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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Leading Jewish medical experts have published data that indicates consuming both chopped liver and charoses in combination, during a seder, may lead to Charoses of the Liver.
its message of freedom - its response to suffering - its hope for renewed life.
United with family and dear friends, Jews celebrate the holiday of Pesach -
with gratitude for blessings - for love - for freedom.
The Shehecheyanu is a prayer that Jews have been saying for over 2000 years to mark special occasions. Tonight, all of us here together is special occasion. Whether Jewish or not, we have come here under a shared belief that everyone is entitled to be free. We all believe that everyone is entitled to certain inalienable rights. We all believe that we must treat our brothers and sisters with common decency. That is special and meaningful.
To mark this special and meaningful occasion, we all join together in the words of the Shehecheyanu:
בָרוּךְ אַתָה יְיָ אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם שֶהֶחֱיָנוּ וְקִיְמָנוּ
וְהִגִּיעָנוּ לַזְמַן הַזֶה
Baruch atah, Adonai, eloheinu melech ha’olam,
shehecheyanu v’kiy’manu v’higiyanu lazman hazeh.
Blessed are you, Adonai, sovereign of all worlds, who has kept us alive, sustained us, and enabled us to reach this moment.
Over the course of this evening, we will drink (at least) four glasses of wine--or grape juice, as the case may be. This is meant to serve as a symbol for our joy.
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ, אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הַגָּפֶן
Baruch Atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech ha-olam, borei p’ree hagafen.
We praise You, Adonai our God, Sovereign of the Universe, who creates the fruit of the vine.
We praise You, Adonai our God, Sovereign of the Universe, who has made all the peoples of the world from one earth, who has exalted Mankind by breathing the life of the mind and the love of freedom into him, who sanctified us so that we might know and say what was holy and profane, what was freedom and what slavery.
We praise You, Adonai our God, Sovereign of the Universe, who makes a distinction between holy and holy: between the holiness of this festival and other festivals; between the holiness of light and the holiness of darkness; between the holiness of the Jewish people and the holiness of other peoples. We praise You, Adonai our God, who has made all peoples holy and has commanded us, even against our will, to become a beacon for justice and freedom for them all.
Since ancient times, Jews have ritually washed their hands to prepare for celebratory meals. The Seder includes two hand-washings. We perform the first without a blessing now, prior to dipping karpas, which does not constitute a meal. We will wash with a blessing before Mozi/Matzah, in preparation for eating the festival meal.
The symbolic washing of the hands that we now perform recalls the story of Miriam's Well. Legend tells us that this well followed Miriam, sister of Moses, through the desert, sustaining the Jews in their wanderings. Filled with waters of life, the well was a source of strength and renewal to all who drew from it. One drink from its waters was said to alert the heart, mind and soul, and make the meaning of Torah become more clear.
In Hebrew, urchatz means, “washing” or “cleansing.” In Aramaic, sister language to Hebrew, urchatz means “trusting.” As we wash each others’ hands, let us rejoice in this act of trust, and reflect on the sources of hope and trust we want to bring into the world for ourselves and each other.
The leader can wash hands symbolically for everyone of the family can pass a bowl & pitcher around the table, each pouring a few drops of water onto her/his neighbor’s hands
Since ancient times, Jews have ritually washed their hands to prepare for celebratory meals. The Seder includes two hand-washings. We perform the first without a blessing now, prior to dipping karpas, which does not constitute a meal. We will wash with a blessing before Mozi/Matzah, in preparation for eating the festival meal.
The symbolic washing of the hands that we now perform recalls the story of Miriam's Well. Legend tells us that this well followed Miriam, sister of Moses, through the desert, sustaining the Jews in their wanderings. Filled with waters of life, the well was a source of strength and renewal to all who drew from it. One drink from its waters was said to alert the heart, mind and soul, and make the meaning of Torah become more clear.
In Hebrew, urchatz means, “washing” or “cleansing.” In Aramaic, sister language to Hebrew, urchatz means “trusting.” As we wash each others’ hands, let us rejoice in this act of trust, and reflect on the sources of hope and trust we want to bring into the world for ourselves and each other.
The leader can wash hands symbolically for everyone of the family can pass a bowl & pitcher around the table, each pouring a few drops of water onto her/his neighbor’s hands
Take the middle matzah of the three on your Seder plate. Break it into two pieces. Wrap the larger piece, the Afikoman, in a napkin to be hidden later. As you hold up the remaining smaller piece, read these words together:
We now hold up this broken matzah, which so clearly can never be repaired. We eat the smaller part while the larger half remains out of sight and out of reach for now. We begin by eating this bread of affliction and, then, only after we have relived the journey through slavery and the exodus from Egypt, do we eat the Afikoman, the bread of our liberation. We see that liberation can come from imperfection and fragmentation. Every day, refugees across the globe experience the consequences of having their lives ruptured, and, yet, they find ways to pick up the pieces and forge a new, if imperfect, path forward.
The central imperative of the Seder is to tell the story. The Bible instructs: “ You shall tell your child on that day, saying: ‘This is because of what Adonai did for me when I came out of Egypt.' ” (Exodus 13:8) We relate the story of our ancestors to regain the memories as our own. Elie Weisel writes: God created man because He loves stories. We each have a story to tell — a story of enslavement, struggle, liberation. Be sure to tell your story at the Seder table, for the Passover is offered not as a one-time event, but as a model for human experience in all generations.
Ha lachma anya d’achaloo avhatana b’ara d’meetzrayeem. Kol dichfeen yay-tay vi’yachool, kol deetzreech yay-tay viyeesfsach. Hashata hach. Li’shana ha-ba-aa bi’arah di’yeesrael. Hashata av’day, li’shana ha-ba a bi’nay choreen.
This is the bread of affliction, which our ancestors ate in the land of Egypt. Let all who are hungry come and eat. Let all who are in need, come and celebrate Passover. Today, we are here. Next year, in the land of Israel. Today, we are slaves. Next year, we will be free.
Written in Aramaic, this statement begins the narration of the Seder by inviting the hungry to our table. Aramaic, Jewish legend has it, is the one language which the angels do not understand. Why then is Ha Lachma spoken in Aramaic? To teach us that where there is hunger, no one should rely upon the angels, no one should pray to the heavens for help. We know the language of the poor, for we were poor in the land of Egypt. We know that we are called to feed the poor and to call them to join our celebration of freedom.
Maggid – Four Questions
מַהנִּשְּׁתַּנָה
?מַה נִּשְּׁתַּנָה הַלַּיְלָה הַזֶּה מִכָּל הַלֵּילוֹת
Mah nish-ta-na ha-lai-lah ha-zeh mikol ha-lei-lot?
Why is this night of Passover different from all other nights of the year?
