Passover Seder

The Mahalo Top 7

1. Chabad: Guide to the Seder | International Seder Directory | Interactive Seder Plate
2. Torah.org: Passover Seder Information
3. Wikipedia: Passover Seder | Passover Seder Plate
4. Judaism 101: Passover and the Seder
5. Aish.com: Seder Plate and the 15 Steps
6. Desire to Share: A Guide to Pesach
7. Food Network: Passover and Seder Recipes

Passover Seder Rituals

1. Kadeish - The seder attendees recite the Kiddush, declaring the day of Passover to be holy.
2. Urchatz - The customary washing of the hands (you should probably do this before you eat anyway.)
3. Karpas - A vegetable such as potatoes or celery is eaten and a prayer said to celebrate rebirth and new life that comes with spring.
4. Yachatz - The matzah is split to commemorate the parting of the Red Sea in the story of the ten commandments.
5. Maggid - The central feature of the seder, the story of Passover is read aloud at the table, usually in Hebrew. The youngest person at the table recites the Four Questions.
   • The Four Questions:
     • Why is it that on all other nights during the year we eat either bread or matzoh, but on this night we eat only matzoh?
     • Why is it that on all other nights we eat all kinds of herbs, but on this night we eat only bitter herbs?
     • Why is it that on all other nights we do not dip our herbs even once, but on this night we dip them twice?
     • Why is it that on all other nights we eat either sitting or reclining, but on this night we eat in a reclining position?
6. Rachtzah - Another hand-washing before eating the matzah.
7. Motzi-Matzo - The several split matzo are held, the Hamotzi is recited, and then another portion of the matzah is eaten.
8. Maror - The bitter herbs symbolize the hard labor that befell the Jews in Egypt. The maror is dipped into the charoset, shaken off, and then the maror is eaten.
9. Koreich - A "bricks-and-mortar" sandwich is created using the matzah, herbs, and charoset. This symbolizes the unification of the Jews to fight injustice.
10. Shulchan Oreich - You've been sitting at the table for over an hour. Now, you finally get to eat. Enjoy the meal.
11. Tzafun - A prayer is said before another piece of matzah is eaten.
12. Bareich - The Bareich is a prayer said before drinking the third cup of wine. This drink is redemptive, to alleviate the guilt of Jews who did not speak up sooner or act with more diligence at the atrocities committed in Egypt.
13. Hallel - A reading of Psalms 113-118, this is a prayer of thanks said before the fourth cup of wine is consumed.
14. Nirtzah - The conclusion of the seder is the reading of a final prayer. Jews give thanks and pay respect to their origins in Jerusalem.

• An further overview of the above steps can be found at Aish.com or the The Orthodox Union.

Passover Seder Activities

• Every year, an adult member of the seder hides one of the three broken pieces of matzah, called the afikoman. All the children scatter to find it at the end of the meal, with the winner getting a small prize.

Passover Seder Recipes

• See Mahalo's Guide to Passover Recipes
• Martha Stewart: Passover Recipes  
• Recipezaar: Passover Seder Menu
• All Recipes: Seder Recipes
• Chabad: The Seder Plate and Recipes
• Aish.com: Passover Cookbook

Passover Seder Articles and Commentary

• Chabad: Thousands of Jewish Centers Worldwide Gear-Up for Passover (April 17, 2008)
• Slate Magazine: What the Passover Seder reveals about interfaith couples (April 17, 2008)
• Epicurious.com Blog: What Do I Make for Passover Seder? (April 17, 2008)  
• NPR: A Seder with a Syrian Flavor (April 16, 2008)
• Slate Magazine: Why there's no Easter-Passover rivalry (April 2, 2007)  

Passover Seder Plates

• Amazon.com: Seder Plates
• Judaism.com: Seder Plates & Seder Sets

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