General points: 1. The mood is to be celebratory rather than serious. Enjoy the food. Laugh. Be natural. Tip over things. 2. Don't worry about how to pronounce Hebrew--just make it up as you go along.
LEADER: Before Passover, leavened items are removed from the home--especially all breads and cakes including yeast. The preparation begins with a thorough cleaning which culminates in a ceremonial search for leaven called bedikat kameytz .
MORE EXPLANATION GOES HERE. Use p. 3 of the book.
Blessed are you, Lord our God, King of the Universe, who has set us apart by your commandments and has commanded us to kindle the festival Lights.
ALL: Barukh ata Adonai, Elohaynu Melech Haolam, Shehekhiyanu Viqimanu Vihigianu Laazman Hazeh.
Blessed are you, Lord our God, King of the Universe, who has kept us in life and enabled us to reach this festival season.
LEADER: As this light for the festival of redemption is kindled by the hand of a woman, remember that our Redeemer, the Light of the World, came into the world as the promised seed of a woman (Genesis 3:15).
LEADER: Attention Ladies and Gentlemen. Let us lift our first cup together and bless the name of the Lord.
ALL: Barukh ata Adonai, Elohaynu Melech Haolam, Boray, pree hagafen.
Blessed are You, Lord, our God, King of the universe, who created the fruit of the vine.
LEADER: Blessed are You, God, our God, King of the universe, who has grantedus life, sustained us, and enabled us to reach this occasion.
As he began the Last Supper, Jesus Christ ``took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, Take this, and divide it among yourselves. For I say unto you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come.'' (Luke 22:17-18)
Let us all drink this, the first of the four cups of Passover.
(Lifting salt water) But life in Egypt for the children of Israel was a life of pain and salty tears, like this water. Let us take a sprig of karpas and dip it in the salt water, remembering that in life sometimes there are tears.
ALL: Barukh ata Adonai, Elohaynu Melech Haolam, Boray, pree ha adama.
Blessed are You, Lord, our God, King of the universe, who creates the fruit of the earth.
LEADER: Now let us all together eat the karpas, the green vegetable dipped twice in salt water.
The leader raises the tray with the matzo and says:
LEADER: This is the bread of affliction which our ancestors 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 with us. Now we are here; next year may we be in the Heavenly City. Now we are slaves; next year may we be free.
(The plate is put down, the Matzo is covered, and the second cup of wine is filled. Do not drink it yet)
(The youngest person present who can talk asks the Four Questions.)
CHILD: Why is this night different from all other nights?
On all other nights we eat bread, but on this night why do we eat matzo?
On all other nights we don't dip our vegetables even once, but on this night why do we dip twice?
On all other nights we eat all kinds of vegetables, but on this night why do we eat bitter herbs?
On all nights we eat sitting upright, bu on this night why do we all recline?
LEADER: It is both a duty and a privilege to answer the four questions of Passover and recite the mighty works of God. To answer the questions, we need to tell the Passover story.
(Four people start to tell the child the story. They may wish to prepare before the seder by reading in Exodus, but should use their own words here. )
FIRST STORYTELLER: (The first person tells, in his own words, of how the Israelites were in Egypt, and how Pharaoh oppressed them.)
SECOND STORYTELLER. (The second person tells, in his own words, of how Pharaoh ordered the Jewish baby boys to be drowned,but now Miriam put Moses in a basket in the river.)
THIRD STORYTELLER. (The third storyteller tells of how Moses killed an Egyptian who was beating a Jewish slave.)
FOURTH STORYTELLER. (The fourth storyteller tells how Moses saw the burning bush.)
ALL: And I am sure that the king of Egypt will not let you go, no, not by a mighty hand. And I will stretch out my hand, and smite Egypt with all my wonders which I will do in the midst thereof: and after that he will let you go. (Exodus 3:19-20)
LEADER: God sent plagues to Egypt, one by one, yet Pharaoh hardened his heart more with each plague. Only after the tenth and most awful plague did Pharaoh relent and let the Israelites go. As we recite each plague, let us dip a little finger into the cup, allowing a drop of wine to fall.
(Do not drink from the cup at this time.)
