THE SEDER SERVICE
The Order
THE LIGHTING OF THE FESTIVAL CANDLES
(While the woman of the house lights the candles, the leader explains what they mean)
LEADER: The lighting of the candles separates the Sabbath from the rest of the week and the Seder from ordinary days—separates the mundane from the holy. The woman of the house traditionally lights two white candles, which represent creation and redemption. They also symbolize the two witnesses, Moses, and Elijah. Moses represents the Law and Elijah represents the prophets. Once she lights the candles, she will draw the light to her with a motioning of her hands. It is meaningful to remember that through the woman, Eve, the Light went out of the world, but through another woman, Mary, the Light came to bring light back into the world.
WOMAN: Baruch ata Adonai, Eloheinu Melech ha olam, asher kidshanu va dom shel ha Maschiach, V’Nah than lanu Yeshua Meshichanu, ha or la olam. Blessed are You, O Lord our God, King of the Universe, who sanctified us by the blood of the Messiah and commanded us to be a light for the nations, and gave us Jesus, our Messiah, the light of the world.
LEADER: We gather tonight to tell the ancient story of the deliverance of Israel from Egyptian bondage by the blood of the Passover lamb. This is the history of all those who have put their trust in the Messiah, who is our Passover Lamb, and the fulfillment of this covenant meal.
During the Last Supper, Messiah instituted Kiddush to serve as an everlasting feast of remembrance, that He was to be the sacrifice as God’s perfect Passover Lamb. His sacrifice, once and for all, provides a new and greater deliverance from the bondage of sin, and His resurrection has freed us to live new lives in the power of His Ruach HaChodesh (Holy Spirit).
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This is the time to teach our children and about the wonderful works of G-d: The deliverance of the children of Israel from slavery in Egypt and our deliverance from the slavery of sin.
THE KIDDUSH
The First Cup, the Cup of Blessing
LEADER: Kiddush means “the Sanctification” or “to set apart.” This is the first cup which represents the first “I will.”
“I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians.” Tonight, we as we take this cup, we remember God’s redemption through Messiah Yeshua which breaks the hold of the enemy on us and that we are a holy people set apart to glorify God in all the earth.
Fill the first cup and say Kiddush: Baruch Atah Adonai Elohenu Melech Ha-olam Boray Pre Ha gah fen. Blessed art Thou, O Eternal, our God, King of the Universe, Creator of the fruit of the vine. Blessed art Thou, O Lord our God, Ruler of the world, who chose us out of all the people and selected us over all the nations and made us holy through His commandments. Lovingly, O Lord our God, thou hast given us Sabbath days for rest and festival days for joy. Thank you for this feast of Passover, in remembrance of our deliverance from Egypt.
Take a moment and thank the Lord. He delivered you from the bondage of sin.
THE URCHATZ
The Washing of the Hands
LEADER: Urchatz means “washing,” and is a symbolic act of purification. Just as the temple priests would wash their hands and feet before offering sacrifices or entering the Holy of Holies, we, who are of the royal priesthood of G-d, also symbolically purify ourselves by the washing of our hands. On the last Seder Jesus celebrated with his disciples, he washed not only their hands, but also their feet.
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Leader or all wash by pouring water from pitcher over hands.
THE KARPAS
The Dipping of the Parsley
Take the karpas (green vegetable) and dip in salt water and recite the following blessing: Baruch Atah Adonai Elohenu Melech Haolam Bohray Pre Ha-adamah. Blessed art thou, O Eternal, our God, King of the Universe, Creator of the fruits of the earth.
LEADER: The greens represent the hyssop, which was used to place the blood of the Passover lamb upon the door posts and the lintel. The salt water represents the tears shed in Egypt and the Red Sea and we are reminded that God delivered his people from their troubles in Egypt and brought them safely across the Red Sea and made them a newborn nation.
Before eating the karpas, take a moment to thank the Lord that the tears of your bondage are wiped away and your enemy destroyed.
All eat together the karpas.
