We have three pieces of ceremonial matzah. We break the middle matzah into two pieces, wrap the larger of the pieces and at some point between now and the end of dinner, hide it. This piece is called the afikomen , literally “dessert” in Greek. After dinner, someone will have to hunt for the afikomen in order to finish the meal… and win a prize. When the hidden part is found, we will put the halves together again. This is a sign that what is broken off is not really lost to our people, so long as we remember and search.

We eat matzah in memory of the quick flight of our ancestors from Egypt. As slaves, they had faced many false starts before finally being let go. So when the word of their freedom came, they took whatever dough they had and ran with it before it had the chance to rise, leaving it looking something like matzah.

Uncover and hold up the three pieces of matzah and say:

 הָא לַחְמָא עַנְיָא דִי אֲכָלוּ אַבְהָתָנָא בְּאַרְעָא דְמִצְרָיִם. כָּל דִכְפִין יֵיתֵי וְיֵיכֹל, כָּל דִצְרִיךְ יֵיתֵי וְיִפְסַח. הָשַׁתָּא הָכָא, לְשָׁנָה הַבָּאָה בְּאַרְעָא דְיִשְׂרָאֵל. הָשַׁתָּא עַבְדֵי, לְשָׁנָה הַבָּאָה בְּנֵי חוֹרִין.

Ha lachma anya dee achalu avhatana b'ara d'meetzrayeem. Kol deechfeen yeitei v'yeichol, kol deetzreech yeitei v'yeefsach. Hashata hacha, l'shanah haba-ah b'ara d'yisra-el. Hashata avdei, l'shanah haba-ah b'nei choreen. 

This is the bread of material poverty and affliction,

This is the bread of spiritual poverty and cynicism,

This is the bread of physical subjugation,

This is the bread of poverty our people ate in the land of Egypt.

             Let all who are hungry come and eat.

             Let all who are needy, all who aren't free

             Come and share the hope of Passover

                        As we celebrate here

                        We join with people everywhere

                         This year we are slaves,

                          Next year may we all be free.

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haggadah Section: Yachatz