The Passover Seder goes beyond words to open the senses. Instead, He tells us, “I am Hashem, your God, who took you out of the land of Egypt.”. 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. Passover has never been more relevant than it is this year. A Conversation with Ambassador Michael Oren, The Crypto-Jews: The Story of a Slow Awakening, Lag B'Omer and the Tragic Mann Gulch Fire, Home  »  Make this into your moment, your ceremony, your ritual. It’s a time to invite in the peaceful, calm energy you want in your home, and connect to your heart, yourself, and whatever you call Divine. But Passover was celebrated nonetheless! Food What a year it has been. Passover, which started on the evening of March 27, is one of the most meaningful times of year for Jewish people throughout the world. Trivia Place Cards Welcome your guests to their seats with these trivia place cards, created in partnership with Be’chol Lashon, and celebrate Passover rituals from diverse Jewish communities around the world. INTRODUCTION . Where am I being asked to stretch myself for the Torah’s ideals? 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). April 19th is the first night of Passover, and if you are hosting a Seder or two, chances are you are on the lookout for some wonderful new dishes to serve along with your family's traditional favorites. Although the community Seder will have to wait until 2022, Jews in the Mount Washington Valley found a way to celebrate Passover at home. So we turn to the Haggadah, our Sages’ chronicle of the Exodus. Because our Sages understood that the Exodus story is so much larger than the tale of a bunch of slaves going free. Some of these will be easier to obtain than others. On Seder night, it’s our job to step into that role. Open your eyes; and welcome the season of spring. 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. 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. The complete Haggadah in Hebrew and English, complete with simple instructions, guides and a host of haggadah insights to make your Passover seder meaningful, fun and uplifting for you and all your guests.This Haggadah introduces a new accessible translation that makes the seder come alive, explaining each step in simple and relatable terms.The Haggadah also offers tips for leading a seder … (See the Dayeinu section of the Haggadah.). (2) How do we access that force? I also use this time to think of my family, bless them from afar, and maybe sob a tear or two (acknowledging those feelings!) Our Privacy Guarantee: Your information is private. Your email address is kept private. So we open our Haggadahs to brush up on our knowledge of the story – and suddenly we’re confused. What is He asking of me? https://www.aish.com/h/pes/h/Three-Steps-to-a-Meaningful-Seder.html. To get a proper feel for the story of that relationship, we need to travel through a timespan of close to a thousand years – back to the times of our forefather Abraham, and forward to the era of the Holy Temple. See the Seder plate at your dinner table. Take a break, listen to one of these, even have a Passover dance party. 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. https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/passover-seders-with-kids April 2, 2020 12:42 PM, Thank you for this beautiful article, sharing it now, and want to print it for our Seder. The Order of Time: Conversation with Physicist Carlo Rovelli, Is israel the Solution? For a full set of ideas for personal reflections, meditations and ways to make a solo seder meaningful, sign up for Rishe’s Solo Seder Companion. We’ve mapped out our goal for Seder night – to develop a new dimension of emunah by retelling and reliving the story of the Exodus. 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. 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. I am also taking questions and suggestions at this time via email. 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. And from there, we have been together virtually ever since – to arrive now, at our second Passover in COVID-time. Ideally, we’re supposed to make hashgacha pratit the lens through which we view life. Header Image design by Grace Yagel/passover icon illustrations via freepix/woman via Klaus Vedfelt/Getty Images. Why? If we can let the Exodus story become the foundation of our lives, we’ll be on our way to greatness. 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? If your Amazon deliveries are four weeks out due to the current crisis, you can always print or download a haggadah online. • 9 Tips for a Meaningful Passover Seder • The Essentials • Seder Table Checklist. While our buried traumas rise to the surface, we also find inside our deepest resilience, that same ability to renew and begin again that our ancestors took with them from so many tragedies in the past. How to make your Passover Seder meaningful Passover is on its way, so it’s time to start preparing for one of the biggest nights in the Jewish year! We then read about how He protected and nourished Abraham’s family, miraculously granting children first to him and then to his son Isaac. Your transactions are secure. Dress up Traditionally, the Passover seder was conducted reclining on luxurious beds and cushions, leaning the entire night like the queens we are, celebrating freedom — so why not deck out your living room in a decadent spread of cushions? It has been a hard year for so many of us. The entire Passover haggadah is based around a quote from the Bible which tells us, “You will tell this story to your children on that day.” This ritual is something that was performed in hidden cellars in Russia and Spain; in ornate palaces in Hungary and Iran; in concentration camps in Eastern Europe; on cushions in ancient Babylonia; and this year, in our own little apartments all over the world during this time of global transformation. The Passover seder is one of the two most-observed Jewish home traditions, according to Rabbi Dan Danson of Temple B’nai Israel in Laconia. It can be someone from the past, present or future. 