ALL: One. Blood!
Two. Frogs!
Three. Lice!
Four. Beasts!
Five. Cattle plague!
Six. Boils!
Seven. Hail!
Eight. Locusts!
Nine. Darkness!
Ten. Death of the Firstborns!
LEADER: (Lifting the shankbone of the lamb.) This roasted shankbone represents the lamb whose blood marked the houses of the Israelites, its blood taking the place of their firstborn sons. Here is what God said:
FIRST STORYTELLER: Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for an house: Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year... And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it. And they shall eat the flesh in that night, roasted with fire...(Exodus 12:3, 5,7, 8)
SECOND STORYTELLER: And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt. And this day shall be unto you for a memorial; and ye shall keep it a feast to the LORD throughout your generations; ye shall keep it a feast by an ordinance for ever.(Exodus 12:13-14)
LEADER: For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night...
ALL: I, and not an angel.
LEADER: ...and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast;...
ALL: I, and not a seraph.
LEADER... and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment:...
ALL: I, and not a messenger.
LEADER: I am JEHOVAH. (Exodus 12:12)
ALL: I myself and no other.
LEADER: We who have trusted Jesus Christ know him to be the Lamb of God. We know that it was God Himself, not an angel, God Himself, not a seraph, God Himself, not a messenger, who achieved final redemption from our bondage to sin.
(Lifting the egg.) This roasted egg is called the Khagigah. It is a symbol of mourning, reminding us of the destruction of the Temple. We will eat it later, during the meal, and mourn no more for the Temple, since we have Jesus Christ instead.
On all other nights, we eat leavened bread, but on Passover we eat only unleavened bread. When the Israelites fled Egypt, they did not have time for their dough to rise. Instead, they baked their bread flat.
Paul tells us what the leaven means.
FIRST STORYTELLER: Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us: Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. (1 Corinthians 5: 6-8)
LEADER: (Lifting the plate with the three matzo) This is the bread of affliction which our ancestors 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 with us. Now we are here; next year may we be in the Land of Israel. Now we are slaves; next year may we be free.
Three matzo are wrapped together for Passover. The rabbis call this a ``Unity''. Some say it stands for Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Others say it stands for priests, Levites, and people of Israel. We know it is Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
(Removing and breaking the middle matzo in half.) Just as this middle piece of the Unity is broken, so Christ was broken on the Cross. This piece is called the Afikomen--- ``the coming one.'' It is wrapped in white cloth just as Christ's body was wrapped for burial. (Wraps the afikomen.) If the children will cover their eyes, I will hide the afikomen. (Does so.) Just as I have hidden the afikomen, so Christ was hidden in a tomb.
But just as the afikomen will return in a short while, so Christ rose from the dead. (Breaks off a piece of the other half of the middle piece and distributes it.) Let us now share the bread of Passover.
ALL: Barukh ata Adonai, Elohaynu Melech Haolam, Hamotzi lechem Min ha-aretz.
Blessed are You, O LORD our God, King of the Universe, who brings forth bread from the earth.
... made their lives bitter with hard bondage, in morter, and in brick, and in all manner of service in the field... (Exodus 1: 14)
Let us put some maror onto a piece of matzo and bless God even for the bitterness. (All eat.)
ALL: Barukh ata Adonai, Elohaynu Melech Haolam, asher qidshanu b'mitzvotav v'tsivanu al akilat maror.
Blessed are You, O LORD our God, King of the Universe, who has sanctified us with Your commandments and commanded us to eat bitter herbs.
(Lifting the kharoset mortar.) The children of Israel toiled to make treasure cities for Pharaoh, working in brick and clay. We remember the mortar of the building with the Kharoset, made from apples, honey,nuts, and wine. Let us once again scoop bitter herbs onto matzo. But this time, before we eat, dip the herbs ino the sweet kharoset.
ALL: (Lifting the matzo with the maror and kharoset) We dip the bitter herbs into kharoset to remind ourselves that even the most bitter of circumstances can be sweetened by hope in God. (All eat.)
ALL: Once we were slaves, but now we are free!
