{ "clip_details": { "clip": { "is_admin": 0, "is_owner": 0, "handle": "why-drink-four-cups-passover", "title": "Why Drink Four Cups on Passover", "author": "Daniel Gropper", "author_handle": "danielgropper1", "author_initials": "DG", "covertext": "Just where did the rabbis themselves determine the idea of instituting four cups of wine? The rabbis wrote these instruc...", "user_image": "", "user_image_original": "", "body": "<p><br />Just where did the rabbis themselves determine the idea of instituting four cups of wine? The rabbis wrote these instructions in Tractate Pesachim during the time of Roman rule in Israel, and during that time it was customary at Roman feasts or banquets (known as symposiums (sym – together, posium – drinking wine)) to begin the festivities by drinking wine. This was followed by going into the dining hall and eating the main meal which was accompanied by more wine. At the end of the main meal, more wine would be served to the guests. The rabbis of Roman times in Israel added a fourth cup of wine - the kiddush cup - to sanctify God and His merciful deeds, which established the four cups of wine as mandatory for the Passover Seder: (1) the first cup of wine drunk for kiddush; (2) the second cup of wine drunk just before the main meal; (3) the third cup of wine drunk after the \"Grace After Meals\" ritual; and (4) the fourth cup of wine drunk after the conclusion of \"Hallel\" which is near the end of the Passover Seder.<br /><br />What “proof text” did they use to make this ritual act “Jewish”?<br /><br />“Therefore, say to the Israelites: ‘I am the Eternal, and I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. I will free you from being slaves to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment.  I will take you as my own people, and I will be your God. (Exodus 6:6-7)<br /><br />How Important are these Four Cups?<br /><br />The Sages of the Talmud understood drinking four cups of wine at the Seder to be an expression of freedom, cherut (Talmud Pesachim 117b)<br />Even the very poor should demonstrate the symbols of redemption and freedom, by eating and drinking in a reclining position, and be provided with the four cups. (Talmud Pesachim 99b).<br />Wine also filled in for at least some of the joy of the missing paschal offering in the post-Temple era: “Now that the Temple no longer exists there is no rejoicing except with wine” (Pes. 109a).  <br />The abundance of wine at the Seder also reflects the general esteem in which the Rabbis held the fruit of the vine.  “A person in whose house wine does not flow like water has not reached the ultimate stage of blessedness!” (Eruvin 65a).  <br />A third-century text compares wine to aggadah – the beloved rabbinic art of telling stories and finding every new meaning in ancient texts – because both exert “a pull on one’s heart” (Midrash Sifre Deut. 317).  In rabbinic parlance, aggadah and haggadah are generally interchangeable.  Drinking wine provides the perfect accompaniment to exploring the Haggadah (literally, “telling”) as we celebrate z’man cheruteinu, “the time of our freedom.”  (David Arnow as found in My People’s Passover Haggadah, Jewish Lights Press)<br /><br />
The Metaphors of The Four Cups:<br /><br />Whereas matzah's bland taste symbolized the hardships of slavery in Egypt, the rich and strong taste of wine corresponds to the richness and strength that the Hebrews felt once they stopped believing the idea of worshipping Egyptian idols and instead chose to worship G-d during their wanderings in the Sinai Desert after they left Egypt.<br /><br /><br />One tradition links each cup with one of the four matriarchs, Sarah, Rebekah, Rachel and Leah, who gave birth to the Jewish people.<br />The cup of kiddush (#1) stands for Sarah who was the mother of a community of converts, believers by choice.<br />The cup of maggid (#2) is for Rebecca who knew how to mother both Jacob and Esau, two opposed natures.<br />The cup of Blessing after Eating (#3) represents Rachel whose son Joseph provided the whole family of Jacob with bread in time of great famine.<br />The Cup of Hallel (Praise) (#4) is for Leah, the first woman to praise God (Genesis 29:35)  - <br />based on teachings by the Maharal of Prague (famous for the legend of the Golem) and Rav Isaiah Horowitz of Tsfat (16th c)<br /><br /><br /><br />The cups can be connected with the natural elements: earth, air, fire, water, to remind us that true liberation happens when our lives are in harmony.<br /><br /><br /><br />Why is wine a promise of freedom?  When people count sufficient seasons of pure settlement to plant, harvest, press and age this sweet liquid, we taste freedom.<br /><br /></p>", "cliptype": "text", "clipsource": "My People’s Passover Haggadah, Jewish Lights Press", "featured": 0, "featuredIn": null, "is_public": 1, "is_published": 1, "media": { "image": null, "audio": null, "video": null }, "thumbnail": null, "clip_section": [ { "haggadah_section": "Kadesh", "slug": "kadesh" } ], "likes": 0, "downloads": 906, "tags": [], "themes": [], "language": "0", "is_bookmarked": "0", "is_liked": 0, "meta_tags": { "title": "Why Drink Four Cups on Passover | Passover haggadah by Daniel Gropper", "description": "Our simple platform allows you to create a custom Passover Haggadah, with access to unique content contributed by our community. Find artwork, family", "keywords": "", "og:type": "article", "og:url": "https://www.haggadot.com/clip/why-drink-four-cups-passover", "og:title": "Why Drink Four Cups on Passover | Passover haggadah by Daniel Gropper", "og:description": "Our simple platform allows you to create a custom Passover Haggadah, with access to unique content contributed by our community. Find artwork, family", "og:image": "" } } }, "contributed_by": { "author": "Daniel Gropper", "handle": "danielgropper1", "author_initials": "DG", "total_books": 2, "total_clips": 12, "total_followers": 0, "is_following": 0 }, "user_book": null, "clips_by_author": [ { "clip": { "is_admin": 0, "is_owner": 0, "handle": "president-obama-passover", "title": "President Obama on Passover", "author": "Daniel Gropper", "author_handle": "danielgropper1", "author_initials": "DG", "covertext": "Passover is a story of centuries of slavery, and years of wandering in the desert; a story of perseverance amidst persec...", "user_image": "", "user_image_original": "", "body": "<p>Passover is a story of centuries of slavery, and years of wandering in the desert; a story of perseverance amidst persecution, and faith in God and the Torah. It is a story about finding freedom in your own land. For the Jewish people, this story is central to who you have become. But it is also a story that holds within it the universal human experience, with all of its suffering and salvation. It is a part of the three great religions – Judaism, Christianity, and Islam – that trace their origins to Abraham, and see Jerusalem as sacred. And it is a story that has inspired communities around the globe, including me and my fellow Americans.