Passover 5781Temple Shir Tikvah

Hinei Mah Tov

Hineh ma tov uma na'im

Shevet achim gam yachad.

Hineh ma tov uma na'im

Shevet achim gam yachad.

How good it is (repeat)

How sweet it is (repeat)

to be together on this day

How good it is (repeat)

How sweet it is (repeat)

to be together on this day

by Elana Arian

All Jewish celebrations, from holidays to weddings, include wine or juice as a symbol of our joy. The seder starts

with wine and then gives us three more opportunities to refill our cup and drink.

ה יי רוך את אלהינו, ב ול ך ה ל ל ן, פל בלרא פרי הג

Baruch Atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech ha-olam, borei p’ree hagafen.

We praise God, Ruler of Everything, who creates the fruit of the vine.

We praise God, Ruler of Everything, who chose us from all peoples and languages, and sanctified us with

commandments, and lovingly gave to us special times for happiness, holidays and this time of celebrating the

Holiday of Matzah, the time of liberation, reading our sacred stories, and remembering the Exodus from Egypt.

For you chose us and sanctified us among all peoples. And you have given us joyful holidays. We praise God,

who sanctifies the people of Israel and the holidays.

The seder plate holds the ritual items that are discussed during the seder.

ROASTED SHANKBONE

The roasted lamb shankbone (called zeroah), commemorates the paschal (lamb) sacrifice made the night the ancient

Hebrews fled Egypt.

MAROR (BITTER HERB)

Bitter herbs (usually horseradish) bring tears to the eyes and recall the bitterness of slavery.

CHAROSET

The sweet salad of apples, nuts, wine, and cinnamon that represents the mortar used by the Hebrew slaves to make

bricks.

KARPAS

Karpas is a green vegetable, usually parsley. Karpas symbolizes the freshness of spring.

SALT WATER

Salt water symbolizes the tears and sweat of enslavement.

ORANGE

The orange is a symbol of the fruitfulness and inclusion of LGBTQ+ members of the Jewish community.

ROASTED EGG

The roasted egg is a symbol in many different cultures, usually signifying springtime and renewal. It also reminds us of

the sacrificial offerings which was performed in the days of the Temple.

DIPPING A GREEN VEGETABLE IN SALT WATERWhen I was growing up, my mother would read these verses from Song of Songs each year at our Passover Seder. This will always be karpas for me, sprigs of fresh parsley dipped in the sound of my mother’s voice saying, “Arise my darling”; saying, “For lo, the winter is past." Saying no matter what bitterness life might bring, there is always the possibility of love. And where there is love, there is hope . . . . Karpas promises that the renewal unfolding in the world around us will come just as insistently to our own lives, to the places that have frozen over in our own weary and wary hearts. Even in the darkest times and narrowest places, there is a song in our souls waiting to well up again . . . . The entire Seder is an invitation to taste the tears and hopes of our ancestors.(Sharon Cohen Anisfeld)

ה יי רוך את אלהינו, ב ול ך ה ל ל ה, אד בלרא פרי הBaruch Atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech ha-olam, borei p’ree ha-adama.

We praise God, Spirit of Everything, who creates the fruits of the earth.

Take the middle matzah of the three on your Seder plate. Break it into two pieces. Wrap the larger piece, the

Afikoman, in a napkin to be hidden later. As you hold up the remaining smaller piece, read these words together:

We now hold up this broken matzah, which so clearly can never be repaired. We eat the smaller part while the

larger half remains out of sight and out of reach for now. We begin by eating this bread of affliction and, then, only

after we have relived the journey through slavery and the exodus from Egypt, do we eat the Afikoman, the bread of

our liberation. We see that liberation can come from imperfection and fragmentation.

What places of brokenness in the world or in your community do you most feel called to fix? What places in

yourself do you wish to find new wholeness for?

FREE PEOPLE ASK QUESTIONS

הליות כ ה ה הזל י ה הל ה נשתנ

Ma nishtana halaila hazeh mikol haleilot?

Why is this night different from all other nights?

נו הלילת א בכ האלכיןשל צ ץ ו ה כלל צה ח ה הזל י הל

Shebichol haleilot anu ochlin chameitz u-matzah. Halaila hazeh kulo matzah.

On all other nights we eat both leavened bread and matzah.

Tonight we only eat matzah.

נו הלילת א בכ יןשל רלראלכ ה ה הזל י קלת הל ר יר שא

Shebichol haleilot anu ochlin shi’ar yirakot haleila hazeh maror.

On all other nights we eat all kinds of vegetables,

but tonight we eat bitter herbs.

