A Passover Haggada

Looking for some guidance? Get a Passover haggada for
help preparing for the seder meal on Passover.
The word haggada means telling. As the name suggests it is
a narrative. It describes the parts of Jewish history that
relate to the Passover holiday. It's also much more.

In it you will find most of the necessary information:

• what you will need to do
• what you will need to have on hand
• what you will need to eat or drink
• what you will have to say or sing.

To Do List

A Passover haggada begins with activities prior to the seder meal.

1) Ta'anis b'chorim - the fast of the first born. A male,
first born of one of his parents, has a choice. On the day
before Passover he can fast or, better, attend a siyum.
A siyum is the celebration of completing part of the Torah.

2) Bedikas chametz - the search for chametz on the last weeknight before Passover.

3) Biyur chametz - burning the chametz the following morning.

The haggada may also offer instructions
regarding two special circumstances.

1) When the first days of Passover are on Thursday and Friday.
2) When they are Sunday and Monday (very tricky).

As Passover Begins

Candles are lit at the appropriate time of evening.

The word "seder" means order, the order of activities
on the two seder nights. There are fifteen different stages.
A Passover haggada lists them in the order that
take place at the seder meal. They are:

Kadesh - The kiddush - sanctification of the day.
Urchatz - Initial hand washing.
Carpas - Eating a vegetable.
Yachatz - Splitting the middle matzo and hiding half.
Magid - Telling the Passover story.
Rochtzoh - Hand washing.
Motzi and
Matzo - Two blessings spoken when the matzo is eaten.
Maror - The bitter herb.
Korech - A sandwich of matzo and maror.
Shulchan Orech - The holiday meal.
Tzofon - The "afikomen" dessert, hidden earlier.
Borech - Grace after the meal.
Hallel - Songs of praise.
Nirtzah - Songs of prayer that we will all
soon be redeemed in a rebuilt Jerusalem.

I've listed but not described them.
A Passover haggada, written in a style which appeals
to you will do a much better job then I could.

Things You Will Need To Have

Another way a Passover haggada helps with preparations
for the seder meal is with instructions on how
to arrange the food items that go on the seder plate.

A seder plate can be plain or an elaborate three-tiered design.
You'll need a kos Eliyahu - a cup for Elijah the prophet.
You'll also need a pillow and chair for him to sit comfortably.
(When I was a child I watched for the wine level in the cup to
recede and the shape of the pillow to magically change!)

In advance of that night may I also recommend some good
kosher for Passover silver polish. The haggada may not mention it.

Some men wear a "kittle" - a plain white coat also worn on
Yom Kippur. Some also have the custom of bringing a large
cup and basin to the table to wash hands there.

Something else you need - a hiding place for the afikomen.
Don't make it too hard for the children to find!

Foods at the Seder Meal

Here is a list of needed items. See your haggada for
quantities, reasons and a diagram of the seder plate.

A piece of roasted meat on a bone.
A hard boiled/roasted egg.
Carpas - a vegetable.
Maror - Bitter herb.
Korech - Bitter herb for a sandwich.
Charoses - A sweet mixture of wine, apple and nuts.
Salt water - for the carpas vegetable and the egg.
Matzo shmura - also called shmura matzo for the seder plate.
Matzo of any kind for your hungry guests.
Wine or grape juice. Please see our article on kosher wine
before you buy. Kosher observance may depend on it.
Hard boiled egg - for the traditional first course.

Plan to prepare all of this during the weekday before the seder.
Make enough for both nights if possible. If it must be freshly
made for the second night, you can start only after dark.

The Script for the Seder

That is what a Passover haggada actually is.
It's the script, the whole story.
It starts hundreds of years before the Egyptian exile.
It continues thousands of years into the future -
(maybe next year - maybe this year! - in Jerusalem).

It has acts and scenes, heroes and villains.
It has prompts, cues and stage management -
pour the wine, cover the matzo, uncover the matzo.
It has drama, lots of singing, even a game - hide the afikomen.

It also has dialogue. The youngest asks the four
questions and everyone is invited to get involved.

Its plot and theme are Jewish history itself.
We are the actors and the ending...well, read it.
This translation of a Passover haggada doesn't include commentary.

Find one that you like, with a translation and commentary
that is effective for you and your family. It will inspire
and educate you. There is no Jewish holiday more loved -
especially by children - than is Passover. Make it special!

Next - The Condensed History of Passover.