LEADER: The children of Israel were instructed they to eat the first Passover ``.. with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: it is the LORD's passover.''(Exodus 12: 11) Today, though, we may all recline and enjoy the Passover without fear, because of God's goodness.
If He had only smitten the Egyptians' first-born, and had not parted the Red Sea
ALL: Dayenu!
LEADER: If He had only parted the Red Sea, and had not supplied our needs in the desert for forty years
ALL: Dayenu!
LEADER: If He had only supplied our needs in the desert for forty years, and had not fed us manna
ALL: Dayenu!
LEADER: If He had only fed us manna, but had not given us the Torah
ALL: Dayenu!
LEADER: If He had given us the Torah, and not given us the land of Israel,
ALL: Dayenu!
LEADER: In thanks, let us now drink the second cup.
(Here, sometimes people sing the Dayenu song.)
LEADER: The final food for Passover is the afikomen. It is said that the taste of the afikomen should linger in our mouths.
ALL: Barukh ata Adonai, Elohaynu Melech Haolam, Hamotzi lechem Min ha-aretz.
Blessed are You, O LORD our God, King of the Universe, who brings forth bread from the earth.
LEADER: After this, Jesus added these words: ``This is my body, given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.'' (Luke 22:19)
Let us now eat the matzo, thinking of the body of the Lamb of God. Let us allow the taste to linger in our mouths.
ALL: Barukh ata Adonai, Elohaynu Melech Haolam, Boray, p'ree hagafen.
Blessed are You, O LORD our God, King of the Universe, creator of the fruit of the vine.
(All drink the third cup of wine.)
LEADER: (Lifting the extra cup from Elijah's place at the table) This cup is for Elijah the Prophet, Eliyahu Hanavi. At this time, let one of the children open the door to welcome Elijah to our seder. (A child opens the door)
ALL: ``See, I will send you the prophet Elijah before that great and dreadful Day of the Lord comes.'' (Malachi 4:5)
LEADER: Before the birth of John the Baptist, an angel of the Lord said ``And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah...'' ( Luke 1:17)
Jesus said of John the Baptist, ``And if you are willing to accept it, he is the Elijah who was to come.'' (Matthew 11:14) So Elijah has come, but we welcome him to come again.
ALL: For his mercy endureth for ever.
LEADER: To him that smote Egypt in their firstborn,
ALL: For his mercy endureth for ever.
LEADER: And brought out Israel from among them,
ALL: For his mercy endureth for ever.
LEADER: With a strong hand, and with a stretched out arm,
ALL: For his mercy endureth for ever.
LEADER:To him which divided the Red sea into parts,
ALL: For his mercy endureth for ever.
LEADER: And made Israel to pass through the midst of it,
ALL: For his mercy endureth for ever.
LEADER: But overthrew Pharaoh and his host in the Red sea,
ALL: For his mercy endureth for ever.
LEADER:To him which led his people through the wilderness,
ALL: For his mercy endureth for ever.
LEADER:Who remembered us in our low estate,
ALL: For his mercy endureth for ever.
LEADER: And hath redeemed us from our enemies,
ALL: For his mercy endureth for ever.
LEADER: O give thanks unto the God of heaven,
ALL: For his mercy endureth for ever. (Psalm 136: 1, 10-16, 23-24 26)
LEADER: (lifting the cup) Let us lift our cups and bless the Name of the Lord.
ALL: Barukh ata Adonai, Elohaynu Melech Haolam, Boray, p'ree hagafen.
Blessed are You, O LORD our God, King of the Universe, creator of the fruit of the vine.
(Drink the fourth cup of wine)
ALL: LASHANA HABA AH BI YERUSHALAYIM!
NEXT YEAR IN JERUSALEM
WHAT IS BELOW SHOUULD BE IN SEPARATE WEBPAGES. I`ll DO THAT LATER.
Exodus 1:8 Now there arose up a new king over Egypt, which knew not Joseph. 1:9 And he said unto his people, Behold, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we: 1:10 Come on, let us deal wisely with them; lest they multiply, and it come to pass, that, when there falleth out any war, they join also unto our enemies, and fight against us, and so get them up out of the land. 1:11 Therefore they did set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh treasure cities, Pithom and Raamses. 1:12 But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew. And they were grieved because of the children of Israel. 1:13 And the Egyptians made the children of Israel to serve with rigour: 1:14 And they made their lives bitter with hard bondage, in morter, and in brick, and in all manner of service in the field: all their service, wherein they made them serve, was with rigour.
