TZAFUN, The Afikoman
is Found and Eaten
Toward the end of the meal, the children look for the
afikoman, which the leader has hidden. Since neither the meal nor
the Seder can be concluded before some of the group has eaten a piece
of it, whoever finds the afikoman may demand a reward. Nothing is
eaten after the afikoman, so that the matzah may be the last food
tasted.
Leader
In temple times the Passover sacrifice was eaten at the end of the
meal, when everyone was almost satiated. In remembrance of this, we
partake of the afikoman as the very last food to be eaten at our seder.
(Set aside all other food and eat the afikoman.)
BAREICH, Thanks for
Divine Sustenance
(The third cup is filled.)
Leader
We have eaten our Passover meal as free people.
Let us give thanks to the source of all life and freedom.
Let us say grace.
Group
May Adonai be blessed from now unto eternity.
Leader
Let us praise the Eternal of Whose bounty we have partaken.
Group
Let us praise the Eternal of Whose bounty we have partaken
and by Whose goodness we live.
Leader
On this Festival of Matzot, inspire us to goodness.
On this Festival of Freedom, make us a blessing.
On this Festival of Pesach, preserve us in life.
Group
All Merciful, rule over us forever.
Leader
Sustain us with honorable work.
Make us worthy of the Messianic promise of a world that is yet to
come.
Participant
May the One who blessed Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob,
May the One who blessed Sarah, Rebekah, Rachel, and Leah,
bless this home, this table, and all assembled here;
and may all our loved ones share our blessing.
Leader
May the One who brings harmony into the spheres on high
bring peace to earth for all humanity.
Group
May Adonai give strength to our people,
May Adonai bless all people with peace.
The Third Cup--the Cup of Redemption
Leader
Together we take up the third cup of wine, now recalling the third
divine promise to the people of Israel:
Group
"I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and through
mighty acts of judgement."
Leader
Baruch Atah Adonai Eloheinu Melech ha-olam,
borei p'ri ha-gafen.
(All drink the third cup of wine.)
Kos Eliyahu, the Cup of Elijah
Leader
This cup of wine is called "Kos Eliyahu" the cup of Elijah--a
cup from which we cannot drink, until all the world is redeemed from
pain, injustice, denial of love. In the ninth century B.C.E., a farmer
arose to challenge the domination of the ruling elite. In his tireless
and passionate advocacy on behalf of the common people, and his ceaseless
exposure of the corruption and waste of the court, Elijah sparked
a movement and created a legend which would inspire people for generations
to come.
Group
May the All Merciful send us Elijah the Prophet to comfort us with
tidings of deliverance.
Participant
Before he died, Elijah declared that he would return once each generation
in the guise of any poor or oppressed person, coming to people's doors
to see how he would be treated. By the treatment offered this poor
person, who would be Elijah himself, he would know whether the population
had reached a level of humanity making them capable of participating
in the dawn of the Messianic age.
Group
Elijah opens up for us the realm of mystery and wonder.
Let us now open the door for Elijah!
(A child is sent to open the door to the outside.)
Leader
Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet,
and he will turn the hearts of the parents to the children
and the hearts of the children to the parents
before the coming of the great and awesome Day of God!
All sing
Eliyahu ha-Navi, Eliyahu ha-Tishbi,
Eliyahu, Eliyahu, Eliyahu ha-Giladi.
Bimheirah, b'yameinu yavo eileinu,
Im Ma-shiach ben David, im Ma-shiach ben David.
Eliyah ha-Navi, Eliyahu ha-Tishbi,
Eliyahu, Eliyahu, Eliyahu ha-Giladi.
Leader
From beyond, Elijah's spirit enters in these walls
And tastes again with us the wine of endless promise.
(Door is closed.)
Leader
And may Your day come soon when swords are beaten into plowshares
and spears into pruning-hooks, when nation does not lift up sword
against nation, nor do they prepare for war any more.
Participant
But that day is still far from sight. Ignorance, prejudice, hatred;
contempt for truth and justice; hunger and terror; the fear of a world-destroying
disaster--these remain to plague the human race. To end these plagues,
to summon Elijah--that is the task of all who care. It is our
task, for we are the people who know the stranger's heart, the slave's
aching bones, the shaking hands of the exile. When will Elijah come
with the news of freedom?
