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WINDSOR VILLAGE UNITED
METHODIST CHURCH
Kirbyjon H. Caldwell, Sr. Pastor
6011 West Orem Dr.
Houston, TX 77085
Inside:
Phone: 713-723-8187
www.kingdombuilders.com
www.feastfacts.com

Passover Shopping List

Recipes

Passover Celebration Script

Children’s Activities
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WINDSOR VILLAGE FAMI LY
PASSOVER GUIDE
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Getting Ready to Celebrate!
What do I need to know? What do I do?..........................................4
Preparing the Passover Meal (Seder)……….…………….…………….6
Passover Shopping List………………….……………………………..……...9
Telling the Passover Story (The Haggadah)….…...…………....….15
Children’s Activity Sheet…………….………………………………….……48
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GETTING READY TO CELEBRATE!
WHAT DO I NEED TO KNOW?
WHAT DO I DO?
(If you have any questions, please contact Pastor Kimberly Orr at
713-726-2647 or email her at e-mail@kingdombuilders.com)
This Passover Haggadah (ha-GAH-dah)—the “telling” or instruction book—is meant to be used as a spiritual encouragement and outreach tool. It offers you an opportunity to
share the joy, blessing, and knowledge that God has in store
for his people on a more intimate scale. Celebrating an athome Seder (SAY-der) is a means of introducing family and
friends to what we at Windsor Village UMC are doing on a
larger, congregational level in celebrating the biblical feasts
set out by God, through the lens of our Savior, Jesus Christ,
who is our Passover Lamb. (1 Corinthians 5:7)
As Christians, the Passover is celebrated as an interweaving
of the biblical narrative that recounts the liberation of Israel
from Egyptian captivity and humanity’s redemption from sin
and death through Jesus Christ.
In order to make your evening celebration more enjoyable, it
is recommended that you familiarize yourself with the details
and instructions found in this Haggadah BEFORE actually
conducting the Seder. (See page 15)
All who attend your Passover celebration should, if possible,
receive their own copy of this Haggadah and be encouraged
to participate.
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WINDSOR VILLAGE FAMI LY
PASSOVER GUIDE
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There are several roles in the Haggadah that have specific
assignments. They are:
“The Leader” – This person is the head of your family (male
or female) and will bear the duty of helping all to navigate
the order of the Seder.
“The Woman” – The woman referred to on page 16 of the
Haggadah should be the mother or female guardian of your
family.
“The Four Children” – On page 26, there are four questions
that are to be asked by a child/children or the youngest participant(s) present. One child (younger person) in your family/group can read all of the questions, or if you have several
available younger participants, each one can take turns reading a question.
“All” – Everyone attending the Seder dinner.
“Others” - Everyone at the table except The Leader.
The Passover biblical narrative (pages 27-32) is divided
among several readers and two individual characters. Any
family member or friend may play these roles. These characters are:
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Reader 1
Reader 2
Reader 3
Reader 4
Moses
Pharaoh
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PREPARING THE PASSOVER MEAL (SEDER)
The Passover Seder consists of special foods that represent
various aspects of the Passover story. The Seder also includes a celebration meal. The menu for the actual meal/
dinner is up to you, but make sure to choose foods that are
fun and celebrative. A little over halfway into the Seder, the
family is to enjoy the celebration meal. Eat, drink, and be
merry!
The following instructions will help you to prepare for the
Passover meal.
You will need a Seder plate or nice platter. A Seder plate
can be procured via the purchase of an at-home Seder Kit
(available at http://festfacts.com [Seder plate included in the
$10 and $30 kits]), or from the Jewish Community Center
located at 5601 South Braeswood, Houston, Texas. If you
are unable to purchase a Seder plate, then a nice platter is
sufficient. The Seder plate has five, small cup-like indentions.
The special foods for the Passover meal are to be placed in
these indentions on the Seder plate, or in small cups on a
nice platter.
The dinner table is usually set with the “best” dishes or china,
a low floral arrangement (optional), table cloth (optional),
two candlesticks and their holders, and cloth napkins, if
available. The formality of the dinner setting is not as important as the meal that is set on the table. So, set a table
that is comfortable, but “special” for you and your family/
guests.
