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Time for children (of all ages) to find and eat the Afikomen - remembering to balance the serious memories of slavery with the joyfulness of freedom.

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THIS IS AN OBLIGATION: ​To tell this history to others To explain the chain of events from our descent into the Narrow Places to God's redemption of you and I and To clarify the reasons for these good rules

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Remembering laws, stories and customs, the Passover Seder is concluding. What a privilege and joy to celebrate  the Seder together - here and now.  !! לְשָנָה הַבָאָה בִירושַָלָיִם. . . לְשָנָה הַבָאָה בִירושַָלָיִם. . . לְשָנָה הַבָאָה בִירושַָלָיִם Next Year in Jerusalem! Now. . . sing!

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It Would Have Been Enough For Us If God only brought us out of the Narrow Places but did not make judgement on our oppressors. . . If God only made judgement on our oppressors but did not make judgement on their gods . . . If God only made judgement on their gods but did not strike down their first-born . . . If God only struck down their first-born but did not give us their wealth. . . If...

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Remembering the bitterness of the story, we eat bitter herbs: Blessed are you, God, who makes us holy with your good rules, including the eating of bitter herbs. בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יי אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו וְצִוָּנוּ עַל אֲכִילַת מָרוֹר

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To help find focus for the story-telling, the youngest person who is able asks 4-in-1 questions: What is different about this night from all (other) nights. . . מַה נִּשְּׁתַּנָה הַלַּיְלָה הַזֶּה מִכָּל הַלֵּילוֹת . . . that in all (other) nights we are eating leavened or unleavened (foods) - this night only unleavened (foods)? שֶׁבְּכָל הַלֵּילוֹת אָנוּ אוֹכְלִין חָמֵץ וּמַצָּה, הַלַּיְלָה הַזֶּה כּוּלוֹ מַצָּה . . . that in all (other) nights we are eating all kinds of the vegetables...

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Give thanks to God, who is good. Give thanks to the God of gods. Give thanks to the one who alone does great wonders, who made the heavens, who spread out the earth upon the waters, who made the great lights and the sun to govern the day, the moon and stars to govern the night; who struck down the firstborn of the Narrow Places and brought Israel out from among them with a mighty hand and outstretched arm; who divided...

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Aaron raised his staff and struck the water of the Nile: דםָ BLOOD ( for each of these, dip a finger in wine cup & put a drop on the plate, but don't lick the finger ) Fish died. The river smelled. There was no water for anyone. But Pharoah's court magicians did the same to the water, so Pharoah would not let the Israelites go. A week passed; Moses and Aaron returned to Pharoah to ask again. Aaron raised the...

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The Talmudic rabbis could not agree if there should be four or five cups of wine based on Exodus 6. . . Opening the door is a welcome to the spirit of the Prophet Elijah and to the hope for the best future. אֵלִיָהוּ הַנָבִיא, אֵלִיָהוּ הַתִּשְׁבִּי, אֵלִיָהוּ הַגִלְעָדִי בִּמְהֵרָה יָבוֹא אֵלֵינוּ עִם מָשִׁיחַ בֶּן דָוִד Elijah the Prophet, Elijah the Tishbite, Elijah the Giladite, May he soon come to us, with the Mashiach (age) the child of David. ............ Next...

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And God said, "Let there be light,"...Genesis 1:3. Lighting two candles separates time periods: from regular days to festival days. בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה אֲדֹנָי אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו וְצִוָּנוּ לְהַדְלִיק נֵר שֶׁל [שַׁבָּת וְשֶׁל] יוֹם טוֹב Blessed are you, God, ruler of the universe, who makes us holy with your good rules such as lighting the candles of (Shabbat and of) a good day.

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REMEMBER THIS DAY, when you went out of the Narrow Places, out of the house of bondage, for with a mighty hand, God took you out of here. Exodus 13:3. I will walk about in freedom, for I have sought out your precepts. Psalms 119:45. We shall live at last as free men on our own soil. Theodore Herzl Freedom often improves with order; thus the Seder: table-setting, candle-lighting, sacred-making, hand-washing, vegetable-dipping, Matzoh-breaking, question-asking, story-retelling, hand-washing again, motzi/matzoh/maror/Hillel-sandwich-making, EATING!, afikomen-finding, grace-reciting,...