THE YACHUTZ
The Breaking of the Middle Matzah
LEADER: (Takes the middle matzah and, breaking it in two, leaving one half between the two whole ones and wraps the other half in a linen cloth for the “Afikomen.” Some say the three matzahs represent Abraham, Isaac and Jacob; others say they represent the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
The second matzah (the Son) is broken in half and wrapped in linen representing the broken body of Jesus, which was wrapped in white linen and hidden away in a dark place.
While the youngest child hides his eyes, the leader hides the afikomen.
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THE MAGGID
The Retelling of the Story of The Exodus
Exodus 12: 1-13 tells how God redeemed His people from Egypt by His mighty power and the redemption of the Passover Lamb. It is the story of death, life, and resurrection. The LORD said to Moses and Aaron in Egypt, “This month is to be for you the first month of your year. Tell the whole community of Israel that on the 10th day of this month each man is to take a lamb for his family, one for each household. If any household is too small for a whole lamb, they must share one with their nearest neighbor, having taken into account the number of people there are. You are to determine the amount of lamb needed in accordance with what each person will eat. The animals you choose must be yearold males without defect, and you may take them from the sheep or the goats. Take care of them until the fourteenth day of the month, when all the people of the community of Israel must slaughter them at twilight. Then they are to take some of the blood and put it on the sides and tops of the doorframes of the houses where they eat the lambs. That same night they are to eat the meat roasted over the fire, along with bitter herbs, and bread made without yeast. Do not eat the meat raw or cooked in water, but roast it over the fire—head, legs, and inner parts. Do not leave any of it till morning; if some is left till morning, you must burn it. This is how you are to eat it: with your cloak tucked into your belt, your sandals on your feet and your staff in your hand. Eat it in haste; it is the Lord’s Passover. On that same night I will pass through Egypt and strike down every firstborn—both men and animals—and I will bring judgment on all the gods of Egypt. I am the LORD. The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are; and when I see the blood, I will pass over you. No destructive plague will touch you when I strike Egypt.” NIV
Take a moment to remind yourself of your own salvation experience.
THE FOUR QUESTIONS
The Youngest Member of the Family Asks the Four Questions
1. Why is this night different from all other nights? On all other nights we eat either leavened or unleavened bread. Why on this night do
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we eat only unleavened bread? Answer - We were slaves to Pharaoh in Egypt, and the Lord redeemed us with a mighty hand. If the Holy and Blessed One had not taken our fathers out of Egypt, then we, our children, and our grandchildren, too, would be Pharaoh’s slaves in Egypt. This night is different because we celebrate the going forth of the Jewish people from slavery into freedom. They fled in haste; there would be no time for bread to rise.
2. On all other nights we eat vegetables and herbs of all kinds. Why on this night do we eat only bitter herbs? Answer - We remember our forefathers’ slavery in Egypt, which made their lives bitter.
3. On all other nights we never think of dipping herbs in water or in anything else; why on this night do we dip the parsley in salt water and the bitter herbs in charoseth? Answer - We dip the parsley in salt water because it reminds us of the hyssop that put the blood on our forefathers’ door posts and lintel and of the tears they shed in Egypt. We dip the bitter herbs in charoseth to remind us that our forefathers were able to withstand bitter slavery, because it was sweetened with the hope of freedom.
4. On all other nights we eat either sitting upright or reclining; why on this night do we all recline?” Answer - Long ago reclining was a sign of a free man; since our forefathers were freed on this night, we recline at the table.
THE TEN PLAGUES
LEADER: God judged Egypt by plaguing them with their own gods exhibiting total defeat of Egypt’s gods by the only true God of Israel.
As we say the name together of each plague, we dip a finger in the glass of grape juice.
1. The Nile was turned to BLOOD. Judgment against Egyptian god of the Nile.
2. FROGS appeared everywhere. Judgment against goddess Heqt represented as a frog and worshipped as a god who helped in childbirth.
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3. The plague of LICE was an irritation to the neurotically hygienic Egyptians.
