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Before the meal, unmarried young women would hide behind a door to eat a hard-boiled egg - a symbol of fertility suggesting that marriage was in the not-too-distant future.

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The Jews in Egypt had a peculiar local custom. Each participant would sling the napkin containing the matzah over their right shoulder. Then the leader of the seder would ask them "Where are you from?", and they would answer "Mitzrayim -- Egypt". The leader would then ask again, "And where are you going?". They would then sling the napkin of matzah over their left shoulder and answer: "Yerushalayim -- Jerusalem!". In some families, the leader would take the seder tray and...

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Now let's talk about the ten plagues. There was no dipping of fingers in wine. We were much too refined for that! My mother would walk up to my father with a large bowl and a glass of water. My father would recite the plagues one by one, and for each plague he would pour a bit of wine in the bowl from a special large wineglass, and my mother would pour a bit of the water. It was all done...

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Sephardim recite the Four Questions in the following order:  1. "On all other nights, we do not dip even once. Why on this night do we dip twice?" 2. "On all other nights we eat bread or matzah. Why on this night do we eat only matzah?  3. "On all other nights, we eat all kinds of herbs. Why on this night do we eat only maror?  4. "On all other nights, we eat either sitting or reclining. Why on this...

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Our haroset is based on dates, not apples. You use what's plentiful in your country: In the Middle East, it's dates! The dates are crushed, boiled and pureed, then sprinkled with crushed dried nuts. The result look exactly like mortar, as it is supposed to!

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The 601st commandment of the Jewish faith states: "Thou shalt never again dwell permanently in the land of Egypt". [Deut. 17:16] Well - looks like I blew it from day one. I was born in Egypt, a permanent dweller. The time was early September. A few days later was Yom Kippur, and already I was learning to beat my breast in repentance. "For the sin that we have committed by dwelling permanently in the Land of Egypt". So I was born...

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Make a sandwich of marror between two pieces of the bottom Motazah. Dip the sandwich into the haroseth and shake it off.

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Praised are you, Adonai, our God, sovereign of the universe, who has redeemed us and our fathers from Egypt and enabled us to reach this night that we may eat matzo and marror. Lord our God and God of our fathers, enable us to reach also the forthcoming holidays and festivals in peace, rejoicing in the rebuilding of Zion your city, and joyful at your service. There we shall eat of the offerings and Passover sacrifices which will be acceptably placed...

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Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech ha’olam, asher g’alanu v’ga’al et avoteinu mimitzrayim, v’higianu lalaylah hazeh le’echol bo matzah umaror. Kein Adonai Eloheinu vEilohei avoteinu yagi’einu l’mo’adim v’lirgalim acheirim haba’im likrateinu l’shalom, s’meichim b’vinyan irecha v’sasim ba’avodatecha. V’nochal sham min hazvachim umin hapsachim asher yagia damam al kir mizbachacha l’ratzon, v’nodeh l’cha shir chadash al g’ulateinu v’al p’dut nafsheinu. Baruch Atah Adonai, ga’al Yisrael. Baruch Atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech haolam, borei p’ri hagafen

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Raise the cup of wine until it is drunk at the end of Magid. Therefore it is our duty to thank and praise, pay tribute and glorify, exalt and honor, bless and acclaim the One who performed all these miracles for our fathers and for us. He took us out of slavery into freedom, out of grief into joy, out of mourning into a festival, out of darkness into a great light, out of slavery into redemption. We will recite a...

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Raise the cup of wine until it is drunk at the end of Magid.  L’fichach anachnu chayavim l’hodot, l’hallel, l’shabeiach, l’faeir, l’romeim, l’hadeir, l’vareich, l’aleih ul’kaleis, l’mi she’asah a’avoteinu v’lanu et kol hanisim haeilu: hotzianu meiavdut l’cheirut miyagon l’simchah, umei’eivel l’yom tov, umei’afeilah l’or gadol, umishibud ligulah. V’nomar l’fanav shirah chadashah: halleluyah. Halleluyah hal’lu avdei Adonai, hal’lu et sheim Adonai. Y’hi sheim Adonai m’vorach mei’atah v’ad olam. Mimizrach shemesh ad m’vo’o m’hulal sheim Adonai. Ram al kol goyim Adonai, al hashamayim...