שֶׁבְּכָל הַלֵּילוֹת אָנוּ אוֹכְלִין חָמֵץ וּמַצָּה, הַלַּיְלָה הַזֶּה - כּוּלוֹ מַצָּה
She-b'chol ha-lei-lot anu och'lin cha-meitz u-matzah. Ha-laylah hazeh kulo matzah.
On all other nights, we eat either leavened or unleavened bread, why on this night do we eat only matzah?
שֶׁבְּכָל הַלֵּילוֹת אָנוּ אוֹכְלִין שְׁאָר יְרָקוֹת, - הַלַּיְלָה הַזֶּה מָרוֹר
Sheb'chol ha-lei-lot anu och'lin sh'ar y'rakot. Ha-lai-lah h-azeh maror.
On all other nights, we eat vegetables of all kinds, why on this night must we eat bitter herbs?
שֶׁבְּכָל הַלֵּילוֹת אֵין אֶנוּ מַטְבִּילִין אֲפִילוּ פַּעַם אֶחָת, - הַלַּיְלָה הַזֶּה שְׁתֵּי פְעָמִים
Sheb'chol ha-lei-lot ein anu mat-beelin afee-lu pa-am echat.Ha-lai-lah hazeh sh'tei p'ameem.
On all other nights, we do not dip vegetables even once,
why on this night do we dip greens into salt water and bitter herbs into sweet haroset?
שֶׁבְּכָל הַלֵּילוֹת אָנוּ אוֹכְלִין בֵּין יוֹשְׁבִין וּבֵין מְסֻבִּין, - הַלַּיְלָה הַזֶּה כֻּלָנו מְסֻ
Sheb’khol ha-lei-lot anu och-leem bein yo-shveen u-vein m’su-been, ha-lailah hazeh kulanu m’subeen.
On all other nights, everyone sits up straight at the table, why on this night do we recline and eat at leisure?
At Passover, we are confronted with the stories of our ancestors’ pursuit of liberation from oppression. Facing this mirror of history, how do we answer their challenge? How do we answer our children when they ask us how to pursue justice in our time?
What does the Activist Child ask?
“The Torah tells me, ‘Justice, justice shall you pursue,’ but how can I pursue justice?”
Empower him always to seek pathways to advocate for the vulnerable. As Proverbs teaches, “Speak up for the mute, for the rights of the unfortunate. Speak up, judge righteously, champion the poor and the needy.”
What does the Skeptical Child ask?
“How can I solve problems of such enormity?”
Encourage her by explaining that she need not solve the problems, she must only do what she is capable of doing. As we read in Pirke Avot, “It is not your responsibility to complete the work, but neither are you free to desist from it.”
What does the Indifferent Child say?
“It’s not my responsibility.”
Persuade him that responsibility cannot be shirked. As Abraham Joshua Heschel writes, “The opposite of good is not evil, the opposite of good is indifference. In a free society where terrible wrongs exist, some are guilty, but all are responsible.”
And the Uninformed Child who does not know how to ask…
Prompt her to see herself as an inheritor of our people’s legacy. As it says in Deuteronomy, “You must befriend the stranger, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt.”
At this season of liberation, join us in working for the liberation of all people. Let us respond to our children’s questions with action and justice.
This is what every Seder is about. Celebration of freedom, expressing reverence, appreciation, and confronting who we were and who we have become.
Going Down to Egypt: Passover celebrates G-d’s taking the Israelites out of slavery from Egypt and bringing them to the Promised Land. But what were the Israelites doing in Egypt in the first place, and how did they get there? The children of Israel’s trek down to Egypt actually begins with their forefather, Abraham. Abraham was the first person to acknowledge a purely monotheistic G-d. As a consequence, G-d promises to make his descendants into a great nation. The making of a great nation, like the making of anything great, is a complex process. So G-d tells Abraham that in order to become one united nation, his children must experience common suffering that is to include exile, enslavement and persecution in a land that is not theirs. Only then will they come into their inheritance–the land of Canaan (Genesis 15:13).
Three generations later, the descent to Egypt begins with Joseph. Life is often an intricate weave of seemingly negative experiences that in hindsight end up being the perfect solution. When Joseph’s brothers sold him to a band of Ishmaelites who took him to Egypt as a slave, they certainly could not have foreseen that two decades later he would be the Egyptian Viceroy who would save all of Egypt and his own family from starvation. Once all the brothers were reunited, with five more years of famine still ahead of them, Joseph brought his father and the rest of the children of Israel to Egypt (a total of 70 souls) and resettled them in Egypt in the land of Goshen. Slavery: In Egypt, Joseph was widely acknowledged as the people’s savior.
After Joseph’s death, however, the Bible reports that a new Pharaoh came to power who “did not know Joseph.” Rather, it implies that Pharaoh chose not to acknowledge Joseph’s contributions to Egypt’s survival. He and his advisors set out to destroy the Jews, who were flourishing in the land of Goshen. They protested that the Jews were growing far too numerous and that, should there be a war, the Jews would be a fifth column, fighting against them from within.
How does one go about enslaving an entire nation with subtlety? Pharaoh called for a “National Unity Program” in which everyone was to volunteer to help build the new store cities of Pithom and Ramses . At the beginning of the program, everyone came. Later on,however, only the Israelites came, perhaps to demonstrate how loyal they were to Pharoah. Over time, the one-time volunteers became forced laborers, and Pharaoh demanded of them the same yield that they had produced previously. Thus they were enslaved.
The Israelites lived in Egypt for 210 years, serving for many of those years as slaves. The Egyptians were harsh taskmasters, who relished in being cruel to the Israelites. Beyond the physical labor, the Israelites suffered moral degradation…men were forced to do the work usually done by women, and women were forced to do the work of men. Pharaoh’s astrologers predicted that the Israelites would be saved by a Hebrew boy yet to be born. Pharaoh could not allow this to occur. First he ordered the midwives that when an Israelite woman gives birth, “if it is a boy, you shall kill him, but if it is a girl, she may live” (Exodus 1:16). But the midwives refused to kill the children and told Pharaoh that the Jewish women gave birth without assistance. Pharaoh, however, then took the matter into his own hands and declared to his people: “Every boy that is born, you shall cast into the Nile, but every girl you shall keep alive” (Exodus 1:22).
The Israelite slaves were often forced to stay in the fields, separated from their families, but the women refused to allow their families to be torn asunder. Despite the Egyptian efforts to destroy them, the Jewish people continued to grow. Into this desperate situation, Moses was born. Moses’ parents, Amram and Yocheved were both from the tribe of Levi. Before the decree to murder the male children, they already had two children, Aaron and Miriam. After the decree to drown every male child was issued, Yocheved put the babe Moses in a basket covered with pitch and set the basket in the Nile.
Miriam followed her baby brother as the current carried him toward the bathing pool of Pharaoh’s daughter. When Pharaoh’s daughter saw that the basket contained a baby boy, she knew that it was a Jewish child, but nevertheless decided to keep him and raise him as her own child. Miriam immediately hurried forth to volunteer Yocheved as a nursemaid for the baby. Thus until he was weened, Moses was raised by a Jewish nursemaid, who was really his mother, before returning to Pharaoh’s daughter.