<br />In the United States – a nation made up of people who crossed oceans to start anew – we are naturally drawn to the idea of finding freedom in our land. To African-Americans, the story of the Exodus told a powerful tale about emerging from the grip of bondage to reach for liberty and human dignity – a tale that was carried from slavery through the civil rights movement. For generations, this promise helped people weather poverty and persecution, while holding on to the hope that a better day was on the horizon. For me personally, growing up in far-flung parts of the world and without firm roots, it spoke to a yearning within every human being for a home.<br />Of course, even as we draw strength from the story of God's will and His gift of freedom expressed on Passover, we know that here on Earth we must bear our responsibilities in an imperfect world. That means accepting our measure of sacrifice and struggle, and working – through generation after generation – on behalf of that ideal of freedom. As Dr Martin Luther King said on the day before he was killed – \"I may not get there with you. But I want you to know that… we, as a people, will get to the promised land.\" So just as Joshua carried on after Moses, the work goes on – for justice and dignity; for opportunity and freedom. (President Obama Speech in Jerusalem, March 21, 2013)</p>", "cliptype": "text", "clipsource": "http://www.whitehouse.gov/photos-and-video/video/2013/03/21/president-obama-speaks-people-israel#transcript", "featured": 0, "featuredIn": null, "is_public": 1, "is_published": 1, "media": { "image": null, "audio": null, "video": null }, "thumbnail": null, "clip_section": [ { "haggadah_section": "Introduction", "slug": "introduction" } ], "likes": 0, "downloads": 388, "tags": [], "themes": [], "language": "0", "is_bookmarked": "0", "is_liked": 0, "meta_tags": { "title": "President Obama on Passover | Passover haggadah by Daniel Gropper", "description": "Our simple platform allows you to create a custom Passover Haggadah, with access to unique content contributed by our community. Find artwork, family", "keywords": "", "og:type": "article", "og:url": "https://www.haggadot.com/clip/president-obama-passover", "og:title": "President Obama on Passover | Passover haggadah by Daniel Gropper", "og:description": "Our simple platform allows you to create a custom Passover Haggadah, with access to unique content contributed by our community. Find artwork, family", "og:image": "" } } }, { "clip": { "is_admin": 0, "is_owner": 0, "handle": "four-cups-0", "title": "The Four Cups", "author": "Daniel Gropper", "author_handle": "danielgropper1", "author_initials": "DG", "covertext": "The Four Cups by Rabbi Yael LevyIt is time, the Infinite calls,ComeV’hotzeyti, I will take you outV’hitzalti, I will del...", "user_image": "", "user_image_original": "", "body": "<p>The Four Cups by Rabbi Yael Levy</p><p>It is time, the Infinite calls,Come</p><p>V’hotzeyti, I will take you out</p><p>V’hitzalti, I will deliver you to a new place</p><p>V’ga’alti, I will help you to transform</p><p>V’lakachti, I will take you into relationship</p><p>And you will know your beloved place amid the myriad of all life (Exodus 6:6-7).</p><p>I can’t the soul cries, I am so afraid.</p><p>Of course you are, the Infinite responds.</p><p>You have been in the narrow place for so very long</p><p>But I will lift you up,</p><p>So just for a moment you will see</p><p>The expanse of possibilities,</p><p>Then you will decide what is more frightening   </p><p>To stay where you are   </p><p>Or to step out towards what might be.</p>", "cliptype": "text", "clipsource": "http://www.ritualwell.org/ritual/four-cups", "featured": 0, "featuredIn": null, "is_public": 1, "is_published": 1, "media": { "image": null, "audio": null, "video": null }, "thumbnail": null, "clip_section": [ { "haggadah_section": "Kadesh", "slug": "kadesh" } ], "likes": 0, "downloads": 396, "tags": [], "themes": [], "language": "0", "is_bookmarked": "0", "is_liked": 0, "meta_tags": { "title": "The Four Cups | Passover haggadah by Daniel Gropper", "description": "Our simple platform allows you to create a custom Passover Haggadah, with access to unique content contributed by our community. Find artwork, family", "keywords": "", "og:type": "article", "og:url": "https://www.haggadot.com/clip/four-cups-0", "og:title": "The Four Cups | Passover haggadah by Daniel Gropper", "og:description": "Our simple platform allows you to create a custom Passover Haggadah, with access to unique content contributed by our community. Find artwork, family", "og:image": "" } } }, { "clip": { "is_admin": 0, "is_owner": 0, "handle": "each-holiday-place-time-and-space", "title": "Each holiday is a place in time and space", "author": "Daniel Gropper", "author_handle": "danielgropper1", "author_initials": "DG", "covertext": "Each holiday is a place in time and space, with its own story, its own message and its own rituals.  If we open ourselve...", "user_image": "", "user_image_original": "", "body": "<p>Each holiday is a place in time and space, with its own story, its own message and its own rituals.  If we open ourselves, the rituals and messages of each holiday find a way to enter our hearts.<br /><br />This holiday of Pesach enters our hearts with the themes of freedom, defiance, hope and renewal.  Pesach is the retelling of how a rabble of slaves was infused with a sacred purpose and grew to enter into a covenant with God.  It is a narrative that has taught the world that birth is not destiny, oppression is not defeat, “victim” is not an identity and partnership with God is open to us all.  </p>", "cliptype": "text", "clipsource": "The Tapestry of Jewish Time by Rabbi Nina Beth Cardin", "featured": 0, "featuredIn": null, "is_public": 1, "is_published": 1, "media": { "image": null, "audio": null, "video": null }, "thumbnail": null, "clip_section": [ { "haggadah_section": "Maggid - Beginning", "slug": "maggid-beginning" } ], "likes": 0, "downloads": 455, "tags": [], "themes": [], "language": "0", "is_bookmarked": "0", "is_liked": 0, "meta_tags": { "title": "Each holiday is a place in time and space | Passover haggadah by Daniel Gropper", "description": "Our simple platform allows you to create a custom Passover Haggadah, with access to unique content contributed by our community. Find artwork, family", "keywords": "", "og:type": "article", "og:url": "https://www.haggadot.com/clip/each-holiday-place-time-and-space", "og:title": "Each holiday is a place in time and space | Passover haggadah by Daniel Gropper", "og:description": "Our simple platform allows you to create a custom Passover Haggadah, with access to unique content contributed by our community. Find artwork, family", "og:image": "" } } }, { "clip": { "is_admin": 0, "is_owner": 0, "handle": "let-all-who-are-hungry-come-and-eat—-reading-passover-seder-supplement-ajws", "title": "Let All Who are Hungry, Come and Eat—A Reading for The Passover Seder - A Supplement from AJWS", "author": "Daniel Gropper", "author_handle": "danielgropper1", "author_initials": "DG", "covertext": "Ha lachma anya—this is the bread of affliction.At the seder we begin as slaves. We eat matzah, the bread of affliction,...", "user_image": "", "user_image_original": "", "body": "<p><br /><strong>Ha lachma anya—this is the bread of affliction.</strong><br /><br />At the seder we begin as slaves. We eat matzah, the bread of affliction, which leaves us hungry and longing for redemption. It reminds us of a time when we couldn’t control what food was available to us, but ate what we could out of necessity. The matzah enables us to taste slavery— to imagine what it means to be denied our right to live free and healthy lives.</p><p><br />But, while we will soon enjoy a large meal and end the seder night as free people, 963 million people around the world can not leave the affliction of hunger behind. Each day, 25,000 adults and children die from hunger and malnutrition. In fact, a child dies every six seconds because he or she is starving.  Let us awaken to their cries and declare:</p><p><br /><strong>Kol dichfin yeitei v’yeichol—let all who are hungry, come and eat.</strong><br /><br />As we sit at our seder and contemplate our people’s transition from slavery to freedom, let us hope for a time when all who are hungry will eat as free people:<br /><br />Let all people gain autonomy over their sources of sustenance.</p><p><br />Let local farms flourish and local economies strengthen.</p><p><br />Let exploitation of natural resources cease so that the land may nourish its inhabitants.</p><p><br />Let communities bolster themselves against the destruction wrought by flood and drought.</p><p><br />Let our world leaders recognize food as a basic human right and implement policies and programs that put an end to world hunger.<br /><br />The Passover seder inspires us to take action and commit ourselves to working toward these and other sustainable changes. As the seder guides us from scarcity to plenty, let us empower others on their paths to sustenance.<br /><br /><strong>Hashata avdei—this year we are still slaves.  Leshanah haba’ah b’nei chorin—next year we will be free people.</strong><br /><br />This year, hunger and malnutrition are still the greatest risks to good health around the world. Next year, may the bread of affliction be simply a symbol, and may all people enjoy the bread of plenty, the  bread of freedom.</p>", "cliptype": "text", "clipsource": "http://ajws.org/what_we_do/education/publications/holiday_resources/passover_seder_reading_2009.pdf", "featured": 1, "featuredIn": { "title": "A Haggadah for Justice ", "slug": "haggadah-justice", "author": "Haggadot" }, "is_public": 1, "is_published": 1, "media": { "image": null, "audio": null, "video": null }, "thumbnail": null, "clip_section": [ { "haggadah_section": "Yachatz", "slug": "yachatz" } ], "likes": 0, "downloads": 561, "tags": [], "themes": [], "language": "0", "is_bookmarked": "0", "is_liked": 0, "meta_tags": { "title": "Let All Who are Hungry, Come and Eat—A Reading for The Passover Seder - A Supplement from AJWS | Passover haggadah by Daniel Gropper", "description": "Our simple platform allows you to create a custom Passover Haggadah, with access to unique content contributed by our community. Find artwork, family", "keywords": "", "og:type": "article", "og:url": "https://www.haggadot.com/clip/let-all-who-are-hungry-come-and-eat—-reading-passover-seder-supplement-ajws", "og:title": "Let All Who are Hungry, Come and Eat—A Reading for The Passover Seder - A Supplement from AJWS | Passover haggadah by Daniel Gropper", "og:description": "Our simple platform allows you to create a custom Passover Haggadah, with access to unique content contributed by our community. Find artwork, family", "og:image": "" } } }, { "clip": { "is_admin": 0, "is_owner": 0, "handle": "stories-bind-us-0", "title": "The Stories That Bind Us", "author": "Daniel Gropper", "author_handle": "danielgropper1", "author_initials": "DG", "covertext": "The single most important thing you can do for your family may be the simplest of all: develop a strong family narrative...", "user_image": "", "user_image_original": "", "body": "<p>The single most important thing you can do for your family may be the simplest of all: develop a strong family narrative.<br />“The ones who know a lot about their families tend to do better when they face challenges,” said Sara Duke, a psychologist who works with children with learning disabilities.<br />“Do You Know?” <br />Do you know where your grandparents grew up? Do you know where your mom and dad went to high school? Do you know where your parents met? Do you know an illness or something really terrible that happened in your family? Do you know the story of your birth?