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
