The Pesach Seder ( פּסח שׁל הסּדר )

Passover begins at sundown on Monday, March 29, 2010.

On the first night of Pesach, Jews celebrate a special meal filled special foods and ritual to commemorate the holiday. Often friends and non-Jews are invited to celebrate the meal and to read the Haggadah recounting the Passover story. Some Jewish families also celebrate a seder on the second night of Pesach as well.

The word “seder” is Hebrew for “order” because of the special order in which the meal proceeds. The “order” of the Pesach Seder is as follows:

1. Kaddesh ~ Sanctification ( קדשׁ ): The wine is blessed and the first glass is drunk. A second cup of wine is poured.

2. Urechatz ~ Washing ( וּרחץ ): Washing of the hands in preparation for eating the Karpas.

3. Karpas ~ Parsley ( כּרפּס ): A sprig of parsley is dipped in saltwater and eaten. The parsley symbolizes the lowly origin of the Israelites and the saltwater symbolizes the tears shed during the days of bondage in Egypt.

4. Yachatz ~ Breaking ( יחץ ): The Seder table contains a plate holding 3 matzot. The middle one is broken and set aside for the afikomen.

5. Megged ~The Passover Story ( מגּיד ): The retelling of the Exodus story begins with the youngest person at the table asking the Four Questions.

a. Why is this night different from all other nights?
b. On all other nights, we eat chamets and matzah, but on this night we eat only matzah.
c. On all other nights we do not dip even once, but on this night we dip twice.
d. On all other nights we eat sitting down, but on this night we eat reclining.

At the end of the Megged, a blessing is recited over the second cup of wine, which is then drunk.

6. Rachtzah ~Washing ( רחצה ): A blessing is recited and the hands are washed for a second time.

7. Motzi ~ Blessing ( מציא ): The ha-motzi blessing, the blessing over bread or grain foods, is recited over the matzah.

8. Matzah ~Blessing over the Matzah ( מצה ): A specific blessing for matzah is recited and a bit of matzah is eaten.

9. Maror ~ Bitter Herbs ( מרור ): A blessing is recited over the bitter herbs (generally horseradish), and eaten. This symbolizes the bitterness of slavery. The maror is dipped in charoset, which symbolizes the mortar used by the Israelites in building during their slavery in Egypt.

10. Korekh ~The Hillel Sandwich ( כּורך ): The maror is eaten with the matzah in a form of sandwich.

11. Shulchan Orekh ~ Dinner ( רךע שׁלחן ): The festive meal is eaten. At Ashkenazic seders, the meal is often begun with gefelte fish and matzah ball soup. A traditional meat is either turkey or brisket, although there is no specific requirement for the food chosen for the meal.

12. Tzafun ~ The Afikomen ( צפוּן ): At the beginning of the meal, a portion of the matzah is set aside as “dessert”, the last bite of food of the meal. Traditionally, the father hides the afikomen and the children search for it at the end of the meal.

13. Barekh ~ Grace after the Meal ( בּרך ): The third cup of wine is poured and the after dinner grace is recited. The fourth cup of wine is then poured.

14. Elijah’s Wine: A cup of wine is poured for Elijah, who is said to announce the coming of the Messiah, and the door is opened for him to enter and join the family.

15. Hallal ~ Praises ( הלּל ): Psalms are sung and a blessing over the fourth cup of wine is recited. The final cup of wine is drunk.

16. Nirtzah ~ Closing ( נרצה ): A statement that the seder is over, followed by a wish that may next year the seder take place in Jerusalem. Often, this is when special songs are sung.