COMMUNITY PASSOVER SEDER FOR PEACE
ORDER OF THE EVENING
Community Voice Song
Welcome, Overview (including basic story),
Intention of this evening
Candle-lighting, Blessings, Gratitude
Blessing the Children
Offerings
from different traditions—theme of journey from enslavement to liberation
Miriam’s
Cup/Elijah’s Cup
Cup
of Awakening/Cup of Opening the Door
Symbolic
Food—Explain Seder Plate and Matzah
Four Cups of
Grape Juice
Drink First
Cup, Cup of Freedom
Eat Karpas
Afikomen
(Explain it, break it and hide it)
Prayer for
Healing (MiShebeirach), Matzah of Hope
Four
Questions and the Four Children
Embodied
Storytelling w/ songs and poems
Drink
Second Cup—Cup of Non-Cooperation with Injustice
Eating the
Passover Foods w/ Blessings:
Matzah,
Maror, Hillel
Get food in silence
At tables:
>>In silence,
mindful eating for five minutes
>>Bell
after five minutes. Mindful conversation, what are we experiencing? What are our questions? What are our
responses? Connections with our group/tradition?
Drink Third
Cup—Cup of Peace &Restorative Justice
Find and Eat
the Afikomen
Blessing after
the Meal
Drink Fourth
Cup—Vision, Action & Leadership for a Positive Future
Welcome
Visionaries and Prophets: Elijah and Miriam
Closing Songs, Poems, Share Gratitude & Blessings
Passover for peace
HAGGADAH
APRIL 2005
5765
Listen
In the
clearing, where the mind flowers
and the
world sprouts up at every side,
listen
for the
sound in the bushes
behind the grass.
--Marcia
Falk
Seder
(=Order)
1.
singing,
Welcome, overview of the evening
2.
candle-lighting,
blessings, gratitude
3.
blessing
the children
4.
INTRODUCTIONS
(at tables)
5.
singing
6.
offerings from different
traditions
7.
the jewish seder
·
miriam’s cup and elijah’s cup
·
symbolic food—seder plate
·
four cups of the fruit of the vine
·
drink FIRST CUP—cup of freedom
·
Bless and Eat karpas (parsley)
·
Afikomen: break and hide a piece of matzah
·
Prayer for healing, matzah of hope
·
Four questions and the four
children
·
Embodied storytelling with
songs and poems
·
Bless
and Drink Second cup—the cup of non-cooperation with injustice
·
Bless
and Eat Passover foods: matzah, maror, “hillel sandwich”
·
Dinner
·
Bless
and Drink Third cup—cup of peace and restorative justice
·
Find
and eat the afikomen
·
Bless
and drink Fourth cup—cup of Vision, action, and leadership for a positive future
·
Open
the door: Welcoming Elijah & Miriam
8. closing
songs, poems, gratitude, sharing
welcome and
overview of the evening
community
Candle-lighting and blessings--HADLAKAT NEROT
We begin this Passover Seder by
honoring Light -- May
these candles remind us that we must help and not hurt, cause joy and not
sorrow, create and not destroy, and help all to be free. As we say the blessing over the
candles, let us remember those we love, who are in our hearts whether they have
passed on or are still alive but living far away.
Traditional Jewish blessing in Hebrew
and English:
Barukh Atah
Adonai Elohenu Melekh ha’olam
Asher kidshanu
bemitzvotav
Vitzivanu l’hadlik ner shel Pesach
Blessed art Thou, O Lord our God, King of the
Universe,
who commands us to light the Passover candles.
Contemporary gender-neutral blessing by
Marcia Falk
Yitromeym libeynu, T’shovav nafsheynu, B’hadlakat
neyr shel Pesach
May our hearts be lifted, Our spirits refreshed, As
we light the Pesach candles.
Gratitude-- SHEHECHIANU
This prayer of gratitude is
included in rituals when there is a new beginning. It is a prayer is about
savoring the preciousness of the present moment.
.
Barukh Atah Adoniai Elohenu Melekh ha’olam
Sheheheyanu vekiyemanu vehigianu
lazman hazeh
Blessed art Thou, O Lord our
God,
who keeps us in life, who
sustains us, and who enables us to reach
this season.
N’varech Ya Eloheinu Ruach
ha-Olam, shehecheyatnu v'kiy'matnu v'higiatnu laz'man hazeh.
Let us bless Ya, our God,
Breath of the world,
who keeps us in life, who sustains us and who
enables us to reach this season.
Blessing the children-- birkat y’ladim
Let us bless the children in
our lives and children all over the world. Let us bless the child in each of
us.
May you be blessed with the
most wholesome qualities of our collective ancestors,
With strength and
faithfulness, vision, wisdom and foresight.
With courage and compassion,
with gentleness and graciousness
May you be peaceful, may you
be happy, may you be free from suffering.
May you learn how to nourish
the seeds of joy in yourself every day.
We offer blessings also to
the children who are not present--to the wished-for children who have not yet
appeared and the children who are no more.
On this night we remember
you, beloved ones,
Your light illumines our
path.
At
tables: Candle-lighting and Introductions
AT OUR TABLES:
Candle-Lighting: Aware of the wisdom
teachings in all traditions, we calmly light these
candles, brightening the face of the earth. ( Zen Master Thich Nhat
Hanh)
Sharing: Name, where you live, what’s
your connection to being here, who would you like to invite (ancestors,
descendants, contemporaries), gratitude for being here
Whole community Singing--HINAY MATOV
Hinay ma-tov u-ma-nayim, shevet ach-yot gam
ya-chad
Hinay ma-tov u-ma-nayim, shevet achim gam
ya-chad
Hinay ma-a-tov, shevet ach-yot gam ya-chad
Hinay ma-a-tov, shevet achim gam ya-chad.
How good and how pleasant it is for sisters and brothers to sit
together.
Offerings from different traditions
Beginning The jewish seder
MIRIAM’S CUP-- KOS MIRYAM /ELIJAH’s CUP
We continue our seder with Kos Miryam, Miriam’s cup,
filled with water. Waters from Miriam’s well quenched the thirst of the
Jewish people during their 40-year trek
in the desert after leaving enslavement in Egypt.. Miriam’s Well was said to
hold the power to heal and renew, and thus became a special source of
transformation for a people seeking to leave slavery behind them and form a new
identity. The other cup on your table is the cup of
Elijah, the visionary and prophet. The door will
be opened at the end of the Seder for Elijah.
Let us fill our glasses from the cup of Miriam. We say the blessing together and then drink.
Zot kos Miryam, Kos Mayim
Hayyim, zeicher liziat Mitarayim.
This is the Cup
of Miriam, the Cup of living waters, which we drink to remember the Exodus from
Egypt and our decision to step into freedom from the places in which we are
imprisoned.
SYMBOLIC FOOD
Symbolic food helps us to tell the stories of our liberation. During the
Seder, we give symbolic meaning to these foods in order to help us remember our
past and nourish our vision for the future. On the Seder plate at each table,
there are:
Parsley (Karpas) Greens to be dipped in salt water (sign of spring)
Roasted hardboiled egg Sign of spring (birth, the circle of life, new beginnings)
Horseradish (Maror) Bitter Herb - Representing
suffering and bitterness
Romaine lettuce
(Chazeret) Second bitter herb
Beet (Z’roa) Sacrifice of first born (traditionally a
roasted bone)
Charoset Symbolizing
material used to form bricks
Orange Symbolizing
inclusion of women in Jewish ritual
kiddush
--FOUR CUPS OF THE FRUIT OF THE VINE & blessing
During
this Seder, we drink four glasses of grape juice. When we drink each glass, we
say a blessing of thankfulness for being together. The word Kiddush is the name
of the blessing over the grape juice. It means holiness or sanctification. It
is a symbol of the preciousness and the sweetness of the moment.
