SINGING SEDER HAGGADAH
Edited by Sharon Graetz
The Order of the Seder
A seder is no regular meal. Seder is the Hebrew word for “order,” and as we go through the meal, we go through these 15 steps:
Step 1: Kaddesh
‫ַקֵדּׁש‬
First cup and Kiddush
Step 2: Urchatz
‫ּורחַץ‬
First handwashing (without a blessing)
Step 3: Karpas
‫ּכַרּפַס‬
First dipping: vegetable and salt water
Step 4: Yachatz ‫יַחַץ‬
Dividing the middle matzah
Step 5: Maggid
‫מַּגִיד‬
Storytelling
Step 6: Rachtah
‫ָרחצָה‬
Second handwashing (with a blessing)
Step 7: Motzi
‫מֹוצִיא‬
First blessing over the matzah
Step 8: Matzah
‫מַצָה‬
Second blessing over the matzah
Step 9: Maror
‫מָרֹור‬
Second dipping: maror and charoset
Step 10: Korech
‫ּכֹוֵֹרך‬
Hillel sandwich
Step 11: Shulchan Orech ְ‫ עֹוֵר‬ ‫ׁשֻלחָן‬
Communal meal
Step 12: Tzafun
‫צָפּון‬
Afikomen (dessert)
Step 13: Barech
‫ּבֵָרך‬
Birkat hamazon (blessing aYer the meal)
Step 14: Hallel
‫הַּלֵל‬
Psalms of praise
Step 15: Nirtzah
‫נְִרצָה‬
Concluding prayer and songs
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Our Passover Things
(to the tune of "My favorite things", from The Sound of Music)
Cleaning and cooking and so many dishes Out with the hametz, no pasta, no knishes Fish that's gefiltered, horseradish that s]ngs These are a few of our Passover things.
Matzoh and karpas and chopped up haroset Shankbones and kidish and Yiddish neuroses Tante who kvetches and uncle who sings These are a few of our Passover things.
Motzi and maror and trouble with Pharoahs Famines and locust and slaves with wheelbarrows Matzoh balls floa]ng and eggshell that clings These are a few of our Passover things.
CHORUS
When the plagues strike When the lice bite When we're feeling sad We simply remember our Passover things And then we don't feel so bad.
Step 1: Kaddesh ⧬⧬⧬⧬⧬⧬⧬⧬⧬⧬⧬⧬⧬⧬⧭ ‫ַקֵדּׁש‬
It’s ]me to separate this day from all other days and make it special. We do this by ligh]ng candles and drinking the first cup of wine. Some people lean to the leY while drinking their wine. Blessing over the candles:
‫ וְצִוָנּו‬ ,‫ ּבְמִצֹותָיו‬ ‫ ִקְדׁשָנּו‬ ‫ אֲׁשֶר‬ ,‫ הָעֹולָם‬ ְֶ‫ מֶל‬ ‫ אֱֹלהֵינּו‬ ָ‫ יְי‬ ‫ אַתָּה‬ ְ‫ּבָרּו‬
.‫ טֹוב‬ ‫ יֹום‬ )‫ וְׁשֶל‬ ‫ (ׁשַּבָת‬ ‫ ׁשֶל‬ ‫ נֵר‬ ‫לְהְַדלִיק‬
Baruch a9a Adonai, Eloheinu melech ha-­‐olam, asher kee-­‐
d’sha-­‐nu b’meetz-­‐vo-­‐tav v’tzee-­‐va-­‐nu l’had-­‐leek ner shel (Shabbat v’shel) Yom Tov. Blessed are You, our God, Ruler of the universe, who sanc]fies us with the commandments and commanded us to light the (Shabbat and) fes]val lights.
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Blessing over the first cup of wine: .‫ הַּגָפֶן‬ ‫ ּפְִרי‬ ‫ ּבֹוֵרא‬ ,‫ הָעֹולָם‬ ְֶ‫ מֶל‬ ‫ אֱֹלהֵינּו‬ ָ‫ יְי‬ ‫ אַתָּה‬ ְ‫ּבָרּו‬
Baruch a9a adonai, eloheinu melech ha-­‐olam, borei pri ha-­‐gafen.
Blessed are You, Eternal our God, who creates the fruit of the vine.
.‫ הַזֶה‬ ‫ לַזְמַן‬ ‫ וְהִגִיעָנּו‬ ‫ וְִקיְמָנּו‬ ‫ ׁשֶהֶחֱיָנּו‬ ,‫ הָעֹולָם‬ ְֶ‫ מֶל‬ ‫ אֱֹלהֵינּו‬ ָ‫ יְי‬ ‫ אַתָּה‬ ְ‫ּבָרּו‬
Baruch ata adonai elohenu melech ha olam, shehecheyanu, v'kiyimanu, v'higiyanu laz'man hazeh.