נו הלילת אין א בכ יןשל טבי ת ע אח ה שתי פוי אפיו פ ה הזל י הל

Shebichol haleilot ain anu matbilin afilu pa-am echat. Halaila hazeh shtei fi-amim.

On all other nights we aren’t expected to dip our vegetables one time.

Tonight we do it twice.

נו הלילת א בכ יןשל ביןובין ילשביןבין אלכ ס נו :. ה כל ה הזל י ביןהל ס

Shebichol haleilot anu ochlin bein yoshvin uvein m’subin. Halaila hazeh kulanu m’subin.

On all other nights we eat either sitting normally or reclining.

Tonight we recline.

“The Four Children” provides an opportunity to talk about modern-day labels and how we think of people with varying strengths and weaknesses. Can any child really be summarized with one terse label? Can any individual be described so succinctly – wise, wicked, simple, and not knowing how to ask?

What does wisdom look like?

The "wise child" comes first in our reading of the four children, as if to say this child is ranked above all others; that being wise is the attribute to which all others should aspire. But what does it mean to be wise? Does it mean that a child is "smart" only in traditional ways - i.e. he/she does very well in school?

Is this definition of "wise" too narrow?

What might we miss about the "wise child" when we think only of "book smarts" or the ability to adapt to a particular teacher's methods of instruction?

What might we miss about the other children who are not considered "wise" in this traditional way?

Is this child really simple?

Sometimes, children understand more than they are able to convey. Individuals with auditory processing difficulties or other learning disabilities, speech/language delays, anxiety and more may be perceived as "simple" when, in fact, it is the adults in their lives that are too "simple" or one-dimensional in their quest for "information output".

Everyone learns differently. One person could be a visual learner, while another may prefer hearing information or talking it through. Still others need to learn by moving and feeling. How do you learn best? How might you discover what the "simple" child knows if you think about how he/she learns best?

How does Passover take into account all different types of learners? When do you feel most engaged in the rituals of the Seder? Do all of the people at your Seder feel the same way? What does this tell us about individual learning styles?

Are they wicked or do they have needs that are not being addressed?

There is a function behind every behavior. What is this "wicked child" trying to tell the adults in his/her life? No child misbehaves in order to become someone's least favorite person - so what else is going on? Are the child's basic physical needs (sleep, nutrition) being met? Is the child overwhelmed by sensory input? Is the child having difficulty understanding what is expected of him/her? Do the adults' expectations match the child's current level of functioning? Is the child trying to show you that something is too hard? Too easy? Is the child socially successful, or the target of bullying, teasing, or simply being left out?

It is only by identifying the function behind a behavior that we can turn the "wicked" child's actions into productive, acceptable behaviors!

Are they simple or do they have trouble processing information?

The child who "doesn't know how to ask a question" is the last of the four children mentioned, as though he/she is

ranked at the "bottom of the class". How do we perceive people who are different than ourselves? What would our

interactions be like if we took a moment to recognize that everyone is created " b'tzelem eholhim " - in God's image -

before we passed judgment?

Asking a question and being verbal are not mutually exclusive, though too often we see them as being just that. What

tools can we provide for children who need help communicating their thoughts? How can we help them formulate their

questions?

What would someone miss out on about you if they formed all of their opinions within seconds of meeting you? What

would you want that person to know about you?

As we rejoice at our deliverance from slavery, we acknowledge that our freedom was hard-earned. We regret that

our freedom came at the cost of the Egyptians’ suffering, for we are all human beings made in the image of God.

We pour out a drop of wine for each of the plagues as we recite them.

Dip a finger or a spoon into your wine glass for a drop for each plague.

These are the ten plagues which God brought down on the Egyptians:

Blood | dam | ד

Frogs | tzfardeiya | ע צפרד

Lice | kinim | כני

Beasts | arov | רלב ע

Cattle disease | dever | ר בל דל

Boils | sh’chin | שחין

Hail | barad | ד ר ב

Locusts | arbeh | ה ארבל

Darkness | choshech | ך של ח

Death of the Firstborn | makat b’chorot | כת בכלרלת

The Egyptians needed ten plagues because after each one they were able to come up with excuses and

explanations rather than change their behavior. Could we be making the same mistakes? Make up your own list.

What are the plagues in your life? What are the plagues in our world today? What behaviors do we need to change

to fix them?

