Passover Seder: 14 steps to a passover seder
Passover is one of the most important jewish holidays in the year.
Passover is a holiday that is celebrated through the art of story telling.
The story of Passover that is being told is the general story of exodus, how god freed the jewish people from slavery in Egypt, and delivered them to the promise land. To kick off the night everyone gathers around the dinner table to start the seder. The word seder refers to the ritual service and ceremonial dinner of a passover night literally meaning "procedure". Here is what you'll need for the seder:- four cups of wine per person
- veggies and saltwater
- cracker like bread called matzah
- bone shank
- hard boiled egg
- Bitter herbs
- Romain lettuce
- Charoset - a paste of nuts apples pears and wine
- a festive meal! - usually containing fish and chicken
- 1. The seder itself has 15 specific steps, the first being Kadesh which is the benediction, this is when the first of four cups of wine is consumed.
- 2. The following step is Urchatz which refers to the washing of hands, this quick step transitions us to our next step, Karpas.
- 3. Karpas, generally referring to parsley, is consumed by dipping the parsley in saltwater. Karpas is part of the appetizers that is presented on the seder plate. Each item on the seder plate all have symbolic meaning that is presented throughout the night. The seder plate contains an egg, a piece of lettuce, Charoset, a bone shank, bitter herbs and parsley.
- 4. The next step to a seder is Yachatz which refers to the breaking of the matzah which represents the great miracle of god splitting the sea while the jews were escaping the Egyptians. The reason we eat matzah on Passover is because while the jews were escaping Egypt they did not have enough time for the bread to leaven, so they took it out early which turned into matzah. That is why it is not kosher to eat leavened bread on Passover.
- 5. Up next we have Maggid which is the story telling part of the seder. The second cup of wine is pour and the Hagadah is being read. The Hagadah is your guide for the night, it will have all the prayers and songs in order.
- 6. Now we have Rachatz, referring to the second hand washing ritual of the night, this is the "pre meal" hand washing ritual.
- 7. immediately after Rachatz is followed by Motzi Matzah, the eating of the matzah.
- 8. This next step is called Maror which refers to the bitter herbs on the seder plate. On Passover bitter herbs, usually referring to horseradish, is eaten to remind us the suffering the jewish people endured in Egypt.
- 9. Koreach will be the next step in the seder. once this step is reached, participants are to take a matzah, break it half and create a sandwich with bitter herbs and Charoset in the middle.
- 10. Shulchan Oreach. The moment everyone has waited for, the Passover feast! traditionally it is began by eating the hard boiled egg dipped into the salt water.
- 11. This fun passover tradition is our next step called Tzafun. We take the leftover matzah from step 4 Yachatz and cover it, this turns the matzah into the Afikoman. One of the adults are to hide the Afikoman while the children look for it.
- 12. Berach - the third cup is poured and the blessings are being recited. It is at this point where a cup of wine is filled for Elijah the prophet which is left for him overnight.
- 13. Hallel - As a conclusion for the night, participants sings songs of praise, traditional passover songs that are typically at the end of the Hagadah. It is at this point of the night where the fourth and final cup of wine is poured.
- 14. Nirtzah -It is at this point of the night where the seder is concluded by saying the phrase "le'shanah haba'ah b'Yerushalaim" which translates to "next year in jerusalem"