Moses was a full member of the Egyptian court and was regarded by Pharaoh as a grandson. But Moses was also sensitive to the injustices that were being done to his brethren, the Jews. One day, Moses witnessed an Egyptian taskmaster mercilessly beating a Jew. He saw that there was no one about, and killed the taskmaster in order to save the Israelite’s life. Quickly, before there were any witnesses, he buried the body in the sand. The very next day, however, when he came upon two Jews arguing and tried to stop them, they threatened Moses by saying, "Do you wish to kill us as you killed the Egyptian?"
Realizing that even if these two Israelite slaves knew of his actions, then so did Pharaoh. Moses fled Egypt to Midian where he met Tzippora, the daughter of Jethro (a former high priest of Midian who had turned to monotheism). After marrying Tzippora, Moses became one of Jethro’s shepherds and lived a pastoral and peaceful life…but not for long.
One day, while shepherding the flocks, Moses followed a stray lamb and came upon a bush surrounded by flames, yet the bush was not consumed by the fire. At the burning bush (which was located on Mount Sinai), G-d first spoke to Moses and instructed him to return to Egypt and lead the Israelites out of slavery. Moses, however, did not believe that he was the right person for the task…after all, he had a speech impediment, and he had an older brother who was perhaps more appropriate for the job. But G-d had chosen Moses, and so Moses went back to Egypt where his older brother Aaron served as his spokesman.
Redemption From Slavery: Taking the Jews out of Egypt was no easy task. G-d warned Moses that Pharaoh’s heart would be hardened. In fact, after Moses and Aaron’s first visit to Pharaoh’s palace, Pharaoh ordered an increase in the workload of his slaves. The slaves would now be responsible for supplying their own straw for the manufacture of bricks. The Israelites groaned under the weight of their oppression and accused Moses and Aaron of making things worse. But G-d strengthened Moses, and told him that now he would soon see the strength of G-d, which would result in Pharaoh’s freeing the Hebrews.
Now that Pharaoh had hardened his heart and refused to let the Israelites go, G-d could bring down his wrath upon Egypt. While it is true that G-d had told Abraham that his descendants would serve another people, and the Egyptians were therefore only fulfilling G-d’s command, they had gotten carried away with their divine role.
When Moses and Aharon next went to the palace to request freedom for their brethren and were refused, G-d turned the Nile River into blood. Each of the subsequent nine plagues followed the pattern: Moses and Aharon requested permission to leave, Pharaoh refused, Egypt and the Egyptians were smitten with a plague, while the Israelites were spared. The Egyptians would then cry out, and Pharaoh would beg for mercy and agree to let the Israelites go. Then Pharaoh would change his mind, and the next cycle would begin.
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. We pour out a drop of wine for each of the plagues as we recite them to signify having a little less sweetness in our celebration. Dip a finger or a spoon into your wine glass for a drop for each plague.
These are the ten plagues:
BLOOD / dam
FROGS / tzfardeiya
LICE / kinim
BEASTS / arov
CATTLE DISEASE / dever
BOILS / sh’chin
HAIL / barad
LOCUSTS / arbeh
DARKNESS / choshech
DEATH OF THE FIRSTBORN / makat b’chorot
Even though we are happy that the jews escaped slavery, let us once more take a drop of wine as we together recite the names of these modern plagues:
HUNGER
WAR
TERRORISM
GREED
BIGOTRY
INJUSTICE
POVERTY
IGNORANCE
POLLUTION OF THE EARTH
INDIFFERENCE TO SUFFERING
Dayenu provides a powerful contemporary hashkafah (outlook on life), a call to mindfulness about the way we currently lead our lives.
From singing Dayenu we learn to celebrate each landmark on our people's journey. Yet we must never confuse these way stations with the goal. Because it is not yet Dayenu. There is still so much to do in our work of tikkun olam, repairing the world.
When children grow up in freedom, without hunger, and with the love and support they need to realize their full potential, Dayenu.
When the air, water, fellow creatures and beautiful world are protected for the benefit and enjoyment of all and given priority over development for the sake of profit, Dayenu.
When people of all ages, sexes, races, religions, sexual orientations, cultures and nations respect and appreciate one another, Dayenu.
When each person can say, "This year, I worked as hard as I could toward improving the world so that all people can experience the joy and freedom I feel sitting here tonight at the seder table," Dayenu v'lo Dayenu - It will and will not be enough.
"Dayenu" has 15 stanzas, 15 aspects, 15 gifts. The first five involve leaving the lowliness of enslavement to our bodies. The second five describe miracles, and the last five are closeness to God.
1) "If He had brought us out of Egypt."
Leaving Egypt is lifting you into an awareness of your soul. That would have been enough.
2) "If He had executed justice upon the Egyptians."
Justice means that once you have clarity and you know good from bad, you can fight evil. That would have been enough.
3) "If He had executed justice upon their gods."
This is when people who subscribe to ideologies of selfishness and greed appear to be prospering and happy -- and then you see the falsehood of those gods exposed. That would have been enough.
4) "If He had slain their first born."
There's a higher level of satisfaction when the vicious exploiters have their power broken. That would have been enough.
5) "If He had given to us their wealth."
When you refine your soul, you acquire all physical pleasures as well. That's what it means "they acquired the Egyptian's wealth." At the moment the Jews left Egypt they became a refined soul. And that would have been enough.
FIVE STANZAS OF MIRACLES
6) "If He had split the sea for us."
As the sea opens up for the Jews, God released us from constraint. That would have been enough.
7) "If He had led us through on dry land."
This is when you don't just get the miracle, but it's with ease. You pass through nature, which is transformed. That would have been enough.
8) "If He had drowned our oppressors."
This is when nature is not only "not your enemy," but has become completely submerged and is now your friend. God removed that insecurity by allowing the Jews to travel through the parted waters. That would have been enough.
9) "If He had provided for our needs in the wilderness for 40 years."
Nature surrounded the Jewish people with its beauty. That's what the Jews felt for 40 years in the desert -- nature flowing with them. That would have been enough.
10) "If He had fed us manna."
With the manna, the Jews woke up every morning and saw a thin layer of food carpeting the desert floor. They gathered exactly what they needed each day. They didn't have to worry. That would have been enough.
11) "If He had given us Shabbat."
Shabbat is a special day to focus on learning, growing and family life. And that would have been enough.
12) "If He had led us to Mount Sinai."
When the Jews came to Mount Sinai, they had absolute unity as a people. They had achieved national revelation and embraced the spiritual world around them. That would have been enough.
13) "If He had given us the Torah."
