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אַדִּיר הוּא אַדִּיר הוּא, יִבְנֶה בֵּיתוֹ בְּקָרוֹב. בִּמְהֵרָה, בִּמְהֵרָה, בְּיָמֵינוּ בְּקָרוֹב. אֵל בְּנֵה, אֵל בְּנֵה,  בְּנֵה בֵּיתְךָ בְּקָרוֹב. בָּחוּר הוּא, גָּדוֹל הוּא, דָּגוּל הוּא, יִבְנֶה בֵּיתוֹ בְּקָרוֹב. בִּמְהֵרָה,בִּמְהֵרָה, בְּיָמֵינוּ בְּקָרוֹב. אֵל בְּנֵה, אֵל בְּנֵה, בְּנֵה בֵּיתְךָ בְּקָרוֹב. הָדוּר הוּא, וָתִיק הוּא, זַכַּאי הוּא, חָסִיד הוּא, יִבְנֶה בֵּיתוֹ בְּקָרוֹב. בִּמְהֵרָה,בִּמְהֵרָה, בְּיָמֵינוּ בְּקָרוֹב. אֵל בְּנֵה, אֵל בְּנֵה, בְּנֵה בֵּיתְךָ בְּקָרוֹב. טָהוֹר הוּא, יָחִיד הוּא, כַּבִּיר הוּא, לָמוּד הוּא, מֶלֶךְ הוּא, יִבְנֶה בֵּיתוֹ בְּקָרוֹב. בִּמְהֵרָה,בִּמְהֵרָה, בְּיָמֵינוּ בְּקָרוֹב. אֵל בְּנֵה, אֵל בְּנֵה, בְּנֵה בֵּיתְךָ בְּקָרוֹב....

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                 Maggid – Four Questions מַהנִּשְּׁתַּנָה ?מַה נִּשְּׁתַּנָה הַלַּיְלָה הַזֶּה מִכָּל הַלֵּילוֹת Mah nish-ta-na ha-lai-lah ha-zeh mikol ha-lei-lot? Why is this night of Passover different from all other nights of the year? שֶׁבְּכָל הַלֵּילוֹת אָנוּ אוֹכְלִין חָמֵץ וּמַצָּה, הַלַּיְלָה הַזֶּה - כּוּלוֹ מַצָּה She-b'chol ha-lei-lot anu och'lin cha-meitz u-matzah. Ha-laylah hazeh kulo matzah. On all other nights, we eat either leavened or unleavened bread, why on this night do we eat only matzah? שֶׁבְּכָל הַלֵּילוֹת אָנוּ אוֹכְלִין שְׁאָר יְרָקוֹת, - הַלַּיְלָה הַזֶּה...

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Don t get me wrong Pesach is a lot of work but for me it pays off! Growing up, I always thought Pesach was my least favorite holiday. We always had to go to Great Aunt Leigh’s house, where my Grandfather and his siblings sat at the table and read from the Haggadah in Hebrew from start to finish while we all listened. I understood nothing, was told you can’t eat, sit still and no talking. The bright side was I...

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Ritually wash hands without reciting the blessing. The need for hand washing before eating vegetables is no longer a ritual requirement, however, it is included here in the traditional Seder.

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Intro Anyone who wants to come to the seder can come Ma nishtanah: asking the questions Ginut: Shame Avadim Hayinu (Shmuel’s Opinion) Ma'aseh b'Rabbi Eliezer First year there was pesach after the destruction of the second temple 4 sons/ baruch hamakom Rosh chodesh Metchilah avoda zara (Rav’s opinion) Vehi sheamda Tzeh ulmad: Lavan Vayered mitzraima Middle Story of Yetziat mitzraim:  First we were slaves, then we became a great nation and numerous, he took us out with a zeroah netuyah, than...

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Maggid – Exodus Story עֲבָדִים הָיִינו עֲבָדִים הָיִינוּ לְפַרְעֹה בְּמִצְרָיִם, וַיּוֹצִיאֵנוּ יי אֱלֹהֵינוּ מִשָּׁם בְּיָד חֲזָקָה וּבִזְרוֹעַ נְטוּיָה. וְאִלּוּ לֹא הוֹצִיא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אֶת אֲבוֹתֵינוּ מִמִּצְרָיִם, הֲרֵי אָנוּ וּבָנֵינוּ וּבְנֵי בָנֵינוּ מְשֻׁעְבָּדִים הָיִינוּ לְפַרְעֹה בְּמִצְרָיִם. וַאֲפִילוּ כֻּלָנוּ חֲכָמִים, כֻּלָנוּ נְבוֹנִים, כֻּלָנוּ זְקֵנִים, כֻּלָנוּ יוֹדְעִים אֶת הַתּוֹרָה, מִצְוָה עָלֵינוּ לְסַפֵּר בִּיצִיאַת מִצְרַיִם. וְכָל הַמַרְבֶּה לְסַפֵּר בִּיצִיאַת מִצְרַיִם הֲרֵי זֶה מְשֻׁבָּח. Avadim hayinu l'faroh b'mitzrayim. Vayotzi-einu Adonai Eloheinu misham, b'yad chazakah uvizroa n'tuyah, v'ilu lo hotzi hakadosh Baruch hu et avoteinu mimitzrayim,...