The FIRST
cup--the Cup of FREEDOM This is the first of four cups. With this cup we honor women and men
throughout history who have worked to end poverty and oppression.
Baruch ata Adonai
Eloheinu melech ha-Olam Borei p’ri hagafen
Blessed are you, Spirit of
the world, who creates the fruit of the vine.
N’varech
Ya Eloheinu Ruach ha-Olam, boreit p'ri hagafen.
Let us bless Ya, our God,
spirit of the world, who creates the fruit of the vine.
Karpas--Dipping
the greens in salt water
As we say a blessing and eat
a green herb or vegetable, we remember that it was springtime when the Pesach
story took place. We dip the greens in salt water to remind us of the tears of
our ancestors who suffered cruelty and slavery.
Dip
the greens in salt water.
Blessing:
Barukh
Atah Adonai Elohenu Melekh ha-olam, borey p’ri ha’admah
We
praise You, God, for creating food that grows from the earth.
N’varech Ya Eloheinu , Ruach
ha-Olam, boreit p'ri ha-adama.
Let us bless Ya, our God,
Breath of the world, who creates the fruit of the earth.
Eat the greens dipped in
salt water.
MATZAH
THE AFIKOMEN --BREAK AND hide the middle piece
of matzah
The
matzah symbolizes the “bread of affliction.” It is made with flour and water.
It has no yeast. Eating matzah reminds us that when our people—once slaves in
the Land of Egypt—were escaping to freedom, they did not have time to bake
leavened bread.
We uncover the matzah plate and hold it in the air. Now we break the middle
matzah and hide one half. This is called the afikoman. The top and bottom
pieces of the unleavened bread stay whole. After the meal, we will find the
afikoman and the middle piece will become whole again. Everyone will share a
taste of it.
Why
do we break the middle matzah in two?
Because we realize that the bread of affliction becomes the bread of
freedom when we share it. As we celebrate here, we think of people everywhere.
This year all humans are not yet free. Let everyone share the hope and freedom
of Pesach. Next year may everyone be free.
Say together: This is the bread of affliction which our ancestors ate in the land of Egypt. Let those who are hungry come in and eat. Let all who are needy come and celebrate the Passover. This year we are enslaved. Next year, may everyone be free.
Mi Shebeirach--Prayer for Healing
Mi
shebeirach avoteinu
M’ikor
habracha l’imoteinu
May the
source of strength who blessed the ones before us,
Help us find
the courage to make our lives a blessing
And let us
say: Amen
Mishebeirach
imoteinu
M’kor
habracha l’avoteinu
Bless those
in need of healing with refuah sh’leimah,
The renewal
of body, the renewal of spirit
And let us
say: Amen
The matzah/afikomen is
hidden, to be found near the end of the Seder, a symbol of healing that which
is broken, being made whole.
the matzah of hope
Set aside a special matzah, the matzah of hope.
This matzah is set aside as a symbol of hope for those throughout the
world who are not free. Those who are not free to celebrate their religious
holidays. Those who are not free to express their religious or cultural
identity. Those who are not free to read books of their own people, to learn of
their past, or to hand it down to their children. Their voices have risen in
self-respect and protest. Tonight we add our voices to theirs. They have not
been forgotten.
The Four Questions
We continue by asking questions. Traditionally the youngest child
present asks the questions. Tonight we’ll ask each other these and other
questions that are meaningful for us. The traditional four questions are really
four parts of only one question: “Why is this night different from all other
nights?” The four parts of the question are:
·
Why on this night do we eat only matzah when on other nights we can eat
either bread or matzah?
·
Why on this night do we eat bitter herbs when on other nights we eat
all kinds of vegetables?
·
Why on this night do we dip bitter herbs in water two times when on
other nights we don’t dip them at all?
·
Why on this night do we relax and recline, but on other nights we sit
up to eat?
SONG: MA NISHTANA--THE FOUR QUESTIONS
Ma nishtana,
ha'layla haze
Mikol
ha'leylot, mikol ha'leylot
Shebechol
ha'leylot anu ochlin,
Hametz u
matzah, hametz u matzah
Ha'layla
haze, ha'layla haze, kulo matzah
Ha'layla
haze, ha'layla haze, kulo matzah
Shebechol
ha'leylot anu ochlin,
Shear
yerakot, shear yerakot
Ha'layla
haze, ha'layla haze, marror, marror
Ha'layla
haze, ha'layla haze, marror, marror
Shebechol
ha'leylot ein anu matbilin
Afilu pa'am
achat, afilu pa'am achat
Ha'layla
haze, ha'layla haze, shetei pe'amim
Ha'layla
haze, ha'layla haze, shetei pe'amim
Shebechol
ha'leylot anu ochlin,
Bein yoshvin
u'bein mesubin
Ha'layla
haze, ha'layla haze, kulanu mesubin
Ha'layla
haze, ha'layla haze, kulanu mesubin
The Four Children - Arbaah Vanim
In responding to the four questions and explaining the Passover story, we want everyone to understand. Traditionally at the Seder four kinds of children with different attributes are mentioned. Each learns in a different way, and must be responded to differently. Adults also embody these different attributes. We can reflect on how we might best respond to each of these four children.
à the one who is proud to be
who they are-- interested in sharing experiences that are important to their
people
à the one who does not include
himself or herself in what is happening, and acts like a stranger (alienated)
from her or his ancestral tradition
à the one who is confused and
does not understand
à the one who is shy and
silent and does not speak
Later at dinner, we can share with each other—
What are our questions, sparked by experiencing this seder?
What are our responses?
MAGID—embodied
storytelling: a response to the questions
(See text at end of
Haggadah)
The second cup--the Cup of non-COOPERATion WITH
injustice and oppression
We dedicate
the second cup of grape juice to the midwives Shifrah and Puah and all the
other women and men who by refusing to cooperate with injustice have risked
their lives for the benefit of others.
Shifrah and Puah disobeyed Pharoah’s orders and refused to kill the
newborn Hebrew boys. They show us a way of
nonviolent civil disobedience, a way of transforming violence.
Lift the
second cup, say the blessing, and drink.
Baruch ata Adonai
Eloheinu melech ha-Olam Borei p’ri hagafen
Blessed art Thou, King of
the universe, who creates the fruit of the vine.
N’varech
Ya Eloheinu Ruach ha-Olam, boreit p'ri hagafen.
Let us bless Ya, our God,
Breath of the world, who creates the fruit of the vine.
Eating the Passover foods with blessings
We now eat symbolic food: matzah, sandwich of
matzah,charoset, and maror (bitter herbs e.g. horseradish)
Matzah
Eating the matzah—after
blessing
Blessing: Baruch Atah Adonai Eloheinu Melech ha’olam hamotzi
lechem min ha’aretz.
We praise you, Adonai our
God, Ruler of the Universe,
Who brings forth bread from
the earth.
