Rachtzah
Leader:
We will now transition from the formal telling of the Passover story to the celebratory meal. Once again, we will wash our hands but this time the act of washing is different. This time it is a deeper step that is accompanied by a blessing. In this moment we feel our People's story more deeply having just retold it during Maggid. Now, having re-experienced the miracles of our ancestors’ journey from degradation to dignity, we will raise our hands in holiness, remembering once again that our liberation is bound up in everyone else's. Each step we take together with others towards liberation is blessing.
When the Holy Temple stood in Jerusalem, the Kohanim, priests, poured the waters of life over their hands and without a word, they silently took hold of their piece of freedom and broke the stillness only with the praise of G-d we know as the Motzi.
DIRECTIONS : Using a cup or pitcher, the leader should pour fresh water over each hand, either on behalf of the Seder participants, or in the company of them. As the washers raise their hands to dry them, we recite together:
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יי אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, אֲשֶׁר קִדְשָׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו וְצִוָּנוּ עַל נְטִילַת יָדַיִם
Baruch atah Adonai Eloheinu melech ha-olam, asher kid'shanu b'mitzvotav, v'tzivanu al n'tilat yadayim.
Blessed art thou, Lord our G-d, King of the Universe, who has sanctified us with thy commandments and commanded us to wash the hands.
DIRECTIONS : We remain silent until the moment of saying the motzi.
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Passover Guide
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