Blessed are You, our God, Ruler of the universe, who has kept us alive, sustained us, and brought us to this moment.
Step 2: Urchatz ⧬⧬⧬⧬⧬⧬⧬⧬⧬⧬⧬⧬⧬⧭⧭ ‫ּוְרחַץ‬
Urchatz is the first of two hand washings. Ordinarily a blessing is said over the ritual washing of the hands, but not this ]me.
Step 3: Karpas ⧬⧬⧬⧬⧬⧬⧬⧬⧬⧬⧬⧬⧭⧭⧭ ‫ּכְרּפַס‬
It’s ]me to dip your green vegetable into the salt water. This isn’t just another healthy vegetable that you have to eat but a reminder of the Israelite slaves’ bieer tears mixed with the renewed hope of spring and freedom. We say a blessing and then we dip:
.‫ הָאֲָדמָא‬ ‫ ּפְִרי‬ ‫ ּבֹוֵרא‬ ,‫ הָעֹולָם‬ ְֶ‫ מֶל‬ ‫ אֱֹלהֵינּו‬ ָ‫ יְי‬ ‫ אַתָּה‬ ְ‫ּבָרּו‬
Baruch a9a adonai, eloheinu melech ha-­‐olam, borei pri ha’adamah.
Blessed are You, our God, Ruler of the universe, who creates the fruit of the earth.
Step 4: Yachatz ⧬⧬⧬⧬⧬⧬⧬⧬⧬⧬⧬⧭⧭⧭⧭ ‫יַחַץ‬
Time to break the middle matzah, but first, a song about matzah:
The Matzah Making Song
(to the tune of "Row, row, row your boat)
Roll, roll, roll your dough Make it nice and round Make it flat Poke lots of holes And bake it ]ll it's brown 4
The leader of the seder takes the middle matzah and breaks it in half. Wrap the bigger piece and hide it for the afikomen, and place the other back in the middle of the stack. Step 5: Magid ⧬⧬⧬⧬⧬⧬⧬⧬⧬⧬⧭⧭⧭⧭⧭ ‫מַּגִיד‬
It’s ]me to tell the Passover story, but first we ask the Four Ques<ons:
?‫ הַּלֵילֹות‬ ‫ מִּכָל‬ ‫ הַּזֶה‬ ‫ הַּלַיְלָה‬ ‫ ּנִׁשְּתַנָה‬ ‫מַה‬
Ma nishtanah ha-­‐lai-­‐la ha-­‐zeh, mee-­‐kol ha-­‐lei-­‐lot?
Why is this night different from all other nights?
.‫ מַצָה‬ ‫ ּכֻלֹו‬ ‫ הַּזֶה‬ ‫ הַּלַילָה‬ ,‫ ּומַצָּה‬ ‫ חָמֵץ‬ ‫ אֹוכְלִין‬ ‫ אָנּו‬ ‫ הַלֵּילֹות‬ ‫ ׁשֶּבְכָל‬ .1
She-­‐b’chol ha-­‐lei-­‐lot, anu och-­‐leen, cha-­‐metz u-­‐matzah. Ha-­‐lai-­‐la ha-­‐zeh, ku-­‐lo matzah.
On all other nights we eat either leavened bread of matzah, but on this night we eat only matzah.
.‫ מָרֹור‬ ‫ הַזֶה‬ ‫ הַלַּיְלָה‬ ,‫ יְָרקֹות‬ ‫ שְאָר‬ ‫ אֹוכְלִין‬ ‫ אָנּו‬ ‫ הַלֵּילֹות‬ ‫ ׁשֶּבְכָל‬ .2
She-­‐b’chol ha-­‐lei-­‐lot, anu och-­‐leen sh’ar y’ra-­‐kot. Ha-­‐lai-­‐la ha-­‐zeh maror.
On all other nights we eat other kinds of vegetables, but on this night we eat maror (bieer herbs).
.‫ פְעָמִים‬ ‫ ׁשְּתֵי‬ ‫ הַזֶה‬ ‫ הַלַּיְלָה‬ ,‫ אֶחָת‬ ‫ ּפַעַם‬ ‫ אֲפִילּו‬ ‫ מַטְּבִילִין‬ ‫ אָנּו‬ ‫ אֵין‬ ‫ הַלֵּילֹות‬ ‫ ׁשֶּבְכָל‬ .3
She-­‐b’chol ha-­‐lei-­‐lot, ein anu mat-­‐bee-­‐leen, afee-­‐lu pa-­‐am echat, ha-­‐lai-­‐la ha-­‐zeh shtei-­‐
f’ameem.