Blessing:
N’varekh et eyn ha-hayyim
ha-motzi'ah lechem min ha'aretz
Let us bless the
Source of Life that nurtures the bread of the earth.
N’varekh et eyn ha-hayyim al akhi lat matzah.
Let us bless the
Source of Life who inspires us as to the eating of matzah
Eat matzah
Maror (Bitter Herbs),
Charoset and Matzah– Hillel Sandwich (Koreych)
Eating the charoset and
maror, after blessing--the Hillel Sandwich. We dip the maror into
charoset to recall that our ancestors were able to withstand the bitterness of
slavery, because it was sweetened by the hope of freedom.
Blessing: Baruch Atah Adonai Eloheinu melech ha’olam
asher kid-shanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu al achilat
maror.
We praise You, Adonai our God, Ruler of the
Universe, Who makes us holy by Your commandments, and commands us to eat Maror.
Blessing: N’varekh et eyn ha-hayyim al akhi lat maror.
Let us bless the
Source of Life who opens us to the understanding of pain
Eat maror (bitter herbs) and charoset on matzah
Dinner: mindful eating and conversation
First,
we get our food in silence, sharing from the abundance and loving energy which
we have each brought with our food and spirit. We eat in silence to deepen our
connection with what we have heard and seen.
At tables: We
eat mindfully in silence for five
minutes, then engage in mindful conversation, questions, sharing from our
experiences and our traditions
·
What are we experiencing?
·
What are our questions?
·
What connections can we make
with our group/tradition?
·
What exemplars of mindful
action are there in our traditions?
After the meal:
the third cup – the cup of peace and restorative
justice
The
third cup, the Cup of Peace and Restorative Justice, is dedicated to living the
path of peace and restorative justice, the path of healing and transformation,
individually and collectively. Each year we tell the story of the journey from
enslavement to liberation as if we ourselves had gone forth from the place of
slavery, but we do not forget those who remain in places of war, oppression,
and enslavement.
We pour
the grape juice and lift the third cup, say the blessing, and drink.
Blessing:
Baruch ata Adonai Eloheinu
melech ha-Olam Borei p’ri hagafen
Blessed art Thou, King of the universe, who
creates the fruit of the vine.
N’varech
Ya Eloheinu Ruach ha-Olam, boreit p'ri hagafen.
Let us bless Ya, our God, Breath of the world, who creates the fruit of the vine.
Finding and eating the afikomen—healing and
wholeness
The children and/or adults look for the hidden piece of matzah so
as to make the middle matzah whole again.
As we reveal and take up
that which was hidden, let us take a moment to search out that which is hidden
in ourselves. There are many parts of ourselves we do not show to the world.
The afikoman reminds us of our own search for and explanation of the hidden
truths buried within our souls. Let us turn inward for a moment, and seek to
discover who we truly are. Let us bring together the two parts of the matzah,
for healing and for wholeness.
We eat the Afikomen, and do
not eat anything after it: “its taste,
the taste of healing and being made whole, should linger in our mouths.”
Blessing
After the Meal (SONG)-- BIRKAT HAMAZON
Chorus: V’achalta v’savata u’veirachta (2 times)
(You shall eat your fill and bless the
LORD your God--Deuteronomy 8:10)
We ate when we were hungry and now we’re
satisfied
We thank the Source of Blessing for all
that S/He provides.
Chorus
Hunger is a yearning in body and soul.
Earth, Air, Fire, Water, and spirit make
us whole.
Chorus
Giving and receiving we open up our
hands
From seedtime through harvest we’re
partners with the land.
Chorus
We share in a vision of wholeness and
release
Where every child is nourished and we
all live in peace.
Chorus
--Hannah Tiferet
Siegel
the fourth cup—vision, action, and
leadership for a positive future
We
are grateful for the new community we have co-created tonight, the gift we have
offered ourselves to gather and celebrate together in freedom. We are grateful
that we have this opportunity, to gather in peace. With this fourth cup we once
again dedicate ourselves to deepening our vision, to living the way of compassionate action in our personal and our
collective lives, and to cultivating our capacity for leadership in the
direction of peace, justice, freedom, and liberation.
We pour
the grape juice and lift the fourth cup, say the blessing, and drink.
Blessing:
Baruch ata Adonai Eloheinu
melech ha-Olam Borei p’ri hagafen
Blessed art Thou, King of the universe, who
creates the fruit of the vine.
N’varech
Ya Eloheinu Ruach ha-Olam, boreit p'ri hagafen.
Let us bless Ya, our God, Breath of the world, who creates the fruit of the vine.
welcoming the visionaries and prophets:
opening the door for
ELIJAH AND MIRIAM
Finally,
we open the door to welcome Elijah the Prophet and Miriam the Prophetess,
cultivating that capacity in ourselves which allows us to welcome and
befriend—within and without. As we
recognize and remember our suffering, when we were strangers in the land of
Egypt, our capacity for compassion community-building deepens, and we
symbolically welcome any stranger who might arrive.
We
open our doors and our hearts to welcome visionaries and prophets, Elijah and
Miriam to our homes.
Closing Songs
Let
us sing to welcome the visionaries and prophets, Eliahu and Miriam
SONG: Eliahu hanavi, Miriam ha nevi’ah
|
Eiliyahu hanavi, eiliyahu
hatishbi, Eiliyahu,
eiliyahu, eilihyahu hagiladi Bim
heira v’ Yameinu, yavo eileinu Im
mashiach ben David Im
mashiach ben David. Miriam
Hanevi’ah, Miriam Haleviah, At
rakdanit, musika’it, melamedet v’manhigah; Bimherah
v’yamenyu, shim’I kolenu Holikhi
otanu me-avdut l’cherut Mir’yam
han’vi’a, oz v’zimra b’yada Mir’yam, tirkod itanu, l’hagdil zimrat olam Bim’heira
v’yameinu, hi t’viieinu El mei ha’y’shua Elo mei ha’’yshua. |
Elijah
the Prophet come to us soon, For
you herald Messianic days. Miriam
the prophet, Miriam the Levite, You
are dancer, musician teacher, and leader; Speedily,
in our day, hear our voices,’ Lead
us from slavery into freedom Miriam
the Prophet, strength and song are in her Hand. Miriam
will dance with us to strengthen the world’s song Miriam
will dance with us to heal the world Soon,
and in our time, she will lead us
To
the waters of salvation |
Let
us sing a song for the making of true peace on our planet.
SONG: oseh
shalom
|
Oseh shalom bimromav, hu ya-se shalom alenu, v’al kol ha
olam, vimru, imru: Amen Ya-a seh shalom Ya a seh shalom Shalom aleinu, v’al khol ha
olam (Repeat 3 lines) Oseh shalom bimromeyha, Hu ya she shalom alenu, v’al kol ha olam, hi ta-seh shalom alenu, v’al kol ha
olam, vimru, imru: Amen Na-a seh shalom Na a seh shalom Shalom aleinu, v’al khol ha
olam (Repeat 3 lines) |
We shall make peace in the world.
We shall make peace for
ourselves, And peace for all the world.
The maker of peace on high. She will send peace to us
all, and let us say: Amen |
Sharing of questions --Sharing of responses
to the ideas and
experience of the seder
“Embodied storytelling” for THE passover STORY
Movement, SONGs and poems
Introduction:
Friends will offer an embodied version of the Passover story.