The beauty of Torah is that it directs us as to what to do. Torat Chaim is literally "Instructions for Living." It guides our daily actions and provides a clear guide to morality and self-actualization. And that would have been enough.
14) "If He had brought us into the Land of Israel."
As Jews, you are always at home in the land of Israel. You are welcomed by your brethren and connected by history tradition and values. When you're at home, you're more open to everything around you. Israel is our special home. And that would have been enough.
15) "He built the Temple for us."
The greatest gratitude is reserved for the Holy Temple in Jerusalem, the site of the Binding of Isaac, Jacob's dream with the ladder, King Solomon's Temple, and the focus of Jewish hopes and prayers for 3,000 years. And that would have been enough.
As we now transition from the formal telling of the Passover story to the celebratory meal, we once again wash our hands to prepare ourselves. In Judaism, a good meal together with friends and family is itself a sacred act, so we prepare for it just as we prepared for our holiday ritual, recalling the way ancient priests once prepared for service in the Temple.
Some people distinguish between washing to prepare for prayer and washing to prepare for food by changing the way they pour water on their hands. For washing before food, pour water three times on your right hand and then three times on your left hand.
After you have poured the water over your hands, recite this short blessing.
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָֽׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו, וְצִוָּנוּ עַל נְטִילַת יָדָֽיִם
Baruch Atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech ha-olam, asher kid’shanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu al n’tilat yadayim.
We praise God, Ruler of Everything, who made us holy through obligations, commanding us to wash our hands.
pan style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:#404041'>We praise God, Ruler of Everything, who made us holy through obligations, commanding us to eat matzah.
Distribute and eat the top and middle matzah for everyone to eat.
Motzi-Matzah מוֹצִיא
Take the three matzot - the broken piece between the two whole ones – and hold them in your hand and recite the following blessing:
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יי אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם הַמּוֹצִיא לֶחֶם מִן הָאָרֶץ
Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu melech ha-olam, hamotzi lechem min ha-aretz.
Praised are you, Adonai, Lord our God, Ruler of the universe, who provides sustenance from the earth.
Before eating the matzah, put the bottom matzah back in its place and continue, reciting the following blessing while holding only the top and middle piece of matzah.
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יי אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו וְצִוָּנוּ עַל אֲכִילַת מַצָּה
Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu melech ha-olam, asher kid'shanu b'mitzvotav v'tzivanu al achilat matzah.
Praised are you, Adonai, Lord our God, Ruler of the universe, who has taught us the way of holiness through commandments, commanding us to eat matzah.
Break the top and middle matzot into pieces and distribute them everyone at the table to eat a while reclining to the left.
Tradition says that this root is to remind us of the time of our slavery. We force ourselves to taste pain so that we may more readily value pleasure.
Scholars inform us that bitter herbs were eaten at the Spring festival in ancient times. The sharpness of the taste awakened the senses and made the people feel at one with nature's revival. Thus, maror is the stimulus of life, reminding us that struggle is better than the complacent acceptance of injustice.
Let us all now say the blessing over the Maror:
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.
We praise God, Ruler of Everything, who made us holy through obligations, commanding us to eat bitter herbs.
Make a sandwich with the matzah, maror, and charoset, and eat.
As we make our sandwich of maror, charoset, and matzah, let us reflect upon the words of Rabbi Hillel, the namesake of the aforementioned sandwich. “That which is hateful to you, do not do to another. That is the whole Law. The rest is commentary. Now go and learn.” Essentially, this is the “Golden Rule,” Rabbi Hillel preached empathy. What if every single person thought about how their actions would affect others and broadened their perspectives in order to be more understanding of those around them?
A Jewish community that has lived in Kochi, India for more than 2,000 years starts preparing for Passover right after Hanukkah. They believe that if a Jewish woman were to make even the slightest mistake in Passover preparation during the 100 days before the actual seder, then the lives of her husband and her children would be endangered. They keep special rooms that hold all of the Passover utensils. Houses would be scraped and immediately repainted after Purim. Wells would be drained and scrubbed. Each grain of rice they’d eat on Passover would be examined to make sure it was free from cracks into which chametz might find its way.
שֻׁלְחָן עוֹרֵךְ
Now is time to enjoy the festival meal and participate in lively discussion. It is permitted to drink wine between the second and third cups.
Finding and eating the Afikomen | tzafoon | צָפוּן
The playfulness of finding the afikomen reminds us that we balance our solemn memories of slavery with a joyous celebration of freedom. As we eat the afikomen, our last taste of matzah for the evening, we are grateful for moments of silliness and happiness in our lives.
On seder night, we hide and then seek the afikoman, reuniting the two parts separated at the beginning of the seder. May we learn to discover the lost parts of ourselves and to find wholeness in whatever we do.
Pour the third glass of wine. Together, in freedom , we recite the prayer following our meal, the Birkat Hamazon. We express our gratitude and praise for the Passover meal. Additionally, we pour cups of wine for Elijah Miriam.
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ, אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, הַזָּן אֶת הָעוֹלָם כֻּלּוֹ בְּטוּבוֹ בְּחֵן בְּחֶסֶד וּבְרַחֲמִים הוּא נוֹתֵן לֶחֶם לְכָל בָּשָׂר, כִּי לְעוֹלָם חַסְדּוֹ. וּבְטוּבוֹ הַגָּדוֹל תָּמִיד לֹא חָסַר לָנוּ וְאַל יֶחְסַר לָנוּ מָזוֹן לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד. בַּעֲבוּר שְׁמוֹ הַגָּדוֹל כִּי הוּא אֵל זָן וּמְפַרְנֵס לַכֹּל וּמֵטִיב לַכֹּל וּמֵכִין מָזוֹן לְכָל בְּרִיּוֹתָיו אֲשֶׁר בָּרָא. בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ, הַזָּן אֶת הַכֹּל.
Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu melech ha-olam, hazan et ha-olam kulo b’tuvo, b’chein b’chesed uv-rachamim, hu noten lechem l’chol basar, ki l’olam chasdo, uv-tuvo hagadol, tamid lo chasar lanu v’al yechsar lanu mazon l’olam va’ed. Ba-avur sh’mo hagadol, ki hu Eil zan um’farneis lakol, u-meitiv lakol u-meichin mazon l’chol-b’riyotav asher bara. Baruch atah Adonai, hazan et hakol.
The fourth ceremonial cup of wine poured during the family Seder dinner on Passover is left untouched in honour of Elijah, who, according to tradition, will arrive one day as an unknown guest to herald the advent of the Messiah. During the Seder dinner, biblical verses are read while the door is briefly opened to welcome Elijah, who, it is further said, will resolve all controversial questions connected with the Law. In this way the Seder dinner not only commemorates the historical redemption from Egyptian bondage of the Jewish people but also calls to mind their future redemption when Elijah and the Messiah shall appear.