On all other nights, we need not dip our vegetables even once, but on this night, we dip twice.
.‫ מְסֻּבִין‬ ‫ ּכֻלָנּו‬ ‫ הַזֶה‬ ‫ הַלַּיְלָה‬ ,‫ מְסֻּבִין‬ ‫ ּובֵין‬ ‫ יֹוׁשְבִין‬ ‫ ּבֵין‬ ‫ אֹוכְלִין‬ ‫ אָנּו‬ ‫ הַלֵּילֹות‬ ‫ ׁשֶּבְכָל‬ .4
She-­‐b’chol ha-­‐lei-­‐lot, anu och-­‐leen, bein yo-­‐shveen u-­‐vin m’su-­‐been. Ha-­‐lai-­‐la ha-­‐zeh, ku-­‐
la-­‐nu m’su-­‐been.
On all other nights, we eat either siing upright or reclining, but on this night, we all recline.
The Four Children
Before we tell this important story, we pause to get to know the audience. The Haggadah tells of four types of children who wrestled with the Passover story: wise, wicked, simple, and silent. What types of people are siing around you today? Funny, musical, sporty? Shy, sensi]ve, and outgoing?
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The Story
Today, most Jewish people are free to live their lives as they wish. But more than three thousand years ago, our people, the Israelites, were slaves in Egypt.
For hundreds of years, they were forced to work long, hard days in the hot desert sun. Against their will, they made bricks and built ci]es for Pharaoh, the king of Egypt. It was a terrible ]me for our people.
There seemed to be no hope. Only a miracle could save the Israelites. They got more than a miracle; they got help from God. Here’s how it happened:
One day, a shepherd named Moses was tending his sheep. He saw a bush burning in the wilderness. Instead of turning to ashes, the bush kept burning. Curious, Moses went toward the bush. There, he heard the voice of God. Moses was told to deliver a very important message to Pharaoh: Let my people go! Song: Let My People Go
When Israel was in Egypt land.
Let my people go.
Oppressed so hard they could not stand.
Let my people go.
Go down, Moses, way down to Egypt land.
Tell old, Pharaoh, “Let my people go!”
Moses and his brother, Aaron, went to Pharaoh. They told Pharaoh that God wanted our people to be freed from slavery. But Pharaoh wouldn’t listen. He didn't believe in God. Pharaoh believed in idols, which were statues made of stone. He wouldn't free our people.
To make Pharaoh free the slaves, God sent ten plagues, one aYer the other. In the first plague, the Nile river turned to blood. The Egyp]ans couldn’t drink water or wash. Then a second plague struck: frogs!
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Song: The Frog Song
One morning when Pharaoh awoke in his bed,
There were frogs on his head
and frogs in his bed,
Frogs on his nose and frogs on his toes,
Frogs here, frogs there,
Frogs were jumping everywhere!
One plague aYer the next punished the Egyp]an people, but Pharaoh would not free the slaves. Finally, aYer ten plagues, Pharaoh gave up and freed the slaves!
In their hurry to leave Egypt, the Israelite didn’t have ]me to let their bread rise. So they ate a flat bread called matzah. As they traveled through the desert, they lived in huts, called sukkot. When they ran out of food, God sent manna raining down from the sky to feed them.
AYer a few days of freedom, the Israelites arrived at the Sea of Reeds. Suddenly, they saw the Egyp]an army speeding toward them. The Israelites were trapped against the sea, with nowhere to go! They needed a miracle, and they got one. God parted the sea into two walls of water, and the Israelites walked across safely on dry land! Now, finally, they were free!
Today, on Passover, we thank God for our freedom. Without God’s help, we might s]ll be slaves.
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The Ten Plagues
‫ מכות‬ ‫עשר‬
(From Uncle Eli’s Passover Haggadah)
When Pharaoh got nasty
and mean and deceiving
and wouldn’t agree to the Israelites leaving,
God sent him ten plagues
so he might change his mind, and the Jews could leave
terrible Egypt behind.
There was blood in the gueers,
and frogs in the bueer,
and lice on their heads,
and beasts in their beds,
disease in the caele,
and big boils in the saddle.
Hail started showering and locusts devouring.
It turned dark as a pit.
Then the firstborn were hit.
