that Judaism is a frequently maligned
minority. Please be respectful and understand that outside of the
seder it is not your place to mock our customs (and inside the seder
it's not your place unless there's respect in your jokes)
Candle lighting - Hadlakat Nerot
Traditionally candles are lit to begin the seder, marking the beginning of this
festival

Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech haolam,

asher kid’shanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu
l’hadlik ner shel (Shabbat v’shel) Yom Tov

Blessed are You, our God, Ruler of the world,

who sanctifies us with mitzvot
and calls upon us to kindle the lights of (Shabbat and) the Festival day

The Shehecheyanu prayer usually follows the first blessing when we celebrate a
unique or a cyclical event.

Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech haolam,

shehecheyanu v’kiy’manu v’higianu laz’man hazeh.

Blessed are You, our God, Ruler of the world,

who keeps us in life, sustains us, and enables us to reach this season.
Miriam’s Cup - Kos Miryam
The inclusion of a cup for Miriam is a modern addition to the seder, developed
to acknowledge the importance of this central character in the Exodus story,
and through her the importance of women in Judaism. Miriam is the sister of
Moses, and is considered by the Torah to be a Prophet. In Midrash
(explanatory stories told by the rabbis) she is given this honour due to her
insistence that the Israelites in Egypt defy Pharaoh’s decree to stop
reproducing.

Following the Exodus from Egypt Miriam has a gift for finding fresh sources of
water, and is therefore essential to the survival of the Israelites in the desert.
We therefore share a cup of water in her honour during the seder.

Zot kos Miryam, kos mayim chayim. Zeicher litziat Mitzrayim

This is the cup of Miriam, the cup of living waters, a reminder of the Exodus from Egypt

[Pour water from the kos Miryam into every guest’s cup]

Ali v’eir enu lah. Ush’avtem mayim b’sason mimaay’nei ha-y’shuah

Spring up, well! We shall respond for we have been promised:

And you shall draw water in joy from the wells of redemption

[All drink, leaning to the left]

For Shabbat:
Vay’hi erev vay’hi voker yom hashishi. Vay’chulu hashamayim v’haaretz v’chol tz’vaam.
First Cup of Wine - Kadeish
Vay’chal Elohim bayom hash’vi-I m’lachto asher asah. Vayishbot bayom hash’vi-i mikol m’lachto
asher asah.
With this first
Vay’varech cup
Elohim et of
yomwine we begin
hash’vi-I to celebrate
vay’kadeish oto ki voour ownmikol
shavat freedom.
m’lachtoWith
asherthis
bara
Elohim laasot.
celebration we also must acknowledge that there are many people all over the
world who are not free, and we drink this wine to acknowledge our awareness
And it was evening, and it was morning, the sixth day. Now the whole universe - sky, earth, and
of their
all this injustice.
array - was completed. God completed the work of creation on the seventh day and
rested, for all the work was completed. Then God blessed the seventh day and called it holy, for
[Pour wine or grape juice for each guest]
God rested on that day, having completed the work of creation.
ֶ‫גַברוךֶ האֵגַתה פיִגַיִ אאֵלֱרֹהיִנו פָמפָלךֶ גַהעָוּוגַלםָ בוּורֹראֵ פפ רְּריִ ההגַגפָפן‬.
Hand-washing - Ur’chatz
Hand-washing is a traditional ritual of Jewish celebratory meals. The seder
includes two hand-washings: this one now before dipping karpas, which does
not constitute a meal and therefore does not require a blessing, and one later
prior to the festival meal.

[Pass a pitcher, basin, and towel around the table]

[Rinse and dry your hands]

Let our telling pour forth like water, strengthening spirits, refreshing souls.

Greens - Karpas
One of the symbolic elements on the seder plate is the karpas, a green
vegetable dipped in salt water. This salt water symbolises the tears of our
people in slavery, and of and other people who are slaves. The green vegetable
represents spring and renewal of life.