A Midrash teaches us that a miraculous well accompanied the Hebrews throughout their journey in the desert, given by God because of the merit of Miriam, the prophetess. Miriam’s optimism and faith also was a spiritual oasis, giving the Hebrews the confidence to overcome the hardships of the Exodus.
Like Miriam, Jewish women in all generations have been essential for the continuity of our people. As keepers of traditions, women passed down songs and stories, rituals and recipes, from mother to daughter, from generation to generation. Let us each fill the cup of Miriam with water from our own glasses, we may remember the important role women play in both Judaism and the world.
זאת כּוֹס ִמריָם, כּוֹס ַמיִם ַחיִּים זֵכר ִליציאַת ִמצריִם
Zot kos Miryam, cos mayim chayim zecher litziat Mitzrayim.
This is the cup of Miriam, the cup of living waters, a reminder of the Exodus from Egypt.
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 think of the strength of this community. The strength we find in believing in the power of people, the power of love, the power of something greater than ourselves, and the power of working to make the world a better place.
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ, אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הַגָּפֶן:
Baruch Atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech ha-olam, borei p’ree hagafen.
We praise God, Ruler of Everything, who creates the fruit of the vine. Drink the fourth and final glass of wine!
Adapted from Jewish Boston.
Nirtzah marks the conclusion of the seder. Our bellies are full, we have had several glasses of wine, we have told stories and sung songs, and now it is time for the evening to come to a close. At the end of the seder, we honor the tradition of declaring, “Next year in Jerusalem!”
For some people, the recitation of this phrase expresses the anticipation of rebuilding the Temple in Jerusalem and the coming of the Messiah. For others, it is an affirmation of hope and of connectedness with Klal Yisrael, the whole of the Jewish community. Still others yearn for peace in situations around the world—and in our own country—where people remain enslaved, oppressed, impoverished, homeless and fearful.
Though it comes at the end of the seder, this moment also marks a beginning. We are beginning the next season with a renewed awareness of the freedoms we enjoy and the obstacles we must still confront. We are reminded of our responsibility of Tikkun Olam—repairing the world. Humanity's responsibility to change, improve, and fix its earthly surroundings is powerful. It implies that each person has a hand in working towards the betterment of his or her own existence as well as the lives of future generations. Tikkun olam forces people to take ownership of their world.
Our seder is over, according to Jewish tradition and law. As we had the pleasure to gather for a seder this year, we hope to once again have the opportunity in the years to come. We pray that God brings health and healing to us and all the people of the world. . As we say… לְשָׁנָה הַבָּאָה בִּירוּשָׁלָֽיִם L’shana haba-ah biy’rushalayim NEXT YEAR IN JERUSALEM!
Taken from an excerpt by Harold M Schulweis
The Purpose of Prayer
“He who extends his prayer and expects fulfillment will in the end suffer vexation of the heart” (Babylonian Talmud, Tractate Berachoth, 32b)
Prayer is not magical intervention that can bypass the ways of nature. Prayer is concerned with energizing the means so as to achieve ends of worth. There are limits to prayer: we may not pray for just anything we desire. What can one properly ask for? One can pray for the means to achieve a desired goal. That is, one can pray for the patience and discipline to study. One can be taught to appreciate the knowledge, not grades; this is the goal of education and prayer.
Prayer is about this word, and it must respect the world that G-d has created. When praying responsibly, convenantal prayer is deirected to G-d whose diving image informs the practitioner. The reflexive character of prayer is not an invention of modernity. Sampson Raphael Hirsch, the nineteenth-century neo-Orthodox author of Horeb, informs us, “To ask for something is only a minor section of prayer.” For Hirsch, the Hebrew word for prayer, tefillah is derived from the verb, pallel, which means “to judge.” Prayer is a form of self-examination and self-judgment to correct one’s ways. It is the self who is the target of prayer. Who is the self who is addressed through prayer? It is the divine image within. Prayer is the constant search for the means of repair of the self and the world.
Does prayer move G-D? Prayer moves G-d only if we who pray are moved to respond. If we pray and do not hear, or pray and do not attempt to act, we become ensnared in magical thinking. One-sided, vertical prayer leads to placing the entire burden of petition on the Other. The object of petition is to energize us to act outside of the threshold of the sanctuary.
Taken from an excerpt by Harold M Schulweis
Faith and Miracles
Faith is a way of seeing and a way of responding to what we see. The idea of the miraculous that excludes human action and reaction to events, like that of prayer that excludes the worshiper from the petitions, overlooks the divine presence within nature and humanity.
Rabbi Akiba is challenged by the pagan I=Tineus Rufus: “Whose deeds are greater, those of G-d or man?” Akiba replies. “Greater are the deeds of man.” The pagan is surprised by Akiba’s humanistic response. To provide evidence for his assertion, Rabbi Akiba brings forth sheaves of what and loves of cakes. Akiba asks, “Which are superior?” Unarguably, the loaves of cakes excel (Midrash Tanchuma Tazriah, 19:5).
Akiba’s demonstration was not to raise man to G-d’s expense but to point out the wrongheadedness of Tineus Rufus’s split thinking—either G-d or man. Rabbi Akiba’s intention is to inform Rufus about the cooperative relationship between G-d and man. Akiba’s sheaves of wheat represent the givenness of G-d through seed, water, soil and sun, which men did not create. The cakes, on the other hand, represent the human transformation of which is potential into actuality.
Akiba calls attention to the daily sign-miracles. Normal “miraculous” events are transactions between that over which we have little control and that which we have a measure of control. It marks a partnership between the given and transformed.
Healing points to the human, as well as to that which is beyond human powers. Curing is a cooperative venture between self and Other. Who, having undergone surgery, is blind to the “sign” of healing?
The philosopher Moredchai M. Kaplan used the ordinary phenomenon of children’s growth as illustrative of this worldly “signs.” What accounts for children’s growth? Clearly, it relies on the human care of the self, proper nutrition, exercise and sleep. The human contribution is necessary, but not sufficient. There is something beyond that accounts for the normal mystery of human growth. The collaboration of human and nonhuman energies is a factor that enters the miracle of growth.
Sign-miracles entail the appropriate cooperation of the will, intelligence, and care, which themselves are manifestations of the divine and the potentialities given for us to transform.
Dayenu Lyrics in English and Hebrew
If He had brought us out from Egypt, and had not carried out judgments against them Dayenu, it would have sufficed us!
אִלּוּ הוֹצִיאָנוּ מִמִּצְרַיִם וְלֹא עָשָׂה בָהֶם שְׁפָטִים דַּיֵּנוּ
If He had carried out judgments against them, and not against their idols Dayenu, it would have sufficed us!
אִלּוּ עָשָׂה בָהֶם שְׁפָטִים וְלֹא עָשָׂה בֵאלֹהֵיהֶם דַּיֵּנוּ
If He had destroyed their idols, and had not smitten their first-born Dayenu, it would have sufficed us!
