Maggid | Passover haggadah by Hannah Ruth Wellons

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Beginning:

Passover is the celebration of life. The story of the Jewish people is truly a triumph of life. Against the odds of history, the Jewish people have done more than survive - we have adapted creatively to each new time, each new place, from the birth of our people to the present day.

Even though death has pursued us relentlessly, time and time again, we have chosen to live. During the many centuries of the Jewish experience, memories of destruction are tempered by the knowledge that the world can also be good.

We have endured slavery and humiliation. We have also enjoyed freedom and power. Darkness has been balanced by light.

Our forebearers traveled the Earth in search of the safety and liberty they knew must exist. We have learned to endure. We have learned to progress.

We are proud survivors. We celebrate our good fortune and seek the advancement of all.

The Four Questions:

Why is this night of Passover different from all other nights of the year? Free people ask questions. We begin our Seder with questions. Although the custom is that the youngest at the table asks, tradition instructs that all must ask:

Why on this night do we eat only matzah?

On all other nights, we eat either leavened or unleavened bread.

Why on this night must we eat bitter herbs?

On all other nights, we eat vegetables of all kinds.

Why on this night do we dip twice greens into salt water and bitter herbs into sweet charoset?

On all other nights, we do not dip vegetables even once.

Why on this night do we recline and eat at leisure?

On all other nights, everyone sits up straight at the table.

We were all slaves to Pharaoh in Egypt. If God had not brought our ancestors out of Egypt, then we, our children, and our children’s children would have remained slaves. So, even if all of us were scholars, full of understanding and wisdom, and learned in Torah, it would still be our obligation to tell the story of how we left Egypt. It would still be our obligation to ask questions.

The Four Children:

As we tell the story, we think about it from all angles. The Torah mentions four different types of children who might react differently to the Passover seder. Traditionally, they used to represent one who is wise, one who is wicked, one who is simple and one who does not know enough to ask. But instead of focusing on our perceptions of wise, wicked, simple, and unknowing children, let us instead focus on teaching our children to learn, ask questions, and pursue justice.

What does the activist child ask? “The Torah tells me, ‘Justice, justice you shall pursue,’ but how can I pursue justice?”

Empower her always to seek pathways to advocate for the vulnerable. As Proverbs teaches, “Speak up for the mute, for the rights of the unfortunate. Speak up, judge righteously, champion the poor and the needy.”

What does the skeptical child ask? “How can I solve problems of such enormity?”

Encourage him by explaining that he need not solve the problems, he must only do what he is capable of doing. As we read in Pirkei Avot—The Ethics of Our Ancestors, “It is not your responsibility to complete the work, but neither are you free to desist from it.”

What does the indifferent child say? “It’s not my responsibility.”

Persuade her that responsibility cannot be shirked. As Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel writes, “The opposite of good is not evil; the opposite of good is indifference. In a free society where terrible wrongs exist, some are guilty, but all are responsible.”

And the uninformed child who does not know how to ask … Prompt him to see himself as an inheritor of our people’s legacy. As it says in Deuteronomy, “You must befriend the stranger, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt.” At this season of liberation, let us work toward the liberation of all people. Let us respond to our children’s questions with patience, action, and justice.

The Story of Exodus:

The text teaches us that our ancestors were nomadic wanderers, descendants of Abraham and Sarah. Few in number, we traveled with our families and our possessions, our livestock and our treasures. When the land was fertile, our lives were good: we planted and harvested, and raised our children as farmers and shepherds. One of our patriarchs, Jacob, married two sisters, Rachel and Leah. Joseph, the son of Rachel and Jacob, was a dreamer. His jealous brothers sold him to a passing caravan, and he was brought to Egypt. Joseph’s gift of dream interpretation took him to the depths and the heights, and he became Pharaoh’s most trusted advisor. He brought his family to Egypt, and they prospered there.

But there arose in Egypt a Pharaoh who did not remember Joseph. He was frightened of the growing number and power of our ancestors. So the Egyptians enslaved us, forcing us to do hard labor. They separated parents from children, and husbands from wives. They set task masters over us, and whipped us, and cursed us.

And yet we persisted. We increased in number and in strength. We remembered God's promise to Abraham that after a period of enslavement and pain, God would deliver us to the promised land, a land flowing with milk and honey. For not only one enemy has risen against us to annihilate us, but in every generation there are those who rise against us. But God saves us from those who seek to harm us.

As we rejoice at our deliverance from slavery, we acknowledge that our freedom was hard-earned. We regret that our freedom came at the cost of the Egyptians’ suffering, for we are all human beings made in the image of God.

(Dip a finger or a spoon into your wine glass and put a drop on your plate for each plague.)

God sent the ten plagues to Egypt: Blood. Frogs. Lice. Flies. Cattle disease. Boils. Hail. Locusts. Darkness. Death of the First Born.

At last, frightened of the plagues and mourning the loss of his son, Phaoroh let the Israelites go. They hurried out of Egypt, without time to bake bread for their journey. The children of Israel followed Moses to the edge of the Sea of Reeds, and God divided the sea. The Israelites crossed safely on dry land to the other side. But Pharaoh had changed his mind and told his soldiers to chase after them. When the Israelites were safely past the sea, the sea fell upon Pharaoh’s soldiers. Moses led the Israelites safely into the desert toward the Promised Land. Miriam, Moses’ sister, led the Israelites in dance and song, as they celebrated their long-awaited freedom.

On their journey that would lead them to the Promised Land, the Children of Israel and all of the souls of every Jew past, present, and future entered into a covenant, an agreement, with God at Mount Sinai and received the Ten Commandments. They had many children, and their children had many children. As Jews, we are descendants of these families. According to Midrash, even those who have converted are included in this covenant with God, for their souls were at Mount Sinai as well.

Dayenu:

Our departure from Egypt marked the beginning of our journey from slavery to freedom, from service to Pharaoh to serving God. Now we rejoice in the many blessings God bestowed upon us during this journey, concluding each verse with dayenu to acknowledge that even a single blessing would have been sufficient for us. Pesach teaches us to know the difference between more and enough. Let us be thankful for what we have. Dayenu celebrates the relationship between the Jewish people and God as it is revealed anew in each generation, reflecting our hope for a future when human beings will act with the divine attributes of compassion and generosity. Only then will we be able to say “Az y’hi dayenu: It will be enough.”

Had God taken us out of Egypt but had not divided the sea for us – dayenu.

Had God given us Shabbat but had not enabled us to reach Mount Sinai – dayenu.

Had God enabled us to reach Mount Sinai but had not given us the Torah – dayenu.

Had God given us the Torah but had not brought us into the Land of Israel – it would have been enough – dayenu.

In Every Generation & The Second Cup:

B’chol dor vador chayav adam lirot et-atzmo, k’ilu hu yatzav mimitzrayim.

In every generation, everyone is obligated to see themselves as though they personally left Egypt.

The seder reminds us that it was not only our ancestors whom God redeemed; God redeemed us too along with them. That’s why the Torah says “God brought us out from there in order to lead us to and give us the land promised to our ancestors.”

(As the second glass of wine is poured.)

We praise God, Ruler of Everything, who redeemed us and our ancestors from Egypt, enabling us to reach this night and eat together. May we continue to reach future holidays in peace and happiness.

Baruch Atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech ha-olam, borei p’ree hagafen.

Praise to You, Adonai our God, Sovereign of universe, who creates of the fruit of the vine.

(Drink the second glass of wine.)

haggadah Section: Maggid - Beginning