Why are we finding references to our forefather Abraham… to our evil cousin Laban… and to the building of the Holy Temple, even further away on the timeline? The Seder Plate. How can I grow closer to Him through this challenge?”. The Passover Seder goes beyond words to open the senses. Three pieces of matzah and enough wine for four cups (plus more if you like to drink with your dinner…). (1) A seder plate, or other special place you can designate for your matzah and seder plate items. It can be someone from the past, present or future. It’s time to find your own space inside these texts. Where am I being asked to stretch myself for the Torah’s ideals? If the mitzvah du jour is to retell the story of the Exodus, why does the Haggadah feel the need to pack in almost 1000 years of Jewish history alongside it? For me personally, knowing that I have family members gathered in Australia having an intimate, no-guests seder table brings up some envy and a bit of resentment that I’m here in Jerusalem alone with my roommate. And decorate your space so it’s beautiful and comfortable. The Meaning Behind the Seder-Plate Egg: Short insights to make your Passover experience more meaningful. On Seder night, it’s our job to step into that role. He’s assigned each of us a unique purpose, and He custom-designs every aspect of our lives to help us succeed in our missions. After all, we know every good party ends with a dance party, and now you can dance like nobody’s watching because they most definitely are not. Told well, a story draws us into a different world. Passover Is it in a relationship? In other words, even though “seder” means “order”—and each step of the Seder follows the other in meaningful, logical steps—it’s an order of disorder. Last year at this time we were forced to close our temple doors due to the pandemic. We’d love to be uplifted by something at the Seder, but we’re not in action mode. We all live life through the lens of our stories – whatever they might be. So remember that this isn’t a second best option — your own seder, at home, is exactly where you are meant to be. Some might see the Torah as a book of ideals that only the holiest, most righteous among us can possibly reach. “It’s a time when Jews come home and get together,” he said. Make this into your moment, your ceremony, your ritual. Our editor needs it in case we have a question about your comment. Yes, God expects that much of us – but He also promises to stay with us every step of the way. This is what makes the Exodus story the perfect basis for our faith. In my humble opinion, the best part of seder night is the period of “Hallel,” songs of joyous praise at the end. We are living in unprecedented times, and while that means this was beyond our imaginations a year ago, it also means that the possible world we are praying for could also be just around the corner. So we turn to the Haggadah, our Sages’ chronicle of the Exodus. If you’ve been spending your last few weeks going from night pajamas to couch pajamas, you’ve probably gained a newfound appreciation of “loungewear.” Our ancestors also saw the seder as a time to be super comfy, reclining like royals, so why not whip out that silk kimono you keep for special occasions? Our editor needs it in case we have a question about your comment. So why is that little voice of doubt still niggling at us? It was again this year. Rishe Groner is the creator of The Gene-Sis, a post-Hasidic movement towards embodied experience and personal growth through Jewish mystical texts. If your Amazon deliveries are four weeks out due to the current crisis, you can always print or download a haggadah online. CHOOSING A HAGGADAH. By Eat This, Not That! We’ll change the way we act and the choices we make. Other ritual items that would be lovely to have, but can also be improvised at home, include: Gourmet wines and family recipes are delicious and enhance the experience, but there’s no mitzvah in having crystal goblets and Grandma’s matzah balls to make your seder perfect. The central theme of the holiday is: transcendence (pass-over) - freeing ourselves from all our constraints, fears, concerns, health challenges, uncertainties -- all the forces that impede us from spreading our wings, growing and flourishing. Yet we turn again to this ritual that marks spring, new beginnings and the hope of freedom. How can we utilize the Seder to its fullest? You are not limited by time! A seventh symbolic item used during the meal—the three matzos—is not considered part of the seder plate proper. How does He choose to present Himself? In the first of the Ten Commandments, God officially “introduces” Himself to His people and instructs us to believe in Him. INTRODUCTION . "This will end up giving your family a much more memorable experience then if you're trying to do the exact thing in Haggadah. The Passover Seder (/ ˈ s eɪ d ər /; Hebrew: סֵדֶר ‎ 'order, arrangement'; Yiddish: סדר ‎ seyder) is a ritual feast that marks the beginning of the Jewish holiday of Passover.It is conducted throughout the world on the eve of the 15th day of Nisan in the Hebrew calendar (i.e., at the start of the 15th; a Hebrew day begins at sunset). This seder is your own, and an opportunity to see what it takes to make Judaism your own, too. The Talmud encourages us to make each Passover seder unique, connected and relevant to the lived experience and interests of its participants. Here are some art-filled ideas (some with a nod to issues of the past year) to help make your seder a little different and meaningful. The story becomes our story, the background for our life. Tapping into the essence of the Exodus story. He formed us. Passover has never been more relevant than it is this year. All we need to do is will it into being. Every breath we take, every toe we stub, every joke we enjoy – He’s orchestrating all of it. Rabbi Michoel Gourarie lectures on a wide range of topics with a special emphasis on Personal Growth and Self Development, including self esteem, communication and relationship building. It is a moment for each of us to take our experience into our own hands, and bring our Judaism into our homes. April 6, 2020 4:47 PM. From a ritual standpoint, the most important piece of the evening is a haggadah, the book that takes you through the steps of the seder. We start with the section that illustrates the first step God took in building His relationship with us – drawing our forefather Abraham close to Him. We get absorbed, we identify with it – and suddenly we’re living it. ). It’s actually our ticket to a truly transformative Seder experience. You can even go with something that could pass as the traditional white ceremonial kittel robe. And decorate your space so it’s beautiful and comfortable. Why? That’s another facet of what’s holding us back – we’re waiting for inspiration to somehow strike us. And from there, we have been together virtually ever since – to arrive now, at our second Passover in COVID-time. When recounting the story of going from slavery to freedom, think about the impactful moments in your life and how you would like to emerge from this difficult time of chrysalis to become the caterpillar-turned-butterfly we are all becoming. Not with the seemingly obvious title of the God who created the world. Passover, which started on the evening of March 27, is one of the most meaningful times of year for Jewish people throughout the world. In its most simple sense, the Haggadah is meant to be told as an answer to a question, and to do that, the Seder presses all our buttons to switch us into questioning mode. Passover is a journey towards wholeness, towards a metaphoric “promised land,” and if we remember that—and that alone—we will create a seder each year that is not only deeply meaningful but, de facto, different from every other year’s.For next year’s seder, start now by staying attuned to issues in your own life—and in the news—that feel like they speak to this holy journey. So we open our Haggadahs to brush up on our knowledge of the story – and suddenly we’re confused. In the times when the Israelites had a Temple, in fact, the Passover sacrifice was the only ritual ceremony that could take place off the Temple grounds (as long as it was within sight), so many ate in the courtyards of their homes. He lovingly cared for us on our journey through the Wilderness, providing us a supernatural existence through the manna. We’ll see with clarity that we’re here for a purpose – and that God has gifted us with everything we need to succeed in fulfilling that purpose. Instead, He tells us, “I am Hashem, your God, who took you out of the land of Egypt.”.  »  Our Ma Nishtana mindset turns our thoughts inwards: what would our lives look like if we realized how incredibly unique we are as a people – and as individuals? Our first virtual seder kept us together. Thank you for this way of looking at the Seder, a beautiful way of transforming both the Seder and our lives, internalizing our relationship with G-d (Individually and collectively) and making it real. See your children find the afikoman. Witnessing God’s steadfast commitment to us over hundreds of years enables us to become people who filter their lives through emunah and Divine providence. It requires no skills, but is full of ceremony. A tiny people constantly targeted by history’s greatest powers, we owe our survival completely to God’s miraculous protection. Your transactions are secure. … This is the essence of the Haggadah’s story. Open your eyes; and welcome the season of spring. Emunah means living life through that perspective. Traditionally, the seder plate includes some form of dark greens as a bitter herb, fresh horseradish if that’s your thing (also as a bitter herb), a hard boiled egg, an overly-grilled not-to-be-eaten shank bone (use a chicken bone), and the fun part, haroset (very simple to. A cover for your matzah — again, embroidered pretty fabrics work great! We also have a trove of wonderful Passover parodies that are just so great to incorporate into your seder. Your time to reflect, your time to contemplate, your time to celebrate. By customizing the Seder’s message to suit each son’s style, the Haggadah teaches us a crucial lesson about the nature of the Torah. To see this idea in action, we need look no further than the famous Four Questions – the “Ma Nishtana.”