<br />The more children knew about their family’s history, the stronger their sense of control over their lives, the higher their self-esteem and the more successfully they believed their families functioned. The “Do You Know?” scale turned out to be the best single predictor of children’s emotional health and happiness.<br />Why does knowing where your grandmother went to school help a child overcome something as minor as a skinned knee or as major as a terrorist attack?<br />“The answers have to do with a child’s sense of being part of a larger family,” Dr. Duke said.<br />Psychologists have found that every family has a unifying narrative, he explained, and those narratives take one of three shapes.<br />First, the ascending family narrative: “Son, when we came to this country, we had nothing. Our family worked. We opened a store. Your grandfather went to high school. Your father went to college. And now you. ...”<br />Second is the descending narrative: “Sweetheart, we used to have it all. Then we lost everything.”<br />“The most healthful narrative,” Dr. Duke continued, “is the third one. It’s called the oscillating family narrative: ‘Dear, let me tell you, we’ve had ups and downs in our family. We built a family business. Your grandfather was a pillar of the community. Your mother was on the board of the hospital. But we also had setbacks. You had an uncle who was once arrested. We had a house burn down. Your father lost a job. But no matter what happened, we always stuck together as a family.’ ”<br />Dr. Duke said that children who have the most self-confidence have what he and Dr. Fivush call a strong “intergenerational self.” They know they belong to something bigger than themselves.<br />Decades of research have shown that most happy families communicate effectively. But talking doesn’t mean simply “talking through problems,” as important as that is. Talking also means telling a positive story about yourselves. When faced with a challenge, happy families, like happy people, just add a new chapter to their life story that shows them overcoming the hardship. This skill is particularly important for children, whose identity tends to get locked in during adolescence.<br />The bottom line: if you want a happier family, create, refine and retell the story of your family’s positive moments and your ability to bounce back from the difficult ones. That act alone may increase the odds that your family will thrive for many generations to come.</p>", "cliptype": "text", "clipsource": "http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/17/fashion/the-family-stories-that-bind-us-this-life.html?smid=fb-share", "featured": 0, "featuredIn": null, "is_public": 1, "is_published": 1, "media": { "image": null, "audio": null, "video": null }, "thumbnail": null, "clip_section": [ { "haggadah_section": "-- Exodus Story", "slug": "exodus-story" } ], "likes": 0, "downloads": 268, "tags": [], "themes": [], "language": "0", "is_bookmarked": "0", "is_liked": 0, "meta_tags": { "title": "The Stories That Bind Us | Passover haggadah by Daniel Gropper", "description": "Our simple platform allows you to create a custom Passover Haggadah, with access to unique content contributed by our community. Find artwork, family", "keywords": "", "og:type": "article", "og:url": "https://www.haggadot.com/clip/stories-bind-us-0", "og:title": "The Stories That Bind Us | Passover haggadah by Daniel Gropper", "og:description": "Our simple platform allows you to create a custom Passover Haggadah, with access to unique content contributed by our community. Find artwork, family", "og:image": "" } } }, { "clip": { "is_admin": 0, "is_owner": 0, "handle": "origin-karpas", "title": "Origin of Karpas", "author": "Daniel Gropper", "author_handle": "danielgropper1", "author_initials": "DG", "covertext": "The word “Karpas” derives from the Greek “Karpos” meaning fruit of the soil.  The historical origins of dipping Karpas a...", "user_image": "", "user_image_original": "", "body": "<p>The word “Karpas” derives from the Greek “Karpos” meaning fruit of the soil.  The historical origins of dipping Karpas at the Seder reflect the accepted cuisine of the Greco-Roman symposium.Metaphorically, Karpas, the spring vegetable, represents both the historic birth of Israel out of the womb of Egypt and the rebirth of nature renewed each spring.  According to Philo and Rabbi Joshua the original birthday of nature - The Creation - occurred at Pesach-time, not Rosh Hashanah.Similarly, the Italian name for spring prima-vera and the French printemps preserve the sense of the return to the original “first time” of the world.Spring (old English) is originally applied to the place of origin from which a steam arises.  Later is was applied to the season, the “spring of the year.”</p>", "cliptype": "text", "clipsource": "A Different Night Haggadah p. 11", "featured": 0, "featuredIn": null, "is_public": 1, "is_published": 1, "media": { "image": null, "audio": null, "video": null }, "thumbnail": null, "clip_section": [ { "haggadah_section": "Karpas", "slug": "karpas" } ], "likes": 0, "downloads": 274, "tags": [], "themes": [], "language": "0", "is_bookmarked": "0", "is_liked": 0, "meta_tags": { "title": "Origin of Karpas | Passover haggadah by Daniel Gropper", "description": "Our simple platform allows you to create a custom Passover Haggadah, with access to unique content contributed by our community. Find artwork, family", "keywords": "", "og:type": "article", "og:url": "https://www.haggadot.com/clip/origin-karpas", "og:title": "Origin of Karpas | Passover haggadah by Daniel Gropper", "og:description": "Our simple platform allows you to create a custom Passover Haggadah, with access to unique content contributed by our community. Find artwork, family", "og:image": "" } } }, { "clip": { "is_admin": 0, "is_owner": 0, "handle": "seder-bnei-brak", "title": "Seder at Bnei brak", "author": "Daniel Gropper", "author_handle": "danielgropper1", "author_initials": "DG", "covertext": "Many questions have arisen about this snippet of text.  What were these rabbis doing in B’nei Brak, which was the hometo...", "user_image": "", "user_image_original": "", "body": "<p>Many questions have arisen about this snippet of text.  What were these rabbis doing in B’nei Brak, which was the hometown of Rabbi Akiva only?</p><p>Why didn’t their students join them in celebrating the seder?  Why didn’t the rabbis themselves notice the rising of the sun? </p><p>Context is everything.  