[Dip the greens in salt water]

Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech haolam,

borei p’ri haadamah

Blessed are You, our God, Ruler of the world,

Creator of the fruit of the earth

[Eat the greens]

Dividing the Middle Matzah - Yachatz
[Lift the plate with the three matzot and raise the middle matzah for all to see, then break
the middle matzah in two and set aside the larger piece as the afikoman]

The head of the seder divides the middle matzah and designates the larger
piece to be the afikoman. This is to be hidden, and traditionally the children of
the family will later go looking for it. The afikoman is supposed to be eaten
after the meal, and its recovery is a symbol that what seems broken may be
repaired, and what seems lost may yet be recovered.

Once the afikoman is found, the head of the seder bargains with the children to
get it back. This activity is supposed to keep the children awake and curious
throughout the evening. The afikoman gives closure to the seder.

In some traditions the individual matzot are representative of parts of the

community. Often they symbolise priestly groups, however they can also be
seen as a representation of the free who care (represented by the upper
sheet), the unfree (represented by the trapped middle sheet) and the free who
don’t care (represented by the bottom sheet). We break the middle sheet to
symbolically break the chains of the unfree, in the hope that their burdens will
be broken in the coming year. In this symbolism the finding of the afikoman
and the sharing of it by the whole seder also becomes representative of us
welcoming the newly freed person into our community.

During the seder the words ‘next year in Israel’ are invoked (this is repeated at
the end of the seder to leave it as a lasting thought in our minds). As the
symbol of Judaism’s covenant with God Israel represents more than land; it
represents an ideal of community, of belonging, and of freedom and autonomy
to control our own destiny. Until we are able to help every person achieve
these things then there are still bonds binding us.

This year we are still slaves. Next year we hope that we will be truly free.
 Telling the Story - Magid
The Bread of Affliction
[Lift up the matzot]

Eating matzah on Pesach reminds us of the suffering of all people who are
enslaved. It is the symbol of our forebears’ slavery in Egypt, and a reminder
that we still struggle against suffering today. The seder meal is an opening of
the community to welcome in all who are hungry or without a sense of
inclusion. It is a way of honouring where we have come from and a reminder
to empathise with those less privileged than us.
[Put down the plate of matzot and cover it]

[refer to NA Haggadah for commentaries]

Four Questions
[Pour the second cup]

Mah nishtanah halailah hazeh mikol haleilot?

Sheb’chol haleilot anu ochlin chameitz umatzah. Halailah hazeh kulo matzah.
Sheb’chol haleilot anu ochlin sh’ar y’rakot. Halailah hazeh maror.
Sheb’chol haleilot ein anu matbilin afilu paam echat. Halailah hazeh sh’tei f’amim.
Sheb’chol haleilot anu ochlin bein yoshvin uvein m’subin. Halailah hazeh kulanu m’subin.

How is this night different from every other night of the year?
Every other night we eat bread or matzah. Why do we eat only matzah tonight?
Every other night we eat all sorts of vegetables. Why do we eat maror tonight?
Every other night we eat vegetables as part of the meal. Why do we eat vegetables dipped in
salt water and maror dipped in chopped fruit before we even start the meal?
Every other night we may sit upright or lean at the table. Why are we supposed to lean
tonight?

Traditionally the Ma Nishtanah is sung by the youngest person in the family, in

celebration of the curiosity of youth. Judaism is a religion which emphasises
the importance of both questioning and teaching, believing that the questions
which sustain us are the questions one generation asks another. By passing our
teachings and our yearning for knowledge from generation to generation we
are able to build mechanisms through which to develop an understanding of
our past and present world and build a better future.
We Were Slaves
The story goes that we were once slaves, and now we are free. We were slaves
to Pharaoh in Egypt but God brought us out with an outstretched arm. If God
had not brought our ancestors out of Egypt then we, and our children, and our
children’s children would still be slaves there.