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The Final Blessing
Leader: We have come together tonight to remember and to
praise, to share in God’s story of redemption and salvation. But,
the story does not end here. It is our sacred privilege to carry
the message of this story of hope out from our table tonight to
the people we meet every day. We have partaken of the fruit of
the vine, of the produce of the field, and of the joy of fellowship
one with another. We pray for God’s mercy upon us and for His
grace to heal, fortify and bless us.
The order of the Passover, this Seder, is not completed. We
have been privileged to prepare it, participate in it and to perform it. Let us pray:
All: Pure One, who dwells on high, restore Your people Israel
unto You, full in Jesus Christ, and may we—these grafted-in
vines—flourish and blossom in the fullness of love for our
neighbor and for our enemy, through Jesus Christ our Lord who
lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God now and
forever more! We pray to celebrate Passover next year in the
New Jerusalem! AMEN!
Leader: Go in Peace! AMEN!
WINDSOR VILLAGE FAMI LY
PASSOVER GUIDE
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Leader: And since this is the Cup of Hallel (praise), let us praise
the Lord just one more time!
All: O LORD, we praise You, for You are good! Your steadfast
love is eternal. Let those who have awe-filled reverence for the
Lord declare, “Your love is eternal.” In distress, we shall call on
the Lord; for the LORD answers and brings relief. … Open the
gates of victory for us and we may enter them and praise the
LORD. This is the gateway to the LORD—the victorious shall enter through it. We praise You, for You have answered us, and
have become our deliverance. The stone that the builders rejected has now become the chief cornerstone. This is the
LORD’s doing; it is marvelous in our sight. This is the day that
the LORD has made—let us exult and rejoice in it. The LORD
deliver us! O LORD, let us prosper! May all who enter the presence of the LORD be blessed in His name. We do bless You
from the house of the LORD. The LORD is indeed God. He has
given us light; bind now the feast offering to the horns of the
ancient altar with cords. You are our LORD and we will praise
You! You are our LORD and we will extol you! Praise the LORD
for He is good. His steadfast love is eternal! (paraphrased from
Psalm 118)
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Each place setting should have four small cups for drinking
grape juice, a full-sized drink glass for your celebration dinner
beverage, plates, cutlery, and a cloth napkin. **Special Note:
The Leader only will also need a 5th, smaller cup with which to
commemorate the Cup of Elijah. (See page 44)
The special foods on the Seder plate include:
Lamb shank bone (Zeroah: “zeh-ROH-ah”) or sliced lamb - The
shank bone can be obtained at the butcher’s shop in your grocery store. (Please roast the bone before placing on your Seder
plate.) If lamb is the entrée meat for the celebration dinner,
slice a few pieces and use on your Seder plate.
Karpas (“CAR-pahs”) - Parsley dipped in salt water.
Maror (“mah-ROAR”) - Horseradish
Haroset (“ha-ROH-set”) – A mixture of apples, grape juice, cinnamon, and honey. The recipe for making the Haroset is listed
on page 13.
Matzah (“MAHTZ-ah”) – A bread that does not contain yeast.
Matzah can be purchased at The Pointe Bookstore, the kosher
section of your local grocery store, or Belden’s Grocery ( 99
Braeswood Sq, Houston, TX 77096). The words “Kosher for
Passover” will be listed on the box, and/or you will see the
symbol on the box. Make sure to purchase the matzah marked
with the word “Passover.” Three pieces of matzah should be
placed on the table; two for the blessing and one to be broken.
**Note: We do not add the egg, as traditionally indicated on
a Seder plate, as this element was added later in the evolution
of the Haggadah and is not an integral part of the meal.
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Notes:
The Fourth Cup: The Cup of Praise!