This story takes place during the rule of the Roman emperor Hadrian, who ordered that the Temple be moved so he could put a temple to Jupiter on the Temple Mount.</p><p><br />In the year 123 of the Common Era, a guerilla insurgency began, which resulted in a crack-down by the Roman authorities.  B’nei Brak was the headquarters of the rebellion against Roman occupation, a rebellion of which Rabbi Akiva was a leader.  Because of rebel activities, the Roman authorities had forbidden gatherings of Jews, on pain of death.  The seder described in this passage was used not only as a chance to discuss the liberation from Egypt—but also to plan a strategy of resistance against Roman occupation.  The students were standing guard, ready to caution the rabbis to disband at daybreak, lest they be caught.  This tale may be read as an encouragement to become so joyfully immersed in the seder that we don’t notice the passing of time...and it may also be read as a story of how one liberation begets another.  Celebrating our freedom from servitude can be a radical act.  It was Rabbi Akiva, after all, who famously answered the query, “Which is better, study or action?” with the response, “Study—if it leads to action.</p>", "cliptype": "text", "clipsource": "original", "featured": 0, "featuredIn": null, "is_public": 1, "is_published": 1, "media": { "image": null, "audio": null, "video": null }, "thumbnail": null, "clip_section": [ { "haggadah_section": "-- Four Questions", "slug": "four-questions" } ], "likes": 0, "downloads": 374, "tags": [], "themes": [], "language": "0", "is_bookmarked": "0", "is_liked": 0, "meta_tags": { "title": "Seder at Bnei brak | Passover haggadah by Daniel Gropper", "description": "Our simple platform allows you to create a custom Passover Haggadah, with access to unique content contributed by our community. Find artwork, family", "keywords": "", "og:type": "article", "og:url": "https://www.haggadot.com/clip/seder-bnei-brak", "og:title": "Seder at Bnei brak | Passover haggadah by Daniel Gropper", "og:description": "Our simple platform allows you to create a custom Passover Haggadah, with access to unique content contributed by our community. Find artwork, family", "og:image": "" } } }, { "clip": { "is_admin": 0, "is_owner": 0, "handle": "answer-four-questions", "title": "Answer to the four questions", "author": "Daniel Gropper", "author_handle": "danielgropper1", "author_initials": "DG", "covertext": "1. Why eat plain matza which is hard to digest? Poor laborers and slaves are fed matza not only because it is cheap but...", "user_image": "", "user_image_original": "", "body": "<p><span><span><span><span><strong><span>1. Why eat plain matza which is hard to digest?</span></strong></span></span></span></span></p><p><span><span><span><span><strong></strong><br /> Poor laborers and slaves are fed matza not only because it is cheap but because it is filling and requires a long digestion period. The diet was designed by the oppressor to exploit the people efficiently.</span></span></span></span></p><p><span><span><span><span><br /> <span><span><span>     </span></span></span><span><strong>2. Why eat raw, bitter vegetables?</strong></span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span><span><span><span><br /> Maror is eaten plain only by the most oppressed workers who are given little time to prepare their meals. With more time they would have made these herbs into a tasty salad.<span>  </span>On the other hand, dipping and reclining typify the manners of the leisure class in Roman times:</span></span></span></span></p><p><span><span><span><span><br /> <span><span><span><span><span><span><span>     </span></span></span></span></span></span></span><strong><span>3. Why dip twice before eating?</span></strong></span></span></span></span></p><p><span><span><span><span><strong></strong><br /> On seder night we are obligated to dip twice - karpas in salt water and maror in charoset – before the meal begins. Even today, finger foods dipped in tangy sauces are typical hors d’œuvres with cocktails (the first cup of wine) at banquets.</span></span></span></span></p><p><span><span><span><span><br /> <span><span><span><span><span><span><span>     </span></span></span></span></span></span></span><strong><span>4. Why recline on pillows while drinking wine?</span></strong></span></span></span></span></p><p><span><span><span><span><strong></strong><br /> The body language of the free reflects their ease and comfort. Reclining on sofas or pillows, everyone – big and small alike – experiences the freedom of the upper classes. On seder night these foods and these table manners are props and stage directions in the script acted out by all. <span> <em>(based on Don Isaac Abrabanel, Zevach Pesach)</em> </span></span></span></span></span> </p>", "cliptype": "text", "clipsource": "A Different Night Haggadah p. 15", "featured": 0, "featuredIn": null, "is_public": 1, "is_published": 1, "media": { "image": null, "audio": null, "video": null }, "thumbnail": null, "clip_section": [ { "haggadah_section": null, "slug": null } ], "likes": 0, "downloads": 285, "tags": [], "themes": [], "language": "0", "is_bookmarked": "0", "is_liked": 0, "meta_tags": { "title": "Answer to the four questions | Passover haggadah by Daniel Gropper", "description": "Our simple platform allows you to create a custom Passover Haggadah, with access to unique content contributed by our community. Find artwork, family", "keywords": "", "og:type": "article", "og:url": "https://www.haggadot.com/clip/answer-four-questions", "og:title": "Answer to the four questions | Passover haggadah by Daniel Gropper", "og:description": "Our simple platform allows you to create a custom Passover Haggadah, with access to unique content contributed by our community. Find artwork, family", "og:image": "" } } }, { "clip": { "is_admin": 0, "is_owner": 0, "handle": "every-generation-5", "title": "In Every Generation", "author": "Daniel Gropper", "author_handle": "danielgropper1", "author_initials": "DG", "covertext": "The story of Passover may seem very remote to you, as it happened thousands of years ago, when the oldest people at your...", "user_image": "", "user_image_original": "", "body": "<p>The story of Passover may seem very remote to you, as it happened thousands of years ago, when the oldest people at your seder table were very, very young, and so many of the details of the story seem somewhat old-fashioned, such as the smearing of lamb’s blood over the doorway of one’s home, which has largely been replaced by signs warning away solicitors.  