This story reminds us that we have the luxury of freedom, and it is our
responsibility to ensure that we are grateful for our privileges and are willing to
strive for their universality.

Rabbinic Tales

Rabbi Eliezer, Rabbi Yehoshua, Rabbi Elazar ben Azaryah, Rabbi Akiva and Rabbi Tarfon we so
involved in talking about the Exodus from Egypt that they didn’t notice the time. They had
debated all through the night. Their students finally came to tell them that it was already
light outside and time to say the morning prayers.

Rabbi Eleazar ben Azariah said, “Behold: I am like a seventy-year-old man, yet I never
understood why we tell the story of the Exodus from Egypt at night until Ben Zoma explained
it, saying, “In order that you will remember the day of your Exodus from Egypt all the days of
your life”. Had it meant only the days, it would have been written, “the days of your life”. But
“all the days of your life” includes the nights as well.

The purpose of these stories is again to remind us of the centrality of the

retelling of the Exodus story to Jewish identity, and its connection to the
struggle for freedom. The first story highlights the endless questioning and
debate that is at the heart of Judaism, and is commonly thought to have a
rebellious undertone, as it is thought that the lengthy seder was in fact a front
for anti-Roman rebellion plans. The second story reminds us that this spirit of
debate and yearning for freedom should be worn in our hearts throughout our
lives, not just when we are required to think about it.

In order to attain freedom we must allow people to develop to the full extent
of their capabilities, choices and responsibilities. We must be willing to
understand and support the true uniqueness of every person and allow their
ability to grow as an individual. Through this we can hope that one day we lose

The Talmud says that Jews teach our children to ask because in the womb, each of us knows
all the secrets of the universe, but just before birth, an angel touches us above our lips to
make us forget. It is therefore that it is the business of the rest of our life to question and
learn.

track of the time whilst discussing freedom.

Four Children
When we tell the story of leaving Egypt, we must explain it in a way that
everyone can understand. The Torah tells us of four types of children: one is
wise, one is wicked, one is simple and one does not know how to ask. We must
be able to engage with each type of children in order to be able to fully explain
the meaning of freedom.

The wise asks: “What are the teachings and commandments? What are our
responsibilities to those less fortunate than us?”

The wise child is curious, interested, and eager to learn. It is important to note
that they are not yet full of knowledge, but that wisdom is defined by an
interest in learning more. Our responsibility is to praise the child who engages
with social issues, encouraging them to take an active place in the community.

The wicked asks: “What meaning does this have for you? And why should I care
about others?”

The wicked child takes a step back, removing themself from their responsibility
to others. Judaism suggests that we respond ‘with pointed teeth’, reminding
them that a person who does nothing for others cannot expect others to
support them.

The artless child asks: “What is this? What can we do to help these people?”

The artless child is overwhelmed and at a loss. Often it is difficult to know

where to start to engage with a subject, and in this case it is the responsibility
of those more knowledgeable to help guide those who are confused, to
prevent their confusion turning to apathy.

And what do we say to the child who does not know how to ask?

We tell them that there is a commandment: ‘Thou shalt not stand idly by the
shedding of the blood of thy fellow man’. In Hebrew the word is not specific to
other Jews but refers to our fellow human beings, Jewish or not.
[refer to NA Haggadah for commentaries]
The story goes…
[refer to NA Haggadah for story and commentaries]

The Plagues
When Moses went down to Egypt to ask for the release of the Hebrew slaves
Pharaoh’s heart was hardened and he prevented our ancestors from leaving.
As a result God sent plagues to punish the Egyptians until he was broken down
and let us go. We do not rejoice, however, over his downfall and defeat. We
cannot be glad when any person needlessly suffers, even our enemies who
seek to destroy us.

The custom of removing a drop of wine for each plague dates back to medieval
times, and reminds of the misery of the innocent Egyptians. We diminish our
joy as we recount the suffering of these people.

