Tradition instructs us to drink four cups of wine at the Seder. The four cups of wine symbolize the four promises that G*d made to the Israelites.

·        V’Hotzeiti והצאתי ―I will bring you forth from slavery.

·        V’Hitzalti והצלתי ―I will save you.

·        V’Ga’alti וגאלתי ―I will redeem you.

·        V'Lakachti ולקחתי ―I will take you to me as a people.

These four promises remind us that the process of redemption is long and complex. It is not enough to be rescued from physical slavery.  Redemption also entails relief from psychological bondage and the opportunity to live a full and rewarding spiritual life. With each cup, we move forward from slavery and oppression toward freedom.  This evening, the four cups of wine represent four historical and contemporary examples of displacement: racial and ethnic minorities, mass incarceration, immigration, and homelessness.


haggadah Section: Kadesh