a minimalist passover haggadah

a passover seder is a meal where you celebrate freedom, ask questions, and tell an ancient story

dedication kadesh קַדֵשׁ

1. fill your cup with wine (first of four)
2. say the blessing for wine:
   
   blessed are you lord our god ruler of the world who creates the fruit of the vine barukh atah adonoi elohenu melekh ha-olom borei pree ha-gofen בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הַגָּפֶן
   
   
3. drink and relax

bathe urkhatz וּרְחַץ

1. wash your hands (perhaps from a bowl of water)
2. dry your hands

parsley karpas כַּרְפַּס

1. dip parsley in saltwater twice
2. say the blessing for vegetables:
   
   blessed are you lord our god ruler of the world who creates the fruit of the earth barukh atah adonoi elohenu melekh ha-olom borei pree ha-adamah בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הָאֲדָמָה
   
   
3. eat

pressure yakhatz יַחַץ

1. the middle matzo is broken in half
2. the larger piece is designated as the afikomen (אֲפִיקוֹמָן) aka the dessert

story maggid מַגִּיד

at this point, children traditionally ask four questions:

• how is this night different from all other nights? mah nishtanah halailah hazeh mikol haleilot מַה־נִּשְׁתַּנָּה הַלַּֽיְלָה הַזֶּה מִכָּל־הַלֵּילוֹת
• on all other nights, we eat chametz (leavened foods) and matzah; why on this night, only matzah? sheb'chol haleilot anu ochlin chametz umatzah, halailah hazeh, kuloh matzah שֶׁבְּכָל־הַלֵּילוֹת, אָֽנוּ אוֹכְלִין חָמֵץ וּמַצָּה; הַלַּֽיְלָה הַזֶּה, כֻּלּוֹ מַצָּה
• on all other nights, we eat all vegetables; why, on this night, maror (bitter herbs)? sheb'chol haleilot anu ochlin sh'ar y'rakot, halailah hazeh, maror שֶׁבְּכָל־הַלֵּילוֹת, אָֽנוּ אוֹכְלִין שְׁאָר יְרָקוֹת; הַלַּֽיְלָה הַזֶּה, מָרוֹר
• on all other nights, we eat either sitting upright or reclining; why on this night do we all recline? sheb'chol haleilot anu ochlin bein yoshvin uvein m'subin; halailah hazeh, kulanu m'subin שֶׁבְּכָל־הַלֵּילוֹת, אָֽנוּ אוֹכְלִין בֵּין יוֹשְׁבִין וּבֵין מְסֻבִּין; הַלַּֽיְלָה הַזֶּה, כֻּלָּֽנוּ מְסֻבִּין

instead of an answer there is a story:

joseph brought his family to egypt
they were enslaved by a pharoh
moses came to free them
the pharoh refused
god made plagues

pour the second glass of wine and count the ten plagues while putting ten drops of wine on your plate:
blood dam דָם
frogs tzfardeiya צְפַרְדֵעַ
lice kinim כִּנִים
animals arov עָרוֹב
pestilence dever דֶבֶר
boils shechin שְׁחִין
hail barad בָּרָד
locusts arbeh אַרְבֶה
darkness hoshech חוֹשֶׁך
death of the first-born makkot bechorot מַכַת בְכוֹרוֹת

they fled to the dessert where they wandered for 40 years
stuff happened
they got to jerusalem

wash rakhtzah רַחַץ

wash your hands again

bring out the matzo motzi matzo מוֹצִיא מַצָּה

1. take a piece of matzo
2. say the blessing for bread:
   
   blessed are you lord our god ruler of the world who brings us the bread of the earth barukh atah adonoi elohenu melekh ha-olom ha-motzi lekhem meen ha-aretz בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם הַמּוֹצִיא לֶחֶם מִן הָאָרֶץ
   
   
3. eat

bitter herbs maror מָרוֹר

eat some horse-raddish

sandwich korekh כֹּרֵךְ

eat a hillel sandwich (haroset + horse-raddish on matzo)

festive meal shulkhan orech שֻׁלְחָן עֹרֵךְ

eat

hidden tzafun צָפוּן

at this point children may have hidden the afikomen if so a reward may need to be offered for its safe return before it is eaten

blessings barekh בָּרֵךְ

pour the third glass of wine and say blessings after the meal

at this time the door is opened to allow Elijah the prophet to enter and drink wine

praise halel הַלֵּל

sing songs and pour the fourth glass of wine

acceptance nirtzah נִרְצָה

sing more songs