Congregation Beth Ha’Ari

The Seder is the central ritual for Pesach. The word seder means an order and it really is a self-contained, programmed observance aimed at yearly re-experiencing the beginning of the journey to freedom, the re-birthing of our opportunities to once again try to reach the ideal, both as individuals and as a people, as well as illuminating to all present our traditional goals and insights.

Although a great focus is placed on the meal, just as food seems central to the entire Pesach experience, there's much much more to it. It's an elaborate, fifteen-part (also seen as fourteen-part, but breaking it into fifteen reminds us of Yod (10) Heh (5), the beginning of the Divine Name) ceremony, replayed in one variation or another, throughout the Jewish world and throughout our history. It contains many set portions but is also designed to be unique and new every year. It's filled with the familiar, with tension and release, with anticipation for the children (and the children within us) and has the potential to amplify all the energy we devote to create it.

Perhaps the central image is the Seder Plate, a specially-organized collection of props, each filled with meaning. It is usually organized like this, representing the Eytz Chayim, the Tree of Life:

The other important prop is the four cups of wine, each representing one of the four Kabbalistic worlds (Atzilut, Beriya, Yetzira, Asiya (and these can be viewed in both orders as we acknowledge the energy coming from above to us or "up" from us as an offering)), as well as the four types of redemption mentioned in the story ("God took them out of their burdens and suffering, saved them from hard labor, liberated them with mighty acts, and dedicated them as a holy people" (The Jewish Way by Irving Greenberg)). These also relate to the four questions and the four sons (or children) (a four-way analysis of our human personality) described in the Magid section we'll mention later.
While much of the Seder was created and ritualized far in the past, there are many opportunities to modify it, to add to it, to customize it to yourself, your family and your guests. Many people include memories of other slave-like experiences we've suffered as Jews as well as the slave-like realities of many people in today's world. Everyone is instructed to see themselves as if they personally are leaving Mitzrayim on this night, so adding and altering to make the Seder meaningful is at least as important as learning to appreciate the opportunities designed by our ancestors.

The fifteen acts of the play, as it were are as follows:

1) Kadesh Blessing the day over a cup of wine and Kiddush as we traditionally mark the beginning of all special days. This is the first of the four cups.
2) Urchatz We wash our hands to purify ourselves for holy eating, reminding ourselves thatin these days everyone's table functions as the Mizbeach, the holy altar in the Temple, where we now perform the Karbanot, the mindful eating which brings us closer to God. We begin to clean off the rust which imprisons us.

3) Karpas We dip the greens from the Seder Plate into salt water, say a blessing and eat it. It whets the appetite for the meal to come, reminds us of the spring which hosts Pesach every year (in fact, the holiday and the month are called Aviv, spring--while as Jews we spiritually live in a lunar calendar, we regularly add leap-months which return us to balance, fully-engaged with the physical world).

4) Yachatz We break the middle Matza, put the larger piece aside for the Afikoman, the final act. From this point on it's fair game for the children to hide it for ransom since the Seder can't end without it.

5) Magid We tell the story of the redemption, along with rabbinic commentary. We ask the four questions, explain the symbols on the Seder Plate, discuss the four sons, the ten plagues and so much more. Exploring the past, we try to increase our awareness of the present and keep in mind our ultimate goal for the future--the Absolute Freedom All Humanity. We enter the realm of the Oral Torah, the Torah of the Spirit. This is usually the longest section (depending, of course, on how long we spend eating!) of the Seder. In fact, one is encouraged to prolong our discussion, extend the relationship, to fill the air with questions. We begin the Hallel, the prayer of Thanksgiving and close this section with the second cup of wine.

6) Rachtza As we look forward to eating, first our symbolic foods, beginning with the Matza, then the holiday meal itself, we ritually wash our hands, saying the blessing, while and deepening the experience we began earlier with Urchatz.

7) Motzi We lift the top Matza along with the remaining half of the second one and acknowledge the commandment to eat this strange, dual-nature "bread", the Bread of Freedom and, simultaneously, the Bread of Affliction with the traditional formula of a bracha, a blessing.

8) Matza (This is often included with Motzi, making it part of "7", although we will retain this numbering order). We say the traditional blessing on bread since tonight this is our only bread, and we then eat our portion of the Matza.

9) Maror With another bracha, we acknowledge the duty to re-experience the bitterness of slavery and eat the bitter herb.

10) Korech Remembering the Temple, our heightened ability to approach the Creator and crediting our rabbinic tradition as represented by Hillel, a paradigm of gentleness and compassion, we combine the Matza and Maror, usually with a healthy dose of sweet Charoset and eat the famous (in Jewish circles at any rate) Hillel Sandwich.

11) Shulchan Areych The Festive Meal we've all been waiting so patiently for. However, some people heroically postpone this a bit longer while they finish Hallel and perhaps the other final parts of the Seder so they aren't neglected as the meal winds down and friends and family depart. Whenever we start this feast, we remember it as a sign of our progress towards freedom, a symbol of which is trying to eat while at least partially reclining as a lord of old. A slave never has the time, resources or peace of mind to enjoy so grand a meal. Actually, an important pre-Pesach preparation for this meal is Meot Chitim, giving to charity to ensure that everyone will be able to enjoy an elaborate meal.

12) Tzafon Literally Hidden, we eat the Afikoman (which often has been hidden by the children). We finish our meal (before midnight) with the final taste in our mouth the simple purity of the Matza, reminding ourselves that so much is still hidden, not yet understood, not yet realized, not yet completed.

13) Beyrach We say the traditional Grace After Meals, a familiar ritual to traditional practitioners. Even in the midst of the excitement of new-found freedom we remember the Source of all blessing and sustenance. And, as is traditional with this prayer, we cap it with a cup of wine, tonight's third.

14) Hallel Overjoyed with our liberation, we sing out in praise and thanksgiving. Remember, some people have already taken care of this before fressing, not to mention the previous cup of wine. We end this praise,however, with a toast, the fourth cup!

15) Nirtza We conclude the Seder. Part of this is welcoming Elijah the Prophet, the harbinger of the complete redemption and perfection, of a world where no one is slave, all are masters.

And now the fun begins with the long-awaited songs! Adir Hu, Chad Gadya, Echad Mi Yodea as well as other contemporary favorites. Each of the traditional songs is filled with deep meaning, but their explicit purpose is to give children (as well as sleepy adults) one more reason to stay up for the night's Journey to Freedom!

Also, beginning with the second night of Pesach we immediately involve ourselves with the next phase of the journey, this time towards the enlightenment of Torah which we reach in seven weeks, seven times seven days, with the festival of Shavuot. We start by counting the first night of the omer, continuing each night until we reach the holiday. This second Seder night is dedicated to Chesed b'Chesed, the pinnacle of love and energy. The rest of the week of Pesach continues our journey through Chesed.

Chag Kasher V'Sameach, a Happy and Kosher Holiday since without Happiness there is no Kashrut.