Leader:
We have come together this evening for many reasons. We are here because Spring is all around, the Earth is reborn, and it is a good time to celebrate with family and friends. We are here because we are Jews, because we are members of the Jewish nation, with its deep historic roots and its valuable old memories and stories.
We are here to remember the old story of the liberation of the ancient Hebrews from slavery in Egypt - a great struggle for freedom and dignity. We are here because the struggle for human freedom never stops. We are here to remember all people - Jews and non-Jews - who are still struggling for their freedom.
As we feel how wonderful and important it is for diverse peoples to come together, let us recite and then sing the words of HINNEH MAH TOV.
HINNEH, MAH TOV - BEHOLD, HOW GOOD! (Adaptation* of T'hillim / Psalms 133.1)
Behold, how good and how pleasant it is when peoples* dwell together in unity!
Hinneh, mah tov u-mah naim shevet ammim* gam yahad!
(*originally "brothers", or "achim")
[Maror held up for all to see.]
MAROR--Why do we eat maror?
Tradition says that this bitter herb is to remind us of the time of our slavery. We force ourselves to taste pain so that we may more readily value pleasure.
Scholars inform us that bitter herbs were eaten at spring festivals in ancient times. The sharpness of the taste awakened the senses and made the people feel at one with nature's revival. Thus, maror is the stimulus of life, reminding us that struggle is better than the complacent acceptance of injustice.
Leader:
As a blessing for the maror, let us all sing this song about striving to be fully human.
Then we will all take a taste of horseradish on a piece of matsah.
LIH'YOT `ISH - TO BE FULLY HUMAN (Mishnah, Pirqei `Avot 2.6)
Ba-maqomshe-`ein`anashim, hishtaddel lih'yot `ish.
Where people are less than human, strive to be fully human.
The Passover Seder is one of the most important celebrations on the Jewish cultural calendar.
It provides a setting of family love and unity in which all Jews can rededicate themselves to the ideal of human freedom and growth.
The ritual of the occasion involves the use of certain symbolic foods:
P'RI HA-GAPHEN - "the fruit of the vine" - wine or grape juice
MATSAH - unleavened bread
MAROR - a bitter herb (horseradish, green onion, or romaine lettuce)
KARPAS - parsley or celery
Z'ROA - an animal bone or a beet (for vegetarians)
BEITSAH - an egg, hard-boiled then roasted
TAPPUZ - an orange (a recent addition)
HAROSET - a condiment made from fruits, nuts, spices, and wine
THE FIRST CUP OF THE FRUIT OF THE VINE
Leader:
Let us all fill our glasses with the fruit of the vine.
[Resume taking turns reading. Each person is invited to read a grouped set of lines - or to pass.]
Spring is the season of new growth and new life.
Every living thing must either grow, or die; growth is a sign and a condition of life.
Human beings are perhaps unique among the Earth's inhabitants. Our most significant growth takes place inwardly.
We grow as we achieve new insights, new knowledge, new goals.
Let us raise our cups to signify our gratitude for life,
and for the joy of knowing inner growth, which gives human life its meaning. Together, with raised cups, let us say:
Leader:
P'riha-gaphen-`itto,nishteh"L'-Haiyim!"
Everyone:
The fruit of the vine - with it, let us drink "To Life!"
"L'-Haiyim!"
Leader:
Let us all now drink the first cup of the fruit of the vine.
(Hebrew folk song)
Heve`-nushalomalei-khem.
Heve`-nu shalom alei-khem.
Heve`-nu shalom alei-khem.
Heve`-nu shalom, shalom, shalom alei-khem.
We wish peace upon you all.
Heve-nu Shalom Aleikhem - We Wish Peace Upon You All
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Just as the food of our Passover seder nourishes our bodies, our sharing and our reflections at this seder uplift our spirits. Let us celebrate the bounty of our lives by singing our version of that old favorite "DAYENU."
DAYENU
["Dayenu" means "Enough for us."]
`Im yesh la-nu herute-nu (3x)
dayenu.
Chorus:
Day, day-enu, day, day-enu, day, day-enu, dayenu, dayenu. (repeat)
`Im yesh la-nu simhate-nu (3x)
dayenu.
Chorus
`Im yesh la-nu tiqva-te-nu (3x)
daye-nu.
Chorus
If we have our freedom, it is enough for us.
If we have our happy occasion (our seder), it is enough for us.
If we have our hope, it is enough for us.