אִלּוּ עָשָׂה בֵאלֹהֵיהֶם וְלֹא הָרַג אֶת בְּכוֹרֵיהֶם דַּיֵּנוּ
If He had smitten their first-born, and had not given us their wealth Dayenu, it would have sufficed us!
אִלּוּ הָרַג אֶת בְּכוֹרֵיהֶם וְלֹא נָתַן לָנוּ אֶת מָמוֹנָם דַּיֵּנוּ
If He had given us their wealth, and had not split the sea for us Dayenu, it would have sufficed us!
אִלּוּ נָתַן לָנוּ אֶת מָמוֹנָם וְלֹא קָרַע לָנוּ אֶת הַיָּם דַּיֵּנוּ
If He had split the sea for us, and had not taken us through it on dry land Dayenu, it would have sufficed us!
אִלּוּ קָרַע לָנוּ אֶת הַיָּם וְלֹא הֶעֱבִירָנוּ בְּתוֹכוֹ בֶּחָרָבָה דַּיֵּנוּ
If He had taken us through the sea on dry land, and had not drowned our oppressors in it Dayenu, it would have sufficed us!
אִלּוּ הֶעֱבִירָנוּ בְּתוֹכוֹ בֶּחָרָבָה וְלֹא שִׁקַּע צָרֵינוּ בְּתוֹכוֹ דַּיֵּנוּ
If He had drowned our oppressors in it, and had not supplied our needs in the desert for forty years Dayenu, it would have sufficed us!
אִלּוּ שִׁקַּע צָרֵינוּ בְּתוֹכוֹ וְלֹא סִפֵּק צָרְכֵנוּ בַּמִּדְבָּר אַרְבָּעִים שָׁנָה דַּיֵּנוּ
If He had supplied our needs in the desert for forty years, and had not fed us the manna Dayenu, it would have sufficed us!
אִלּוּ סִפֵּק צָרְכֵנוּ בַּמִּדְבָּר אַרְבָּעִים שָׁנָה וְלֹא הֶאֱכִילָנוּ אֶת הַמָּן דַּיֵּנוּ
If He had fed us the manna, and had not given us the ShabbatDayenu, it would have sufficed us!
אִלּוּ הֶאֱכִילָנוּ אֶת הַמָּן וְלֹא נָתַן לָנוּ אֶת הַשַּׁבָּת דַּיֵּנוּ
If He had given us the Shabbat, and had not brought us before Mount Sinai Dayenu, it would have sufficed us!
אִלּוּ נָתַן לָנוּ אֶת הַשַּׁבָּת וְלֹא קֵרְבָנוּ לִפְנֵי הַר סִינַי דַּיֵּנוּ
If He had brought us before Mount Sinai, and had not given us the Torah Dayenu, it would have sufficed us!
אִלּוּ קֵרְבָנוּ לִפְנֵי הַר סִינַי וְלֹא נָתַן לָנוּ אֶת הַתּוֹרָה דַּיֵּנוּ
If He had given us the Torah, and had not brought us into the land ofIsrael Dayenu, it would have sufficed us!
אִלּוּ נָתַן לָנוּ אֶת הַתּוֹרָה וְלֹא הִכְנִיסָנוּ לְאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל דַּיֵּנוּ
If He had brought us into the land of Israel, and had not built for us the Beit Habechirah (Chosen House; the Beit Hamikdash) Dayenu, it would have sufficed us!
אִלּוּ הִכְנִיסָנוּ לְאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל וְלֹא בָנָה לָנוּ אֶת בֵּית הַבְּחִירָה דַּיֵּנוּ (By Chayim B Alevsky)
Eliyahu Hanavie (Elijah the Prophet)
אֵלִיָהוּ הַנָבִיא, אֵלִיָהוּ הַתִּשְׁבִּי, אֵלִיָהוּ הַגִלְעָדִי בִּמְהֵרָה יָבוֹא אֵלֵינוּ עִם מָשִׁיחַ בֶּן דָוִד
Eliyahu Hanavie, Eliyahu Hatishbi, Elyahu Hagiladi, Bimherah Yavo Elenu Im Mashiach BenDavid.
Elijah the Prophet, Elijah the Tishbite, Elijah the Giladite, May he soon come to us, with Mashiach the son of David.
Avadim Hayinu עבדים היינו
עֲבָדִים הָיִינוּ
הָיִינוּ
לְפַרְעֹה בְּמִצְרָיֽם
בְּמִצְרָיֽם
עֲבָדִים הָיִינוּ
עַתָּה עַתָּה - בְּנֵי חוֹרִין בְּנֵי חוֹרִין
(English translation)
We were slaves to Pharaoh
We were slaves
Slaves
to Pharaoh in Egypt
in Egypt
We were slaves
Now now - we are free we are free.
Order of the Seder Song (Kadesh-Urchatz)
1. Kadesh קַדֵשׁ
2. Urchatz וּרְחַץ
3. Karpas כַּרְפַּס
4. Yachatz יחץ
5. Magid מגיד
6. Rachtza רָחְצָה
7. Motzi, Matza מוֹצִיא, מַצָּה
8. Maror מָרוֹר
9. Korech כּוֹרֵךְ
10. Shulchan Orech שֻׁלְחָן עוֹרֵךְ
11. Tzafun צָפוּן
12. Barech בָּרֵךְ
13. Hallel הלל
14. Nirtza נרצה
Pharoah, Are you listening?
Listen, King Pharaoh Oh listen, oh listen, oh listen King Pharaoh. Oh listen, oh listen, please let my people go. The want to go away. They work too hard all day. King Pharaoh, King Pharaoh, What do you say? No, no, no, I will not let them go. No, no, no, I will not let them go.
Bang, Bang, Bang!
Bang, bang, bang Hold your hammer low
Bang, bang, bang Give a heavy blow
For it's work, work, work Every day and every night,
For it's work, work, work When it's dark and when it's light.
Dig, dig, dig Get your shovel deep
Dig, dig, dig There's no time for sleep
For it's work, work, work Every day and every night
For it's work, work, work When it's dark and when it's light.
~ To the tine of “Windy” ~
When we do serve on every occasion? What will we eat this Passover night?
What kind of beef just spells “celebration?” Everyone knows it’s brisket.
And brisket is quick to make, just wrap it in foil and bake
Make extra for goodness sake. It freezes well, it freezes well!
What makes a vegetarian think twice? What cut of beef do cows want to be?
What really was the mannah from heaven? Everyone knows it’s brisket.
Echad mi yodeah
אחד מי יודע
Echad mi yodeah? Echad ani yodeah: Echad eloheinu shebashamayim uva'aretz.
Shenayim mi yodeah? Shnayim ani yodeah: Shnei luchot habrit. Echad eloheinu shebashamayim uva'aretz.
Shelosha mi yodeah? Shelosha ani yodeah: Shelosha avot. Shnei luchot habrit. Echad eloheinu shebashamayim uva'aretz.