Narrator: Part of this story is about ten plagues that God visited upon
the Egyptians. At the time our embodiment speaks of the ten plagues
we will use our juice to remember the suffering of the Egyptians and mourn
those who died. Since a full cup symbolizes complete joy, we
will diminish whatever is in our cups by pouring off some juice as we recall
each plague. We usually do this by putting a spoon or a finger into the
cup and putting a drop on our plate.
Narrator: The theme of the story--the journey from enslavement to
freedom and liberation-- is in the song Avadim Hayenu, which we can sing
together to begin our story.
SONG: AVADIM HAYENU--“Once we were slaves, now we are free.”
Avadim
hayenu, hayenu,
Ata b'nei
chorin, b'nei chorin.
Avadim
hayenu,
Ata, ata
b'nei chorin, b'nei chorin.
Once we were
slaves. Today we are free people.
B’avdut
hainu,
Atah b’not
chorin
We have been
enslaved,
Now we are
daughters of freedom.
The
Story
Narrator: Abraham’s
descendents, the Israelites or Hebrews, were slaves in the land of Egypt.
They worked hard building the cities of Pithom and Rameses for the Pharaoh.
The Pharaoh became frightened
of the way the population of Hebrews was growing and so he ordered that all
Hebrew newborn male children were to be killed..
To do this job he commanded the midwives Shifra and Puah to slaughter the
newborn infants. But Shifra and Puah did not want to obey the Pharaoh's
order to kill. They did not kill the babies. They simply told the Pharoah that
the Hebrew women gave birth too fast, before they could get there.
One Israelite woman had a baby boy and hid the child in a floating basket in
the bulrushes of the river Nile. She sent her daughter Miriam to watch
the baby. The Pharaoh's daughter Bithiah found him and adopted him
and named him Moses. Pharoah's daughter asked Miriam to get a nurse for
the baby, and Miriam got her mother to be the nurse.
Narrator: Moses grew up as an Egyptian prince in the palace. One
day, as Moses walked among the slaves building the cities, a guard began to
beat a slave mercilessly. To protect the poor man being beaten Moses
grabbed the staff from the guard and beat the guard. The guard
died. Moses fled from Egypt.
He settled in another land, the land of Midian and became a shepherd. One
day as he was out with his sheep he saw a bush that was burning but never
consumed. He heard G-d’s voice calling to him saying:
” The cry of the Israelites has now come to me; I have also seen how the
Egyptians oppress them. So come, I will send you to Pharaoh to bring my people,
the Israelites, out of Egypt.”
Moses was reluctant and scared but he obeyed G-d and returned to Egypt.
Song: GO DOWN MOSES-- LET MY PEOPLE GO!
When Israel was in Egypt's land,
Let my people go!
Oppressed so hard they could not stand
Let my people go!
Refrain:
Go down, Moses,
Way down in Egypt land
Tell ol' Pharaoh
Let my people go!
Thus saith the Lord, bold Moses said
Let my people go!
If not, I'll smite your people dead,
Let my people go!
Refrain:
Go down, Moses,
Way down in Egypt land
Tell ol' Pharaoh
Let my people go!
As Israel stood by the water side,
Let my people go!
By G-d's command it did divide,
Let my people go!
Narrator: Moses and his brother Aaron had a series of audiences with the
Pharaoh. Each time the Pharaoh would agree to let the Hebrews go but then
he would change his mind and tgake back the liberation.
Each time Pharaoh went back on his promise G-d sent a plague to the kingdom and
each time there was a plague the Pharaoh would pledge to let the Hebrews
go. Because Pharaoh did not treat the Isrealites with justice, he
brought disaster not only on himself, but on all Egyptians.
The last plague was the killing of the first-born sons of each Egyptian family.
As we announce each plague
we take a drop of wine from our cup and put it in a dish as a sign of mourning
for those who were hurt by that plague. We acknowledge that in each of us there
are seeds of Pharoah, seeds of closed-hearted reaction, as well as seeds of
open-hearted response.
Ten Plagues
Commentary: Sometimes
the plagues are interpreted as weapons of freedom wielded by God on behalf
of the Jews. Sometimes they are interpreted as naturally occurring
miracles. Sometimes they are interpreted as events that the Egyptians
brought upon themselves but interpreted supernaturally. Whatever their
origin, the plagues are seen as opening the way for the birth of the Jewish
people
1. Blood Dam
2. Frogs Tz'far-day-a
3. Lice Keeneem
4. Beasts O-rov
5. Cattle Disease De-ver
6. Boils Sh'cheen
7. Hail Ba-rad
8. Locusts Ar-beh
9. Darkness Cho-schech
10. Slaying of the first born Ma-kat B'choro
Questions: What
does it mean, that God’s sending the plagues are seen as opening the way
for the birth of the Jewish people? In
what way was it the plagues/disasters that opened the way for the emergence
of the Jewish people? What
other conditions allowed the Israelites to leave Egypt and begin a new
phase in their life as a people?
Narrrator: The Pharaoh, whose son
had died, allowed the people to leave Egypt. But then he again changed
his mind and chased them to the Reed Sea. The people despaired, but one man was
courageous and took the first step. G-d performed a miracle and split the
waters so that the Hebrews could cross on dry land. When the Egyptian
army tried to follow them they were swept away by the returning waters.
Poem:
To Her Grandchild
|
You asked me about the sea; you want to know about that day
we crossed the sea... Why talk about that place, it is
so quiet here. Plenty of water, grass for the
animals cooling shade in the afternoon. Perhaps we'll stay for a while, I'm so tired of wandering about.
But you asked me about the
sea. Yes, I remember, though I try to
forget, it was so terrible. In the mouths of our
storytellers the sea crossing has become a
miracle. It was a nightmare. I still see the dead Egyptians, hundreds of them in the water, at night sometimes when I close
my eyes, when the wind blows in a certain
way. Moses promised us a wonderful
thing, that day by the sea, but it was
terrible. Our resting here has soothed
those memories; the animals seem content, the children safe. The children were screaming that
day; the wind so strong, the mud so
thick we could scarcely walk. The smaller animals stumbled,
could not get up; men were screaming at their
women, everyone was straining to help
the children keep the animals moving. We knew the Egyptians were
behind us, but the sand was in our eyes the wind roaring, pounding us, then -- it stopped, for a moment
there was nothing; everything was still. then a trickling of water and then we heard them, |
they were children's cries; the Egyptians. We saw nothing, the sand was
heavy in the air but we heard them; heard the water, the neighing of
the horses. Our children began to wail again
and as the sand settled we saw
them in the water, drowned, caught in the reeds. They were children! young boys in their uniforms now wrapped around their
frightened faces. Sarah, my neighbor, saw her
owner's son and I, a palace guard who helped
me pack and gave me food for the
journey. Everyone saw a face they knew and such wailing then! It went on and on grief and fear, we were so
tired, where was Moses, when would he
take us home? Then gradually, through the
crying, Miriam's thin sweet voice – trembling, her tune spun in the
air and floated over us. It was a quieting song, one we used to sing to our
animals in Egypt, and now she sang it to us like a shepard to her frightened
goats. As our fear left us, we began to
sing with her; then Moses took up the song and the men began to chant of
victory and the death of the mighty
Pharoah. Well, you know that song, child,
we sing it today, but it has
changed some, since that time at the sea. This is a calm, quiet place, so green, such lovely shade. If only we could stay here
longer. It is so much like Egypt. |
Janet Berkenfield
Narrator: So began what was to be a 40 year desert journey of
the Israelites, a Pilgrimage towards Liberation. The Hebrews celebrated and
offered gratitude with dance and music, led by Moses' sister Miriam. The
refrain of the song Dayeinu is a way of
expressing gratitude for each specific step. From singing Dayeinu we
learn to celebrate each landmark on a people’s journey, and yet acknowledge the
many steps that are required for realizing true liberation.