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In every generation, one must see himself as if he himself had personally come out of Egypt, as it is said: “You should say to your son on that day, ‘It is because of that which God did to me when I left Egypt.’ It is not only our ancestors that the Holy One Blessed Be He redeemed. Rather, he redeemed us too, along with them, as it is said: “He brought us out of there, in order so that he...

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B’chol dor vador chayav adam lirot et atzmo k’ilu hu yatza mimitzrayim, shene’emar: v’higadta l’vincha bayom hahu leimor, ba’avur zeh asah Adonai li b’tzeiti mimitzrayim. Lo et avoteinu bilvad ga’al hakadosh baruch hu, ela af otanu ga’al imahem, shene’emar: v’otanu hotzi misham, l’ma’an havi otanu, latet lanu et ha’aretz asher nishba la’avoteinu.  

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FRabban Gamliel would teach that all those who had not spoken of three things on Passover had not fulfilled their obligation to tell the story, and these three things are: Pesah [Paschal Lamb], Matzah and Maror [Bitter Herb].   Point to the shank bone The Pesah which our ancestors ate when the Second Temple stood: what is the reason for it? They ate the Pesah because the holy one, Blessed be He “passed over” the houses of our ancestors in Egypt, as...

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Rabban Gamlieil hayah omeir: kol shelo amar sh’loshah d’varim eilu bapesach, lo yatza y’dei chovato, v’eilu hein: Pesach, Matzah, Umaror. Point to the shank bone Pesach shehayu avoteinu och’lim, bizman shebeit hamikdash hayah kayam, al shum mah? Al shum shepasach hakadosh baruch hu al batei avoteinu b’mitzrayim, shene’emar: va’amartem zevach pesach hu l’Adonai, asher pasach al batei v’nei Yisrael b’mitzrayim, b’nagpo et mitzrayim v’et bateinu hitzil, vayikod ha’am vayishtachavu. Point to the matza Matzah zeh sheanu och’lim, al shum mah? Al...

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How much more so do we have to be thankful for the manifold and unbounded blessings of God: He brought us out of Egypt, and executed judgments against the Egyptians, and executed judgments against their gods, and put to death their firstborn, and  gave us their riches, and split the sea for us, and led us through it on dry land, and sunk our foes in it, and satisfied our needs in the desert for forty years, and fed us the...

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God has bestowed many favors upon us. Had He brought us out of Egypt, and not executed judgments against the Egyptians, It would have beenenough – Dayyenu Had He executed judgments against the Egyptians, and not their gods, It would have been enough –Dayyenu Had He executed judgments against their gods and not put to death their firstborn, It would have been enough – Dayyenu Had He put to death their firstborn, and not given us their riches, It would have...

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Al achat, kamah v’kamah, Tovah k’fulah u’mchupelet lamakom aleinu: shehotziyenu mimitzrayim, v’asah vahem shifatim, v’asah valohaihem, v’harag et bichoreichem, v’natan lanu et mamonam, v’kara lanu et hayam,v’he’evireinu bitocho becharavah, v’shika tzareinu bitocho, v’sipaik tzarchainu bamidbar arba’im shana, v’he’echileinu et haman, v’natan lanu et hashabbat, v’kervanu lifnei har Sinai, v’natan lanu et hatorah, v’hichnisanu l’eretz Yisrael, u’vanah lanu et bait habchirah lichaper al kol avonoteinu.

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Kama ma’a lot tovot lamakom aleinu. Ilu hotzi’anu mimitzrayim, v’lo asah bahem shfatim, dayenu. Ilu asah bahem shfatim, v’lo asah vailoheihem, dayenu. Ilu asah vailoheihem, v’lo harag et bichoraihem, dayenu. Ilu harag et bichoraihem, v’lo natan lanu mamonam, dayenu. Ilu natan lanu mamonam, v’lo karah lanu et hayam, dayenu. Ilu karah lanu et hayam, v’lo he’evairanu bitocho becheravah, dayenu. Ilu he’evairanu bitocho becheravah, v’lo shikah tzareinu b’tocho, dayenu. Ilu shikah tzareinu b’tocho, v’lo sifek tzarchainu bamidbar arba’im shana, dayneu. Ilu sifek...