. Light two candles, set them up beautifully on your table, and recite the blessing before the seder begins. Sing old Passover tunes from Hebrew School, contemporary Hallel tunes by Jewish music pioneers, or your own renditions of songs of freedom. Judaism was made for these times, and it is here for us to grasp, to grow, to develop within these structures our own way of connection, creation, and restoration. As we end our seder with the wish to spend next year in Jerusalem, take the time to meditate on your personal wishes for the year ahead. Your seder plate items! Watch the replay of our Passover Seder! We use cookies to improve your experience on our site and bring you ads that might interest you. Each Seder night, we retell the story with all the zeal we can muster – and we haven’t yet found ourselves suddenly bursting with renewed zest for Judaism. (See the Dayeinu section of the Haggadah.). Yes, I am telling you to build a seder fort. Our only task on Seder night is to tell the story of God’s plan for us. It’s the story of the establishment of our relationship with God. (March 5, 2021 / JNS) At a time when people are feeling isolated and in need of meaningful connection, OneTable, which empowers people to envision new rituals and build community through Shabbat dinner experiences, is helping boost the Passover seder. See the sights of Passover. Last year, as the Seder Committee was making its preparations, the pandemic struck, and our community Seder was canceled. Dress up Shoshana, What if you can use this opportunity to focus on reading the Passover story anew and thinking about how it applies to you in your life, without the kids shrieking or brisket burning or the uncle’s awkward commentary running in the background? In a family or community matter? Please sign me up for Aish.com's free email updates. Perhaps because… we’ve tried this already. He has had the opportunity to study under one the greatest baalei Mussar of our time, Rav Reuven Leuchter, for close to 20 years. If you are planning on joining a virtual seder, that’s an option, but for some of us, whether it’s due to your personal Jewish practice or screen fatigue, this could be an opportunity for us to get deep with our own personal journey. Haggadot Haggadah: Sharing Our Journey (CCARPress)Download the Haggadah here.Download a Haggadah Flipbook here. For those of us with raucous families or leaders who like to draw out certain sections, we might never make it to this point, instead finding ourselves red-wine-sleepy before we get to the juicy songs. How to Have a Meaningful Virtual Passover Seder. It is an experience for each of us to go through what it is to leave Egypt. Emunah will become the filter through which we experience life. The coronavirus seder shines a … Because our Sages understood that the Exodus story is so much larger than the tale of a bunch of slaves going free. We’re not being asked to cram our heads with novel information. Additionally, each of WRT’s rabbis and cantors recorded a short video featuring a favorite section of the Passover Seder, and sent links within a newsletter to congregants. Instead, she says, focus on three steps and interpret them in a meaningful, intentional way. Hear the singing of your children and parents. The most important part of the story is the way you tell it – your framing, … The seder is the ultimate experiential education. That is hashgacha pratit – God’s unflinching personal involvement in our lives. https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/passover-seders-with-kids When the Egyptians sought to crush Yaakov’s descendants, God heeded our prayers and sent ten fearsome plagues to subdue the Egyptians. Hear the sounds of Passover. — happy, so you have a delicious meal waiting for you. Instead of allowing our human nature to dictate our reactions, we would ask ourselves: “God sent this to me. A helpful first step is to pinpoint what it is that we’re trying to accomplish. It was there that He built us the Beit Hamikdash (Holy Temple) where we could cleanse ourselves of our sins, helping us restore our relationship with Him on a constant basis. Our Privacy Guarantee: Your information is private. 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