But in fact, the story of liberation is one that is still going on, as people all over the world are still in bondage, and we wait and wait, as the Jews in Egypt waited, for the day when freedom will be spread all over the world like frosting on a well-made cake, rather than dabbed on here and there as if the baker were selflishly eating most of the frosting directly from the bowl.  The story of Passover is a journey, and like most journeys, it is taking much longer than it ought to take, no matter how many times we stop and ask for directions.  We must look upon ourselves as though we, too, were among those fleeing a life of bondage in Egypt and wandering the desert for years and years, which is why we are often so tired in the evenings and cannot always explain how we got to be exactly where we are.  (Lemony Snicket, The New American Haggadah. P. 79)</p>", "cliptype": "text", "clipsource": "The New American Haggadah p. 79", "featured": 0, "featuredIn": null, "is_public": 1, "is_published": 1, "media": { "image": null, "audio": null, "video": null }, "thumbnail": null, "clip_section": [ { "haggadah_section": "-- Cup #2 & Dayenu", "slug": "cup-2-amp-dayenu" } ], "likes": 0, "downloads": 303, "tags": [], "themes": [], "language": "0", "is_bookmarked": "0", "is_liked": 0, "meta_tags": { "title": "In Every Generation | Passover haggadah by Daniel Gropper", "description": "Our simple platform allows you to create a custom Passover Haggadah, with access to unique content contributed by our community. Find artwork, family", "keywords": "", "og:type": "article", "og:url": "https://www.haggadot.com/clip/every-generation-5", "og:title": "In Every Generation | Passover haggadah by Daniel Gropper", "og:description": "Our simple platform allows you to create a custom Passover Haggadah, with access to unique content contributed by our community. Find artwork, family", "og:image": "" } } }, { "clip": { "is_admin": 0, "is_owner": 0, "handle": "four-children-ajws", "title": "The Four Children - AJWS", "author": "Daniel Gropper", "author_handle": "danielgropper1", "author_initials": "DG", "covertext": "At Passover each year, we read the story of our ancestors’ pursuit of liberation from oppression. When confronting this...", "user_image": "", "user_image_original": "", "body": "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?<p>WHAT DOES THE ACTIVIST CHILD ASK?</p><p>“The Torah tells me, ‘Justice, justice you shall pursue,’ but how can I pursue justice?”Empower him always to seek pathways to advocate for the vulnerable. As Proverbs teaches, “Speak up for the mute, for the rights of the unfortunate. Speak up, judge righteously, champion the poor and the needy.”</p><p>WHAT DOES THE SKEPTICAL CHILD ASK?</p><p>“How can I solve problems of such enormity?” Encourage her by explaining that she need not solve the problems, she must only do what she is capable of doing.   As we read in Pirke Avot, “It is not your responsibility to complete the work, but neither are you free to desist from it.”</p><p>WHAT DOES THE INDIFFERENT CHILD SAY?</p><p>“It’s not my responsibility.”Persuade him that responsibility cannot be shirked. As Abraham Joshua Heschel writes, “The opposite of good is not evil, the opposite of good is indifference. In a free society where terrible wrongs exist, some are guilty, but all are responsible.”</p><p>AND THE UNINFORMED CHILD WHO DOES NOT KNOW HOW TO ASK...</p><p>Prompt her to see herself as an inheritor of our people’s legacy.  As it says in Deuteronomy, “You must befriend the stranger, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt.”At this season of liberation, join us in working for the liberation of all people. Let us respond to our children’s questions with action and justice. </p>", "cliptype": "text", "clipsource": "ajws.org.", "featured": 1, "featuredIn": null, "is_public": 1, "is_published": 1, "media": { "image": null, "audio": null, "video": null }, "thumbnail": null, "clip_section": [ { "haggadah_section": "-- Four Children", "slug": "four-children" } ], "likes": 0, "downloads": 343, "tags": [ { "tag": "Children", "slug": "children" }, { "tag": "Passover", "slug": "passover" }, { "tag": "Seder", "slug": "seder" }, { "tag": "Four Children", "slug": "four-children" }, { "tag": "Four Questions", "slug": "four-questions" } ], "themes": [], "language": "0", "is_bookmarked": "0", "is_liked": 0, "meta_tags": { "title": "The Four Children - AJWS | Passover haggadah by Daniel Gropper", "description": "Our simple platform allows you to create a custom Passover Haggadah, with access to unique content contributed by our community. Find artwork, family", "keywords": "", "og:type": "article", "og:url": "https://www.haggadot.com/clip/four-children-ajws", "og:title": "The Four Children - AJWS | Passover haggadah by Daniel Gropper", "og:description": "Our simple platform allows you to create a custom Passover Haggadah, with access to unique content contributed by our community. Find artwork, family", "og:image": "" } } }, { "clip": { "is_admin": 0, "is_owner": 0, "handle": "skit-telling-passover-story-word-and-song", "title": "Skit for the Telling of the Passover Story in word and song", "author": "Daniel Gropper", "author_handle": "danielgropper1", "author_initials": "DG", "covertext": "Skit for the telling of the Passover story in word and songNarrator 1: The story of Moses has been told and retold.  It...", "user_image": "", "user_image_original": "", "body": "<p>Skit for the telling of the Passover story in word and songNarrator 1: The story of Moses has been told and retold.  It is a reminder to the Jewish people that once we were slaves in Egypt, but now we are free.  Once, we were downhearted, but now we are happy.  In our times of despair, it is important for us to remember the miracles performed by a merciful God, whose love for His people is never-ending.And so, this year, as in all years before, for generation upon generation, we tell the story of Passover.  Now, I invite you to relax, lean on a pillow, and listen to this tale.Pharaoh: Yes, I’ll have one order of caviar, with a Diet Pepsi.  