Ten Plagues in Egypt Land Peter and Ellen Allard

1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10 plagues in Egypt land (2x)

Blood in the water made the river run red, 10 plagues in Egypt land

Pharaoh shoulda’ listened to what God said,

10 plagues in Egypt land

Frogs were jumping in Pharaoh’s hair, 10 plagues in Egypt land

Pharaoh didn’t like it, but the frogs didn’t care,

10 plagues in Egypt land (Chorus)

Creepy, crawly, itchy lice, 10 plagues in Egypt land

Mess with the Holy One, better think twice,

10 plagues in Egypt land

Filthy flies so dirty and vile, 10 plagues in Egypt land

Not exactly Pharaoh’s style, 10 plagues in Egypt land

(Chorus)

The cattle and the horses and the oxen died,

10 plagues in Egypt land “I won’t give up!” old Pharaoh

cried, 10 plagues in Egypt land

Boils and blisters on his skin, 10 plagues in Egypt land

Give it up Pharaoh, you’re never gonna win,

10 plagues in Egypt land (Chorus)

The hail rained down from the heavens on high,

10 plagues in Egypt land Hurt so much, made Pharaoh cry, 10 plagues in Egypt land

Swarms of locusts ate the crops, 10 plagues in Egypt land

Hard-hearted Pharaoh just wouldn’t stop, 10 plagues in Egypt land

(Chorus)

Dark descended in the light of the day, 10 plagues in Egypt land

Pharaoh was lost, couldn’t find his way, 10 plagues in Egypt land

First-born, the final blow, 10 plagues in Egypt land

Finally Pharaoh let the people go, 10 plagues in Egypt land (Chorus)

־דלרב ד בחי ודלרכ ראלתא ת־עצל אל אהואאלוכ , מ יצ י צר

B’chol dor vador chayav adam lirot et-atzmo, k’ilu hu yatzav mimitzrayim.

In every generation, everyone is obligated to see themselves as though they personally left Egypt.

The seder reminds us that it was not only our ancestors whom God redeemed; God redeemed us too along with them. That’s why the Torah

says “God brought us out from there in order to lead us to and give us the land promised to our ancestors.”

---

We praise God, Ruler of Everything, who redeemed us and our ancestors from Egypt, enabling us to reach this night and eat matzah and bitter

herbs. May we continue to reach future holidays in peace and happiness.

יי האת רוךב ךאלהינו , ל ל ול ה ןהג ריפ בלרא , פל

Baruch Atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech ha-olam, borei p’ree hagafen.

We praise God, Ruler of Everything, who creates the fruit of the vine.

Drink the second glass of wine!

•

Dayenu

Ilu ho-tzi ho-tzi-anu

Ho-tzi a-nu mi-mitzrayim (2x) Dayenu!

Ilu-na-tan na-tan la-nu

Na-tan la-nu et ha-shabbat (2x) Dayenu!

Ilu na-tan na-tan la-nu

Na-tan la-nu et ha-torah (2x) Dayenu!

The blessing over the meal and matzah | motzi matzah |

ה צ לציא

The familiar hamotzi blessing marks the formal start of the

meal. Because we are using matzah instead of bread, we

add a blessing celebrating this mitzvah.

ה יי רוך את ינו, ב אלה ול ך ה ל ל ץ, רל א ן ה חל ל המלציא

Baruch Atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech ha-olam, hamotzi

lechem min ha-aretz.

We praise God, Ruler of Everything, who brings bread

from the land.

ה יי רוך את ינו, ב אלה ול ך ה ל ל יו , צלת נו ב ר קדש נואשל ע וצו

ה צ ת אכי

Baruch Atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech ha-olam, asher

kid’shanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu al achilat matzah.

We praise God, Ruler of Everything, who made us holy

through obligations, commanding us to eat matzah.

Distribute and eat the top and middle matzah for everyone

to eat.

With the taste of bitterness just before our lips, we remind

ourselves of the bitterness that led to the enslavement of our

ancestors in Egypt. Tonight, we force ourselves to experience

the stinging pain of the maror so that we should remember

that, appallingly, even centuries later, the bitterness of

xenophobia still oppresses millions of people around the world,

forcing them to flee their homes.

As we taste the bitter herbs, we vow not to let words of hatred

pass through our own lips and to root out intolerant speech

wherever we may hear it, so that no one should fall victim to

baseless hatred.

ה יי רוך את ינו, ב אלה ול ך ה ל ל יו , צלת נו ב ר קדש נואשל ת וצו ע אכי

רלר

Baruch Atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech ha-olam, asher

kid’shanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu al achilat maror.

We praise God, Ruler of Everything, who made us holy

through obligations, commanding us to eat bitter herbs.

Eat the maror.