Leader: Now, we come to the drinking of the fourth and final
cup of tonight’s Seder: the Cup of Praise and Celebration,
known in Hebrew as Hallel (Ha-LEL). This is the cup over which
Jesus said, “Mark my words—I will not drink the fruit of the vine
again until the day I drink it new with you in my Father's Kingdom." (Matthew 26:29) Jesus is waiting to drink this cup of praise
with us at the great celebration that will take place at the end of
history as we know it; when God reigns supreme upon the new
earth and in the new heaven. (Revelation 19:7-9)
Please, everyone, fill your fourth cups! We drink this cup as a
pledge of our devotion to Jesus Christ and in anticipation of His
eventual return and His just and righteous reign right now on
earth. Let us say together:
All: Blessed are You, O Lord our God, King of the Universe who
has brought forth the fruit of the vine and has given us Your Son
in token and pledge of our salvation. Jesus, our risen and ascended Lord, sits at Your right hand ever praying on our behalf.
We do commit and re-commit our lives to You, O Christ, our
spiritual brother, the friend and lover of our souls!
ALL drink the fourth cup, leaning to the left.
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WINDSOR VILLAGE FAMI LY
PASSOVER GUIDE
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PASSOVER SHOPPING LIST
ALL drink the third cup, leaning to the left,
remembering what Christ has done for us!
Lamb shank bone or sliced lamb
(usually available @ local gro-
cery butcher in the Spring)
The Cup of Elijah
Leader: (Leader fills a special “fifth” cup set aside as “Elijah’s
cup.” It should be different than the other four cups used during
the Seder proper. This cup is NOT drunk.)
We now pour some juice into a special cup set aside for the
prophet Elijah. In Malachi 4:5, we are told, "Look, I [God] am
sending you the prophet Elijah before the great and dreadful
day of the LORD arrives.” (NLT)
Elijah’s ministry was fulfilled in the person of John the Baptist,
who foretold the coming of Jesus, the Messiah. In Matthew
11:10-15, Jesus says, “John is the man to whom the Scriptures
refer when they say, 'Look, I am sending my messenger ahead of
you, and he will prepare your way before you.' I tell you the
truth, of all who have ever lived, none is greater than John the
Baptist. Yet even the least person in the Kingdom of Heaven is
greater than he is! And from the time John the Baptist began
preaching until now, the Kingdom of Heaven has been forcefully
advancing, and violent people are attacking it. For before John
came, all the prophets and the law of Moses looked forward to
this present time. And if you are willing to accept what I say, he
is Elijah, the one the prophets said would come. Anyone with
ears to hear should listen and understand!”(NLT)
(please hold up the cup) This special “Elijah Cup” reminds us to
joyfully anticipate the second coming of Christ, remembering to
always be ready for His return.
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Matzah (1 box per 3 people; available in your grocer’s kosher section or
Belden’s Grocery. Make sure to get the boxes marked “Kosher for Passover.”)
Grape juice (100%
juice. Welch’s®, Kedem®, etc.; 32oz per 4 people,
when using small cups)
1 Medium apple
For Haroset
Cinnamon
Honey
1 Jar prepared horseradish
1 Bunch parsley
Salt
Table Setting Items
1 Seder plate or nice plate/platter
Optional low, floral arrangement or other Passover
decorations
1 Table cloth (optional)
2 Candlesticks with holders
1 Small box of matches
4 Regular-sized, cloth dinner napkins, or one larger
cloth napkin (see Matzah Taschen directions on page 12)
1 Medium-sized bowl of clean water (@ Leader’s place
only)
1 Hand or dish towel (@ Leader’s place only)
1 Small bowl of salt water (@ Leader’s place only)
4 Small cups for grape juice (The Leader may use 4
larger or nicer glasses. Remember also, the Leader needs an
extra cup as the Cup of Elijah, see page 44.)
Dinnerware (plates, cutlery, napkins, drink glasses, etc., as needed
for each guest)
1 Hand sanitizer dispenser
Seder plate with lamb shank bone (“Zeroah”),
Haroset (horseradish), Karpas (parsley), and Maror (apple
mixture).