We sing together in Hebrew:
DAYEINU—Song of Gratitude
Had God only taken us out of Egypt: It would have been enough Had God only given us the Shabbat: It would have been enough Had God only given us the Torah:
Ilu hotzi, hotzi’anu
It would have been enough
Hotzi’anu mimitzrayim
Hotzi’anu mimitzrayim
Dayeinu./..
Ilu natan, natan lanu
Natan lanu, et hashabat
Natan lanu, et hashabat
Dayeinu
Ilu natan, natan lanu
natan lanu et hatorah
natan lanu et hatorah
Dayeinu
Narrator: New generations were born. These descendants continued
to remember the suffering and the liberation of their people. Every year they
told the story, "as if they themselves had been slaves in Egypt, and are
now free." The
descendants continued to study and learn, seeking the true meaning of
freedom-- seeking to understand how to transform and heal the closed heart of
Pharaoh--the Pharaoh within and the Pharaoh without--seeking to be aware of
suffering and take compassionate action, to confront inner fear and oppressive
political power, to have courage in the face of despair...
like their ancestors in this story-- the family
of Moses, Aaron, and Miriam and their
parents Yocheved and Amram; the midwives Shifra and Puah; the daughter of
Pharaoh Batya;-and all the other ancestors.
Narrator and Everyone: We are these descendants. As we tell the story
together, we remember, and we take action to further the journey of all peoples
from oppression into freedom and liberation.
May everyone be free--May
everyone live in peace
Passover 2005 –songs
HINAY MATOV
Hinay
ma-tov u-ma-nayim, shevet ach-yot gam ya-chad Hinay
ma-tov u-ma-nayim, shevet achim gam ya-chad Hinay
ma-a-tov, shevet ach-yot gam ya-chad Hinay
ma-a-tov, shevet achim gam ya-chad. How good and how pleasant it is for sisters and brothers to
sit together OSEH SHALOM Oseh shalom bimromav, hu
ya-se shalom alenu, v’al kol ha olam, vimru,
imru: Amen Ya-a seh shalom Ya a seh shalom Shalom aleinu, v’al khol ha olam (Repeat 3 lines) Oseh shalom bimromeyha, Hu ya she shalom alenu, v’al kol ha olam, hi
ta-seh shalom alenu, v’al kol ha olam, vimru,
imru: Amen Na-a seh shalom Na a seh shalom Shalom aleinu, v’al khol ha olam (Repeat 3 lines) We shall make
peace in the world. We shall make
peace for ourselves, And peace for all
the world. The maker of peace on high. She will send
peace to us all, and let us say: Amen MA NISHTANA— THE FOUR QUESTIONS
Ma
nishtana, ha'layla haze Mikol
ha'leylot, mikol ha'leylot Shebechol
ha'leylot anu ochlin, Hametz
u matzah, hametz u matzah Ha'layla
haze, ha'layla haze, kulo matzah Ha'layla
haze, ha'layla haze, kulo matzah Shebechol
ha'leylot anu ochlin, Shear
yerakot, shear yerakot Ha'layla
haze, ha'layla haze, marror, marror Ha'layla
haze, ha'layla haze, marror, marror Shebechol
ha'leylot ein anu matbilin Afilu
pa'am achat, afilu pa'am achat Ha'layla
haze, ha'layla haze, shetei pe'amim Ha'layla
haze, ha'layla haze, shetei pe'amim Shebechol
ha'leylot anu ochlin, Bein
yoshvin u'bein mesubin Ha'layla
haze, ha'layla haze, kulanu mesubin Ha'layla
haze, ha'layla haze, kulanu mesubin Why on this night do we
eat only matzah when on other nights we can eat either bread or matzah? Why on this night do we
eat bitter herbs when on other nights we eat all kinds of vegetables? Why on this night do we
dip bitter herbs in water two times when on other nights we don’t dip them
at all? Why on this night do we relax and
recline, but on other nights we sit up to eat? Eliahu Ha Navi—Mir’yam ha Neviah Eiliyahu hanavi,
eiliyahu hatishbi, Eiliyahu,
eiliyahu, eilihyahu hagiladi Bim
heira v’ Yameinu, yavo eileinu Im
mashiach ben David Im
mashiach ben David. Miriam
Hanevi’ah, Miriam Haleviah, At
rakdanit, musika’it, melamedet v’manhigah; Bimherah
v’yamenyu, shim’I kolenu Holikhi
otanu me-avdut l’cherut Mir’yam
han’vi’a, oz v’zimra b’yada Mir’yam, tirkod itanu, l’hagdil zimrat olam Bim’heira
v’yameinu, hi t’viieinu El
mei ha’y’shua Elo mei ha’’yshua. Elijah the Prophet come to us soon, For you herald Messianic days. Miriam the prophet, Miriam the Levite, You are dancer, musician teacher, and leader; Speedily, in our day, hear our voices,’ Lead us from slavery into freedom Miriam the Prophet, strength and song are
in her Hand. Miriam will dance with us to strengthen the world’s song
Miriam
will dance with us to heal the world
Soon, and in our time, she will lead us
To
the waters of salvation
The Passover story
in SONG
AVADIM HAYENU--“Once we were slaves, now we are free.”
Avadim
Hayenu
Avadim
hayenu, hayenu,
Ata b'nei
chorin, b'nei chorin.
Avadim
hayenu,
Ata, ata
b'nei chorin, b'nei chorin.
Once we were
slaves. Today we are free people.
B’avdut
hainu,
Atah b’not
chorin
We have been
enslaved,
Now we are
daughters of freedom.
GO DOWN MOSES--
LET MY PEOPLE GO!
When Israel was in Egypt's land,
Let my people go!
Oppressed so hard they could not stand
Let my people go!
Refrain:
Go down, Moses,
Way down in Egypt land
Tell ol' Pharaoh
Let my people go!
Thus saith the Lord, bold Moses said
Let my people go!
If not, I'll smite your people dead,
Let my people go!
Repeat Refrain
As Israel stood by the water side,
Let my people go!
By G-d's command it did divide,
Let my people go!
DAYEINU—Song of Gratitude
Had God only taken us out of Egypt: It would have been enough Had God only given us the Shabbat: It would have been enough Had God only given us the Torah:
Ilu hotzi, hotzi’anu
It would have been enough
Hotzi’anu mimitzrayim
Hotzi’anu mimitzrayim
Dayeinu./..
Ilu natan, natan lanu
Natan lanu, et hashabat
Natan lanu, et hashabat
Dayeinu
Ilu natan, natan lanu
natan lanu et hatorah
natan lanu et hatorah
Dayeinu
Mindful conversation At tables
QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION
Which kind of child are you?
