Haggadot Contributors

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This is the time set aside for singing. Some of us might sing traditional prayers from the Book of Psalms. Others take this moment for favorites like Chad Gadya & Who Knows One. All of these options are below. To celebrate the theme of freedom, we might sing songs from the civil rights movement. Or perhaps your crazy Uncle Frank has some parody lyrics about Passover to the tunes from a musical. Or maybe the Maccabeats put out a new song...

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Fill a cup for Elijah and send the youngest to open the door for Elijah.  אֵלִיָהוּ הַנָבִיא, אֵלִיָהוּ הַתִּשְׁבִּי, אֵלִיָהוּ הַגִלְעָדִי בִּמְהֵרָה יָבוֹא אֵלֵינוּ עִם מָשִׁיחַ בֶּן דָוִד Eliyahu Hanavie, Eliyahu Hatishbi, Elyahu Hagiladi, Bimherah Yavo Elenu Im Mashiach Ben David. Elijah the Prophet, Elijah the Tishbite, Elijah the Giladite, May he soon come to us... God has taught all people to love their neighbor as themselves. Yet, in almost every age, some have not obeyed His command. Our people have...

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Each of us will take a bit of the maror, the bitter herb (or horseradish), and dip it into the haroset. We acknowledge that life is bittersweet. The sweet taste of haroset symbolizes that no matter how bitter and dark the present appears, we should look forward to better days. As we remember our ancestors, this is a time to be appreciative of everything we have; a time to be grateful for all the gifts we have been given. בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה...

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The second cup of wine represents God’s second declaration of redemption: והצלתי /V'hitzalti— “I will free  you  from slavery.” As we reflect on what it means to be free, let us consider this quote from Nelson Mandela, who said "To be free is not merely to cast off one's chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others." בָּרוּךְ אתה יי אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ העוֹלָם, אֲשֶׁר גְּאָלָנוּ וְגָּאַל אֶת אֲבוֹתֵינוּ מִמִּצְרַים , וְהִגִּיעָנוּ לַלַּיְלָה הַזֶּה לֶאֱכָל...

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Rabban Gamliel would say that whoever didn’t explain the shank bone, matzah, and marror (or bitter herbs) hasn’t done Passover justice. The shank bone represents the Pesach, the special lamb sacrifice made in the days of the Temple for the Passover holiday. It is called the pesach, from the Hebrew word meaning “to pass over,” because God passed over the houses of our ancestors in Egypt when visiting plagues upon our oppressors. The bitter herbs provide a visceral reminder of the...

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During a famine, our ancestor Jacob and his family fled to Egypt where food was plentiful. Jacob’s son, Joseph became prime minister to the Pharoh, and our people were successful, well-respected and well-regarded, secure in the power structure of the time. Generations passed and our people remained in Egypt. As rulers came and went, a new Pharaoh ascended to the throne. He felt threatened by the success of strangers in his people's midst, and ordered our people enslaved.  Alerted to a...

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The complete lyrics to Dayeinu tell the entire story of the Exodus from Egypt as a series of miracles God performed for us. Dayeinu means "that would have been enough." This is a song of thanksgiving that reminds us that each of our lives is the cumulative result of many blessings, small and large.  אִלּוּ הוֹצִיאָֽנוּ מִמִּצְרַֽיִם, דַּיֵּנוּ Ilu hotzi- hotzianu, Hotzianu mi-mitzrayim Hotzianu mi-mitzrayim, Dayeinu If God had only taken us out of Egypt, that would have been enough! אִלוּ...

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The Torah mentions children four times in connection with the Exodus story. Rabbinic midrash (commentary) explains that this represents four different types of children: the wise, the wicked, the simple, and the one who does not know enough to ask. of course, each of us can demonstrate these and other contradictory qualities at one point or another in our lives. During the seder, we should tell the Passover story in a manner that welcomes debate. We are encouraged to understand the...

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As we rejoice at our deliverance from slavery, we acknowledge that our freedom was hard-earned. We pour out a drop of wine for each of the plagues as we recite them. Dip a finger into your wine glass for a drop for each plague. These are the ten plagues which God brought down on the Egyptians: Blood | dam | דָּם Frogs | tzfardeiya |  צְפַרְדֵּֽעַ Lice | kinim | כִּנִּים Beasts | arov | עָרוֹב Cattle disease | dever | ...

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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, harei anu...

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We eat matzah in memory of the quick flight of our ancestors from Egypt. As slaves, they had faced many false starts before finally being let go. So when the word of their freedom came, they took whatever dough they had and ran with it before it had the chance to rise, leaving it looking something like matzah. Uncover and hold up the three pieces of matzah and say:                                                             This is the "lechem oni", or bread of affliction, which our ancestors...

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The Seder Plate We place a Seder Plate at our table as a reminder to discuss certain aspects of the Passover story. Each item has its own significance. Maror  – The bitter herb. This symbolizes the harshness of lives of the Jews in Egypt. Charoset  – A delicious mix of sweet wine, apples, cinnamon and nuts that resembles the mortar used as bricks of the many buildings the Jewish slaves built in Egypt Karpas  – A green vegetable, usually parsley, is...