Essential Seder Elements and Their Meaning

April 10th, 2016

Rabbi Mark H. Levin, DHL

1.     Candle lighting

a.     Meaning: Establishes the start of the holy time.

2.    Kiddush:

a.     Weekday

b.    Erev Shabbat

c.     Havdalah

                                              i.     YKNHZ

d.    Meaning: Establishes holy time in which we model stories and behaviors that bring on the messianic future

3.     Karpas – Parsley

a.     Meaning: an hors d'oerves to establish that this is a special meal. Lean to the left as free people

4.     Ha Lachma Anya

a.     Let all who are hungry come eat

b.     By this time next year may we be free

c.      Meaning: in Aramaic, the language of the people: "By this time next year may we all be free," the same statement with which we conclude the seder with wording slightly altered.

5.     Questions

a.     Four sons – four children

b.     Meaning: in order to tell the story we must ask questions. In order to pass the story of freedom to the next generation, we must keep the children interested.

6.    From Degradation to Praise

a.     Avadim Hayeenu – We were slaves

b.    Me't'hilah – At the beginning

c.     Meaning: we were physical slaves and we were spiritual slaves. Discuss why both apply today.

7.    Arame oved avi – My wandering father was Aramean / An Aramean tried to kill my father

a.     Meaning: A history of the Jewish people. Two interpretations of the words: first: Laban tried to kill my ancestor Jacob; second: my ancestor, Jacob, wandered.

8.     Dayenu

a.     Meaning: God did wonders for us, even when we were ungrateful, God continued to do kindnesses for us and never rejected us.

9.    Rabban Gamaliel –

a.     Pesah,

b.    Matzah

c.     Maror

d.    Meaning: what's the basic minimum to tell the story of the Exodus to fulfill our obligation: explain the meaning of the Passover sacrifice (without eating it), the unleavened bread, and the bitter herbs.

10. B'chol dor vador -- We are obligated to see ourselves as if we personally came out of Egypt

a.     Meaning: the point of this this evening is for each of us individually to experience the Exodus from Egypt so that we will never forget the root experience of the Jewish people.

11. Praise:

a.     Psalm 113

b.    Psalm 114

c.     Meaning: the seder takes from degradation to praise: these are psalms of praise, and psalm 114 is explicit about the Exodus.

12. Redemption prayer

a.     Cf. Prayer after shema

b.    Cf. Seventh prayer of the Tefilah/Amidah

c.     Meaning: the Exodus occurred for God for God to make us God's people. This is the process of Redemption, which we celebrate with the seder.

13.  The meal:

a.     2nd cup

b.    Wash

c.     Matzah

                                              i.     Blessing for Bread (matzah is a form of bread)

                                            ii.     Blessing for Matzah

d.    Maror

e.     Hillel sandwich: Numbers 9:11

f.      Meaning: we wash and eat as if we were priests celebrating the sacrifice that ties the Jewish people to God.

14. EAT

15. Birkhat Hamazon – Prayer after meals

a.     3rd cup of wine           

b.     Meaning: thanks God for 4 things:  sustaining life, food and Torah sustaining bodies and souls, rebuilding Jerusalem, and God's goodness.

16. Pour out your wrath and Hallel

a.     Open the door for Elijah

b.     Psalms 115 – 118

c.     Pour out your love

d.     Meaning: the remaining psalms of praise, 115-118, and asking God to either punish our enemies or reward our friends.

17. Egyptian Hallel

a.     Possible fourth cup

b.     Meaning: Psalm 136: the Egyptian Hallel, praising God for creation and the Exodus.

18. Birkhat HaShir

a.     Fourth Cup or fifth cup

b.     Meaning: the blessing that always follows the psalms of Hallel