Arba mi yodeah? Arba
ani yodeah: Arba imahot. Shelosha avot. Shnei luchot habrit. Echad eloheinu shebashamayim uva'aretz.
Hamisha mi yodea? Hamisha ani yodeah. Hamisha humshe torah. Arba imahot. Shelosha avot. Shnei luchot habrit. Echad eloheinu shebashamayim uva'aretz.
Shisha mi yodea? Shisha ani yodeah. Shisha sidrei mishna. Hamisha humshe torah. Arba imahot. Shelosha avot. Shnei luchot habrit. Echad eloheinu shebashamayim uva'aretz.
Shivah mi yodeah. Shivah ani yodeah. Shivah yemei shabta. Shisha sidrei mishna. Hamisha humshe torah. Arba imahot. Shelosha avot. Shnei luchot habrit. Echad eloheinu shebashamayim uva'aretz.
Shemona mi yodeah? Shemona ani yodeah: Shemona yemei milah. hivah yemei shabta. Shisha sidrei mishna. Hamisha humshe torah. Arba imahot. Shelosha avot. Shnei luchot habrit. Echad eloheinu shebashamayim uva'aretz.
Tishah mi yodeah? Tishah ani yodeah. Tisha yarchei leida. Shemona yemei milah. hivah yemei shabta. Shisha sidrei mishna. Hamisha humshe torah. Arba imahot. Shelosha avot. Shnei luchot habrit. Echad eloheinu shebashamayim uva'aretz.
Asarah mi yodeah? Asarah ani yodeah. Asarah dibrayah. Tisha yarchei leida. Shemona yemei milah. hivah yemei shabta. Shisha sidrei mishna. Hamisha humshe torah. Arba imahot. Shelosha avot. Shnei luchot habrit. Echad eloheinu shebashamayim uva'aretz.
Achad asar mi yodeah? Achad asar ani yodeah. Achad asar cochbaya. Asarah dibrayah. Tisha yarchei leida. Shemona yemei milah. hivah yemei shabta. Shisha sidrei mishna. Hamisha humshe torah. Arba imahot. Shelosha avot. Shnei luchot habrit. Echad eloheinu shebashamayim uva'aretz.
Shneim asar mi yodeah. Shneim asar ani yodeah. Shneim asar shivtaya. Achad asar cochbaya. Asarah dibrayah. Tisha yarchei leida. Shemona yemei milah. hivah yemei shabta. Shisha sidrei mishna. Hamisha humshe torah. Arba imahot. Shelosha avot. Shnei luchot habrit. Echad eloheinu shebashamayim uva'aretz.
Shelosha asar mi yodeah? Shelosha asar ani yodeah: Shelosha asar midaya. Shneim asar shivtaya. Achad asar cochbaya. Asarah dibrayah. Tisha yarchei leida. Shemona yemei milah. hivah yemei shabta. Shisha sidrei mishna. Hamisha humshe torah. Arba imahot. Shelosha avot. Shnei luchot habrit. Echad eloheinu shebashamayim uva'aretz.
אֶחָד מִי יוֹדֵעַ?
אֶחָד אֲנִי יוֹדֵעַ: אֶחָד אֱלֹהֵינוּ שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַים וּבָאָרֶץ.
שְׁנַיִם מִי יוֹדֵעַ?
שְׁנַיִם אֲנִי יוֹדֵעַ: שְׁנֵי לֻחוֹת הַבְּרִית. אֶחָד אֱלֹהֵינוּ שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַים וּבָאָרֶץ.
שְׁלשָׁה מִי יוֹדֵעַ?
שְׁלשָׁה אֲנִי יוֹדֵעַ: שְׁלשָׁה אָבוֹת, שְׁנֵי לֻחוֹת הַבְּרִית, אֶחָד אֱלֹהֵינוּ שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַים וּבָאָרֶץ
אַרְבַּע מִי יוֹדֵעַ?
אַרְבַּע אֲנִי יוֹדֵעַ: אַרְבַּע אִמָהוֹת, שְׁלשָׁה אָבוֹת, שְׁנֵי לֻחוֹת הַבְּרִית, אֶחָד אֱלֹהֵינוּ שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַים וּבָאָרֶץ
חֲמִּשָּׁה מִי יוֹדֵעַ?
חֲמִּשָּׁה אֲנִי יוֹדֵעַ: חֲמִשָׁה חוּמְשֵׁי תוֹרָה, אַרְבַּע אִמָהוֹת, שְׁלשָׁה אָבוֹת, שְׁנֵי לֻחוֹת הַבְּרִית, אֶחָד אֱלֹהֵינוּ שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַים וּבָאָרֶץ
שִׁשִָּׂה מִי יוֹדֵעַ?
שִׁשִָּׂה אֲנִי יוֹדֵעַ: שִׁשָּׁה סִדְרֵי מִשְׁנָה, חֲמִשָׁה חוּמְשֵׁי תוֹרָה, אַרְבַּע אִמָהוֹת, שְׁלשָׁה אָבוֹת, שְׁנֵי לֻחוֹת הַבְּרִית, אֶחָד אֱלֹהֵינוּ שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַים וּבָאָרֶץ
שִׁבְעָה מִי יוֹדֵעַ?
שִׁבְעָה אֲנִי יוֹדֵעַ: שִׁבְעָה יְמֵי שַׁבָּתָא, שִׁשָּׁה סִדְרֵי מִשְׁנָה, חֲמִשָׁה חוּמְשֵׁי תוֹרָה, אַרְבַּע אִמָהוֹת, שְׁלשָׁה אָבוֹת, שְׁנֵי לֻחוֹת הַבְּרִית, אֶחָד אֱלֹהֵינוּ שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַים וּבָאָרֶץ
שְׁמוֹנָה מִי יוֹדֵעַ?
שְׁמוֹנָה אֲנִי יוֹדֵעַ: שְׁמוֹנָה יְמֵי מִילָה, שִׁבְעָה יְמֵי שַׁבָּתָא, שִׁשָּׁה סִדְרֵי מִשְׁנָה, חֲמִשָׁה חוּמְשֵׁי תוֹרָה, אַרְבַּע אִמָהוֹת, שְׁלשָׁה אָבוֹת, שְׁנֵי לֻחוֹת הַבְּרִית, אֶחָד אֱלֹהֵינוּ שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַים וּבָאָרֶץ
תִּשְׁעָה מִי יוֹדֵעַ?