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Leader:
Now, let us return to the significance of the third cup. The third
cup is called the Cup of Redemption. It traditionally symbolized
the deliverance of the people called Israel out of their various
oppressions and exiles (Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Persia, etc). During the time of Jesus, this cup was drunk in hope of being set
free from Roman governmental subjugation. But Jesus expanded on the traditional meaning of the third cup. He said that
it symbolized His blood, which is the catalyst for true inner human freedom and rectitude. Jesus came to free us from the inside out.
So, we see that on the night in which Jesus was betrayed, after
supper, He took the cup, lifted up His eyes to heaven, and presented it to You, His God and Father; He gave thanks, and made
it holy and blessed it, by saying—and let us all say the blessing
together:
All: Blessed are You, O Lord our God, King of the Universe, creator of the fruit of the vine.
Leader: Then, Jesus gave the cup to His Disciples and Apostles,
saying, "Drink all of this, for this is My blood of the new covenant shed for you and for many, and distributed for the remission of sins.” And Jesus continued, “ Do this in remembrance of
Me; for as often as you eat this bread, and drink this cup, you
demonstrate the My death, and confess My resurrection, until I
come again.” (adapted from the St. James Liturgy)
All: We believe and confess: We do demonstrate Your death, O
Lord, and confess Your resurrection.
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Example of Seder table setting
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Blessing, sanctifying and breaking it, He shared it with us and
among His holy and blessed Disciples and Apostles, saying,
“Take, eat. This is My body which is broken and distributed for
you for the forgiveness of sins.” (modified from the ancient St. James
Liturgy, ca. 60 AD)
Leader: Jesus was broken (wrap the Afikomen back up in the
napkin and lay it flat on your palm. Then break the Afikomen by
smashing it with your other fist, making sure to break it into
enough pieces to share with all at the table) to free us from the
dark inclination that lurks within us all, that draws us into slavery
with the wrong things, people, and stuff that will eventually
harm us, even if they appear like an angel of light for a time.
Jesus is our life source. He is our true heavenly food.
(Now please carefully open the napkin and take a piece of the broken matzah for yourself, then pass the napkin around, asking each
person at the table to take a piece, reminding them NOT TO EAT it
until instructed. As the matzah is passed, please say,)
This is the last piece of food we will eat tonight. The word
Afikomen means “the dessert.” We are to allow the taste of our
Lord to linger in our mouths. The Psalm 34:8 tells us to “taste
and see that the Lord is good.” Let us say the blessing over
All: Blessed are You, O Lord our God, King of the Universe, who
brings forth bread from the earth.
Blessed are You, O Lord our God, King of the Universe, who has
sanctified us by Your Word, and has commanded us concerning
the eating for matzah (MAHTZ-ah).
Leader: Now, eat and savor the Afikomen. Let it linger in your
mouth.
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Additional instructions:
The matzah is placed in a special cloth holder with three
sections called a Matzah Taschen (TAH-shin) (means: bag/
pocket in Yiddish). To make a Matzah Taschen take a large
cloth napkin and fan-fold it three times, thus creating three
compartments to hold one piece of matzah in each compartment. (Or use four smaller napkins to separate and cover
each of the three pieces of matzah.) The Matzah Taschen
forms a unity of one, which signifies the Tri-Unity of God:
God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. During the Seder Meal, the “Leader” takes the middle piece of
matzah and lifts it for everyone to see. He/she then breaks
the bread in two, uneven pieces, symbolizing the broken
body of Christ. The larger piece should be placed back in
the middle fold of the Matzah Taschen and the other,
smaller piece, should be wrapped in a separate cloth napkin
and hidden for later “resurrection” after dinner. This clothwrapped matzah is called the Afikomen (“dessert,” “ah-fee
-KOH-min,” symbolizing the broken, buried, and risen
body of our Lord, see page 40).
Grape Juice – The grape juice is poured and consumed as
directed in the Haggadah. Any brand of 100% grape juice is
acceptable. If you are interested in purchasing kosher grape
juice you can order an at-home Seder kit or visit the kosher
section of your local grocery store. (Kedem® is a common
kosher juice.) Please place a sufficient amount of grape juice
on or near your dinner table. At the “Leader’s” direction,
each small cup should be filled to the brim with the grape
juice. Allow a few drops to run over the brim. Each cup
should not be poured until the “Leader” directs you to pour,
nor should any juice be drunk until the “Leader” directs. It
is also probably a good idea ©to2 0have
extra
in
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case more is needed.