SECOND STORYTELLER. The second person tells, in his own words, of how Pharaoh ordered the Jewish baby boys to be drowned,but now Miriam put Moses in a basket in the river.
1:22 And Pharaoh charged all his people, saying, Every son that is born ye shall cast into the river, and every daughter ye shall save alive. 2:1 And there went a man of the house of Levi, and took to wife a daughter of Levi. 2:2 And the woman conceived, and bare a son: and when she saw him that he was a goodly child, she hid him three months. 2:3 And when she could not longer hide him, she took for him an ark of bulrushes, and daubed it with slime and with pitch, and put the child therein; and she laid it in the flags by the river's brink. 2:4 And his sister stood afar off, to wit what would be done to him. 2:5 And the daughter of Pharaoh came down to wash herself at the river; and her maidens walked along by the river's side; and when she saw the ark among the flags, she sent her maid to fetch it. 2:6 And when she had opened it, she saw the child: and, behold, the babe wept. And she had compassion on him, and said, This is one of the Hebrews' children. 2:7 Then said his sister to Pharaoh's daughter, Shall I go and call to thee a nurse of the Hebrew women, that she may nurse the child for thee? 2:8 And Pharaoh's daughter said to her, Go. And the maid went and called the child's mother. 2:9 And Pharaoh's daughter said unto her, Take this child away, and nurse it for me, and I will give thee thy wages. And the women took the child, and nursed it. 2:10 And the child grew, and she brought him unto Pharaoh's daughter, and he became her son. And she called his name Moses: and she said, Because I drew him out of the water.
THIRD STORYTELLER. The third storyteller tells of how Moses killed an Egyptian who was beating a Jewish slave.
2:11 And it came to pass in those days, when Moses was grown, that he went out unto his brethren, and looked on their burdens: and he spied an Egyptian smiting an Hebrew, one of his brethren. 2:12 And he looked this way and that way, and when he saw that there was no man, he slew the Egyptian, and hid him in the sand. 2:13 And when he went out the second day, behold, two men of the Hebrews strove together: and he said to him that did the wrong, Wherefore smitest thou thy fellow? 2:14 And he said, Who made thee a prince and a judge over us? intendest thou to kill me, as thou killedst the Egyptian? And Moses feared, and said, Surely this thing is known. 2:15 Now when Pharaoh heard this thing, he sought to slay Moses. But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh, and dwelt in the land of Midian: and he sat down by a well. 2:16 Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters: and they came and drew water, and filled the troughs to water their father's flock. 2:17 And the shepherds came and drove them away: but Moses stood up and helped them, and watered their flock. 2:18 And when they came to Reuel their father, he said, How is it that ye are come so soon to day? 2:19 And they said, An Egyptian delivered us out of the hand of the shepherds, and also drew water enough for us, and watered the flock. 2:20 And he said unto his daughters, And where is he? why is it that ye have left the man? call him, that he may eat bread. 2:21 And Moses was content to dwell with the man: and he gave Moses Zipporah his daughter. 2:22 And she bare him a son, and he called his name Gershom: for he said, I have been a stranger in a strange land. FOURTH STORYTELLER. The fourth storyteller tells how Moses saw the burning bush.