תִּשְׁעָה אֲנִי יוֹדֵעַ: תִּשְׁעָה יַרְחֵי לֵדָה, שְׁמוֹנָה יְמֵי מִילָה, שִׁבְעָה יְמֵי שַׁבָּתָא, שִׁשָּׁה סִדְרֵי מִשְׁנָה, חֲמִשָׁה חוּמְשֵׁי תוֹרָה, אַרְבַּע אִמָהוֹת, שְׁלשָׁה אָבוֹת, שְׁנֵי לֻחוֹת הַבְּרִית, אֶחָד אֱלֹהֵינוּ שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַים וּבָאָרֶץ
עֲשֶָרָה מִי יוֹדֵעַ?
עֲשֶָרָה אֲנִי יוֹדֵעַ: עֲשָׂרָה דִבְּרַיָא, תִּשְׁעָה יַרְחֵי לֵדָה, שְׁמוֹנָה יְמֵי מִילָה, שִׁבְעָה יְמֵי שַׁבָּתָא, שִׁשָּׁה סִדְרֵי מִשְׁנָה, חֲמִשָׁה חוּמְשֵׁי תוֹרָה, אַרְבַּע אִמָהוֹת, שְׁלשָׁה אָבוֹת, שְׁנֵי לֻחוֹת הַבְּרִית, אֶחָד אֱלֹהֵינוּ שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַים וּבָאָרֶץ
אַחַד עָשָׂר מִי יוֹדֵעַ?
אַחַד עָשָׂר אֲנִי יוֹדֵעַ: אַחַד עַָשָׂר כּוֹכְבַיָּא, עֲשָׂרָה דִבְּרַיָא, תִּשְׁעָה יַרְחֵי לֵדָה, שְׁמוֹנָה יְמֵי מִילָה, שִׁבְעָה יְמֵי שַׁבָּתָא, שִׁשָּׁה סִדְרֵי מִשְׁנָה, חֲמִשָׁה חוּמְשֵׁי תוֹרָה, אַרְבַּע אִמָהוֹת, שְׁלשָׁה אָבוֹת, שְׁנֵי לֻחוֹת הַבְּרִית, אֶחָד אֱלֹהֵינוּ שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַים וּבָאָרֶץ
שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר מִי יודע?
שנים עָשָׂר אֲנִי יוֹדֵעַ: שְׁנֵים עֶָשָׂר שִׁבְטַיָא, אַחַד עַָשָׂר כּוֹכְבַיָּא, עֲשָׂרָה דִבְּרַיָא, תִּשְׁעָה יַרְחֵי לֵדָה, שְׁמוֹנָה יְמֵי מִילָה, שִׁבְעָה יְמֵי שַׁבָּתָא, שִׁשָּׁה סִדְרֵי מִשְׁנָה, חֲמִשָׁה חוּמְשֵׁי תוֹרָה, אַרְבַּע אִמָהוֹת, שְׁלשָׁה אָבוֹת, שְׁנֵי לֻחוֹת הַבְּרִית, אֶחָד אֱלֹהֵינוּ שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַים וּבָאָרֶץ
שְׁלשָׁה עָשָׂר מִי יוֹדֵעַ?
שְׁלשָׁה עָשָׂר אֲנִי יוֹדֵעַ: שְׁלשָׁה עָשָׂר מִדַּיָא. שְׁנֵים עֶָשָׂר שִׁבְטַיָא, אַחַד עַָשָׂר כּוֹכְבַיָּא, עֲשָׂרָה דִבְּרַיָא, תִּשְׁעָה יַרְחֵי לֵדָה, שְׁמוֹנָה יְמֵי מִילָה, שִׁבְעָה יְמֵי שַׁבָּתָא, שִׁשָּׁה סִדְרֵי מִשְׁנָה, חֲמִשָׁה חוּמְשֵׁי תוֹרָה, אַרְבַּע אִמָהוֹת, שְׁלשָׁה אָבוֹת, שְׁנֵי לֻחוֹת הַבְּרִית, אֶחָד אֱלֹהֵינוּ שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַים וּבָאָרֶץ
Translation:
Who knows one? I know one! One is our God in the heavens and the earth.
Who knows two? I know two! Two are the tablets of the covenant, and one is our God in the heavens and the earth.
Who knows three? I know three! Three are the fathers, two are the tablets of the covenant, and one is our God in the heavens and the earth.
Who knows four? I know four! Four are the matriarchs, three are the patriarchs, two are the tablets of the covenant, and one is our God in the heavens and the earth.
Who knows five? I know five! Five are the books of the Torah, four are the matriarchs, three are the patriarchs, two are the tablets of the covenant, and one is our God in the heavens and the earth.
Who knows six? I know six! Six are the orders of the Mishnah, five are the books of the Torah, four are the matriarchs, three are the patriarchs, two are the tablets of the covenant, and one is our God in the heavens and the earth.
Who knows seven? I know seven! seven are the days of the week, six are the orders of the Mishnah, five are the books of the Torah, four are the matriarchs, three are the patriarchs, two are the tablets of the covenant, and one is our God in the heavens and the earth.
Who knows eight? I know eight! Eight are the days until circumcision, seven are the days of the week, six are the orders of the Mishnah, five are the books of the Torah, four are the matriarchs, three are the patriarchs, two are the tablets of the covenant, and one is our God in the heavens and the earth.
Who knows nine? I know nine! Nine are the months of pregnancy, eight are the days until circumcision, seven are the days of the week, six are the orders of the Mishnah, five are the books of the Torah, four are the matriarchs, three are the patriarchs, two are the tablets of the covenant, and one is our God in the heavens and the earth.
Who knows ten? I know ten! Ten are the commandments, nine are the months of pregnancy, eight are the days until circumcision, seven are the days of the week, six are the orders of the Mishnah, five are the books of the Torah, four are the matriarchs, three are the patriarchs, two are the tablets of the covenant, and one is our God in the heavens and the earth.
Who knows eleven? I know eleven! Eleven are the stars [in Joseph's dream], ten are the commandments, nine are the months of pregnancy, eight are the days until circumcision, seven are the days of the week, six are the orders of the Mishnah, five are the books of the Torah, four are the matriarchs, three are the patriarchs, two are the tablets of the covenant, and one is our God in the heavens and the earth.
Who knows twelve? I know twelve! Twelve are the tribes [of Israel], eleven are the stars in Joseph’s dream, ten are the commandments, nine are the months of pregnancy, eight are the days until circumcision, seven are the days of the week, six are the orders of the Mishnah, five are the books of the Torah, four are the matriarchs, three are the patriarchs, two are the tablets of the covenant, and one is our God in the heavens and the earth.
Who knows thirteen? I know thirteen! Thirteen are the attributes [of God's mercy], twelve are the tribes [of Israel], eleven are the stars in Joseph’s dream, ten are the commandments, nine are the months of pregnancy, eight are the days until circumcision, seven are the days of the week, six are the orders of the Mishnah, five are the books of the Torah, four are the matriarchs, three are the patriarchs, two are the tablets of the covenant, and one is our God in the heavens and the earth.
Translation by Eve Levavi
Information:
Translation by Eve Levavi.