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חַד גַּדְיָא, חַד גַּדְיָא One little goat, one little goat: Which my father brought for two zuzim. Then came the cat who ate the goat Then came the dog who bit the cat Then came the stick that beat the dog Then came the fire that burned the stick Then came the water that quenched the fire Then came the ox who drank the water Then came the butcher who killed the ox Then came the angel of death who slew...

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ספירת העומר : Counting of the Omer begins on the second day of Pesach as spiritual preparation and anticipation for the giving of the Torah on Shavuot. Count off fifty days up to the day after the seventh Sabbath, and then present an offering of new grain to the Lord. Leviticus 23:16 בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה אֲדֹנָי אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו וְצִוָּנוּ עַל סְפִירַת הָעֹמֶר Blessed are you, God, ruler of the universe, who makes us holy with your good rules...

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On a plate or napkin, place: One Zeroah - roasted lamb shankbone or chicken wing or beet ( symbol of Passover sacrifice) One Beitzah - roasted, hard-boiled egg ( symbol of ancient Temple sacrifice and of spring) Three Matzot - covered (symbol of Israel, Levite and Cohen & the bread of affliction) Karpas - parsley for saltwater-dipping (symbol of slavery's tears) Maror -horseradish (symbol of slavery's bitterness) Chazeret -romaine lettuce (2nd symbol of slavery's bitterness) Charoset - made of apple, pear,...

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Our ancestors were wandering Arameans who went down to the Narrow Places with a few people - who lived there and who became a great nation - powerful and numerous. Then the Egyptians mistreated us, making us suffer and subjecting us to harsh labor. We cried out to the God of our ancestors who heard our voice and saw our misery. God brought us out of there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, with great terror and with signs...

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Holding up the three matzot from the Seder plate is a reminder that there was no time for yeast in bread-dough to rise - the Israelites did not have time to prepare. Exodus 12:39 Together all are welcome to celebrate the Festival of Unleavened Bread - now and for generations to come - because it was on this very day that God brought you and I out of the Narrow Places. Exodus 12:17 This year here; next year hopefully in Jerusalem....

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TIME TO EAT !!

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I am God - and I will free you from being slaves...Exodus 6:6. Prepare to drink the second 3.5 to 4.5 oz cup of sweet red wine (white only if you really have to); remembering the moment of leaving the Narrow Places. While drinking or eating this evening, liberally leaning to the left is a reminder of royalty from ancient times. בְּרוּכָה אַתְּ יָהּ אֱלֹהֵינוּ רוּחַ הָעוֹלָם בּוֹרֵאת פְּרִי הַגָפֶן Blessed are you, God, ruler of the universe: who creates the...

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The Talmudic rabbis could not agree if there should be four or five cups of wine based on Exodus 6. . . Opening the door is a welcome to the spirit of the Prophet Elijah and to the hope for the best future. אֵלִיָהוּ הַנָבִיא, אֵלִיָהוּ הַתִּשְׁבִּי, אֵלִיָהוּ הַגִלְעָדִי בִּמְהֵרָה יָבוֹא אֵלֵינוּ עִם מָשִׁיחַ בֶּן דָוִד Elijah the Prophet, Elijah the Tishbite, Elijah the Giladite, May he soon come to us, with the Mashiach (age) the child of David. ............ Next...

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Aaron raised his staff and struck the water of the Nile: דםָ BLOOD ( for each of these, dip a finger in wine cup & put a drop on the plate, but don't lick the finger ) Fish died. The river smelled. There was no water for anyone. But Pharoah's court magicians did the same to the water, so Pharoah would not let the Israelites go. A week passed; Moses and Aaron returned to Pharoah to ask again. Aaron raised the...

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And God said, "Let there be light,"...Genesis 1:3. Lighting two candles separates time periods: from regular days to festival days. בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה אֲדֹנָי אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו וְצִוָּנוּ לְהַדְלִיק נֵר שֶׁל [שַׁבָּת וְשֶׁל] יוֹם טוֹב Blessed are you, God, ruler of the universe, who makes us holy with your good rules such as lighting the candles of (Shabbat and of) a good day.