All: The compassionate One, may He shatter the yoke from our
necks, may He lead us, upright into the promised land. The compassionate One, may He send us abundant blessing to this
house and to the table on which we have eaten. Oh compassionate One, we praise You that You sent the fore-runner, John
the Baptist, who was like the prophet Elijah, of blessed memory,
who announced good news, salvation, and comfort. Most compassionate One, please bless my family and all they have, us and
all we have, as He blessed Abraham, Isaac, Hannah, Jacob,
Miriam and Moses with all and with everything, so may You
bless us all together with complete blessing, through Jesus
Christ our Lord we pray, who reigns with You, Almighty Father,
and the Holy Spirit, now and forever more, Amen!
(adapted from JPS Commentary on the Haggadah, pp. 108-9)
Leader: Amen! Praise the Lord! You may be seated.
Now where did I hide the Afikomen, the matzah I wrapped and
hid earlier? Can the children (or youngest person/people in the
room) please look for it and bring it back to me for a prize?
(When the Afikomen is found have the child/children bring it to
you. Give them a small prize—candy, toy, etc—in exchange for
the wrapped Afikomen. Now, please unwrap the Afikomen, raise it
and say,)
Remember that after His crucifixion, Jesus was wrapped in a
linen burial cloth, hidden for three days in a tomb and brought
back to life by the power of the Spirit of God. Jesus is our resurrected, living Savior! This is also the piece of bread that Jesus,
the One without sin, took during his Seder, when He was about
to accept for us sinners His voluntary and life-giving death on a
cross, on the night He was given up, or rather gave Himself up,
for the life and salvation of the world, He took bread in His holy,
immaculate, unblemished, and immortal hands, looked up to
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heaven and showed it to You, ©His
God
Father,
and
gave
thanks.
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DINNER IS SERVED!
Take time now to serve your celebration dinner, making
sure to leave room for one more piece of matzah at the end!
AFTER DINNER: Finding and Eating the Afikomen and
The Third Cup: The Cup of Redemption
Leader: (Clear the table of dinner food and dishes and make sure
the Seder plate is once again visibly displayed. Now, pour your
third cup of juice, and have all other guests pour their third cup,
as well, and say,)
Now that dinner is done, let us enter into the time when we explore the deeper meaning of the Afikomen that was hidden earlier in the evening, and the Third Cup, the Cup of Redemption.
All: Blessed are You, O Lord our God, King of the Universe, the
LORD, our Father, our King, our Powerful One, our Creator, our
Redeemer, He who formed us, our Holy One, the Holy One of
Jacob, our Shepherd and the Shepherd of Israel, the King who is
good and is good to all. He did good, He does good, and He
will do good for us. He has granted us, He grants us, and He will
grant us grace, mercy, compassion, prosperity, safety and success, blessing and salvation, comfort, support, and maintenance,
compassion, life and peace and all good things, and He will
The lamb shank bone (Zeroah) or sliced lamb, Karpas,
Maror, lettuce, and Haroset should be on the Seder plate.
You may use small cups (as seen in the photo on 10) to hold
all foods, but the lamb. Make sure that there is enough in
each cup to serve a small portion to each Seder guest.
Recipe for the Haroset
Medium apple
1/4 tsp. Cinnamon
4 tbls. Grape juice
1/2 tsp. Honey
Finely chop apples. Add cinnamon, grape juice and honey
to diced apples and mix well. The mixture should be slightly
chunky. Not soupy.
Enjoy this blessed time with the Lord, your family
and friends. Expect God the Father, God the Son
(Jesus Christ) and God the Holy Spirit to be in attendance. God promises to be at this special party if
we will be there. Thank God for His wonderful gift
of salvation to us!
never deprive us of any good thing.
The compassionate One, may He rule over us forever. The compassionate One, may He be blessed in heaven and earth. The
compassionate One, may He be praised for all generations, and
may He take pride in us for all eternity, and may He glory in us
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forever. The compassionate One,©may
he support us in honor….