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Miriam’s Cup (Kos Miryam) A relatively new Passover tradition is that of Miriam’s cup (Kos Miryam in Hebrew). Not every household includes Miriam's Cup at the Seder table, but when it is used the cup is filled with water and placed next to Elijah’s cup. Miriam was the sister of Moses and a prophetess in her own right. When the Israelites are freed from bondage in Egypt, Miriam leads the women in dance after they have crossed the sea and escaped...

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The Big Three (Paschal Offering, Matzah, and Maror) have formed the core of the Seder since biblical times. Yet through the centuries, the way we encounter these three things have changed. Today we dredge through Maggid, often rushing through it to get to the main meal, but during the times of the mishnah and gemara most of this storytelling would have happened as the Paschal lamb was being prepared. Each family would sacrifice and roast an offering then gather around and...

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Hallel on the Seder Night Adina Passy and Tiferet Nickerson   Why is this hallel different than all other hallels? Firstly, we must determine from where do we get the חיוב to say Hallel. In פסחים קטז. The Mishna quotes from the Hagaddah and it says, “לפיכך אנחנו חייבים להודות להלל” therefore implying that we must praise hashem for taking us out of Egypt.  Then two amudim later, the gemara explains that the hallel that we say is to be said when...

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Take the middle matzah and break it into two, one piece larger than the other. The larger piece is set aside to serve as Afikoman. This is traditionally hidden, by the leader of the Seder for the children to “steal” or “find” and then ransom for a something at the end of the Seder. The smaller piece is put back, between the two matzot. This smaller piece, along with the top matzah is what will be used for the “Motzi-Matzah” and...

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The Story יָכוֹל מֵרֹאשׁ חֹדֶשׁ, תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר בַּיוֹם הַהוּא, אִי בַּיוֹם הַהוּא יָכוֹל מִבְּעוֹד יוֹם, תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר בַּעֲבוּר זֶה - בַּעֲבוּר זֶה לֹא אָמַרְתִּי אֶלָא בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁיֵשׁ מַצָה וּמָרוֹר מֻנָּחִים לְפָנֶיךָ. Yachol meirosh chodesh, talmud lomar bayom hahu. Iy bayom hahu, yachol mib'od yom. Talmud lomar ba-avur zeh. Ba-avur zeh lo amarti, ela b'sha-ah sheyeish matzah u-maror munachim l'fanecha. One might think that the Haggadah should be recited on the first day of the month of Nisan, but the Torah says:...

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We now dip our food for a second time. Each of us will take a bit of the maror, the bitter herb, and dip it into the haroset — a mixture of chopped apples, nuts, wines and spices. We acknowledge that life is bittersweet. The sweet taste of haroset symbolizes that no matter how bitter and dark the pres- ent appears, we should look forward to better days. As we remember our ancestors, this is a time to be appreciative of...

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We thank You, O God, for our family and friends and for what we mean and bring to one another. We are grateful for the bonds of loyalty and affection which sustain us and for the capacity to love and to care. Help us to be modest in our demand of one another, but generous in our giving to each other. May we never measure how much love or encouragement we offer; may we never count the times we forgive. Rather,...

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One of the most important parts of the Seder is retelling the story of the Jews’ exodus from Egypt. As a matter of fact, it is an obligation for every parent to educate their children about the story of leaving Egypt, including teaching the ten plagues. However, every year, towards the end of Maggid, after the plagues have been mentioned, we also say דצ"ך עד"ש באח"ב, an acronym for the ten plagues. Why would it be necessary to vocalize this acronym...

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The third expression is: I will redeem you. What is redemption? The dictionary translates redemption as: “repurchase, buyback, or salvation, the act of delivering from sin, saving from evil; atonement and expiation.” The message of  V’go’alti  is that even if we don’t deserve it – God is there. God bestows kindness and mercy even upon the undeserving.

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