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Rabbi Yose the Galilean says: How does one derive that, after the ten plagues in Egypt, the Egyptians suffered fifty plagues at the Sea? Concerning the plagues in Egypt the Torah states that “the magicians said to Pharaoh, it is the finger of God.” However, at the Sea, the Torah relates that “Israel saw the great hand which the Lord laid upon the Egyptians, and the people revered the Lord and they believed in the Lord and in His servant Moses.”...

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Rabi Yosei hagalili omer: minayin atah omer shelaku hamitzrim bimitzrayim eser makot v’al hayam laku chamishim makot? Bamitzrayim ma hu omer? Vayomru hachartumim el paroh: etzba Elohim he, v’al hayam ma hu omer? Vayar Yisrael et hayad hagdolah asher asa Adonai bimitzrayim, vayiyru ha’am et Adonai, vaya’aminu b’Adonai uvMoshe avdo. Kamah laku b’etzba? Eser makot. Emor ma’atah: b’mitzrayim laku eser makot v’al hayam laku chamishim makot. Rabi Eliezer omar: minayin shekol makah u’makah shehaivi hakadosh baruch hu al hamitzrim b’mitzrayim hayta...

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“Blood, and fire and pillars of smoke” [“Before the great and terrible day of the Lord comes, I will set wonders in the sky and on the earth. . . blood, fire and pillars of smoke: The sun shall turn to darkness and the moon into blood.” Joel 3:3] Another interpretation of Deuteronomy 26:8 is: “strong hand” indicates two plagues; “out-stretched arm” indicates two more plagues; “great awe” indicates two plagues; “signs” indicates two more plagues because it is plural; and...

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Dom v’eish v’timrot a’shan. Davar acher: B’yad chazakah – shtayim, u’v’zroah nituyah – shtayim, u’v’morah gadol – shtayim, u’v’otot – shtayim, u’v’moftim – shtayim.   Eilu eser makot sheheivi hakadosh baruch hu al hamitzrim b’mitzrayim, v’eilu hein: Dom Tzfardeyah Kinim Arov Dever Sh’chin Barad Arbeh Choshech Makat Bechorot   Rabi Yehudah hayah notein bahem simanim: DTz”K AD”Sh BACh”B  

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Go and learn what Lavan the Aramean intended to do to our ancestor Jacob. Even Pharaoh only intended to kill the male children, while Lavan intended to annihilate all of Jacob’s family, bringing the Jewish People to an end. As it is said: “A wandering Aramean was my father, who went down to Egypt and sojourned there, few in number. And there we multiplied becoming a great people, strong and numerous.” (Dt. 26:5) He went down to Egypt – compelled by...

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Tzei ul’mad, mah bikeish Lavan ha’arami la’asot l’Ya’akov avinu. Sheparoh lo gazar ela al haz’charim v’lavan bikeish la’akor et hakol, shene’emar: Arami oved avi, viyeired mitzrayma vayagar sham bimtay mi’at, vayihi sham ligoy gadol, atzum varav. Vayared mitzrayma – ahnus al pi hadibur. Vayagor sham – milameid shelo yarad Ya’akov avinu l’hishtakei’a b’mitzrayim ela lagur sham, shene’emar: vayomru el paroh, lagur baaretz banu, ki ein mireh latzon asher la’avadecha, ki chaveid hara’av b’eretz K’na’an. V’atah yeish’vu na avadecha b’eretz goshen. Bimtei...

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The cups of wine are raised for this paragraph: V’hi sheam’dah laavoteinu v’lanu. Shelo echad bilvad amad aleinu l’chaloteinu. Ela sheb’chol dor vador omdim aleinu l’chaloteinu, v’hakadosh Baruch hu matzileinu miyadam. The cups are set down.

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The cups of wine are raised for this paragraph: This covenant that remained constant for our ancestors and for us has saved us against any who arose to destroy us in every generation, and throughout history when any stood against us to annihilate us, the holy one blessed be he kept saving us from them. The cups are set down.

