• Embed Doc
  • Copy Link
  • Readcast
  • Collections
  • CommentGo Back
Download
 
Welcome to 10 Minute TopicsThis week’s topic is: Pesach Seder 
Pesach (Passover)
 
is a Biblical festival that begins on 15 Nisan (in March or April). Pesach is aneight-day holiday that celebrates the Exodus of the Hebrews from Egypt and our freedom fromoppression in modern days. The holiday is also referred to as Chag he-Aviv (the Spring Festival)and Chag ha-Matzoth (the Time of Our Freedom). It is the first of the three pilgrimage festivalswith both historical and agricultural significance (the other two are Shavuot and Sukkot).Agriculturally, it represents the beginning of the harvest season in Israel.The primary observances of Pesach are related to the Exodus from Egypt after generations of slavery. This story is told in Exodus, Chapters 1-15. Many of the Pesach observances areinstituted in Chapters 12-15. Probably the most significant observance related to Pesach involvesthe removal of leaven/chametz (the five major grains-wheat, rye, barley, oats and spelt) from our homes. We may not own, benefit from, or eat chametz during Pesach (this includes food for theanimals). All chametz, including utensils and other kitchen accessories used to cook chametz,must either be disposed of or sold to a non-Jew (they can be repurchased after the holiday). Thiscommemorates the fact that the Jews leaving Egypt were in a hurry, and did not have time to lettheir bread rise. The grain product we eat during Pesach is called matzah which is unleavened bread, made simply from flour and water and cooked very quickly.On the first night of Pesach (first two nights for Jews outside Israel), a Seder is held. A haggadah(which literally means “telling”) is the book used to conduct the Seder. Even though there is astandard to the order of the Seder, there are various haggadot and individualized celebratoryevents that occur during the Seder.Order of the Seder :Kaddesh (Sanctify) - Recite the Kiddush elevating this night above the mundaneUrchatz (Wash) - Wash and purify the hands before eating karpasKarpas (Vegetables) - Eat a vegetable dipped in salt water so we may taste the tears of anguishand despair of our ancestors when they were slaves in EgyptYachatz (Breaking) - Break the middle matzah and put away the larger half for the afikomanwhile the smaller piece personifies the spiritual and material destitution of our ancestors in EgyptMaggid (Telling) - Narrate the story of the Exodus beginning with a child asking “Why is thisnight different from all other nights?” to put us back in touch with childhood innocenceRachtzah (Washing) - Wash the hands prior to the meal to internalize humblenessMotzi (Blessing over the Bread) - Recite hamotzi (over matzah) implying that the raw energyfrom food can give us energy to better serve G-dMatzah (Blessing the Matzah) - Recite the blessing over the matzah to exemplify selfless egoand remind us that our ancestors accepted G-d-given freedom with selfless ego rather thanarroganceMaror (Bitter Herbs) - Recite the blessing for the eating of the maror in order to taste the bitterness of the exile and clarify the significance of the exileKorech (Sandwich) - Eat the sandwich of matzah and maror to emphasize that now that we arefree of slavery we are to reach out to others and share our freeing experience
of 00

Leave a Comment

You must be to leave a comment.
Submit
Characters: ...
You must be to leave a comment.
Submit
Characters: ...