And Super Size it.Slave: Yes, your highness.  And if I do say so myself, the weather is lovely, is it not?  What sayest your wonderfulness?Pharaoh: uh huhSlave: My wife and family do enjoy the most wonderful of all lives you’ve afforded them.  Carrying bricks is just the disciplinary measure that my 28 sons need.Pharaoh: uh huh.  28???  Did you say 28 sons?Slave: Indeed I did, your most fabulousness.Pharaoh: Leave my quarters.  I must think.  This is not good.  Here we have many thousands of members of a strange culture living among us. They are not Egyptians; how do I know that in time of war they might not turn against Egypt and fight for our enemies?  I must find a way to decrease this alien population. (To the tune of “American Pie” by Don McLean)</p><p>A long long time ago</p><p>In the land of Egypt</p><p>Where the Israelites were Pharaoh’s slaves</p><p>Pharaoh said, “Hebrew boys should die!”</p><p>And the Jewish mothers began to cry</p><p>But Yochevet refused to throw her boy away</p><p>She and Miriam put him in the Nile</p><p>Where he was found after a while</p><p>Pharaoh’s daughter saved him</p><p>In the palace, his mother raised him</p><p>Since from the water was where he came</p><p>They decided “Moses” was his name</p><p>And he grew up with the morals of a JewHerald:  Hear ye, hear ye.  It is hearby decreed by Pharaoh, ruler of the land of Egypt, that any son born to a Jew is to be drowned in the Sea of Reeds.Yocheved:  There is no way that I will let Pharaoh take my baby.  I have to hide him.Narrator 2: Yocheved wove a basket of reeds, put her son into it, and hid it in the reeds by the river.  She sent her young daughter Miriam to hide near by and watch.  A princess came down to the water to bathe.Princess:  What is this?Princess’s Attendant: It appears to be a baby, your highness.Princess: A baby?Princess’s Attendant: Why yes, your highness.Princess:  Well, should we pick it up?Princess’s Attendant: I suppose.Princess:  Then pick it up!Princess’s Attendant: Yes, your highness.Princess:  Isn’t it cute?  Let’s take it home so you can take care of it and change its diapers and feed it, and it can love and respect me as its mother.Princess’s Attendant: Sounds great.Miriam:  Excuse me, your majesty, but would you like me to I call a Hebrew woman to nurse the baby instead, so that your attendant can attend to you?Princess:  A good idea.  I hadn’t thought of that.  All right, your Hebrew woman may nurse my child, and when he is old enough to walk, she shall bring him to the palace for me to adopt.  What should we call it?  How about “Drawn from the Water”?Princess’s Attendant: Drawn from the Water?  What’s wrong with Bob?Princess:  I think it’s a good name.  We’ll call him Moses for short.Princess’s Attendant: Whatever you say, your majesty.Narrator 1: And so Yocheved’s son, Moses, grew up as the Pharaoh’s adopted grandson, with all the riches and prestige that such a position entailed.  While Yocheved never told her son that he was Jewish, he felt great pity for the Hebrew slaves.  (To the tune of “For What It’s Worth” by Buffalo Springfield)</p><p>There’s something happening here</p><p>What it is ain’t exactly clear</p><p>There’s a man with a whip over there</p><p>Beatin’ a slave like he just don’t care.</p><p>I’m singin:</p><p>Stop Egypt what’s that sound,</p><p>everybody look what’s going roundNarrator 1:  One day, Moses came upon an Egyptian beating an old slave for not working hard enough.  With a heart filled with rage, Moses killed the guard.  Of course, by doing so he was breaking the law and would have to face Pharaoh as a consequence.  So, he ran away from home, into the desert, and became a shepherd.Sheep: baaaNarrator 2: One fine morning one of Moses’ sheep strayed a bit from the path.Sheep: baaaNarrator 2: Moses followed the sheep and came across a bush that was burning, but not being consumed.  He turned to look at it, and God called out to him.God: Moses, MosesMoses: Here I amGod: I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.  I have surely seen the affliction of My people that are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I now their pains; and I am come to deliver them out of the hands of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey.  And now, I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth My people the children of Israel out of Egypt.Moses:  B-b-but why should, I mean, why, why should I be the one t-t-to lead m-m-my puh, my people?God: Certainly I shall be with thee.Moses: Whah-what shhhould I t-t-t-ell the p-p-people?  When I t-t-t-tell them that you sssssent me, and they ask wha…what is your your name, wha…what do I ssssay?God: ‘I AM THAT I AM’; Thus shalt you say unto the children of Israel.  And they shall hearken to your voice.  And thou shalt come, thou and the elders of Israel, unto the king of Egypt, and you shall say unto him: The God of the Hebrews hath met with us.  And now, let us go, we pray thee, three days’ journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to our God.  And I know that the king of Egypt will not give you leave to go, except by a mighty hand.  And I will put forth My hand, and smite Egypt with all My wonders which I will do in the midst thereof.  And after that he will let you go.Moses: B-b-but I cannot, I cannot d-d-d-o this.  I am ssssslow of sssp-p-peech and sssslow of t-t-tongue.God: Who hath made man’s mouth?  Or who maketh a man dumb, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I?  Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt speak.Moses: Puh-puh-puh-please send sssssomeone else…God: Is not Aaron thy brother the Levite?  I know that he can speak well.  Thou shalt speak unto him, and put the words in his mouth; and I will be with thy mouth, and will teach you what ye shall do.Narrator 2: And so Moses went to the people Israel, and convinced them that God had spoken to him.  He then went to the Pharaoh and told Aaron what to say.