"In
every generation let each one feel as
if he or she came forth out of
Egypt." This tenet strove to make the
Exodus from slavery into freedom a
living personal experience. It was in
this spirit that the story of the
liberation was told and handed down
from generation to generation, each
generation in turn growing up in the
knowledge that it would have the
responsibility to tell the story to
the next one.
The word Haggadah comes from the Torah
command - "And you shall tell (v'Higadeta)
your children on that day..." Although
the minimal fulfillment of this
mitzvah is a simple recounting of the
going out of Egypt and explaining a
few of the Pesach symbols, proper
fulfillment requires much more. [Ex
13.8]
The Hebrew term Haggadah means "the
telling". A Haggadah is a script that
contains the words to be spoken and
that describes the actions to be taken
at a Passover Seder. At a Seder [1]
there may be more than one kind of
Haggadah.
The
order of the Seder
The Haggadah starts off with The order
of the Seder (סימני הסדר), it is said
in Aramaic and consists of 14 orders
which make up the Passover Seder.
Kaddesh
Kaddesh is Aramaic for Kiddush. This
Kiddush is a special one for Passover,
it talks about Matzot, and the leaving
of Egypt. At the Passover Seder, Jews
act themselves in a way that shows
freedom and majesty, therefore, most
Jews have the custom to have each
person's cup at the Seder table is
filled by someone else. The Kiddish is
normally said by the father of the
house or a Kohen.
Urechatz
The
washing of hands by pouring water from
a cup, twice on the right hand, then
twice on the left hand, without
reciting a blessing (as would be said
for matzoh). Before eating karpas
Karpas
The
eating of a vegetable dipped in salt
water
Yachatz
The
breaking of the middle matzah from the
Seder plate
Maggid
The
telling the stories and explaination
of Pesach
Rachtzah
The
washing of hands before eating matzah.
Under Jewish law it is forbiden to
speak until finishing of the Korech
Motzi Matzah
The
eating of the matzah
Marror
The
eating of bitter herbs. To remember
the hardships of slavery
Korech
The
eating of a sandwitch made with matzah
and the marror
Shulchan Orech
The
eating of the festive meal
Tzafun
The
eating of the Afikoman
Barech
The
reciting of Bircas Hamazon
Hallel
The
reciting of Hallel
Nirtzah
The
ending of the Seder. Many Orthodox
Jews have the custom to follow this by
singing Jewish songs. |