[We remove a drop of wine from our cups as we recall each plague.]

Blood Dam

Frogs Tz’fardei-a

Lice Kinim

Wild beasts Arov

Pestilence Dever

Boils Sh’chin

Hail Barad

Locusts Arbeh

Darkness Choshech

Death of the First-Born Makat B’chorot

[refer to NA Haggadah for commentaries]

 Dayeinu
Dayeinu is a song celebrating all the steps in God’s liberation of our ancestors
from Egypt. In this story God is our saviour, but these days it is our
responsibility to help out those less fortunate than us. Dayeinu reminds us that
each small step is important for achieving the ultimate goal of freedom.

If He had brought us out from Egypt, Ilu hotzianu mimitzrayim,

and had not carried out judgments against them v'lo asah bahem sh'fatim,
Dayeinu, it would have been enough! dayeinu!

If He had carried out judgments against them, Ilu asah bahem sh'fatim
and not against their idols v'lo asah beloheihem,
Dayeinu, it would have been enough! dayeinu!

If He had destroyed their idols, Ilu asah beloheihem,

and had not smitten their first-born v'lo harag et b'choreihem,
Dayeinu, it would have been enough! dayeinu!

If He had smitten their first-born, Ilu harag et b'choreihem,

and had not given us their wealth v'lo natan lanu et mamonam,
Dayeinu, it would have been enough! dayeinu!

If He had given us their wealth, Ilu natan lanu et mamonam,

and had not split the sea for us v'lo kara lanu et hayam,
Dayeinu, it would have been enough! dayeinu!

If He had split the sea for us, Ilu kara lanu et hayam,
and had not taken us through it on dry land v'lo he'eviranu b'tocho becharavah,
Dayeinu, it would have been enough! dayeinu!

If He had taken us through the sea on dry land, Ilu he'eviranu b'tocho becharavah,
and had not drowned our oppressors in it v'lo shika tzareinu b'tocho,
Dayeinu, it would have been enough! dayeinu!
If He had drowned our oppressors in it,
Ilu shika tzareinu b'tocho,
and had not supplied our needs in the desert for
v'lo sipeik tzorkeinu bamidbar arba'im shana,
forty years
dayeinu!
Dayeinu, it would have been enough!
If He had supplied our needs in the desert for
Ilu sipeik tzorkeinu bamidbar arba'im shana,
forty years,
v'lo he'echilanu et haman,
and had not fed us the manna
dayeinu!
Dayeinu, it would have been enough!
If He had fed us the manna, Ilu he'echilanu et haman,
and had not given us the Shabbat v'lo natan lanu et hashabbat,
Dayeinu, it would have been enough! dayeinu!

If He had given us the Shabbat, Ilu natan lanu et hashabbat,

and had not brought us before Mount Sinai v'lo keirvanu lifnei har sinai,
Dayeinu, it would have been enough! dayeinu!
 If He had brought us before Mount Sinai, Ilu keirvanu lifnei har sinai,
and had not given us the Torah v'lo natan lanu et hatorah,
Dayeinu, it would have been enough! Dayeinu

If He had given us the Torah, Ilu natan lanu et hatorah,

and had not brought us into the land of Israel v'lo hichnisanu l'eretz yisra'eil,
Dayeinu, it would have been enough! dayeinu!

If He had brought us into the land of Israel, Ilu hichnisanu l'eretz yisra'eil,
and not built for us the Holy Temple v'lo vanah lanu et beit hamikdash,
Dayeinu, it would have been enough! Dayeinu

What does this mean, ‘It would have been enough’? Surely no one of these
alone would indeed have been enough for us. The key is that we should
celebrate each step toward freedom as if it were enough, and then to start out
on the next. If we reject each step because it is not the whole liberation we
will never be able to achieve the whole liberation.