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. A cover for your matzah — again, embroidered pretty fabrics work great! This year, let’s imagine that we’re attending our very first Seder, reading the Haggadah for the first time, and allow the Seder to touch the deepest parts of us. We all live life through the lens of our stories – whatever they might be. 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. Knowledge alone can’t create that level of loyalty and connection. The Talmud encourages us to make each Passover seder unique, connected and relevant to the lived experience and interests of its participants. For over 10 years he has worked with hundreds of Jews from all walks of life, either in groups or one-on-one, to create breakthroughs in life and in their commitment to Torah and mitzvos. We use cookies to improve your experience on our site and bring you ads that might interest you. Why does it seem each year that we come right back to where we started? Emunah will become the filter through which we experience life. Rishe is a writer, strategist, marketer and teacher, and her work has appeared in Lilith, Tablet, The Wisdom Daily, and on www.thegene-sis.com. That journey led us to His supernatural land of Israel, another gift to His People. The problem is that every year we come to the Seder with “baggage” – we feel like we’ve already heard whatever the Haggadah has to tell us. Traditionally, the Passover seder was conducted reclining on luxurious beds and cushions, leaning the entire night like the queens we are, celebrating freedom — so why not deck out your living room in a decadent spread of cushions? 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. This seder is your own, and an opportunity to see what it takes to make Judaism your own, too. Here are some simple tips that may help enhance your Pesach (Passover) Seder: 1. Preparation With life – you reap what you plant. Rabbi Levi Lebovits lives in Denver and is the Director of the Vaad Project, an initiative to help Jews find joy, meaning and fulfillment in their Judaism. Sefaria has the full text of the haggadah online in Hebrew and English; the Open Siddur Project has a full list of various versions of haggadahs with commentary; haggadot.com helps you piece together your own haggadah from various sources; and my website The Gene-Sis will soon be publishing a full Haggadah commentary especially for those spending seder alone this year (sign up to get the download link when it’s ready). … Setting your intention for an evening of spiritual growth while using the template that our ancestors have been using for millennia is exactly how we like to start off a ritual. The Seder plate is an important part of the holiday service and dinner and is often … Viewing that idea through the prism of our “Ma Nishtana mindset,” we find ourselves wondering: Where in my life can I hear the Torah speaking to me? It is the guiding force that enables us to live our lives according to God’s will, no matter what challenges we face. Instead, she says, focus on three steps and interpret them in a meaningful, intentional way. Steps of the Passover Seder 1. Every breath we take, every toe we stub, every joke we enjoy – He’s orchestrating all of it. And it was “told well!” Chag Sameach! By Eat This, Not That! Each product we feature has been independently selected and reviewed by … It requires no skills, but is full of ceremony. Last year, as the Seder Committee was making its preparations, the pandemic struck, and our community Seder was canceled. Each of the six items arranged on the plate has special significance to the retelling of the story of Passover—the exodus from Egypt—which is the focus of this ritual meal. Check out our resources, haggadah inserts, and additions to your table to spark meaningful conversations at your seder. I’m here to tell you that you can. It’s the story of the establishment of our relationship with God. 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. He has had the opportunity to study under one the greatest baalei Mussar of our time, Rav Reuven Leuchter, for close to 20 years. When asking the Four Questions, come up with your own questions to God or the world on this night, about what makes this time different than any others. In my humble opinion, the best part of seder night is the period of “Hallel,” songs of joyous praise at the end. If we can develop an unwavering belief in God’s plan, we’ll change the way we look at life. If we understood that our existence is a miracle, that life isn’t our right but a precious gift from God? This is the message to let into our hearts on Seder night. Yes, God expects that much of us – but He also promises to stay with us every step of the way. Please sign me up for Aish.com's free email updates. Picture that innocent five year old reciting the Ma Nishtana. 