What are your questions?
In what ways might the story
of the birth of the Jewish people have universal themes?
Does it make any difference
if the Exodus did not happen in history? Why or why not?
The
Wise Child: What can I learn from the experiences of the Jews
during the Exodus from Egypt that is relevant to our struggles for
self-liberation today? How can we share the land in peace?
The
“Wicked” (Cynical) Child: What can this chauvinistic
tribal rite possibly have to say to me? Why should I compromise?
The
“Simple” Child: What is this all about, anyway? Why is being a committed Jew so
important? Why can’t we just love each other?
The
Child who does not know how to ask: Silence.
How can I be safe?
More Questions: FOUR
DAUGHTERS
The
daughter in search of a usable past. What does she say? Why didn’t the Torah count women
among the 600,000 men on foot, aside from children, who came out of Egypt? And
why did Moses say at Sinai, Go not near a woman, addressing only men, as if preparation
for Revelation was not meant for us as well? Because she already understands
that Jewish memory is essential to our identity, teach her that history is made
by those who tell the tale. If Torah did not name and number women, it is up to
her to fill the empty spaces of our holy texts.
And
the daughter who wants to erase her difference. What does she say. Why must
you keep pushing your women’s questions into every text? And why are these
women’s issues so important to you? To you and not to me. Since she so easily
forgets the struggles of her mothers and sisters, you must tell her the story
of your own journey to the seder table and invite her to join you in thanking
God for the blessing of being a Jewish
woman.
And
the daughter who does not know that she has a place at the table. What does she say? What is
this? Because she doesn’t realize that her question is, in itself, a part of
the Seder tradition, teach her that the Haggadah is an extended conversation
about liberation, and tell her that her insights and questions are also text.
And
the daughter who asks no questions. You must say to her, Your questions, when they
come, will liberate you from Egypt. This is how it has always been with your mothers and
grandmothers. From the moment Yocheved, Miriam and the midwives questioned
Pharaoh’s edict until today, every question we ask helps us leave Egypt farther
behind.
More
Questions: The
Hebrews’ ancestors were shepherds,
people of the plains, lovers of open spaces, free to wander as far as the eye can
see. When they went down to Egypt, they descended into a narrow place. One by
one, their freedoms were taken away.
**What
other peoples have had the experience of their freedoms being taken away, their
dreams become nightmares? **We, who have so many freedoms, how are we enslaved,
and how do we enslave others? **What are the narrow places we construct for
ourselves, and construct for others? **When do we relinquish our freedom
because we are afraid or ashamed, and how do we liberate ourselves? **What binds
our spirits and fetters our souls, and what releases our spirits and frees our
souls? **What keeps us from traveling toward the fulfillment of our dreams, and
what sustains us in traveling toward the fulfillment of our dreams?
**What are our dreams and aspirations?
The Passover story
The story of Passover is a
story of the journey from slavery to freedom. It is the story of the Jewish
people as a collective. However, the story of going from slavery to freedom,
from oppression and restriction, to liberation, can be the story of each
individual person and each people, and of humanity as a whole. The traditional story places God at the
center of the action. The story, as it
is told by many modern Jews, places human beings at the center: Moses and his
older sister Miriam and brother Aaron, Moses’ parents Amram and Yocheved, the
midwives Shifra and Puah, and the daughter of the Pharoah, Egypt’s ruler, who
raised Moses. The traditional story,
told in Deuteronomy 26:5-8, places God in the center:
My ancestors, wandering
Arameans,
Went down to Egypt and
sojourned there, few in number.
They became a great nation,
mighty and many.
The Egyptians oppressed us
and afflicted us,
And placed hard servitude
upon us.
We cried out to the God of
our ancestors,
And the Holy One heard our
voice.
God saw our affliction, our
strain, and our oppression,
And God took us out of Egypt
With a strong hand and an
outstretched arm,
With awe-inspiring acts
And with signs and portents.
The Passover
story—the ten Plagues
Sometimes
the plagues are interpreted as weapons of freedom wielded by God on behalf
of the Jews. Sometimes they are interpreted as naturally occurring
miracles. Sometimes they are interpreted as events that the Egyptians
brought upon themselves but interpreted supernaturally. Whatever their
origin, the plagues are seen as opening the way for the birth of the Jewish
people
Pharaoh’s
heart was closed to the request of Moses and Aaron, but when he refused to let
the Israelites go, it is said, God sent ten plagues. Only
after Jews complete the ritual of naming the plagues is it possible to partake of the Seder feast. In this way Jews
acknowledge that our freedom was bought with the suffering of others. As we
call out the name of each plague, we use our fingers to remove a drop from our
overflowing cups, dipping
a little grape juice onto the plate as a sign of mourning for those who were
innocent and were nonetheless hurt by that plague, and also for those who were
not as innocent who were hurt by that plague. We acknowledge in this way that
in each of us there are seeds of Pharoah, seeds of closed-hearted reaction, as
well as seeds of open-hearted response.
1. Blood Dam
2. Frogs Tz'far-day-a
3. Lice Keeneem
4. Beasts O-rov
5. Cattle Disease De-ver
6. Boils Sh'cheen
7. Hail Ba-rad
8. Locusts Ar-beh
9. Darkness
Cho-schech
10. Slaying of the first born Ma-kat B'choro
The Passover
story—the ten Plagues
The
Ten Plagues:
as we announce each plague we take a drop of wine from our cup and put it in a
dish.
Blood—There was blood in all the
water of Egypt. The Egyptians could not bathe. They could not take a drink.
They could not water their flowers or crops. They could not enjoy a refreshing
swim.
Frogs hopped and croaked
everywhere. No one could sleep, walk or play in peace. The noise was awful.
Everything seemed to be moving, and people were dizzy.
Lice made everyone scratch their
skin so hard that people hurt all over.
Wild
Beasts
galloped, slithered, snorted, growled, roared and clawed in every corner of
Egypt. Soon, there was no room for the people.
Diseases—There were diseases that
could not be cured. Coughing, sneezing, sore throats, gasping for breath,
watering eyes and aching arms and legs made everyone miserable.
Boils—Boils burst from their
skin. They wee so uncomfortable. The Egyptians could not even get dressed
without screaming from the pain.
Hail—Hail rained down as
dangerous balls of ice. The hail smashed roofs and damaged crops. It broke
everything the Egyptians owned.
Locusts—Locusts swarmed aver all
the trees and blades of grass. The buzzing and sound of flapping wings
frightened everyone. Vegetables and fruits were gobbled up and only dust
remained on the ground.
Darkness--Darkness blotted out the
sun. People were always cold. Moonlight and stars did not appear. Every day was
pitch black
Death
of the First-Born--The first-born son in every Egyptian family died.
Finally
the Pharaoh was convinced that the Hebrew people had to be freed from their
slavery and he allowed them to leave Egypt. But after they left Egypt, the
Pharaoh changed his mind. The armies of Egypt were behind them and a great sea
was in front of them. The sea held them back, but with God’s help the sea
parted and our people passed through on dry land. Many Egyptians were killed.
Poem:
To Her Grandchild
|
You asked me about the sea; you want to know about that day
we crossed the sea... Why talk about that place, it is
so quiet here. Plenty of water, grass for the
animals cooling shade in the afternoon. Perhaps we'll stay for a while, I'm so tired of wandering about.
