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1. Kadesh — Kiddush Blessing the wine at the start of the meal. On Friday, the biblical section specific to the Sabbath is added. On Saturday evening, add the Havdalah section separating sanctity of Sabbath from the sanctity of holy day. 2. Urhatz –Wash Washing preparation for eating vegetable entree (Karpas). Since the need for such washing was questioned, no blessing is required. It is good to go around to each of the participants, pouring water over the hands from a...

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Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit. Blessed is the lamb whose blood flows. Blessed are the sat upon, Spat upon, Ratted on, O Lord, Why have you forsaken me? I got no place to go, I've walked around Soho for the last night or so. Ah, but it doesn't matter, no. Blessed is the land and the kingdom. Blessed is the man whose soul belongs to. Blessed are the meth drinkers, Pot sellers, Illusion dwellers. O Lord, Why have...

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And then all that has divided us will merge And then compassion will be wedded to power And then softness will come to a world that is harsh and unkind And then both men and women will be gentle And then both women and men will be strong And then no person will be subject to another's will And then all will be rich and free and varied And then the greed of some will give way to the needs of...

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Everyone reads together: Let all who are hungry, come, and eat. Let all who are in need, come, and share the Passover meal. This year we are still here - next year, in the land of Israel or alternate sunny location. This year we are still slaves - next year, free people (depending how the market goes).

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Eat.

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Blessed is the match consumed in kindling flame. Blessed is the flame that burns in the secret fastness of the heart. Blessed is the heart with the strength to stop its beating for honor’s sake. Blessed is the match consumed in kindling flame.

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I have come to look forward to the opening of the door for an Elijah who is always a no-show, and I have come to believe that precisely by not appearing, that great prophet is showing us something we need to know. What does it mean that there is never anyone at the door?

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No one can keep us from carrying God Wherever we go. No one can rob His Name From our heart as we try to relinquish our fears And at last stand — Victorious. We do not have to leave him in the mosque Or church alone at night; We do not have to be jealous of tales of saints Or glorious masts, those intoxicated souls Who can make outrageous love with the Friend. We do not have to be envious of...

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i thank You God for most this amazing day:for the leaping greenly spirits of trees and a blue true dream of sky; and for everything which is natural which is infinite which is yes (i who have died am alive again today, and this is the sun’s birthday; this is the birth day of life and of love and wings: and of the gay great happening illimitably earth) how should tasting touching hearing seeing breathing any–lifted from the no of all...

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Judaic commentary has always viewed Mitzrayim as more than the literal escape from slavery, more than an escape from a place of narrow straights, an obviously accurate physical description of Egypt, but metaphorically the leaving behind or "exodus" from a narrow place - the place that squeezes the life our of the human soul and body. Mitzrayim is viewed as an intrinsically constrictive state; a state where we are unable to express ourselves and be free, to be who we are...

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Why are we different from all other people? What is our sacred role? How are we the same as all other people? Where do we come from and what is our story?

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As the novelist of African diaspora, Andrea Hairston, once wrote, "if no one tells your story, you die twice." So tonight we choose life, by honoring the stories of Jews throughout the ages who were queer in one way or another. We choose life with a new mitzvah - telling the stories that have been lost, censored or silenced.

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Translation by Daniel Kahn, Oy Division - "Oh you foolish little zionists" (1931) Oi, ihr narishe tsionistn Mit ayer narishn meykhl Ihr mag dokh geyn tsu dem arbeter | 2 Un lernen bai im seykhl! Ihr vilt undz forn keyn Yerushalaim! Mir zaln dortn golodayen Mir viln beser zain in Rus[n]land, | 2 Mir veln zikh bafrayen! Oh you foolish little Zionists With your utopian mentality You'd better go down to the factory | 2 And learn the worker's reality You...

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(Here the son asks) Father, I wish to ask you four questions: Ma nishtana, how are we worse off than Shmuel the manufacturer, from Meir the banker, from Zarah the moneylender, from Reb Turdus the Rabbi? They do nothing and have food and drink, both by day and night a hundred times over, and we toil with all our strength the entire day, and at night we don't have even a meal, as well? They have great castles, shown off and...

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Blessed is the place. Blessed shall be the place and blessed shall be the time which has given us these clever and kind people, who open our eyes. There are four sons of the Torah. This is the business of four kinds of people, four classes- one wise, one wicked, one simple, one who does not know how to ask. The wise one will say. What says the wise one? The wise one asks: What mean the testimonies and the statutes...

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Who knows "one"? Who knows one? I know one: one humankind is here in the world. Who knows two? I know two: in two parts is humankind divided: poor and rich. Who knows three? I know three: the Christian Trinity darkens the world. Who knows four? I know four: the four basics rule work. Who knows five? I know five: Capital controls all five continents. Who knows six? I know six: six days of the week a worker becomes besmirched. Who...

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"We were always, in the depths of our hearts, completely free men and women. We were slaves on the outside, but free men and women in soul and spirit." -Rabbi Judah Loew, The Maharal of Prague (1525-1609)