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One might think that the Haggadah should be recited on the first day of the month of Nisan, but the Torah says: “You shall tell your son on that day” [the first day of Passover]. One might think that the phrase on that day means that the story of the Exodus should be recited in the daytime; therefore, the Torah says: “This is on account of what the Lord did for me.” The word this refers to the time when this...

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Yachol meirosh chodesh, talmud lomar bayom hahu. Iy bayom hahu, yachol mib’od yom, talmud lomar ba’avur zeh – Ba’avur zeh lo amarti, ela b’sha’ah sheyeish matzah umaror munachim l’fanecha. Mit’chilah ov’dei avodah zarah hayu avoteinu. V’achshav keir’vanu hamakom la’avodato, Shene’emar: Vayomer Y’hoshua el kol ha’am, koh amar Adonai Elohei Yisrael: b’eiver hanahar yashvu avoteichem mei’olam, Terach avi Avraham va’avi Nachor, vaya’avdu elohim acheirim. Va’ekach et avichem et Avraham mei’eiver hanahar va’oleich oto b‘chol eretz K’na’an, va’arbeh et zaro va’eten lo et...

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Blessed is God, blessed is He. Blessed is He who gave the Torah to His people, Israel. Blessed is He. The Torah speaks of four types of children: one is wise, one is wicked, one is simple, and one does not know how to ask. The Wise One asks: “What is the meaning of the laws and traditions God has commanded?” (Deuteronomy 6:20) You should teach him all the traditions of Passover, even to the last detail. The Wicked One asks:...

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Baruch hamakom, baruch Hu. Baruch shenatan torah l’amo Yisrael, baruch Hu. K’neged arba’ah vanim dibrah torah. Echad chacham, v’echad rasha, v’echad tam, v’echad she’eino yodeia lishol. Chacham mah hu omeir? Mah ha’eidot v’hachukim v’hamishpatim asher tzivah Adonai Eloheinu etchem? V’af atah emor lo k’hilchot hapesach: Ein maftirin achar hapesach afikoman. Rasha, mah hu omer? Mah ha’avodah hazot lachem? Lachem v’lo lo. Ul’fi shehotzi et atzmo min hak’lal, kafar b’ikar. V’af atah hakheih et shinav, v’emor lo. Ba’avur zeh, asah Adonai li,...

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It once happened that Rabbis Eliezer, Joshua, Elazar ben Azaryah, Akiva and Tarfon were reclining at the seder table in Bnei Brak. They spent the whole night discussing the Exodus until their students came and said to them: “Rabbis, it is time for us to recite the morning Shema.” Rabbi Elazar ben Azaryah said: I am like a seventy-year old man and I have not succeeded in understanding why the Exodus from Egypt should be mentioned at night, until Ben Zoma...

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Ma’aseh b’rabi Eliezer, v’rabi Y’hoshua, V’rabi Elazar ben Azaryah, v’rabi Akiva, V’rabi Tarfon, shehayu m’subin biVnei Vrak, V’hayu m’sap’rim biyitziat mitzrayim, kol oto halaylah, ad shebau talmideihem v’am’ru lahem: Raboteinu, higia z’man k’riat sh’ma, shel shacharit. Amar rabi Elazar ben Azaryah. Harei ani k’ven shivim shanah, v’lo zachiti, shetei’ameir yitziat mitzrayim baleilot ad shedrashah Ben Zoma.  hene’emar, lima’an tizkor et yom tzeitcha me’eretz mitzrayim kol y’mei chayecha y’mei chayecha – hayamim, kol y’mei chayecha – haleilot. Vachachamim om’rim: Y’mei chayecha –...

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We were slaves to Pharoh in Egypt and the Lord freed us from Egypt with a mighty hand and outstretched arm. Had not the holy One liberated our people from Egypt, then we, our children and our children’s children would still be enslaved to Pharoah in Egypt. And even if we were all wise, all men of understanding, all old and learned in the Torah, it is a positive commandment upon us to tell of the story of the Exodus from...