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Fourth Glass of Wine As we come to the end of the seder, we drink one more glass of wine. With this final cup, we give thanks for the experience of celebrating Passover together. While we revel in celebration of our community, this cup reminds us that The Redemption is not yet complete. The fourth cup recalls us to our covenant  with the Eternal One, to the tasks that still await us as a people called to holy service, to a...

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As we rejoice at our deliverance from slavery, we acknowledge that our freedom was hard-earned. We regret that our freedom came at the cost of the Egyptians’ suffering, for we are all human beings made in the image of God. We pour out a drop of wine for each of the plagues as we recite them. Dip a finger or a spoon into your wine glass for a drop for each plague. These are the ten plagues which God brought down...

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Psalm 136 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good. His love endures forever. Give thanks to the God of gods. His love endures forever. Give thanks to the Lord of lords: His love endures forever. to him who alone does great wonders, His love endures forever. who by his understanding made the heavens, His love endures forever. who spread out the earth upon the waters, His love endures forever. who made the great lights— His love endures forever. the...

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Psalm 126 When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dreamed. Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy. Then it was said among the nations, “The Lord has done great things for them.” The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy. Restore our fortunes,Lord, like streams in the Neg ev. Those who sow with tears will reap with songs of joy. Those who go out...

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We have eaten our Passover meal as free people. Let us give thanks to the source of all life and freedom. Let us say grace, thanking God for the food we’ve eaten. On Passover, this becomes something like an extended toast to God, culminating with drinking our third glass of wine for the evening: We praise God, Ruler of Everything, whose goodness sustains the world. You are the origin of love and compassion, the source of bread for all. Thanks to...

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Why do we eat maror? Tradition says that this bitter herb is to remind us of the bitterness of our slavery. We force ourselves to taste pain so that we may more readily value pleasure. All take a taste of maror on a piece of matzah. ברוּךְ אַתָּה יְיַָ אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָֽׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו וְצִוָּֽנוּ עַל אֲכִילַת מרוֹר: Baruch Atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech ha-olam, asher kid’shanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu al achilat maror. Blessed are you, LORD our God, King of the...

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If He had brought us out from Egypt,and had not carried out judgments against them, Dayenu. If He had carried out judgments against them,and not against their idols, Dayenu. If He had destroyed their idols,and had not smitten their first-born, Dayenu. If He had smitten their first-born,and had not given us their wealth, Dayenu. If He had given us their wealth,and had not split the sea for us, Dayenu. If He had split the sea for us,and had not taken us...

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Deuteronomy 6: 20-23 says, "And it shall come to pass that your child will ask you, “What do you mean by this service?” And you shall tell him: “With a mighty hand, God took us out of Egypt...” We are now ready to retell the story of our great redemption from slavery in Egypt. We cannot eat our Seder meal until the story of how we obtained our freedom is retold to our children with joy and gratitude. 

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Wine is a drink of luxury, and drinking it is an example of our freedom. We drink 4 glasses tonight, each symbolizing a promise God gave the Israelites in Exodus 6:6-8: 1. I will bring you out from the yoke of the Egyptians. (The cup of Sanctification) 2. I will rescue you, and set you free from slavery to them. (The cup of Deliverance) 3. I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and mighty acts of judgement. (The cup of...

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As we eat the karpas, which means "green vegetable," we are confronted with the growthand enslavement we've had as a people. The parsley represents the Israelites and how they initially flourished in Egypt under the influence of Joseph at the end of Genesis. The saltwater we dip it into represents the tears the Israelites wept bitterly as they cried out to God when a new Pharaoh enslaved and subjugated them. Eating them together, we pause and thank God that we are...