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Eating Matzah, Maror & Haroset
Leader: (Now, break off TWO pieces of matzah for yourself either
from some of the matzah left in the Matzah Taschen or from your
extra matzah supply. The pieces should each be at least the size
of a large olive. Next, pass matzah around the table, and ask each
person to break off TWO similarly sized pieces from the matzah.
Next, pass around the dish of horseradish AND the dish of Haroset
(ha-ROH-set). Ask everyone to make a sandwich of bitter herbs
and Haroset. Put a little of each between the pieces of matzah.
Please remind everyone DO NOT EAT the sandwich , but hold on
to it until they are directed to do so.)
(As the matzah, Maror, and Haroset are being passed, please say,)
References, Recommended Reading, & Recipes:
http://www.jewsforjesus.org/judaica/passover/resources
A Family Guide to the Biblical Holidays by Robin Sampson & Linda Pierce
Christ in the Passover, by Moishe Rosen and Ceil Rosen
http://www.hebrew4christians.com/Holidays/Spring_Holidays/Pesach/
pesach.html
Celebrate the Feasts of the Old Testament in Your Home or Church, by
Martha Zimmerman
The JPS Commentary on the Haggadah: Historical Introduction, Translation, and Commentary, The Jewish Publication Society, 2008.
The Messianic Church Arising by Dr. Robert Heidler
The Jewish Holidays: A Guide and Commentary by M. Strassfeld, 1985
The Life Application Bible
www. Jewishholidays.com
www. Judaism101.com
Feasts and Holidays of the Bible by Rose Publishing, 2008
http://therefinersfire.org
Leader: This sandwich of bitter herbs and sweetness has several
traditional interpretations. Tonight, we will focus on these three:
1. It represents the bricks and mortar of the hard labor Israel endured under Egyptian slavery; 2. It represents that although life
is often mingled with bitterness and sweetness, it is the Lord
who is our strength, the glue, the mortar that holds our lives together; 3. And finally, it represents that as believers in Jesus
Christ, we “are living stones that God is building into His spiritual temple. What's more, you are His holy priests. Through the
mediation of Jesus Christ, you offer spiritual sacrifices that
please God.”(1Peter 2:5 NLT)
(After everyone has made their sandwiches, please say,)
Now, let us eat the sandwich and remember our call to be God’s
holy temple.
ALL may now eat the matzah, Maror and Haroset sandwich,
leaning to the left.
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WINDSOR VILLAGE FAMI LY
PASSOVER GUIDE
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Eating Bitter Herbs
Leader: Next, we have another reminder of the sting of oppression: the eating of bitter herbs. Tonight, we will eat horseradish
on another piece of matzah. I’m going to pass the matzah plate
around again. This time, take another piece of matzah at least
the size of a large olive, then, I will pass around a dish of horseradish, also called Maror (mah-ROAR). Please dip your matzah
in the horseradish, getting enough to cover the top of your
matzah. Then wait for us to say the blessing together before
eating. (If you run low on matzah in the Matzah Taschen, please
feel free to use extra from a spare box of matzah you should have
handy.)
(As the matzah and Maror are being passed say,)
Leader: This dish of bitter herbs was the one of which Jesus
spoke, when He indicated Judas as His betrayer. Jesus said, "He
who dipped his hand with Me in the bowl is the one who will
betray Me.”(Matthew 26:23 NAS) Tonight, we remember that,
as Romans 3:23 says, “We have all sinned and fallen short of the
glory of God.” It is the grace and forgiveness God manifests in
our Lord Jesus Christ that cancels out the bitterness of our sin
and makes new life possible for all of us.
(After all the matzah and Maror have been distributed, please
say,)
Leader: Let us say the blessing over the bitter herbs.