Blessing over the second cup of wine: .‫ הַּגָפֶן‬ ‫ ּפְִרי‬ ‫ ּבֹוֵרא‬ ,‫ הָעֹולָם‬ ְֶ‫ מֶל‬ ‫ אֱֹלהֵינּו‬ ָ‫ יְי‬ ‫ אַתָּה‬ ְ‫ּבָרּו‬
Baruch a9a adonai, eloheinu melech ha-­‐olam, borei pri ha-­‐gafen.
Blessed are You, our God, Ruler of the universe, who creates the fruit of the vine.
Step 6: Rachtzah ⧬⧬⧬⧬⧬⧬⧬⧬⧬⧭⧭⧭⧭⧭⧭ ‫ ָרחְצָה‬ It’s ]me to wash your hands again, this ]me, with a blessing, since we’ll be ea]ng soon:
.‫ יָָדים‬ ‫ נְטִילַת‬ ‫ עַל‬ ‫ וְצִוָנּו‬ ,‫ ּבְמִצֹותָיו‬ ‫ ִקְדׁשָנּו‬ ‫ אֲׁשֶר‬ ‫ הָעֹולָם‬ ְֶ‫ מֶל‬ ‫ אֱֹלהֵינּו‬ ָ‫ יְי‬ ‫ אַתָּה‬ ְ‫ּבָרּו‬
Baruch a9a Adonai, Eloheinu melech ha-­‐olam, asher kee-­‐d’sha-­‐nu b’meetz-­‐vo-­‐tav v’tzee-­‐
va-­‐nu al n’teelat ya-­‐da-­‐yeem.
Blessed are you, our God, Ruler of the universe, who sanc]fies us with commandments and commands us to wash our hands.
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Step 7: Motzi ⧬⧬⧬⧬⧬⧬⧬⧬⧭⧭⧭⧭⧭⧭⧭ ‫ מֹוצִיא‬ + +
Step 8: Matzah ⧬⧬⧬⧬⧬⧬⧬⧭⧭⧭⧭⧭⧭⧭⧭ ‫מַצָה‬
It’s ]me to say two blessings before we eat the matzah. LiY up the matzot and say:
.‫ הָאֶָרץ‬ ‫ מִן‬ ‫ לֶחֶם‬ ‫ הַמֹוצִיא‬ ,‫ הָעֹולָם‬ ְֶ‫ מֶל‬ ‫ אֱֹלהֵינּו‬ ָ‫ יְי‬ ‫ אַתָּה‬ ְ‫ ּבָרּו‬ Baruch a9a Adonai, Eloheinu melech ha-­‐olam, ha-­‐motzee le-­‐chem meen ha-­‐aretz.
Blessed are you, our God, Ruler of the universe, who brings forth bread from the earth.
.‫ מַצָה‬ ‫ אֲכִילַת‬ ‫ עַל‬ ‫ וְצִוָנּו‬ ,‫ ּבְמִצֹותָיו‬ ‫ ִקְדׁשָנּו‬ ‫ אֲׁשֶר‬ ‫ הָעֹולָם‬ ְֶ‫ מֶל‬ ‫ אֱֹלהֵינּו‬ ָ‫ יְי‬ ‫ אַתָּה‬ ְ‫ּבָרּו‬
Baruch a9a Adonai, Eloheinu melech ha-­‐olam, asher kee-­‐d’sha-­‐nu b’meetz-­‐vo-­‐tav v’tzee-­‐
va-­‐nu al achee-­‐lat matzah.
Blessed are you, our God, Ruler of the universe, who sanc]fies us with commandments and commands us to eat matzah.
Step 9: Maror ⧬⧬⧬⧬⧬⧬⧭⧭⧭⧭⧭⧭⧭⧭⧭ ‫מָרֹור‬
The maror (bieer herbs) gives us a taste of what the Israelites suffered in slavery. The charoset reminds us of the mortar and mud Israelites used to make bricks for Pharaoh’s ci]es. We recite the following blessing before we eat a liele maror and charoset together:
‫ מֶל‬ ‫ אֱֹלהֵינּו‬ ָ‫ יְי‬ ‫ אַתָּה‬ ְ‫ּבָרּו‬
ְֶ
,‫ ּבְמִצֹותָיו‬ ‫ ִקְדׁשָנּו‬ ‫ אֲׁשֶר‬ ‫הָעֹולָם‬
.‫ מָרֹור‬ ‫ אֲכִילַת‬ ‫ עַל‬ ‫וְצִוָנּו‬
Baruch a9a Adonai, Eloheinu melech ha-­‐olam, asher kee-­‐d’sha-­‐
nu b’meetz-­‐vo-­‐tav v’tzee-­‐va-­‐nu al achee-­‐lat maror. Blessed are You, our God, Ruler of the Universe, Who sanc]fies us with commandments and commands us to eat maror.