We are aware tonight that there is a sweetness lying inside our bitter conditions,Just as there is a light forever shining for us in the darkness.It is our mission to uncover the blessings hiding inside the curses tonight.We are learning new lessons day by day.We are filled with Gratitude:For the food on our table.For having a place to seek shelter in.For doctors and nurses and all those risking their lives to save life.For scientists seeking answers and treatments and cures.For Zoom and FaceTime and all the technological advances that permit us to connect remotely tonight and each day.For the love and support of family and friends.For the kindness of souls volunteering to help.For suddenly realizing how precious life is.For the power to quiet fear.For the courage to be optimistic and patient.For nature’s beauty.For inner strength and for inner peace.For honest conversations that feel real and deep and true.For time to slow down and take stock.For quality time at home with those we love.For the sacred space to go within and uncover wells of creativity that have been lying dormant…

By Rabbi Naomi Levy

Finding and eating the Afikomen | tzafoon פון | צ

The playfulness of finding the afikomen reminds us that we balance our solemn memories of slavery with a joyous celebration of freedom. As we eat the afikomen, our last taste of matzah for the evening, we are grateful for moments of silliness and happiness in our lives.

Afikoman MamboI’m gonna find it, (clap, clap) I’m gonna find it, (clap, clap)I’m gonna find it, I’m gonna find it,Gonna find the afikoman! (Clap, clap!)Every year at Pesach time,we eat the matzah and we drink the wineWe ask four questions one by oneBut before the seder is doneI’m gonna find it, (clap, clap) I’m gonna find it, (clap, clap)I’m gonna find it, I’m gonna find it, gonna find the afikoman! (Clap, clap!)We eat charoset and we dip karpasWe tell the story of the ExodusThe bitter herbs they make my eyes go crossBut when I find the afikoman I’m the boss!I’m gonna find it, (clap, clap) I’m gonna find it, (clap, clap)I’m gonna find it, I’m gonna find it,Gonna find the afikoman! (Clap, clap!)

brich rachamana

malka d'alma

ma'arey d'hai matzah

You are the source of life

for all that is

and your blessings flow through me.

translation: blessed is the merciful one, ruler of the world, creator of this matzah.

Adonai prepare me to be a sanctuary,

pure and holy, tried and true.

And in thanksgiving, I’ll be a living,

sanctuary for you.

At a seder, there is a cup of wine left on the table for the prophet Elijah. Toward the end of the night, the door is opened for Elijah, symbolizing that all are welcome at the seder, all can take refuge here.

In this spirit, consider symbolically setting aside a table setting or opening the door to the 60 million refugees and displaced people around the world still waiting to be free — for all those who deserve to be welcomed in not as strangers but as fellow human beings.

Eliyahu hanavi, eliyahu hatishbiEliyahu hanavi, eliyahu hagiladiBim-hera v’yameinu, yavo eileinuIm moshiach ben david (x2)

May Elijah the prophet, Elijah the

Tishbite, Elijah of Gilead, quickly in our

day come to us heralding redemption

On our seder table, we place a cup of spring water—living water, mayyim ḥayyim— Miriam’s Cup. Linked to water from the time that she stood watching over her brother Moses at the Nile, Miriam the prophetess led her people in song and dance at the crossing of the Red Sea. She sings in response to water, and a miraculous well of water travels with the people in response to her song, forming “a kind of songlinethrough the wilderness.” Created on the twilight of the eve of the first Shabbat (Pirkei Avot 5:6), Miriam’s miraculous well followed Israel for their forty-year journey through the wilderness, healing and sustaining the people. Wherever it rolled, Avivah Gottlieb Zornberg teaches, it sang “with an unheard music.”1

CHORUS: And the women dancing with their timbrelsFollowed Miriam as she sang her songSing a song to the One whom we've exalted.Miriam and the women danced and dancedthe whole night long.

And Miriam was a weaver of unique variety.The tapestry she wove was one which sang our history.With every thread and every strandshe crafted her delight.A woman touched with spirit, she dancestoward the light.

CHORUS

As Miriam stood upon the shores and gazed across the sea,The wonder of this miracle she soon came to believe.Whoever thought the sea would part with an outstretched hand,And we would pass to freedom, and march to the promised land.

CHORUS

And Miriam the Prophet took her timbrel in her hand,And all the women followed her just as she had planned.And Miriam raised her voice with song.She sang with praise and might,We've just lived through a miracle, we're going to dance tonight!

CHORUS

Remembering laws, stories and customs, the Passover Seder is concluding. What a privilege and joy to

celebrate the Seder together - here and now.

!! י ה בירוש א ה הב נ ש י ... ה בירוש א ה הב נ ש י ... ה בירוש א ה הב נ ש

Next Year in Jerusalem!