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. We’ve all been assigned a crucial mission that only we can fulfill. Passover 2021: One Year Later. Anonymous, The story becomes our story, the background for our life. And what about having a refreshing conversation starter to keep your Seder guests laughing and talking? As we mentioned earlier, God places each and every one of us on this earth for a purpose. We focus our attention on our children, on our guests, on everyone but ourselves. Emunah means living life through that perspective. The Meaning Behind the Seder-Plate Egg: Short insights to make your Passover experience more meaningful. That’s the goal of the Seder – to turn us into different people than we were when we started. Making Your Seder More Meaningful (Apr 10, 2021) Making Your Seder More Meaningful: Study about Passover Through the Ages. We’d love to be uplifted by something at the Seder, but we’re not in action mode. For that, we need to access the power of relationship. There is probably no more meaningful and enjoyable service than the Passover Seder. But this is your night, this is your ceremony, so when it’s time, get the praises going and sing your heart out. Tapping into the essence of the Exodus story. Urchatz (Purification/Handwashing). ). With this mindset we can unlock the magic of the Seder. (Apr 10, 2021) Get healthy Passover recipes for a meaningful Seder meal with these Jewish recipe ideas including charoset, macaroons, and others from . With this knowledge in mind, we’re set for success. When the Egyptians sought to crush Yaakov’s descendants, God heeded our prayers and sent ten fearsome plagues to subdue the Egyptians. Click here to download Rabbi Lebovits' free booklet on Passover. — happy, so you have a delicious meal waiting for you. How does He choose to present Himself? We also have a trove of wonderful Passover parodies that are just so great to incorporate into your seder. That’s another facet of what’s holding us back – we’re waiting for inspiration to somehow strike us. 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. 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. All we need to do is will it into being. Once we were redeemed, He gifted us with the Torah, granting us the key to fulfilling our purpose in this world. Our editor needs it in case we have a question about your comment. You can even go with something that could pass as the traditional white ceremonial kittel robe. Some might see the Torah as a book of ideals that only the holiest, most righteous among us can possibly reach. Watch the replay of our Passover Seder! Stories are incredibly powerful. All we have to do is tune into the loving relationship He stands ready and yearning to build with us. Hear the singing of your children and parents. Passover The coronavirus seder shines a … Credit: Flickr. He then entered the scene in His full glory to rescue His beloved people from Pharaoh, personally striking down the firstborns of Egypt and sweeping His nation out of bondage with unprecedented miracles. This year, make your Seder table personally relevant and transformational with the 15 Steps to Personal Freedom Seder Guide. Believing in a Creator of the world is indeed a crucial first step – but it remains a first step. Our only task on Seder night is to tell the story of God’s plan for us. © 2021 Aish.com - Your life. A health issue? Get the wine that you like most, even if it makes your sommelier cousin scoff. We’ll change the way we act and the choices we make. Water is poured over the hands to symbolize ritual purification. Shoshana, That is hashgacha pratit – God’s unflinching personal involvement in our lives. And when opening the door for Elijah, whisper your prayer for the world we are building even as the old world is burning down. Our first virtual seder kept us together. Who would you want at your Seder if you could have them? I’ve asked around and have compiled some ideas on how to make your Passover celebrations meaningful, even if you're celebrating alone. There is no prerequisite, no educational requirement, no rabbi or cantor needed to make it real. The holiday, which will conclude on Sunday night, April 4, combines what is important for families with what is important for Jews as a distinct people. Perhaps because… we’ve tried this already. Yes, we will celebrate Passover, no matter where or how. The word “Seder” means “order.” The Seder service is arranged and celebrated in the Jewish home by the family to teach its participants about the message of the holiday: to recall the exodus from Egyptian slavery, and recognize the need for freedom for all people from all kinds of enslavements today. You are not limited by time! 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. If we truly want to tap into the magic of the night, we need to rethink our approach. The very first of the Ten Commandments tells us: “I am Hashem your … We need to develop a “Ma Nishtana mindset” – to come to the Seder table with real interest, curious about each aspect and how it can change our lives. If it hasn’t worked magic on us yet, who’s to say it will this year? The Seder Plate. Jewish Holidays Spill out wine for the plagues happening around the world as much as those of ancient Egypt. Here’s how. Is it in a relationship? Our editor needs it in case we have a question about your comment. But the Ma Nishtana is just as important for the adults at the table. Yet we turn again to this ritual that marks spring, new beginnings and the hope of freedom. It speaks to each of us on our own level, taking into account our personalities, our upbringings, our life circumstances, our experiences, our level of commitment – everything that makes us who we are. What’s the Seder All About? Haggadot Haggadah: Sharing Our Journey (CCARPress)Download the Haggadah here.Download a Haggadah Flipbook here. Building emunah means letting God’s story become the story of our lives. This could be a beautiful woven place mat; a really pretty plate; or a piece of fabric. Sign up to our Calendar and Holidays Newsletter. Our tradition has been the fabric of life for so many thousands of years precisely because of its resilience, the ability to generate amazing things in times of strife, from expulsion to exile to plague. Last year at this time we were forced to close our temple doors due to the pandemic. By doing a bit of review about a concept called hashgacha pratit, Divine providence. The Partnership for Jewish Learning and Life . 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