We have now told the story of Passover…but wait! We’re not quite done. There are still some symbols on our seder plate we haven’t talked about yet. Rabban Gamliel would say that whoever didn’t explain the shank bone, matzah, and marror (or bitter herbs) hasn’t done Passover justice.
The shank bone represents the Pesach, the special lamb sacrifice made in the days of the Temple for the Passover holiday. It is called the pesach, from the Hebrew word meaning “to pass over,” because God passed over the houses of our ancestors in Egypt when visiting plagues upon our oppressors.
The matzah reminds us that when our ancestors were finally free to leave Egypt, there was no time to pack or prepare. Our ancestors grabbed whatever dough was made and set out on their journey, letting their dough bake into matzah as they fled.
The bitter herbs provide a visceral reminder of the bitterness of slavery, the life of hard labor our ancestors experienced in Egypt.
Pour the second glass of wine for everyone.
The Haggadah doesn’t tell the story of Passover in a linear fashion. We don’t hear of Moses being found by the daughter of Pharaoh – actually, we don’t hear much of Moses at all. Instead, we get an impressionistic collection of songs, images, and stories of both the Exodus from Egypt and from Passover celebrations through the centuries. Some say that minimizing the role of Moses keeps us focused on the miracles God performed for us. Others insist that we keep the focus on the role that every member of the community has in bringing about positive change.
Chad Gadya
חַד גַּדְיָא, חַד גַּדְיָא
דְזַבִּין אַבָּא בִּתְרֵי זוּזֵי
חַד גַּדְיָא, חַד גַּדְיָא
Chad gadya, chad gadya
Dizabin abah bitrei zuzei
Chad gadya, chad gadya.
One little goat, one little goat:
Which my father brought for two zuzim.
One little goat, one little goat:
The cat came and ate the goat,
Which my father bought for two zuzim.
One little goat, one little goat:
The dog came and bit the cat
That ate the goat,
Which my father bought for two zuzim.
One little goat, one little goat:
The stick came and beat the dog
That bit the cat that ate the goat,
Which my father bought for two zuzim.
One little goat, one little goat:
The fire came and burned the stick
That beat the dog that bit the cat
That ate the goat,
Which my father bought for two zuzim.
One little goat, one little goat:
The water came and extinguished the
Fire that burned the stick
That beat the dog that bit the cat
That ate the goat,
Which my father bought for two zuzim.
One little goat, one little goat:
The ox came and drank the water
That extinguished the fire
That burned the stick that beat the dog That bit the cat that ate the goat,
Which my father bought for two zuzim.
One little goat, one little goat:
The butcher came and killed the ox,
That drank the water
That extinguished the fire
That burned the stick that beat the dog That bit the cat that ate the goat,
Which my father bought for two zuzim.
One little goat, one little goat:
The angle of death came and slew
The butcher who killed the ox,
That drank the water
That extinguished the fire
That burned the stick that beat the dog That bit the cat that ate the goat,
Which my father bought for two zuzim.
One little goat, one little goat:
The Holy One, Blessed Be He came and
Smote the angle of death who slew
The butcher who killed the ox,
That drank the water
That extinguished the fire
That burned the stick that beat the dog That bit the cat that ate the goat,
Which my father bought for two zuzim.
For many of us, the haMotzi, or blessing over bread, is one of the first blessings we learn. Each time we eat, our Jewish tradition offers us an opportunity to pause for a moment of gratitude. We recognize that nourishing our bodies is yet another moment for grace and gratitude. Before taking your first bite, take a brief moment to pause and say one of these blessings.
Before eating any kind of bread, say:
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם הַמּֽוֹצִיא לֶֽחֶם מִן הָאָֽרֶץ
Barukh atah Adonai Eloheinu melech ha’olam, hamotzi lekhem min ha-aretz.
Blessed are You, Adonai our God, Ruler of the universe, Who brings forth bread from the earth.
Before eating anything made of wheat, barley, rye, oats, spelt or rice, say:
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהוָֹה אֱלֺהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, בּוֹרֵא מִינֵי מְזוֹנוֹת
Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu melech ha’olam, borei minay mizonot
Blessed are You, Adonai our God, Ruler of the Universe, who created various kinds of nourishment.
Before eating tree-grown fruits say:
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהוָֹה אֱלֺהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הָעֵץ
Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu melech ha’olam, borei p'ri ha'etz
Blessed are You, Adonai our God, Ruler of the Universe, Who created the fruit of the tree.
