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HOW SWEET IS OUR SALVATION (Y'SHUA)
The leader breaks and distributes the Afikoman.
All together - Blessed are you, O Lord our God, king of the universe, who has sanctified us with your commands and has commanded us concerning the eating of this bread of sweet salvation and redemption.
(All eat the Afikoman.)
THIRD CUP OF WINE:
THE CUP OF REDEMPTION (Y'SHUA)
(All raise their cups.)
The Lord said, "I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great acts of judgement."
All together - Blessed are you, O Lord our God, king of the universe, who creates the fruit of the vine.
KOS SHEL ELIYAHU - THE CUP OF ELIJAH
The Seat of Honor and The Matzah of Hope
The special cup of Elijah is filled and is set on the table near an empty chair, whose setting includes a dish on which a single matzah has been placed.
Whose is this seat of honor and who does this matzah of hope belong to? Who receives this special cup of wine?"
All together - ELIJAH THE PROPHET!
The hostess takes the small children to the door and opens it for the expected guest. She asks her children, "We are looking for a special visitor; do you see anyone coming?"
Children - No!
The hostess closes the door and then says, "Well, perhaps next year."
14. HALLEL
HIS LOVINGKINDNESS IS FOREVER
Psalm 118:1-9
We express the goodness of the Lord and our confidence in Him.
L.: O, thank the Lord, for He is so good!
P.: His lovingkindness is forever!
L.: Let the congregation of Israel praise Him
with these same words:
P.: His lovingkindness is forever!
L.: And let the priests of Aaron chant,
P.: His lovingkindness is forever!
L.: Let the Gentile convert chant,
P.: His lovingkindness is forever!
L.: In my distress I prayed to the Lord
P.: and He answered me and rescued me.
L.: He is for me! How can I be afraid?
P.: What can mere man do to me?
L.: The Lord is on my side, he will help me.
P.: Let those who hate me beware.
L.: It is better to trust the Lord than to put
confidence in men.
P.: It is better to take refuge in Him than
in the mightiest king.
15. NIRTZAH
The cups are filled by each for himself for the final cup of wine.
THE CUP OF HOPE AND FREEDOM
The Lord said, "I will take you for my people, and I will be your God."
All together Blessed are you, O Lord our God, king of the universe who creates the fruit of the vine.
(All drink the fourth cup of wine.)
FINAL BENEDICTION
THE FREEDOM OF JERUSALEM
"L'shono habo'o bi' Y'rushalayim!"
All shout together:
NEXT YEAR IN JERUSALEM!
SHALOM!
All together, enthusiastically, each shaking hands with as many as possible.
Shalom, my friends, Shalom! Shalom!
Till we meet again, true peace! Shalom!
(The shout "NEXT YEAR IN JERUSALEM" is an image of the final Passover in the heavenly city, where we look for our Messiah to share it once again with us.)
Symbols of Seder
Ke'arah - a Seder Tray
The special tray is called ke'arah, and it reminds us of the great platters used to carry the roasted paschal lamb to the Passover supper and Hamatzot feast. This ke'arah holds symbols used in our Master's celebration which will also be used in our celebration.
1. Z'roah - Bone
The bone is a reminder of the lamb offered at the Temple in Jerusalem two thousand years ago. It also reminds us of the "the outstretched arm and mighty hand" (z'roah netuyah v'yad hazakah) of our Lord, as it is written:
When your children say to you, "What do you mean by this service?" you shall say, "It is the sacrifice of the Lord's Passover, for he passed over the houses of the people of Israel in Egypt, when he slew the Egyptians but spared our houses."
2. Maror - Horseradish
The bitter herb reminds us of the bitterness and hardship of slavery.
3. Beytza - Egg
The egg is a reminder of the offering to the poor ("korban chagigo"), given at the Temple during festivals. It is a symbol of mourning for the loss of the Temple destroyed by the Romans. And this symbol, its oval shape having no beginning and no end, is a reminder of the hope of seeing the true Jerusalem and reminds us we are called to eternal life.