4. BEETLES were sacred to the Egyptians and a symbol of their sun god Ra.
5. DEATH OF LIVESTOCK because Egyptians worshiped the sacred bull Apis.
6. BOILS (pestilence) on males and animals. Egypt had a hoard of sacred animals.
7. HAIL destroyed their winter crops. Judgment on the gods of the harvest.
8. LOCUSTS destroyed their crops for which they thanked their gods.
9. DARKNESS was an insult to the sun god.
10. DEATH TO THE FIRSTBORN was a judgment against Satan himself. The Angel of Death was not an Egyptian god. This symbolizes that the Son of God would break death’s hold not only on Israel, but the entire world. Through the blood of Jesus Christ, all the gods of this world are defeated, and their works are destroyed.
“And they shall take the blood and put it on the two side posts and on the lintel, upon the house wherein they shall eat the flesh on that night…with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: it is Jehovah’s Passover. Against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments: I am Jehovah. And the blood shall be to you for a token…. And this day shall be unto you for a memorial, and ye shall keep it a feast by an ordinance forever.” Exodus 12:7-14
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DAYENU
We would have been satisfied
If He had merely rescued us from Egypt but not punished the Egyptians. Dayenu.
If He had merely punished the Egyptians but had not destroyed their gods. Dayenu.
If He had merely destroyed their gods, but had not slain their firstborn, Dayenu.
If He had merely slain their firstborn, but had not given us their property, Dayenu.
If He had merely given us their property, but had not split the sea for us, Dayenu.
If He had merely split the sea for us, but had not brought us through on dry ground, Dayenu.
If He had merely brought us through on dry ground, but had not drowned our oppressors, Dayenu.
If He had merely fed us with manna, but had not given us the Sabbath, Dayenu.
If He had merely given us the Sabbath, but had not brought us to Mount Sinai, Dayenu.
If He had merely brought us to Mount Sinai, but had not given us the Torah, Dayenu.
If He had merely brought us to the land of Israel, but had not built us the Temple, We would have been satisfied!
We also reflect on His provision through redemption and the blessings of redemption.
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He sent His Son to die for us, Dayenu.
His Son’s blood redeems us, Dayenu.
He adopted us into His family, Dayenu.
He broke the hold of Satan in our lives, Dayenu.
He gave us peace, Dayenu.
He has blessed me abundantly, Dayenu.
We will spend eternity with Him, Dayenu.
PESACH
The Three Symbols
The leader takes hold of three elements, one at a time, shows them to the company, and recites over each one:
1. The shank bone symbolizes the sacrifice of Passover, lamb whose blood was put on the door posts to protect them from the slaying of the first born. “When I see the blood, I will pass over you…” Ex 12:13. It symbolizes the blood of our Passover Lamb, which has spared or redeemed us from death. “The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, ‘Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!’” John 1:29 “He was brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.” Isaiah 53:7
2. The matzah symbolizes the unleavened bread, which they ate because there was not time to bake leavened bread. Leaven is a type of sin. (Paul tells us to clean out the old leaven of malice and wickedness and replace it with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.) Matzah is unleavened; Jesus is without sin. Matzah is striped; Jesus was striped with a Roman whip. “Who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness - by whose stripes you were healed.”
I Peter 2:24 The matzah is pierced; Jesus’ side was pierced. “One of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear…For these things were done that the Scripture might be fulfilled.” John 19:34-37
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3. The maror, the bitter herbs, symbolize the bitterness of our ancestors’ slavery in Egypt. Exodus 1:14 “They made their lives bitter with hard labor, with bricks and mortar, with all kinds of work in the fields.”
THE SECOND CUP
The Cup of Judgment
The second cup, the second “I will.” “I will free you from being slaves.” God did this by JUDGING all the gods of Egypt. Everyone raises the cup while the following is read.
LEADER: We therefore are privileged to thank, praise, adore, glorify, extol, honor, bless, exalt, and reverence him, who wrought all the miracles for our ancestors and us: for he brought us forth from bondage to freedom, from sorrow to joy, from mourning into holy days, from darkness to great light, and from servitude to redemption: and therefore let us sing unto him a new song, Hallelujah!