2:23 And it came to pass in process of time, that the king of Egypt died: and the children of Israel sighed by reason of the bondage, and they cried, and their cry came up unto God by reason of the bondage. 2:24 And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. 2:25 And God looked upon the children of Israel, and God had respect unto them. 3:1 Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father in law, the priest of Midian: and he led the flock to the backside of the desert, and came to the mountain of God, even to Horeb. 3:2 And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed. 3:3 And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt. 3:4 And when the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I. 3:5 And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground. 3:6 Moreover he said, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God. 3:7 And the LORD said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows; 3:8 And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey; unto the place of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites. 3:9 Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children of Israel is come unto me: and I have also seen the oppression wherewith the Egyptians oppress them. 3:10 Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt. 3:11 And Moses said unto God, Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt? 3:12 And he said, Certainly I will be with thee; and this shall be a token unto thee, that I have sent thee: When thou hast brought forth the people out of Egypt, ye shall serve God upon this mountain. 3:13 And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say unto them? 3:14 And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you. 3:15 And God said moreover unto Moses, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, the LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you: this is my name for ever, and this is my memorial unto all generations. 3:16 Go, and gather the elders of Israel together, and say unto them, The LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, appeared unto me, saying, I have surely visited you, and seen that which is done to you in Egypt: 3:17 And I have said, I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt unto the land of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, unto a land flowing with milk and honey. 3:18 And they shall hearken to thy voice: and thou shalt come, thou and the elders of Israel, unto the king of Egypt, and ye shall say unto him, The LORD God of the Hebrews hath met with us: and now let us go, we beseech thee, three days' journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the LORD our God. 3:19 And I am sure that the king of Egypt will not let you go, no, not by a mighty hand. 3:20 And I will stretch out my hand, and smite Egypt with all my wonders which I will do in the midst thereof: and after that he will let you go. 3:21 And I will give this people favour in the sight of the Egyptians: and it shall come to pass, that, when ye go, ye shall not go empty. 3:22 But every woman shall borrow of her neighbour, and of her that sojourneth in her house, jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment: and ye shall put them upon your sons, and upon your daughters; and ye shall spoil the Egyptians. 4:1 And Moses answered and said, But, behold, they will not believe me, nor hearken unto my voice: for they will say, The LORD hath not appeared unto thee. 4:2 And the LORD said unto him, What is that in thine hand? And he said, A rod. 4:3 And he said, Cast it on the ground. And he cast it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from before it. 4:4 And the LORD said unto Moses, Put forth thine hand, and take it by the tail. And he put forth his hand, and caught it, and it became a rod in his hand: 4:5 That they may believe that the LORD God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath appeared unto thee. 4:6 And the LORD said furthermore unto him, Put now thine hand into thy bosom. And he put his hand into his bosom: and when he took it out, behold, his hand was leprous as snow. 4:7 And he said, Put thine hand into thy bosom again. And he put his hand into his bosom again; and plucked it out of his bosom, and, behold, it was turned again as his other flesh. 4:8 And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe thee, neither hearken to the voice of the first sign, that they will believe the voice of the latter sign. 4:9 And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe also these two signs, neither hearken unto thy voice, that thou shalt take of the water of the river, and pour it upon the dry land: and the water which thou takest out of the river shall become blood upon the dry land. 4:10 And Moses said unto the LORD, O my LORD, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue. 4:11 And the LORD said unto him, Who hath made man's mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I the LORD? 4:12 Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say. 4:13 And he said, O my LORD, send, I pray thee, by the hand of him whom thou wilt send. 4:14 And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Moses, and he said, Is not Aaron the Levite thy brother? I know that he can speak well. And also, behold, he cometh forth to meet thee: and when he seeth thee, he will be glad in his heart. 4:15 And thou shalt speak unto him, and put words in his mouth: and I will be with thy mouth, and with his mouth, and will teach you what ye shall do. 4:16 And he shall be thy spokesman unto the people: and he shall be, even he shall be to thee instead of a mouth, and thou shalt be to him instead of God. 4:17 And thou shalt take this rod in thine hand, wherewith thou shalt do signs. 4:18 And Moses went and returned to Jethro his father in law, and said unto him, Let me go, I pray thee, and return unto my brethren which are in Egypt, and see whether they be yet alive. And Jethro said to Moses, Go in peace.
Add a section on the propriety of Christians celebrating a seder. 1. Aquinas says Christians sin in keeping the ceremonial Law. 2. Teh Bible says non-Jews sholud not keep Passover. 3. But this is not Passover (killing a lamb and sprinkling blood), but an adaption of later rabbinical ceremonies. 4. And Aquinas is wrong, as Paul seems to say circumcision is OK if not taken too seriously.