But you asked me about the sea. Yes, I remember, though I try to
forget, it was so terrible. In the mouths of our
storytellers the sea crossing has become a
miracle. It was a nightmare. I still see the dead Egyptians, hundreds of them in the water, at night sometimes when I close
my eyes, when the wind blows in a certain
way. Moses promised us a wonderful
thing, that day by the sea, but it was
terrible. Our resting here has soothed
those memories; the animals seem content, the children safe. The children were screaming that
day; the wind so strong, the mud so
thick we could scarcely walk. The smaller animals stumbled,
could not get up; men were screaming at their
women, everyone was straining to help
the children keep the animals moving. We knew the Egyptians were
behind us, but the sand was in our eyes the wind roaring, pounding us, then -- it stopped, for a moment
there was nothing; everything was still. then a trickling of water and then we heard them, |
they were children's cries; the Egyptians. We saw nothing, the sand was
heavy in the air but we heard them; heard the water, the neighing of
the horses. Our children began to wail again
and as the sand settled we saw
them in the water, drowned, caught in the reeds. They were children! young boys in their uniforms now wrapped around their
frightened faces. Sarah, my neighbor, saw her
owner's son and I, a palace guard who helped
me pack and gave me food for the
journey. Everyone saw a face they knew and such wailing then! It went on and on grief and fear, we were so
tired, where was Moses, when would he
take us home? Then gradually, through the
crying, Miriam's thin sweet voice – trembling, her tune spun in the
air and floated over us. It was a quieting song, one we used to sing to our
animals in Egypt, and now she sang it to us like a shepard to her frightened
goats. As our fear left us, we began to
sing with her; then Moses took up the song and the men began to chant of
victory and the death of the mighty
Pharoah. Well, you know that song, child,
we sing it today, but it has
changed some, since that time at the sea. This is a calm, quiet place, so green, such lovely shade. If only we could stay here
longer. It is so much like Egypt. |
Janet Berkenfield
EMBODIED STORYTELLING –alternative STORY (DRAFT 1)
Oppression.
Enslavement; order to kill all Hebrew male babies.
Crying out for help.
The Hebrews call out to God for help.
Women’s Leadership and Nonviolent Resistance to Injustice
the midwives Shifrah and Puah save a male baby. The baby’s sister Miriam watches as the baby’s mother puts the baby in the River Nile in a basket. Pharoah’s daughter takes the baby from the water and raises him in the palace, with the baby’s mother as wet nurse. The baby’s name is Moses.
Awareness of Suffering, Taking Action
Moses, raised in the palace, leaves the palace and sees the suffering of the people. Intervening, he kills a man, and flees out of Egypt.
Confronting Inner Fear, Confronting Political Power
Moses hears the voice of God, commanding him to return to Egypt and intervene on behalf of his people, the Hebrew people. Moses is afraid, but together with his brother Aaron, he confronts the ruler, Pharoah, saying “Let My People Go”--but Pharaoh’s heart remains closed.
Ten Disasters.
Time after time, after one plague, one disaster after another, Pharoah says the Hebrew people can leave, and then changes his mind. Finally, the angel of death visits the first born of every Egyptian family but “passes over” the homes of the Egyptians. Pharoah says the Hebrew people can leave.
Courage in the Face of Despair
The Hebrews leave quickly, fearful that Pharoah may change his mind again. They take little with them, and they do not take time to let the bread rise. They come to the sea and despair, but one man enters the water, and the sea divides. The Hebrews pass through, but the Egyptian army following them is drowned.
Compassion: Freedom at the Cost of Much Human Life.
The Hebrews celebrate and offer gratitude with dance and music, led by Moses’ sister Miriam, but they are aware of the human suffering, and temper their joy.
Pilgrimage towards Liberation.
The Hebrews continue their journey from enslavement towards liberation, walking forty years through the desert. New generations are born, generations that do not have the memory of enslavement. These descendants continue to tell the story, “as if they themselves had been slaves in Egypt, and freed.” They continue to study and learn, seeking the true meaning of freedom.
The Vision of Freedom.
Free,
these descendants seek to understand how to transform and heal the closed heart
of Pharoah, the Pharoah within and the Pharoah without, to confront inner fear
with courage, and take action to further
the journey of all peoples from oppression
into freedom and liberation.
Passover--2005
Offerings from different traditions
Song: sadako and the thousand paper cranes
Senba
zuru. Senba zuru tsubasa wo hirogete
Song: Precious lord Precious Lord,
take my hand, Refrain Take
my hand, precious Lord, When my way
grows drear, Refrain When the
darkness appears Refrain
Maiagaru,
maiagaru Sadako no yumenose
Lead me on, let me stand,
I am tired, I am weak, I am worn;
Through the storm, through the night,
Lead me on to the light:
Lead me home.
Precious Lord, linger near,
When my life is almost gone,
Hear my cry, hear my call,
Hold my hand lest I fall:
And the night draws near,
And the day is past and gone,
At the river I stand,
Guide my feet, hold my hand:
Heiwa
no kane naraso minna de naraso
Thousand
paper cranes, thousand paper cranes
Spread
your wings way up high
Dancing
through the sky, dancing through the sky
With
Sadako’s dream we fly
Bells
are ringing, children singing
Peace
is rising in the world
Sadako
we’ll carry on, carry on
Sadako
we’ll carry on, carry on
Sadako
we’ll carry on, carry on
Sadako
we’ll carry on, you are the symbol of peace.
Senba
zuru. Senba zuru tsubasa wo hirogete
Thousand
paper cranes, thousand paper cranes
Spread
your wings way up high
Heiwa
no kane naraso Peace is rising in the world
Sadako
we’ll carry on, carry on
Sadako
we’ll carry on, carry on, you are the symbol of peace
Sadako
we’ll carry on, carry on
Sadako
we’ll carry on, Heiwa no shinboru
Sadako
we’ll carry on, carry onyou are the symbol of peace.
Senba
zuru. Senba zuru tsubasa wo hirogete
Maiagaru,
maiagaru Sadako no yumenose
Senba
zuru. Senba zuru tsubasa wo hirogete
Maiagaru,
maiagaru Sadako no yumenose
Poem: incident By
Countee Cullen Once
riding in old Baltimore, Heart-filled,
head-filled with glee, I
saw a Baltimorean Keep
looking straight at me. Now
I was eight and very small, And
he was no whit bigger, And
so I smile, But he poked out His tongue, and called me, “Nigger.” I saw the whole of Baltimore From May until Decemner; Of all the things that happened there That’s all that I remember.
Passover seder—second night--counting
the omer
In
addition to celebrating the Israelites’ going out of Egypt, Passover marks the
beginning of the barley harvests. On the second day of Passover, an omer, a
sheaf of barley, was brought to the Temple as an offering. Shavuot, which comes
49 days later, commemorates the giving and receiving of the Torah, and also
marks the beginning of the wheat harvest.
At
the second seder, it is traditional to begin counting off these 49 days,
referred to as the Days of Omer.
This
symbolic countdown from Pesach to Shavuot shows the connection between the two
holidays. Our freedom from slavery was not complete until we received the
Torah, which gives our lives purpose and meaning.