This does not give us permission to be passive. We celebrate each step but we
must continue to strive towards tikkun olam, our obligation to repair the world.
An alternative Dayeinu should then be considered:

If we were to ensure the Jewish people never return to slavery, but not to protect other
minorities from violence, it would not be enough for us

If we were to protect other minorities from violence, but not to treat them with honour and
respect, it would not be enough for us

If we were to treat other minorities with honour and respect, but not to make an effort to truly
understand their struggle, it would not be enough for us

If we were to make an effort to truly understand the struggle of minorities, but not to end their
oppression, it would not be enough for us

The singing of Dayeinu varies in different cultural groups. It is traditional in Afghanistan and
Iran to beat your fellow seder members with spring onions during the verse about the
manna. This recalls the passage in the Torah where the wandering Hebrews complain that
they have nothing but manna to eat, where back in Egypt they had many different foods,
including spring onions. This is by far one of the best stories in the Tanakh and ends in a
spiteful flood of quail. By hitting one another with onions we remember that though the
food in Egypt was more exciting, it had the drawback of being the food of slavery.

It is also tradition to sing the chorus of Dayeinu during Israeli productions of Rocky Horror
Picture Show, after the line “if only we hadn't made this journey...if only the car hadn't
broken down...oh, if only we were amongst friends...or sane persons”.
Second Cup of Wine - Kos Sheini
The second cup of wine represents God’s promise to free us from slavery.

[Raise the second cup]

Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech haolam,

borei p’ri hagafen

Blessed are You, our God, Ruler of the world,

Creator of the fruit of the vine

[Drink, leaning to the left]

Seder Symbols
It is said that “those who do not explain these three symbols of Pesach has not
fulfilled the obligation of observing the seder”. These symbols are the pesach
(or z’roa), the matzah and the maror.

Pesach
[Point to the bone but do not lift it]

This bone represents the sacrifice that our ancestors ate in the time of the
Temple. This sacrifice commemorated that sacrifice made by our ancestors in
Egypt, where they marked their doorposts with blood so that God would pass
over their houses and spare them.

Matzah
[Raise the broken middle matzah]

At the beginning of our Seder we say ‘this is the bread of affliction which our
ancestors ate in the land of Egypt. Let all who are hungry come and eat’. What
hospitality is that, offering guests the bread of affliction?

Matzah has two different symbolisms. At the beginning we call it the bread of
affliction, but at this point in the Seder we describe it as the bread of freedom
which our ancestors consumed as they were leaving slavery. How do you
transform the bread of affliction into the bread of freedom? By sharing it with
others. When we share our bread with others, we have taken the first step
from affliction to freedom. Sharing our vulnerabilities, we discover strength.
Reaching out to others, giving help to the needy, food to the hungry, we bring
human solidarity; which is the beginning of freedom.

Maror
[Lower the matzah and raise the maror]

Traditionally we eat the bitter herb to remind us of our time of slavery. Cruelty,
violence and oppression plague every human society, darken our world,
embitter our lives, and challenge us to raise our voices in the name of justice.
It has also been suggested that bitter herbs are eaten in order to awaken the
senses and make the eater feel more alive.
Why do we have an orange on our seder plate?
There are two versions of the origin of this tradition. The best known tells of a
rabbi responding that “a woman belongs at the bimah like an orange on the
seder plate” when asked about the place of women as rabbis in Judaism. The
alternative and original version is more convoluted, but no less important. It
deals with an early feminist Haggadah suggesting the inclusion of a crust of
bread on the seder plate, referencing a rabbinical sneer that queer women
“have as much a place [in Judaism] as a crust of bread on the seder plate”. Dr
Susannah Heschel, two whom this plan was proposed, instead suggested an
orange, as adding bread would render the whole seder chametz. The orange
represents the fruitfulness of queer Jews, its seeds representing their rebirth
into their own community.