TELLING THE PASSOVER STORY
(THE HAGGADAH)
Leader: Welcome to our Passover Seder! We gather here
tonight because God has invited us here. Tonight, we celebrate Israel’s deliverance from Egyptian slavery through
Moses and humanity’s deliverance from sin and death
through Jesus Christ. Our God is an awesome God who has
triumphed over every enemy. He opens the eyes of the
blind and lifts up those who are weighed down. Our God is
a merciful God, full of compassion, slow to get angry and
filled with unfailing love. Our God is a just God who provides for widows and orphans. Our God is a mighty God.
He is the Leader of Heaven’s army. His Name endures forever; His fame is known to every generation. My brothers
and sisters in Christ, rejoice because the Lord Almighty is our
God and we are His people.
In addition to celebrating God’s goodness and faithfulness,
the Passover Seder Meal was also established to tell our children how God delivered Moses and the Hebrew people from
slavery. First, we must understand that each and every person who participates in the Passover celebration should do
so AS IF they were actually part of that first community of
faith, known as the People of Israel. Tonight, we must all
consider ourselves to be slaves in Egypt, and remember our
freedom found in the Messiah, Jesus, our Lord.
All: Blessed are You, O Lord our God, King of the Universe, who
has sanctified us by Your Word, and has commanded us concerning the eating for Maror (mah-ROAR).
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ALL eat the matzah and Maror, NOT© reclining,
asS OR
thisVisI Lin
brance of slavery.
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Leader: The meal we are about to enjoy consists of special
foods, practices, and Scripture readings that remind us of
two significant events: 1. God’s deliverance of the people
called Israel from Pharaoh and Egyptian bondage, and 2.
God’s deliverance of all people from slavery to sin and death
through Jesus Christ. Let us now begin our festival meal together by kindling the lights of Passover. It is the sacred
right of the women to light the candles. Remember, it was a
woman, Mary, whom God chose to carry the Light of the
World, Jesus Christ. Now, would the mother (female guardian) or oldest woman please rise.
The Lighting of the Candles
Mother or Oldest Woman (if there is not a woman in attendance,
then the oldest man can light the candles): Light the two candles
on the table and make a circular motion toward the body and over
the candles to signify the warmth of God’s love and the light of
Jesus Christ.
Mother or Oldest Woman directs all women to read together:
Women all say together: Blessed are You, O Lord our God,
King of the Universe, who sanctifies us by Your commandments and has ordained that we kindle the Passover lights.
Bring light into our hearts and minds as we honor and remember Your Son, Jesus, the Light of the World.
Leader, only if washing hands: Please join me in the blessing for
the washing of hands.
All: Blessed are You, O Lord our God, King of the Universe, who has
sanctified us by Your Word and has commanded us concerning the
washing of hands.
Please pass a basin of water and hand/dish towel around the table,
each person serving the other. Allow one person to wash by dipping
hands in the water while their table neighbor holds the bowl/basin
and offers a towel. The bowl and towel then are passed around the
table, having the one who just washed serve the next person.
Eating Matzah
Leader: (Please break off a piece of matzah for yourself from the top
matzah found in the Unity Napkin or Matzah Taschen. The piece
should be at least the size of a large olive. Next, pass the Matzah
Taschen around the table, and ask each person to break off a similarly sized piece from the top or bottom matzah. Ask them to NOT
EAT the matzah, but hold on to it until after the blessings below have
been said. Once the Matzah Taschen is returned to you, please raise
it and say,)
All: Blessed are You, O Lord our God, King of the Universe, who
brings forth bread from the earth.
Blessed are You, O Lord our God, King of the Universe, who has
sanctified us by Your Word, and has commanded us concerning
the eating for matzah (MAHTZ-ah).
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ALL may now eat the matzah!
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Drinking the Second Cup
Leader: And finally, we come to the moment when we drink the
second cup, the Cup of Redemption which has stood witness as
we’ve recounted the story of God’s redemption. Please say with me
the blessing over the cup:
All: Blessed are You, O Lord our God, King of the Universe, who creates the fruit of the vine.
Display the Seder Plate
Leader: I will begin our meal by explaining the Seder plate.
This plate contains symbolic foods which refer to various
aspects of the Passover story. It is not only a story of physical deliverance from bondage, but it also reminds us of our
spiritual deliverance. Every section of the Passover story
combines to paint a portrait of our redemption.
