Marcia Falk

Introduction xiii
Notes for the Reader
Transliterations xxi
Proper Names xxii
Translations and Adaptations xxii
Tinted Pages xxiii
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OPENING THE FESTIVAL
Hadlakat Nerot ¿ag Hapésä: Lighting the Pesach Candles 2
The Journey: Lighting the Way (Kavanah) 7
Birkat Haz’man: Blessing of Time and Renewal (Shehe¿eyánu) 8
Change: The Flow of Life (Kavanah) 11
Birkat Habat, Birkat Haben: Blessing the Children 12
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BEGINNING THE SEDER
The Seder Plate 17
The Seder Table 18
Kadesh Ur¿atz: Order of the Night
Kadesh: Sanctification (Kiddush)
Birkat P’ri Hagéfen, K’dushat Hayom:
Fruit of the Vine, Hallowing the Day (First Cup) 22
Fruit of the Vine (Kavanah) 27
Ur¿atz: Washing
Washing the Hands 29
Karpas: Spring Greens
T’vilat Karpas Va’akhilato:
Dipping and Eating the Spring Greens 30
Spring: The Birth of the Year (Kavanah) 33
Shirey Aviv Mim’gilat Shir Hashirim:
Spring Poems from the Song of Songs 35
Yá¿atz: Breaking
Breaking the Matzah, Hiding the Afikoman 45
Brokenness and Wholeness (Kavanah) 47
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BEFORE THE MAGGID:
PREPARING TO LISTEN
Arba Hakushyot: The Four Questions 51
The Four Children 54
Sh’fäot Va’avadim Hayínu: Once We Were Slaves 59
Ha Läma Anya: This Is the Bread of Affliction 63
Open Door (Kavanah) 66
Freedom and the Lives of Others (Kavanah) 68
B’khol Dor Vador: In Every Generation 71
Telling Oneself into the Story 75
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MAGGID: THE TELLING
Presentation of the Text 79
Overview and Themes 80
One: Enslavement in Egypt 82
Two: Miriam and the Women 82
Three: Moshe’s Calling 85
Four: Moshe, God, and Pharaoh—Confrontations 89
Five: Exodus from Egypt 93
Six: Miriam the Prophetess 98
Maggid: The Telling, Abbreviated 100
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AFTER THE MAGGID:
CELEBRATING THE STORY
Kos Miryam: Miriam’s Cup 106
Dayénu: It Would Have Been Enough 108
Nonetheless 111
What Is Enough? (Kavanah) 113
Birkat P’ri Hagéfen: Fruit of the Vine (Second Cup) 114
Hallel 1, T’hilot ¿adashot: New Poems of Praise 117
Song of Joy 118
The Feast 119
Nishmat Kol ¿ay: The Breath of All Life 120
Hal’lu, Yif’at Tevel: Hal’lu, Beauty of the World
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THE FESTIVAL MEAL
Ro¿tzah: Washing
Washing the Hands 126
Motzi’ah/Matzah: Unleavened Bread
Birkat Halé¿em, Akhilat Matzah:
Blessing before the Meal, Blessing for Eating Matzah 128
Maror: Bitter Herb
T’vilat Maror Va’akhilato: Dipping and Eating the Bitter Herb 130
Sweet and Salt, Bitter and Sweet 133
Korekh: Sandwich
Eating the “Hillel Sandwich” 134
Shul¿an Orekh: Setting the Table
The Meal Is Served 135
Tzafun: Hidden
Eating the Afikoman 137
Concealment and Revealment (Kavanah) 139
Barekh: Blessing
Birkat Hamazon: Blessing after the Meal 140
Birkat P’ri Hagéfen: Fruit of the Vine (Third Cup) 142
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CONCLUDING THE SEDER
Kos Eliyáhu: Elijah’s Cup 146
Who Was Elijah? (Kavanah) 148
The Promise of Elijah
Hallel 2, Mizmorey T’hilim: Psalms 153
B’tzet Yisra’el: When Israel Went Forth 154
Mah-l’kha Hayam: O Sea, What Alarms You 156
Y’varekh et-Bet Yisra’el: May the House of Israel Be Blessed 158
Hal’lu et-Adonay: Praise God, All You Nations 160
Min-Hametzar Karáti Yah: In Distress, I Called Out 162
Kol Rinah Vishu’ah: The Voice of Rejoicing 162
Pit¿u-li Sha’arey-tzédek: Open the Gates of Justice 162
Od’kha Ki Anitáni: I Give Thanks 164
Birkat P’ri Hagéfen: Fruit of the Vine (Fourth Cup) 166
Nirtzah: Fulfillment of the Seder
Birkat Hagéfen Ufiryah: Blessing of Fruitfulness 168
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SONGS
About the Songs 175
¿ad Gadya: One Little Kid 176
E¿ad Mi Yodé’a?: Who Knows One? 188
Adir Hu: Mighty Is God 190
Karev Yom: Bring Near the Day 192
Acknowledgments