(To the tune of “Louie, Louie” as adapted by Mah Tovu)Pharoah PharoahWhoa baby let my people goYeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeahPharoah PharoahWhoa baby let my people goYeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah Well a burning bush told me just the other dayThat I should go to Egypt and sayIt’s time to let our people be freeListen to God if you won’t listen to me (I SAID) Pharoah PharoahWhoa baby let my people goYeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah Pharoah PharoahWhoa baby let my people goYeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeahAaron: Pharaoh, we are here to demand, in the name of an omnipotent, omniscient God, that you release the Hebrew people from bondage.Pharaoh: He he.  Amusing guys.  Good show, good show.  So, Moses, back after all of these years to bring shame on your own house and your own father?Aaron: You cared for my brother for many years.  At one time, he loved you as a grandfather.  But he is the son of a Hebrew slave.  If you love him, you will let his people go.Pharaoh’s son: Moses!  I missed you!  Wanna play Risk with me?  Dad’s teaching me so I know how to take over the world later.  Hey, who are you?Aaron: I am Aaron, Moses’ brother.Pharaoh’s son: I thought I was his brother!  Fine.  I guess I’ll go play Pyramid Solitaire.  By myself.  All alone.Aaron: Pharaoh, if you do not release God’s chosen people, Egypt will be smitten with a greater plague than it has ever before seen.Narrator 1: God sent many plagues to Egypt.  He turned the water in the Nile to blood; He sent a plague of frogs; he sent lice and flies.Pharaoh’s son: Dad!  I don’t like this!  Make it stop!Aaron: Now will you let my people go?Pharaoh: OK Aaron, I have some really good news.Aaron: So you’ll let our people go?Pharaoh: Of course not, but I just saved 15% on my chariot insurance.Narrator 1: Plague after plague fell on Egypt.  The cattle illness, boils, hail, locusts.  The most remarkable thing about these plagues was that they only touched the Egyptians. The Hebrew slaves were safe.Aaron: Pharaoh, we don’t know what we can do to make you see that eventually you will have to give in.  We’re warning you now that God has told Moses what the next plague will be.  He is going to kill the firstborn of every Egyptian household, up to and including your son.  Pharaoh, don’t let this happen!  Let my people go!Pharaoh: I do not know your god, and I will not let your people go.  Get out of my house!  Get out!Narrator 2: God came to Moses and had him tell the Jewish people to slay a lamb and mark their doorposts with its blood.  Then, the Angel of Death flew over Egypt.  He took the lives of all of the firstborn, except for those in the homes marked with blood.  It was devastating!  The people of Egypt were saddened and horrified.Aaron: Pharaoh, grandfather of my brother’s childhood, we are sorry for your loss.Pharaoh: Go away!  Go away and leave me to my grief!Aaron:  But Pharaoh, now that you have seen how powerful God is, will you let my people go?Pharaoh: Fine.  Just go.  Just….sob…just go.Narrator 1: In our seder, we fill our wine ups to remember our joy in being able to leave Egypt.  Yet our happiness is not complete, because the Egyptians, who are also God’s children, suffered from the plagues, and eventually were killed so that we could be free.  Therefore, we spill a drop of wine from our cups as we say each plague.All:  BLOOD, FROGS, LICE, BEASTS, CATTLE DISEASE, BOILS, HAIL, LOCUSTS, DARKNESS, PLAGUE OF THE FIRSTBORNAaron: Listen to me!  Remember this day, in which you came out from Egypt, out of the house of bondage; for the strength of the hand of the Lord has brought you from this place, and the Lord shall guide you to the Promised Land.Moses: We m-m-m-ust go in haste.  We must m-m-m-ake food, but…but hurry, we must, we must, we must go before, before Pharaoh changes his mind.Miriam: Moses, the bread won’t have time to rise!Aaron: It doesn’t matter, we’ve got to go.  Just come quickly!Pharaoh: I have just let my slaves all go.  This is not good for the people of Egypt.  All that my fathers have worked for will vanish if I lose the Hebrew slaves.  Who will build the pyramids?  Who will build the cities? The entire economy of Egypt will collapse without the Hebrews.  It will be the end of an empire.  I WANT THEM BACK. Herald: All soldiers and warriors – get your swords and armor.  Saddle your horses.  After them!Miriam: Look!  The Egyptians are coming!  They will kill us all!  They will work us to death!  Moses, my brother, do something!Moses: D-d-do not be afraid.  God has, has pr-provided for us up to now, and he…he…he will continue to do, to do so.God: Lift thou up thy rod and stretch out thy hand over the sea, and divide it; and the children of Israel shall go into the midst of the sea on dry ground.Narrator 2: This Moses did, and the children of Israel walked through the parted waters.  When Pharaoh’s armies followed in pursuit, the waters closed in upon them.Miriam: We made it across the Red Sea!  We are free!  Sing ye to the Lord, for He is highly exalted: The horse and his rider hath He thrown into the sea.  Who is like you, God, among the gods that are worshipped?  Who is like you, majestic in holiness, awesome in splendor, doing wonders?Narrator 1: And Miriam took a timbrel in her hand; and all of the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances.  Then, the Hebrew people followed Moses toward the Promised Land.  Thus, Adonai our God brought us out of Egypt, not by an angel, nor by a seraph, nor by a messenger, but alone – with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, and with great terror, and with signs and wonders.</p><p>(To the tune of “Miriam’s Song” by Debbie Friedman)</p><p>Mi chamochah ba-eilim, Adonai</p><p>Mi kamochah nedar bakodesh</p><p>Nora t’hilot, oseh feleh</p><p>Nora t’hilot, oseh feleh</p>", "cliptype": "text", "clipsource": "kirzner haggadah and jeremy gimbel", "featured": 0, "featuredIn": null, "is_public": 1, "is_published": 1, "media": { "image": null, "audio": null, "video": null }, "thumbnail": null, "clip_section": [ { "haggadah_section": "-- Exodus Story", "slug": "exodus-story" } ], "likes": 0, "downloads": 270, "tags": [], "themes": [], "language": "0", "is_bookmarked": "0", "is_liked": 0, "meta_tags": { "title": "Skit for the Telling of the Passover Story in word and song | Passover haggadah by Daniel Gropper", "description": "Our simple platform allows you to create a custom Passover Haggadah, with access to unique content contributed by our community. 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