THE HALLEL
LEADER: Praise the LORD. Praise, O servants of the LORD, praise the name of the LORD.
ALL: Let the name of the LORD be praised, both now and forevermore.
LEADER: From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets, the name of the LORD is to be praised.
ALL: The LORD is exalted over all the nations, his glory above the heavens. Who is like the LORD our God, the One who sits enthroned on high, who stoops down to look on the heavens and the earth?
LEADER: He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap; he seats them with princes, with the princes of their people.
ALL: He settles the barren woman in her home as a happy mother of children. Praise the LORD.
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The Leader prays over the second cup: Blessed are you O Eternal, our God, King of the Universe, Creator of the fruit of the vine.
All drink together the second cup.
THE RACHATZ
The Washing of the Hands
Before every meal, Jews are commanded to wash their hands and recite this blessing:
LEADER: Blessed are you O Lord our God, Ruler of the world, who made us holy by His commandments and commanded us concerning the washing of hands.
MOTZI, MATZOT
The Blessing of the Matzah
Leader holds up three matzahs symbolizing unity and recites this blessing: Baruch Atah, Adonai Elohenu Melech Ha-olam Hamotzee Lechem Min Ha’aretz. Blessed art thou O Lord our God, King of the Universe, who brings forth bread from the earth.
All-break off a piece of the matzah and say together, “Blessed art thou, O Lord our God, King of the Universe, who sanctified us with His commandments, and commanded us concerning the eating of unleavened bread.” (See commentary on Matzah at the end of this booklet.)
MAROR
Eating of Bitter Herbs
Each person breaks the bottom matzah into olive-size pieces and dips into bitter herbs, reciting this blessing: “Blessed art Thou, O Lord our God, King of the Universe, who sanctifies us with His commandments and commanded us concerning the eating of bitter herbs.”
All eat together.
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THE KOREKH
Eating of the Bitter Herbs with Charoseth
All, take two pieces from the bottom matzah and put between them the charoseth and bitter herbs, reminding us that the bitter herb is a symbol of suffering, the salt water a symbol of tears, the greens a symbol of hyssop, the wine a symbol of blood. The charoseth is a symbol of mortar representing the clay bricks, which were made by our people in Egypt. When we eat them together, we are reminded of the sweetness of God’s redemption is the antidote for the bitterness of slavery and sin.
All eat together.
SHULCHAN ORECH
The Passover Dinner
THE TZAPHUN The Eating of the Afikomen
The children search for the afikomen. The leader redeems it by giving the child a coin. The afikomen is a symbol of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It was at this point in the Seder celebration that Jesus said, “I am the bread of life.” In Jewish tradition and thought, bread was a symbol of redemption. Jesus took the afikomen and distributed it to his disciples. It was the middle matzah that was hidden away and brought back and given to the disciples saying, “This is my body given for you, do this in remembrance of me.” As we eat a piece of the afikomen, we are reminded of the price paid for our redemption.
THE HA-GEULAH
The Third Cup, The cup of Redemption
The third cup represents the third “I will” - “I will redeem you.” It was this cup that after supper Jesus raised and said, “This is the New Testament in my blood that is shed for you.” Luke 22:20. Jesus came to earth to die and to shed His blood to provide for all redemption from sin. He became our Passover Lamb.
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ALL: Lift the cup.
LEADER: Blessed art Thou, O Eternal, our God, King of the Universe, who created the fruit of the vine. All drink the cup together as we remember that the blood of the Lord Jesus, our Passover Lamb was shed for our sins.
ELIJAH’S PLACE
Elijah’s Cup is Filled with Wine and the Door is Opened
One place always set for Elijah at the Seder. The door is opened to see if he is coming. He is the one that will announce the coming of the Messiah. In the spirit of Elijah, John the Baptist announced as he looked up and saw Jesus, “Behold, the Lamb of God, which takes away the sins of the world.” The door is closed.
OTHER ITEMS ON PLATE:
THE BETZAH (The roasted egg) speaks of sacrifice which can no longer be made because the Temple was destroyed. The sacrifice not only means death but life.
