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The
Passover Seder
The text of the Pesach seder is
written in a book called the Haggadah. (Click here for a
selection of Haggadahs) The content of the seder can be summed
up by the following Hebrew rhyme:
 Kaddesh, Urechatz,
Karpas, Yachatz
Maggid, Rachtzah,
Motzi, Matzah,
Maror, Korech,
Shulchan Orech,
Tzafun, Barech,
Hallel, Nirtzah
- 1. Kaddesh: Sanctification
-
This is a blessing over
wine in honor of the holiday. Four cups of wine are drunk
during the Seder.
- 2. Urechatz: Washing
-
Washing of the hands without a
blessing, in preparation for eating the Karpas.
- 3. Karpas: Vegetable
-
A vegetable, usually potatoes
or parsely which are dipped in salt water and eaten. The
vegetable symbolizes the lowly origins of the Jewish people;
the salt water symbolizes the tears we shed as during or
suffering of slavery.
- 4. Yachatz: Breaking
-
The middle of the three
matzahs on the table is broken. The smaller part is returned
to the pile, and the larger is set aside for the afikomen
(see below).
- 5. Maggid: The Story
-
A retelling of the story of
the Exodus from Egypt and the first Pesach. This begins with
the youngest person asking The Four Questions, a set of
questions about the proceedings designed to encourage
participation in the seder.
- 6. Rachtzah: Washing
-
A second washing of the hands,
this time with a blessing, in preparation for eating the
matzah and the Seder meal
- 7. Motzi: Blessing over Grain
Products
-
The usual blessing that is
recited before the consumption of bread / challah, or grain
products.
- 8. Matzah: Blessing over
Matzah
-
A blessing specific to matzah
is recited, and a bit of matzah is eaten.
- 9. Maror: Bitter Herbs
-
Bitter vegetable (usually raw
horseradish or romaine lettuce) it is eaten, to symbolize
the bitterness of slavery. The maror is dipped charoset, a
mixture of apples, nuts, cinnamon and wine, to remind us of
the mortar used by the Jews in building during their
slavery.
- 10. Korech: The Sandwich
-
The maror is eaten together
with matzah and the paschal offering in a sandwich. This is
done in honor of the great sage, Hillel, who recommended
this ritual.
- 11. Shulchan Orech: Dinner
-
A festive meal is eaten. There
is no particular requirements, yet traditions have emerged
over the generation, and especially amongst Ashkenazic Jews
(Jews of Eastern European decent), where gefilte fish and
matzah ball soup are the delicates de jour.
- 12. Tzafun: The Afikomen
-
The piece of matzah set aside
earlier is eaten as "desert," the last food of the
meal. Different families have different traditions relating
to the afikomen. Some have the children hide it, while the
parents have to either find it or ransom it back. Others
have the parents hide it. The idea is to keep the children
awake and attentive throughout the pre-meal proceedings,
waiting for this part.
- 13. Barech: Grace after Meals
-
Grace after meals is recited
thanking God for the meal.
- 14. Hallel: Praises
-
Several psalms are recited, in
praise of God.
- 15. Nirtzah: Closing
-
The official conclusion of the
Seder, that ends with the expression of hope the we may
celebrate Pesach "next year in Jerusalem."
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