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The Maror is a symbol of the bitter lives of our ancestors who were slaves in Egypt. They had to toil as builders and as field workers. Our rabbis teach that each generation experiences the Exodus anew: B’chol dor vador, chayav adam lirot; lirot et atzmo k’eelu hu; k’eelu hu yatza mee mitzraim. In each and every generation an individual should look upon him or herself; as if he or she had left Egypt. Rabbi Meir ben Tzipporah v’Nechemia haLevi teaches:...

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The plagues and our subsequent redemption from Egypt are but one example of the care God has shown for us in our history. Had God but done any one of these kindnesses, it would have been enough – dayeinu. 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! אִלּוּ נָתַן לָֽנוּ אֶת־הַתּוֹרָה, דַּיֵּנוּ Ilu natan natan lanu, natan lanu et ha-Torah, Natan lanu et...

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Dipping the bitter herb in sweet charoset | maror  |מָרוֹר      In creating a holiday about the joy of freedom, we turn the story of our bitter history into a sweet celebration. We recognize this by dipping our bitter herbs into the sweet charoset. We don’t totally eradicate the taste of the bitter with the taste of the sweet… but doesn’t the sweet mean more when it’s layered over the bitterness? בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ, אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָֽׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו וְצִוָּֽנוּ עַל...

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This is the bread of affliction that our fathers ate in the land of Egypt. All who are hungry- let them come and eat: all who are needy- let them come and celebrate the Passover. Now we are here, but next year we shall be in the land of Israel. Now we are slaves, but next year we shall be free men and women.

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One of most beloved songs in the Passover seder is "Dayenu". A few of us will read the stanzas one at a time, and the everyone else will respond, "Dayenu" – meaning, “it would have been enough”.How many times do we forget to pause and notice that where we are is exactly where we ought to be? Dayenu is a reminder to never forget all the miracles in our lives. When we stand and wait impatiently for the next one to...

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If He had brought us out from Egypt אִלּוּ הוֹצִיאָנוּ מִמִּצְרָיִםand had not carried out judgments against them וְלֹא עָשָׂה בָּהֶם שְׁפָטִים— Dayenu, it would have been enough דַּיֵּנוּIf He had carried out judgments against them אִלּוּ עָשָׂה בָּהֶם שְׁפָטִיםand not against their idols וְלֹא עָשָׂה בֵּאלֹהֵיהֶם— Dayenu, it would have been enough דַּיֵּנוּIf He had destroyed their idols אִלּוּ עָשָׂה בֵּאלֹהֵיהֶםand had not smitten their first-born וְלֹא הָרַג אֶת בְּכוֹרֵיהֶם— Dayenu, it would have been enough דַּיֵּנוּIf He had smitten...

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The story of Passover begins with Joseph, son of our patriarch, Jacob.   Joseph was held in high esteem by the Pharoah after having advised that Egypt should store grain, preventing a widespread famine. After Joseph and his brothers died, the Pharaoh forgot all that Joseph had done for Egypt, and fearing the increasing numbers of the Israelites, he enslaved the Israelites to prevent them from becoming too powerful. Pharaoh put heavy taxes on them and recruited the men into forced labor...

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LEADER: [raises up the plate of matzot as he says:]  Behold!  This is the bread of affliction which our forefathers ate in Egypt.  Let all who are hungry come and eat.  Let all who are indistress come and celebrate the Passover with us.  May it be G-d's will to redeem us from evil and from all servitude.ALL:  We thank You for Your goodness to us.  May we show like goodness to others.

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There are many questions. Now we begin to answer. Our history moves from slavery toward freedom. Our narration begins with degradation and rises to dignity. Our service opens with the rule of evil and advances to the kingdom of God.  1. We were slaves to Pharoah in Egypt and the Lord freed us from Egypt with a mighty hand. Had not the Holy One liberated our people from Egypt, then we, our children and our children's children would still be enslaved. ...

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We have so many reasons to be grateful to God tonight: for freedom and dignity, friendship and family, prosperity and health. Any one of these would have been enough - Day'aynoo!  Kama ma'alot tovot la-Makom alaynoo, Day'aynoo! How many are the gifts that God has granted us! Eeloo ho'tzee-anu me'meetzrayeem, Day'aynoo! Eeloo seepayk tzarchaynoo ba-midbar arbaeem shana, Day'aynoo! Eeloo heh-eh-cheelanoo et ha-man, Day'aynoo! Eeloo kayr-vanoo leefnay har seeni, Day'aynoo! Eeloo natan lanoo et ha-Shabbat, Day'aynoo! Eeloo natan lanoo et ha-Torah, Day'aynoo!...

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Leader:We cannot eat the Seder meal until the story of Passover is told. It is written that we were slaves to Pharaoh in Egypt, and God took us from there with a strong hand and outstretched arm. Had Godnot brought our ancestors out of Egypt, then even today we and our children and our grandchildren would still be slaves. Therefore, even if we were all wise, knowledgeable scholars and Torah experts, we would still be obligated to tell the story of...

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Maggid - Retelling the Passover Story Raise the tray with the matzot and say: This is the bread of affliction that our fathers ate in the land of Egypt. Whoever is hungry, let him come and eat; whoever is in need, let him come and conduct the Seder of Passover. This year [we are] here; next year in the land of Israel. This year [we are] slaves; next year [we will be] free people. The tray with the matzot is moved...

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Ilu ho-tsi, ho-tsi-a-nu,  Ho-tsi-a-nu mi-Mitz-ra-yim,  Ho-tsi-a-nu mi-Mitz-ra-yim,  Da-ye-nu! .. CHORUS:  .. Dai, da-ye-nu,  .. Dai, da-ye-nu,  .. Dai, da-ye-nu,  .. Da-ye-nu, da-ye-nu, da-ye-nu!  ..  .. Dai, da-ye-nu,  .. Dai, da-ye-nu,  .. Dai, da-ye-nu,  .. Da-ye-nu, da-ye-nu! Ilu na-tan, na-tan la-nu,  Na-tan la-nu et-ha-Sha-bat,  Na-tan la-nu et-ha-Sha-bat,  Da-ye-nu! .. (CHORUS) Ilu na-tan, na-tan la-nu,  Na-tan la-nu et-ha-To-rah,  Na-tan la-nu et-ha-To-rah,  Da-ye-nu! .. (CHORUS) 

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The Hebrew word “Kiddush” means sanctification. But it is not the wine we sanctify. Instead, the wine is a symbol of the sanctity, the preciousness, and the sweetness of this moment. Held together by sacred bonds of family, friendship, peoplehood, we share this table tonight with one another and with all the generations who have come before us. Let us sanctify this moment: Baruch Atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech ha-olam, borei p’ree hagafen. בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ, אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הַגָּפֶן...