Before eating earth-grown produce (vegetables) say:
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהוָֹה אֱלֺהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הָאֲדָמָה
Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu melech ha’olam, borei p'ri ha'adamah
Blessed are You, Adonai our God, Ruler of the Universe, Who creates the fruit of the earth.
Before eating meat, fish, milk, eggs, cheese, mushrooms, and before drinking all liquids except wine and grape juice, say:
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהוָֹה אֱלֺהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, שֶׁהַכֹּל נִהְיֶה בִּדְבָרוֹ:
Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu melech ha’olam, she'ha'kol nihiyeh bid'varo
Blessed are You, Adonai our God, Ruler of the Universe, by Whose word all things came to be.
After eating, here is a brief blessing, in Aramaic, to give thanks after your meal:
בריך רחמנא מלכא דעלמא מריה דהאי פיתא
Brich rachamana malka d’alma marei d’hai pita.
We are blessed with compassion by you, Infinite One, who sustains us with bread.
Adapted from the Babylonian Talmud (Brachot 40b)
Sources: My Jewish Learning, Reform Judaism, OneTable and Sefaria (compiled)
Tonight, we gather together to celebrate Passover. Passover is a holiday commemorating the Israelites’ liberation from slavery and their exodus from Egypt, as told in the beginning of the Book of Exodus in the Hebrew Bible. Following the command that the story should always be taught to the next generation, Jews across time and space have celebrated this joyful holiday. As you might imagine, there are many aspects of the Passover celebration that have withstood the millennia of observance, and many traditions have been added, taken away and changed over time.
Tonight, we will eat a great meal together, enjoy four glasses (at least!) of wine, and tell the story of our ancestors’ liberation from slavery. We welcome all our guests to reflect with us on the meaning of freedom in each of our lives, traditions and histories. We will have the opportunity to consider our blessings, pledge to work harder at freeing those who still suffer, and try to cast off the things in our own lives that feel oppressive.
As we get started, get comfortable! Find a pillow to help you recline. In ancient times, eating while lounging on a pillow or couch was a sign of freedom. We anticipate this seder should take about 45 minutes from start to dinner. Enjoy!
We have now told the story of Passover…but wait! We’re not quite done. There are still some symbols on our seder plate we haven’t talked about yet. Rabban Gamliel would say that whoever didn’t explain the shank bone, matzah, and marror (or bitter herbs) hasn’t done Passover justice.
The shank bone represents the Pesach, the special lamb sacrifice made in the days of the Temple for the Passover holiday. It is called the pesach, from the Hebrew word meaning “to pass over,” because God passed over the houses of our ancestors in Egypt when visiting plagues upon our oppressors.
The matzah reminds us that when our ancestors were finally free to leave Egypt, there was no time to pack or prepare. Our ancestors grabbed whatever dough was made and set out on their journey, letting their dough bake into matzah as they fled.
The bitter herbs provide a visceral reminder of the bitterness of slavery, the life of hard labor our ancestors experienced in Egypt.
Pour the second glass of wine for everyone.
The Haggadah doesn’t tell the story of Passover in a linear fashion. We don’t hear of Moses being found by the daughter of Pharaoh – actually, we don’t hear much of Moses at all. Instead, we get an impressionistic collection of songs, images, and stories of both the Exodus from Egypt and from Passover celebrations through the centuries. Some say that minimizing the role of Moses keeps us focused on the miracles God performed for us. Others insist that we keep the focus on the role that every member of the community has in bringing about positive change.
Chad Gadya
חַד גַּדְיָא, חַד גַּדְיָא
דְזַבִּין אַבָּא בִּתְרֵי זוּזֵי
חַד גַּדְיָא, חַד גַּדְיָא
Chad gadya, chad gadya
Dizabin abah bitrei zuzei
Chad gadya, chad gadya.
One little goat, one little goat:
Which my father brought for two zuzim.
One little goat, one little goat:
The cat came and ate the goat,
Which my father bought for two zuzim.
One little goat, one little goat:
The dog came and bit the cat
That ate the goat,
Which my father bought for two zuzim.
One little goat, one little goat:
The stick came and beat the dog
That bit the cat that ate the goat,
Which my father bought for two zuzim.
One little goat, one little goat:
The fire came and burned the stick
That beat the dog that bit the cat
That ate the goat,
Which my father bought for two zuzim.
