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Shulchan Orech  שֻׁלְחָן עוֹרֵךְ Now is time to enjoy the festival meal and participate in lively discussion. It is permitted to drink wine between the second and third cups.

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אֵלּוּ עֶשֶׂר מַכּוֹת שֶׁהֵבִיא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עַל הַמִּצְרִים בְּמִצְרַים , וְאֵלוּ הֵן Eilu eser makot sheheivi hakadosh baruch hu al hamitzrim b'mitzrayim, v'eilu hein: These are the Plagues that the holy one, blessed be he, brought upon Egypt. דָּם וָאֵשׁ וְתִימְרוֹת עָשָׁן   Dam V’eish V’tim’ro ashan  “Blood, and fire and pillars of smoke…” “Before the great and terrible day of the Lord comes, I will set wonders in the sky and on the earth… blood, fire and pillars of smoke:...

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Maggid – Beginning מגיד Raise the tray with the matzot and say: הָא לַחְמָא עַנְיָא דִי אֲכָלוּ אַבְהָתָנָא בְּאַרְעָא דְמִצְרָיִם. כָּל דִכְפִין יֵיתֵי וְיֵיכֹל, כָּל דִצְרִיךְ יֵיתֵי וְיִפְסַח. הָשַׁתָּא הָכָא, לְשָׁנָה הַבָּאָה בְּאַרְעָא דְיִשְׂרָאֵל. הָשַׁתָּא עַבְדֵי, לְשָׁנָה הַבָּאָה בְּנֵי חוֹרִין. Ha lachma anya dee achalu avhatana b'ara d'meetzrayeem. Kol deechfeen yeitei v'yeichol, kol deetzreech yeitei v'yeefsach. Hashata hacha, l'shanah haba-ah b'ara d'yisra-el. Hashata avdei, l'shanah haba-ah b'nei choreen. This is the bread of affliction, which our ancestors ate in the land...

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The second expression of redemption is: I will free you. The Hebrew word  V’hitzalti  generally refers to a “quick fix,” a need for Divine help. It goes without saying that this was the experience of the Exodus – an entire supernatural sequence of events that saw the Jews become a free people overnight.  V’hitzalti  teaches us that we must never despair; God’s salvation and assistance can come faster than the blink of an eye. We must never despair, no matter what...

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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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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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At Passover each year, we read the story of our ancestors’ pursuit of liberation from oppression. When confronting this history, how do we answer our children when they ask us how to pursue justice in our time? What does the activist child ask? -“The Torah tells me, ‘Justice, justice you shall pursue,’ but how can I pursue justice?” Empower her always to seek pathways to advocate for the vulnerable. As Proverbs teaches, “Speak up for the mute, for the rights of...

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Nirtzah נרצה After all the singing is concluded we rise and recite together the traditional formula, the Seder is concluded . חֲסַל סִדּוּר פֶּסַח כְּהִלְכָתוֹ, כְּכָל מִשְׁפָּטוֹ וְחֻקָתוֹ. כַּאֲשֶׁר זָכִינוּ לְסַדֵּר אוֹתוֹ. כֵּן נִזְכֶּה לַעֲשׂוֹתוֹ. זָךְ שׁוֹכֵן מְעוֹנָה, קוֹמֵם קְהַל עֲדַת מִי מָנָה. בְּקָרוֹב נַהֵל נִטְעֵי כַנָּה. פְּדוּיִם לְצִיוֹן בְּרִנָּה. Chasal sidur pesach k'hilchato, k'chol mishpato v'chukato. Ka-asher zachinu l'sadeir oto, kein nizkeh la-asoto. Zach shochein m'onah, komeim k'hal adat mi manah. B'karov naheil nitei chanah, p'duyim l'tzion b'rinah. The Passover...

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The Second Cup Corresponds to Rivkah The Second Cup corresponds to the second of the four languages of redemption: I will deliver you out of their bondage. This promise includes delivery from both physical and spiritual enslavement. We may not be aware, but many of our actions derive from various unconscious scripts imprinted in our psyche from childhood wounds and traumas, which cause fears, jealousy, and anger. Although Rivkah came from a severely dysfunctional family, she was able to heal her...

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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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For example, when the Torah says “I will bring you out,” it is a wake-up call, meaning that sometimes we just have to pick up and leave a miserable situation. Sometimes things aren’t working out. It might be a neighborhood issue, social issue or workplace issue. When things aren’t going the way they should, we must get out, just like God knew it was time to take us out of Egypt. In fact, our sages teach us:  Meshaneh makom, meshaneh mazal  ...

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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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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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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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The Second Cup Corresponds to Rivkah The Second Cup corresponds to the second of the four languages of redemption: I will deliver you out of their bondage. This promise includes delivery from both physical and spiritual enslavement. We may not be aware, but many of our actions derive from various unconscious scripts imprinted in our psyche from childhood wounds and traumas, which cause fears, jealousy, and anger. Although Rivkah came from a severely dysfunctional family, she was able to heal her...

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At Passover each year, we read the story of our ancestors’ pursuit of liberation from oppression. When confronting this history, how do we answer our children when they ask us how to pursue justice in our time? What does the activist child ask? -“The Torah tells me, ‘Justice, justice you shall pursue,’ but how can I pursue justice?” Empower her always to seek pathways to advocate for the vulnerable. As Proverbs teaches, “Speak up for the mute, for the rights of...

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The ideal approach for our community is to allow the voices of women to be heard within the context of halakhic parameters. Such an approach is not merely an ex post facto (bediavad) allowances, but an ideal (lekhatchilah) approach that is entirely consistent with halakhah and our worldview. Questions for the Seder table 1. Is singing an important part of your spirituality? 2. Do you see any female singers today who are spiritual role models for you? 3. How does singing...