4. Karpas - Parsley
Although usually parsley, this vegetable may be cucumber, lettuce, radish, potato, or any other type than maror; provided it resembles wood or the fruit of a tree. This "karpas" is a reminder of of springtime, the season of Passover, and a reminder of the branches of hyssop which our fathers dipped into the blood of lambs that they might mark the lintels and doorposts of their homes, that the Angel of Death might pass over them.
5. Chazeres - Lettuce
This is another vegetable that can become bitter. In Hebrew it is called "chazeres". The Lord commanded us, "They shall eat it (the Passover lamb) with unleavened bread and better herbs" (Exodus 12:8). Mishna (Pesachim 39a) and Gemara (Pesachim 114b though 116b) tell us that the lord did not say "a bitter herb" but commanded us to eat "bitter herbs" (plural), for the sufferings of our people were many.
6. Charoses - Apples and Almonds
This is a mixture of chopped apples, almonds, cinnamon and wine. It is a reminder of the tree of Eden called "the apple tree" (by Rabbi Levi), and a reminder of the mortar used by the Hebrew slaves in Goshem of Egypt to make bricks and the "rigor of our taskmasters as they oppressed us", and the sweetness of liberty.
7. Mei Melach - Salt Water
The salt water mixed with vinegar reminds us of the tears shed because of the bitterness of our slavery in Egypt. In it we dip the parsley (karpas) to remind us of God's redemption in history; in it we dip egg (beytza) in hope of seeing the eternal Jerusalem.
8. Matzah
At all other festival meals in Jewish homes two loaves of leavened bread (challos) are used, but at this meal there is a dish of unleavened bread called "matzah". This dish contains three matzos. It represents the three patriarchs, Abraham (Avraham), Isaac (Yitz'chak) and Jacob (Ya'akov); it represents the whole house of Israel, priests, levites and common people; and it represents our redemption through an eternal covenant from God, wrought through his Messiah, which is for all men.
The middle of the three will be broken, and the larger part will be called the "afikoman", from the ancient Greek word "epikomen" meaning "dessert", "aftermeal" ("comes after"), reminding us "How sweet is our Salvation". (Later in its history this Greek word was changed to "ephikomen", from whence we get its present spelling, and early Messianic Jews interpreted the word to mean "I arrive", I have come" or I come to" as an expression of the belief that Mashiah (the Messiah, Christ) has come in the person of Y'shua (Jesus) our "salvation" and that he will come again.)
Traditionally, the afikoman is stolen by a child during the reading of the Exodus story and hidden until after the Seder meal; if no children are present, it is put aside as if hidden until the appropriate time. In either case it must be found and redeemed (purchased back) to complete the Seder ritual. This matzah is wrapped in white linen for our salvation is hidden in the holiness of God.
9. Wine Glasses
There are four plain wine glasses and each participant has one glass from which to drink kosher wine (wine touched by rain water, "water from heaven"). The single glass at each place reminds us that our forefathers drank from a common cup, shared by all.
The four plain glasses remind us that we shall partake of four stages by which Israel was delivered from slavery: when kiddush is recited, following the benediction of redemption, at the end of the grace after meals, and before the end of the Seder. The Hebrew translation of these four stages of deliverance has a stronger meaning than what we usually see in English:
Say therefore to the people of Israel, "I am the Lord, and I will bring (BREAK) you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will deliver (RELEASE or RESCUE) you from their bondage, and I will redeem (SAVE or REPURCHASE) you with an outstretched arm and with great acts of judgment, and I will take (POSSESS) you for my people, and I will be your God. Exodus 6:6,7
10. Elijah's Cup
The special glass is "Elijah's Cup". It reminds us: "I will bring you into the land which I swore to give to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob; I will give it to you for a possession. I am the Lord." Exodus 6:8
ITEMS NEEDED
Two white candles
Five wine glasses
Cloth napkins
Food items
Horseradish
Parsley
Charoses: apples, cinnamon and wine
Salt water
Matzah
Grape Juice
PEOPLE NEEDED FOR PARTICIPATION
Hostess
A child
Five readers
Leader of responsive reading
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