THE SHANK BONE of the lamb is untouched because lambs are no longer sacrificed. Jesus Christ was the final sacrifice.
THE FOURTH CUP
The Cup of Praise
The fourth “I will.”
“I will take you to Me for a people.” This speaks of the time when the Lord will again gather Israel in the Lord. To us as believers, this cup also represents the great hope that the Messiah is coming back to take us up to be with him. “For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so, shall we ever be with the Lord.” I Thessalonians 4:16-17
ALL: Recite the blessing and then drink the cup together: Blessed art Thou, O Eternal, our God, King of the Universe, for the wine, for the fruit
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of the vine, for the produce of the field and for the land of Israel you gave our forefathers to inherit. Have compassion, O Eternal, our God, on Israel Your people, on Jerusalem Your city, on Zion the residence of Your glory and upon the altar and Your Temple. Rebuild Jerusalem, Your holy city, speedily in our days.
LEADER: The Seder of Passover is now complete, even as our salvation and redemption are complete. Just as we were privileged to celebrate it this year, so may we be privileged to celebrate it again in the future.
ALL in unison: Next year in Jerusalem! Pray (SEEK) for the peace of Jerusalem. Psalm 122:6
“And when they had sung a hymn, they went out unto the Mount of Olives.” Matthew 26:30
COMMENTARY ON MATZAH
By Rabbi Tom Meyer
Matzah represents the bare essentials -- without the yeast or the puffing up. Matzah is pulling back and seeing what real freedom really is. What do you really need? What is most essential in life? We’re chasing a lot of luxuries that aren’t essential. When you know what the essentials are, you pull back from the ego. Not totally -- because we can eat regular bread the rest of the year. You can enjoy the extras if you know what your bottom line is. Real freedom is knowing your bottom line.
But there’s more. The Haggadah says: What is the reason for Matzah? “There was insufficient time for our ancestors’ dough to become leavened.” It takes approximately eighteen minutes for dough to rise. They were in such a rush they didn’t have eighteen minutes.
Matzah is a symbol of getting out of the ego. Once you appreciate this, you must act on it immediately. Otherwise, the body will snatch you up again. God knew He had to push the Jews out quickly, or they would sink right back into the body.
Are there changes you need to make in your life? Act on them immediately. If you wait any longer, you’re at risk. Eighteen minutes is already too long. Think about it.
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COMMENTARY ON MARROR (BITTER HERBS)
By Rabbi Tom Meyer
What is the reason we eat Marror? We do because the Egyptians embittered the lives of our ancestors in Egypt. As it says: “They made their lives bitter through the hard labor, with mortar and brick and all kinds of work in the field. All their labor was carried out under conditions of excessive force.” Exodus 1:14
Shlepping (Yiddish for carrying) mortar and bricks is backbreaking labor. But do you know what? Building up your ego is hard work, too. Think about all the hard work you do just to impress others!
The Torah has 613 commandments. People say that’s too many! But consider that when you are living without God, you bear a billion burdens.
To be controlled by the body (flesh) is Marror. It embitters your life with hard labor. Next time you see a menial laborer, realize that’s what we do to ourselves when we aren’t spiritual.
Slavery can destroy a person emotionally when it’s meaningless labor. Imagine digging a hole and then filling it back right away. You lose your motivation to continue because your efforts don’t amount to anything in the end. The Germans used this tactic to drive the Jews crazy, to demean them as human beings.
When your life lacks spirituality and you are controlled by the body (flesh) then even after you get the career and status and salary and achievements, at some point you say to yourself, “OK, what did I really accomplish?” And then you must look for the next toy and the next way to prove yourself. You are constantly feeling an emptiness and an undertow beneath it all saying “I’m finite. I’m meaningless.” It’s like spending your whole life rolling a big stone up the hill -- and it rolls right back down again. That’s empty labor.
The biggest fear a human has is the fear of not getting anywhere. And if you’re not out of the body (flesh), that’s exactly where you are going.
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