Each week is represented by a specific attribute:
Chesed: lovingkindness
Gevurah: Awe, restraint, discipline
Tiferet: Compassion; beauty, harmony
Netzach: Endurance
Hod: Humility
Yesod: Bonding
Malchut: Leadership, sovereignty, nobility
Each day within the week is represented by an aspect of that attribute. Since a fully-functional emotion is multi-dimensional, it includes within itself a blend of all seven attributes.
Example:
WEEK ONE
The first week of sefirah is dedicated to Chesed, the attribute of lovingkindess
Day 1 (second night of Passover)—we focus on chesed she’b’chesded, the aspect of lovingkindness in lovingkidness. What is my capacity to love another person? How do I express love? Whom do I love? Find a new way to express your love to a dear one.
Day 2—gevurah she’b’chesed, restraint/discipline in lovingkindness—Is my love disciplined enough?
Day 3—tiferet she’b’chesed, the harmony in loving kindness. Offer a helping hand to a stranger.
Day 4—Netzach of Chesed—Endurance in lovingkindness. Is my love enduring? Can I be counted on the good times as well as the difficult? Reassure a loved on of the constancy of your love.
Day 5—Hod of Chesed—humility in lovingkindness. Reconcile with a loved one with whom you have quarreled, practicing humility and “swallowing” unnecessary “pride.”
Day 6: Yesod of Chesed—Bonding in lvogin kindness. An intimate connection, that benefits both parties. Build something constructive together with a loved one.
Day 7: Malchut of Chesed—Nobility in Lovingkindness.
Highlight an aspect in your love that has bolstered your spirit and enriched ytour life, and celebrate!
“Today is seven days, which are one week, of the Omer.”
PASSOVER SEDER—HAGGADAH SUPPLEMENT
From
Martin Buber: “We Jews are a community
based on memory. A common memory has kept us together and enabled us to
survive… one generation passed on to the next a memory which gained in scope
…This expanding memory was more than a spiritual motif; it was a power which
sustained, fed, and quickened Jewish existence itself.”
This supplement is designed to spark vision and
imagination—“memories from the future”
DAYENU—2005/5765
ENVISIONING THE FUTURE AS NOW
Thirty years hence--2045/5830
Now when all the workers of the world receive just
compensation and respect for their labors, enjoy safe, healthy, and secure
working conditions, and can take pride in their work…Dayenu
Now when governments have ended the escalating production of
devastating weapons, secure in the knowledge that they will not be necessary…Dayenu
Now when technology for the production and conservation of
energy and our other natural resources is developed so that we can maintain
responsible and comfortable lifestyles—and still assure a safe environment for
our children and all the world’s children….Dayenu
Now when the air, water, fellow creatures and beautiful world are protected, for the benefit and enjoyment of all, and given priority over development for the sake of profit…Dayenu
Now that all people live freely in their own countries,
practicing their beliefs and cultures without interference or persecution…Dayenu
Now that all women and men are allowed to make their own decisions on matters regarding their own bodies and their personal relationships without discrimination or legal consequences…Dayenu
Now that people of all ages, sexes, races, religions,
cultures and nations respect and appreciate one another…Dayenu
Now when all children grow up in freedom, without hunger,
and with the love and support needed to realize their full potential…Dayenu
Now when all children, women, and men are free of the threat
of violence, abuse and condemnation; when personal power and strength are not
used as weapons…Dayenu
Now when all people have access to the information and care
they need for their physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being…Dayenu
Now when…
(add your own…)
Gratitude
for the Many Resources that have guided
the
development of this haggadah for Passover 2005
Among them:
Keeping Passover
By Ira Steingroot
Seasons of Our Joy
By Arthur Waskow
The Jewish Way: Living the Holidays
By Rabbi Irving Greenberg
The Jewish Catalog
By Richard Siegel, Micahel Strasfeld, Sharon Strassfeld
The Dancing with Miriam Haggadah, A Jewish Women’s Celebration of
Passover
By Elaine Moise and Rebecca Schwartz, Third Edition
The Women’s Haggadah
By E.M. Broner with Naomi Nimrod
The Open Door: A Passover Haggadah
Ed by Sue Levi Elwell
A Family Haggadah, I and II
By Shoshana Silberman
A Night of Questions: A Passover Haggadah
Edited by Rabbit Joy Levitt and Rabbi Michael Strassfeld
Spiritual Guide to the Counting of the Omer
By Rabbi Simon Jacobson
A Different Nigh: The Family Participation Haggadah
By Noam Zion and David Dishon
The Shalom Seders: Three Haggadahs
Compiled by New Jewish Agenda, Intro by Arthur Waskow
A Passover Haggadah
New Union Haggadah, CCAR. Drawings by Leonoard Baskin
A Feast of Freedom
A Children’s Haggadah
Text by Howard I Bogot and Robert J Orkand
NY: Central Conference of American Rabbis. 1994
COMMUNITY
PASSOVER SEDER FOR PEACE
APRIL
2, 2005 (5765)
ORDER
OF THE EVENING
5:00 Gathering—Greeters—Leonore, Kazumi and others
5:20 Singing/Chanting—Susan/Lyn
5:30 Bell—Gary, Chinh
Community Voice Song-Chinh
Welcome,
Overview (including basic story), Intention of this evening-- Diana, Susan
Candle-lighting—Susan, Yodi
Blessings,
Gratitude—Diana, Susan
Blessing
the Children—Leonore/Adrianne
5:45 At tables (Diana): Candle-lighting and
Introductions—name, where you live, what’s your connection to being here, who
would you like to invite (ancestors, descendants, contemporaries), gratitude
for being here
6:00 Song (Hinay MaTov)—Gary,
Lyn
Offerings
from different traditions (Diana)—theme of
journey from enslavement to liberation
Kazumi—Sadako
peace song+1000 cranes/reflections
Yodi—poem(s)/reflections
Gary—song
Joseph—flute/reflections
Chinh,
Diana W and others
6:30 The Jewish Seder
Miriam’s Cup/Elijah’s
Cup—Susan, Diana
Cup
of Awakening/Cup of Opening the Door
Symbolic Food—Explain
Seder Plate and Matzah—Sara B
Four Cups of Grape
Juice Diana, Susan, Sara?
Drink First Cup, Cup
of Freedom—Diana, Susan
Eat Karpas--Diana
Afikomen (Explain it,
break it and hide it)—Lyn
Prayer for Healing
(MiShebeirach), Matzah of Hope--Susan
Four Questions and
the Four Children—Lyn, Gary
Embodied Storytelling
w/ songs and poems—Chinh, AJ, David, Gary
Drink
Second Cup—Cup of Non-Cooperation with Injustice—Diana,
Susan
Eating the
Passover Foods w/ Blessings:
Matzah, Maror, Hillel Sandwich—Diana, Susan
7:15 Dinner (Lead-In—Diana)
Get
food in silence
At tables:
>>In
silence, mindful eating for five minutes
>>Bell after five
minutes. Mindful conversation, what are we experiencing? What are our questions? What are our
responses? Connections with our group/tradition?
8:00 Continuation of the
Seder
§
Drink Third Cup—Cup of Peace &Restorative Justice/Transformative
Processes—AJ
§
Find and Eat the Afikomen--Lyn
§
Blessing after the Meal--Susan
§
Drink Fourth Cup—Action, Leadership & Vision for a Positive Future—AJ
§
Closing Songs, Poems, Gratitude &
Blessings-- Susan, Gary