Group
When we have called him by our deeds.
Kaddish, a prayer of praise and peace
Leader
It is our tradition to say Kaddish for a loved one who has
died. During the Holocaust entire families died with no one to remember
them. Tonight we remember; we dare not forget. Tonight we recite the
Kaddish for those people.
Group (each at your own pace)
Magnified and sanctified is the name of God throughout the world,
which is created according to God's will. May the kingdom of God be
established during the days of our lives and during the life of all
the house of Israel. Speedily, yes, and soon. And we say Amen.
May God's great name be blessed for ever and ever. Exalted and honored
is the name of the Holy One, blessed in glory, transcending all praises,
hymns and blessings we can offer. And we say Amen.
May there be abundant peace from heaven and life for us and for all Israel. And we say Amen.
As there is peace in the heavens, grant there be peace for us and
for all Israel and for all the peoples of the world. And we say Amen.
HALLEL,
Praise
Leader
Not for our sake, Adonai, not for our sake do we give praise, but
to reveal Your love and Your truth.
Psalm 117
Group
Praise Adonai, all you nations;
Sing praises, all you peoples!
For great is God's love for us;
God's faithfulness never-ending. Halleluyah!
The Great Hallel--Psalm 136
Leader and Group alternate
- Give thanks to Adonai, who is good,
- Whose love endures forever!
- Give thanks to the God of gods,
- Whose love endures forever!
- Give thanks to the Eternal One,
- Whose love endures forever!
- Who alone works great wonders,
- Whose love endures forever!
- Who, with understanding, made the heavens,
- Whose love endures forever!
- Who stretched out the earth above the waters,
- Whose love endures forever!
- Who made the great lights,
- Whose love endures forever!
- The sun, to rule by day,
- Whose love endures forever!
- The moon and stars, to rule by night,
- Whose love endures forever!
- Who gives food to all creatures,
- Whose love endures forever!
- Give thanks to the God of heaven,
- Whose love endures forever!
Nishmat, a hymn as old as the Talmud
Participant
The breath of all that lives praises you, Adonai, our God.
The spirit of all flesh exalts you, our Sovereign, always.
Transcending space and time, you are the Eternal.
Except for you we have no redeemer, no saviour.
Could song fill our mouths as water fills the sea,
and could joy flood our tongues like countless waves,
Could our lips utter praise as limitless as the sky,
and could the sparkle of our eyes match the splendor of the sun,
Could we soar with outstretched arms like eagle's wings,
and could we run with the gentle grace of swiftest deer,
Yet never could we fully state our gratitude to you,
Nor could we bless your name for even a thousandth part
Of the enduring love, your most precious blessing Dearest God,
That you granted to our ancestors and to us.
(Traditionally, many more psalms are recited
and songs are sung.)
NIRTZAH,
Conclusion
The Fourth Cup--the Cup of Acceptance
(The fourth cup of wine is poured.)
Leader
As our Seder draws to an end, we once again take up our cups of wine.
The Redemption is not yet complete. The fourth cup recalls us to our
covenant with the Eternal One, to the tasks that still await us as
a people called to holy service, to a great purpose for which the
people of Israel live: the preservation and affirmation of hope.
Group
"And I will take you to be my people, and I will be your
God."
Leader
Baruch Atah Adonai Eloheinu Melech ha-olam,
borei p'ri ha-gafen.
(All drink the fourth cup of wine.)
Kerovah, from a medieval liturgical poem
Participant
Our Seder now has ended
with its history-laden rites.
We have journeyed from Mitzrayim
on this storied night of nights.
We bore witness, we remembered
our covenant with You.
So we pray that You redeem us
as You pledged Your word to do.
Leader
Peace!
Group
Peace for us! For everyone!
Leader
For all people, this, our hope:
Group
Next year may Jerusalem be at peace! Next year may all be free!
L'shanah ha-ba-ah birush-a-la-yim!
Back to Introduction at
http://www-personal.umich.edu/~bparnes/HAGGADAH/seder.html
Last update: March 3, 1999
Created and maintained by Bob Parnes
Please send your comments to bparnes@umich.edu
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