The symbolism grew to cover other maligned members of the community. In

spitting out the seeds we symbolically reject the hatred of Jews ostracised by
the greater community. As a communal religion made up of many different
people with varying experiences Judaism is segmented, like an orange. This
fruit therefore has as much a place on the seder plate as any of the more
traditional element, just as minorities have as much a place in our community
as the more visible and traditional members of it.

In every generation…
In every generation a person is obligated to see themselves as if they were the
one who went out of slavery in Egypt. This legacy of freedom is not a thing of
the past; it is relevant to all of us here in the present, and it is our responsibility
to ensure that we continue to strive for the freedom that we have been given.

As the rabbis put it:

Lo ha midrash ha-ikkar, ela ha-ma’aseh

The telling alone is not enough; it must lead us to act in the world

[refer to NA Haggadah for commentaries]

Hand-washing - Rochtzah
Hand-washing at this part of the seder involves a prayer, symbolising the
cleansing of our hands to make them holy. It reminds us that we have a
responsibility to do good works with these hands, building freedom for all who
suffer.

[Pass a pitcher, basin, and towel around the table]

[Rinse and dry your hands]

Baruch atah, Adonai, eloheinu melech ha’olam,

asher kidshanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu al netilat yadayim

Blessed are you, Adonai, Ruler of the world,

who sanctifies us with the commandment to wash our hands

Motzi/Matzah
We eat matzah tonight, as this was the food which our ancestors ate leaving
Egypt, as they did not have time to wait for their bread to rise. It reminds us
that when the chance for liberation comes we must seize it, even if we do not
feel ready. If we wait until we are fully ready we may miss our chance or not
act at all.

[hand around a piece of matzah to every member of the seder]

Baruch atah, Adonai, eloheinu melech ha’olam,

hamotzi lechem min ha’aretz.

Baruch atah, Adonai, eloheinu melech ha’olam,

asher kidshanu b’mitzvotav, v’tzivanu al achilat matzah.

Blessed are you, Adonai, Ruler of the world,

who brings forth bread from the earth

Blessed are you, Adonai, Ruler of the world,

who sanctifies us with the commandment to eat matzah

[eat the matzah]

Bitter Herbs - Maror
The maror is eaten to remind us of the bitterness of bondage, and the charoset
represents the mortar used to make the bricks our ancestors laid in Egypt.
Though the charoset represents slave labour it is sweet, reminding us that
sometimes oppression can be masked in familiar sweetness, and needs to be
thought of in a critical light in order to see the truth. Combining the two tastes
reminds us that life is a combination of sweetness and bitterness, and that we
should seek balance between the two.
[hand around some maror and charoset to every member of the seder]

Baruch atah, Adonai, eloheinu melech ha’olam,

asher kidshanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu al achilat maror.

Blessed are you, Adonai, Ruler of the world,

who sanctifies us with the commandment to eat the bitter herb.

[eat the maror and charoset]

Hillel Sandwich - Koreich

The Hillel sandwich originates with the sage Hillel the Wise, who combined
matzah and maror together to represent the whole theme of the seder. The
bread of liberation is here combined with the remembrance of the bitterness
of slavery, becoming pesach in sandwich form.

[hand around some maror between pieces of matzah to every member of the seder]

[eat the sandwich]

The Egg - Beitzah

Eating a hardboiled egg during the seder is customary in many Jewish
communities. The egg on the seder plate represents spring (the season this
pilgrimage festival takes place in in Israel) and rebirth, our passage from one
state of being into another.

[hand around a hard boiled egg (in salt water if you like) to every member of the seder]

[eat the egg]

The Festival Meal - Shulchan Oreich

Recovering the Hidden Afikoman - Tzafun

Blessing After the Meal - Bareich
Third Cup of Wine - Kos Sh’lishi
The Cup of Hope - Kos Eliyahu
Songs of Praise - Hallel
Fourth Cup of Wine - Kos R’vi-i
Counting the Omer - S’firat HaOmer
Songs - Shirim
Conclusion - Nirtzah