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Step 10: Korech ⧬⧬⧬⧬⧬⧭⧭⧭⧭⧭⧭⧭⧭⧭⧭ ‫ ּכֹוֵֹרך‬ Rabbi Hillel, our great teacher, would put maror between two pieces of matzah during the ]me that the Temple stood. It is in Rabbi Hillel’s honor, and in remembrance of the Temple, that we eat “the Hillel Sandwich.”
To make a Hillel sandwich, place a spoonful of maror between two pieces of matzah. Add charoset to make the sandwich a liele sweeter.
Step 11: Shulchan Orech ⧬⧬⧬⧬⧭⧭⧭⧭⧭⧭⧭⧭⧭⧭⧭ ‫ עֹוֵרך‬ ‫ ׁשֻלְחָן‬ The table is set. We’re free. Let’s eat!
Step 12: Tzafun ⧬⧬⧬⧭⧭⧭⧭⧭⧭⧭⧭⧭⧭⧭⧭ ‫ צָפּון‬ Did you save room for dessert? It’s ]me to look for the afikomen.
Song: Afikomen, Where are you?
(to the tune of Old MacDonald Had a Farm)
Afikomen, where are you?
I would like to know.
Are you in the dining room? I would like to know.
With a look-­‐look here,
And a look-­‐look there,
Here a look, there a look, Everywhere a look-­‐look.
Afikomen, where are you?
I would like to know.
Step 13: Barech ⧬⧬⧭⧭⧭⧭⧭⧭⧭⧭⧭⧭⧭⧭⧭ ‫ ּבֵָרך‬ We thank God for our delicious meal by reci]ng the Birkat Hamazon, the Grace aYer the Meal. Then we recite the blessing over the third cup of wine: .‫ הַּגָפֶן‬ ‫ ּפְִרי‬ ‫ ּבֹוֵרא‬ ,‫ הָעֹולָם‬ ְֶ‫ מֶל‬ ‫ אֱֹלהֵינּו‬ ָ‫ יְי‬ ‫ אַתָּה‬ ְ‫ּבָרּו‬
Baruch a9a adonai, eloheinu melech ha-­‐olam, borei pri ha-­‐gafen.
Blessed are You, our God, Ruler of the universe, who creates the fruit of the vine.
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Step 14: Hallel ⧬⧭⧭⧭⧭⧭⧭⧭⧭⧭⧭⧭⧭⧭⧭ ‫ הַּלֵל‬ Hallel is a collec]on of songs of praise and thanksgiving. We sing because we are grateful for our freedom and so much more! Song: Dayenu Ilu hotzi, hotzianu, hotzianu mi-­‐Mitzrayim,
Hotzianu mi-­‐Mitzrayim, Dayenu!
Ilu natan, natan lanu, natan lanu et ha-­‐Shabbat
Natan lanu et ha-­‐Shabbat, Dayenu!
Ilu natan, natan lanu, natan lanu et ha-­‐Torah
Natan lanu et ha-­‐Torah, Dayenu!
Transla]on: Had God only taken us out of Egypt, it would have been enough! Had God only given us Shabbat, is would have been enough! Had God only given us the Torah, it would have been enough!
Then we recite the blessing over the fourth cup of wine: .‫ הַּגָפֶן‬ ‫ ּפְִרי‬ ‫ ּבֹוֵרא‬ ,‫ הָעֹולָם‬ ְֶ‫ מֶל‬ ‫ אֱֹלהֵינּו‬ ָ‫ יְי‬ ‫ אַתָּה‬ ְ‫ּבָרּו‬
Baruch a9a adonai, eloheinu melech ha-­‐olam, borei pri ha-­‐gafen.
Blessed are You, our God, Ruler of the universe, who creates the fruit of the vine.
Step 15: Nirtzah ⧭⧭⧭⧭⧭⧭⧭⧭⧭⧭⧭⧭⧭⧭⧭ ‫ נְִרצָה‬ It’s ]me to end the seder. Together we relaxed, drank, asked ques]ons, told stories, ate, and sang. To end our celebra]on, we sing these words together, as Jews have done for thousands of years: .‫ ּבִירּוׁשָלָים‬ ‫ הַּבָאָה‬ ‫לְׁשָנָה‬
L’shana ha-­‐ba-­‐a bee-­‐Yeru-­‐sha-­‐layeem.
Next year in Jerusalem. *A special thank you to our JKG AYerschool illustrators: Isaac Di Lorenzo, Orli Farber, Alec Freeman, Felix Finch, Murray Marks, Ruby Marks, Isabel Roberts, Alma Silverman, Naomi Silverman, and Sophie Silverman
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