Leader:
We have come together this evening for many reasons. We are here because Spring is all around, the Earth is reborn, and it is a good time to celebrate with family and friends. We are here because we are Jews, because we are members of the Jewish nation, with its deep historic roots and its valuable old memories and stories.
We are here to remember the old story of the liberation of the ancient Hebrews from slavery in Egypt - a great struggle for freedom and dignity. We are here because the struggle for human freedom never stops. We are here to remember all people - Jews and non-Jews - who are still struggling for their freedom.
As we feel how wonderful and important it is for diverse peoples to come together, let us recite and then sing the words of HINNEH MAH TOV.
HINNEH, MAH TOV - BEHOLD, HOW GOOD! (Adaptation* of T'hillim / Psalms 133.1)
Behold, how good and how pleasant it is when peoples* dwell together in unity!
Hinneh, mah tov u-mah naim shevet ammim* gam yahad!
(*originally "brothers", or "achim")
[Maror held up for all to see.]
MAROR--Why do we eat maror?
Tradition says that this bitter herb is to remind us of the time of our slavery. We force ourselves to taste pain so that we may more readily value pleasure.
Scholars inform us that bitter herbs were eaten at spring festivals in ancient times. The sharpness of the taste awakened the senses and made the people feel at one with nature's revival. Thus, maror is the stimulus of life, reminding us that struggle is better than the complacent acceptance of injustice.
Leader:
As a blessing for the maror, let us all sing this song about striving to be fully human.
Then we will all take a taste of horseradish on a piece of matsah.
LIH'YOT `ISH - TO BE FULLY HUMAN (Mishnah, Pirqei `Avot 2.6)
Ba-maqomshe-`ein`anashim, hishtaddel lih'yot `ish.
Where people are less than human, strive to be fully human.
The Passover Seder is one of the most important celebrations on the Jewish cultural calendar.
It provides a setting of family love and unity in which all Jews can rededicate themselves to the ideal of human freedom and growth.
The ritual of the occasion involves the use of certain symbolic foods:
P'RI HA-GAPHEN - "the fruit of the vine" - wine or grape juice
MATSAH - unleavened bread
MAROR - a bitter herb (horseradish, green onion, or romaine lettuce)
KARPAS - parsley or celery
Z'ROA - an animal bone or a beet (for vegetarians)
BEITSAH - an egg, hard-boiled then roasted
TAPPUZ - an orange (a recent addition)
HAROSET - a condiment made from fruits, nuts, spices, and wine
THE FIRST CUP OF THE FRUIT OF THE VINE
Leader:
Let us all fill our glasses with the fruit of the vine.
[Resume taking turns reading. Each person is invited to read a grouped set of lines - or to pass.]
Spring is the season of new growth and new life.
Every living thing must either grow, or die; growth is a sign and a condition of life.
Human beings are perhaps unique among the Earth's inhabitants. Our most significant growth takes place inwardly.
We grow as we achieve new insights, new knowledge, new goals.
Let us raise our cups to signify our gratitude for life,
and for the joy of knowing inner growth, which gives human life its meaning. Together, with raised cups, let us say:
Leader:
P'riha-gaphen-`itto,nishteh"L'-Haiyim!"
Everyone:
The fruit of the vine - with it, let us drink "To Life!"
"L'-Haiyim!"
Leader:
Let us all now drink the first cup of the fruit of the vine.
(Hebrew folk song)
Heve`-nushalomalei-khem.
Heve`-nu shalom alei-khem.
Heve`-nu shalom alei-khem.
Heve`-nu shalom, shalom, shalom alei-khem.
We wish peace upon you all.
Heve-nu Shalom Aleikhem - We Wish Peace Upon You All
Preview
More
Just as the food of our Passover seder nourishes our bodies, our sharing and our reflections at this seder uplift our spirits. Let us celebrate the bounty of our lives by singing our version of that old favorite "DAYENU."
DAYENU
["Dayenu" means "Enough for us."]
`Im yesh la-nu herute-nu (3x)
dayenu.
Chorus:
Day, day-enu, day, day-enu, day, day-enu, dayenu, dayenu. (repeat)
`Im yesh la-nu simhate-nu (3x)
dayenu.
Chorus
`Im yesh la-nu tiqva-te-nu (3x)
daye-nu.
Chorus
If we have our freedom, it is enough for us.
If we have our happy occasion (our seder), it is enough for us.
If we have our hope, it is enough for us.
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