One little goat, one little goat:
The water came and extinguished the
Fire that burned the stick
That beat the dog that bit the cat
That ate the goat,
Which my father bought for two zuzim.
One little goat, one little goat:
The ox came and drank the water
That extinguished the fire
That burned the stick that beat the dog That bit the cat that ate the goat,
Which my father bought for two zuzim.
One little goat, one little goat:
The butcher came and killed the ox,
That drank the water
That extinguished the fire
That burned the stick that beat the dog That bit the cat that ate the goat,
Which my father bought for two zuzim.
One little goat, one little goat:
The angle of death came and slew
The butcher who killed the ox,
That drank the water
That extinguished the fire
That burned the stick that beat the dog That bit the cat that ate the goat,
Which my father bought for two zuzim.
One little goat, one little goat:
The Holy One, Blessed Be He came and
Smote the angle of death who slew
The butcher who killed the ox,
That drank the water
That extinguished the fire
That burned the stick that beat the dog That bit the cat that ate the goat,
Which my father bought for two zuzim.
For many of us, the haMotzi, or blessing over bread, is one of the first blessings we learn. Each time we eat, our Jewish tradition offers us an opportunity to pause for a moment of gratitude. We recognize that nourishing our bodies is yet another moment for grace and gratitude. Before taking your first bite, take a brief moment to pause and say one of these blessings.
Before eating any kind of bread, say:
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם הַמּֽוֹצִיא לֶֽחֶם מִן הָאָֽרֶץ
Barukh atah Adonai Eloheinu melech ha’olam, hamotzi lekhem min ha-aretz.
Blessed are You, Adonai our God, Ruler of the universe, Who brings forth bread from the earth.
Before eating anything made of wheat, barley, rye, oats, spelt or rice, say:
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהוָֹה אֱלֺהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, בּוֹרֵא מִינֵי מְזוֹנוֹת
Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu melech ha’olam, borei minay mizonot
Blessed are You, Adonai our God, Ruler of the Universe, who created various kinds of nourishment.
Before eating tree-grown fruits say:
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהוָֹה אֱלֺהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הָעֵץ
Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu melech ha’olam, borei p'ri ha'etz
Blessed are You, Adonai our God, Ruler of the Universe, Who created the fruit of the tree.
Before eating earth-grown produce (vegetables) say:
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהוָֹה אֱלֺהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הָאֲדָמָה
Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu melech ha’olam, borei p'ri ha'adamah
Blessed are You, Adonai our God, Ruler of the Universe, Who creates the fruit of the earth.
Before eating meat, fish, milk, eggs, cheese, mushrooms, and before drinking all liquids except wine and grape juice, say:
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהוָֹה אֱלֺהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, שֶׁהַכֹּל נִהְיֶה בִּדְבָרוֹ:
Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu melech ha’olam, she'ha'kol nihiyeh bid'varo
Blessed are You, Adonai our God, Ruler of the Universe, by Whose word all things came to be.
After eating, here is a brief blessing, in Aramaic, to give thanks after your meal:
בריך רחמנא מלכא דעלמא מריה דהאי פיתא
Brich rachamana malka d’alma marei d’hai pita.
We are blessed with compassion by you, Infinite One, who sustains us with bread.
Adapted from the Babylonian Talmud (Brachot 40b)
Sources: My Jewish Learning, Reform Judaism, OneTable and Sefaria (compiled)
Tonight, we gather together to celebrate Passover. Passover is a holiday commemorating the Israelites’ liberation from slavery and their exodus from Egypt, as told in the beginning of the Book of Exodus in the Hebrew Bible. Following the command that the story should always be taught to the next generation, Jews across time and space have celebrated this joyful holiday. As you might imagine, there are many aspects of the Passover celebration that have withstood the millennia of observance, and many traditions have been added, taken away and changed over time.
Tonight, we will eat a great meal together, enjoy four glasses (at least!) of wine, and tell the story of our ancestors’ liberation from slavery. We welcome all our guests to reflect with us on the meaning of freedom in each of our lives, traditions and histories. We will have the opportunity to consider our blessings, pledge to work harder at freeing those who still suffer, and try to cast off the things in our own lives that feel oppressive.
As we get started, get comfortable! Find a pillow to help you recline. In ancient times, eating while lounging on a pillow or couch was a sign of freedom. We anticipate this seder should take about 45 minutes from start to dinner. Enjoy!
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