Leader: Those who are free and at ease can relax, lean and recline,
while those under subjugation sit up and remain alert, ready at any
moment to respond to the unwanted knock at the door of the oppressor. So, let us lean into and relax in the freedom of Christ!
Leader lifts up the Seder plate for display.
Everyone drinks their second cup, leaning to the left, as a sign of
liberation.
Second Hand-Washing or Foot-Washing
Leader: We come to the time in the Seder when, in the Gospel of
John, we see Jesus bending to wash the feet of His disciples. This
was traditionally the point in the meal when hands were washed a
second time in preparation for eating the matzah and the bitter
herbs (Maror). (You may choose as a family/group to either do a second
washing of hands, or take time to fulfill John 13:14 & 15 (NLT) which says,
“And since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to
wash each other's feet. I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have
done to you.” Using a large basin of warm water and a towel, have as many
as are able and comfortable to kneel, gently wash, and then dry the feet of at
least one other participant, as is appropriate. Everyone should both wash and
receive a washing. Please only wash the feet of participants who feel comfortable. Do not force this issue. Wash the hands of those who are not comfortable with foot washing. There can be something spiritually profound in
taking on the “form of a servant” as Jesus did and washing the feet of another, as well as something potentially healing for those who are having their
feet washed.)
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There are three foods God tells us in the Torah (“toe-RAH”)
—the first five books of the Bible—that must be eaten on
this night in order to have a complete Seder. The three
foods necessary for Passover are Matzah (“MAHTZ-ah”—
unleavened bread), Maror, (“mah-ROAR”—bitter herbs), and
the Zeroah (“zeh-ROH-ah”—Passover Lamb, represented by
a lamb shank bone or sliced lamb on the Seder plate.)
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1. The Matzah is flat bread made with pure flour and water
and no yeast. The matzah reminds us that the Hebrews
left Egypt in a hurry and did not have time for their
bread to rise. Its stripes and piercings also are said to
represent the crucified body of Jesus Christ.
2. The Morar - (horseradish) represents the sting and bitterness of Egyptian bondage and the pain of Jesus’
death.
3. The Passover Lamb. Since the Passover lamb could
only be sacrificed while the Temple stood in Jerusalem, that
sacrifice is now remembered by placing a roasted shank
bone (Zeroah) or sliced lamb on the Seder plate. Jesus
Christ’s death on the cross became our once-and-for-all sacrifice for sin. There is now no more need to sacrifice innocent lambs. (Point to the slices of roasted lamb or to the
shank bone.) On the table, we have a plate with slices of
roasted lamb (or a roasted shank bone) representing Jesus
our Passover Lamb. (If using prepared slices of lamb, then
please say:) Each person will now take a piece and eat.
(Leader will give each person a small slice of lamb, if being
utilized.) The other foods on the Seder plate were added
over time, but are still ancient and were customary parts of
the Passover meal. These foods highlight other facets of the
Egyptian deliverance story. Let me explain them now.
The Karpas (parsley “CAR-pahs”), is dipped into salt water,
and represents the tears of slavery. The green also symbolizes the hope and new life we have in Jesus Christ.
The Charoset (“ha-ROH-set”) is a sweet mixture of chopped
apples, ground cinnamon, honey and grape juice. It represents the mortar the Israelites used to build the Egyptian
cities. It also represents the sweet
ofD SGod.
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Hallel: Praise
Leader: Because God has been so good to us, and He is our
supply and portion above all that we can ask or think, let us
take time to praise Him!
All: Therefore we thank, acclaim, praise, laud, exalt, extol, bless
and applaud You, Almighty God! You have taken us from
slavery to sin and death and through Jesus Christ brought
us into freedom; from suffering to joy; from mourning to celebration; from darkness to great light; and from subjugation to
redemption! Hallel-Yah!
Please read Psalm 113 responsively
Leader: O servants of the LORD, give praise!
Others: We do praise the name of the LORD!
Leader: Let the name of the LORD be blessed now and forever!
Others: From east to west the name of the LORD is praised
The LORD is exalted above all nations; His glory above all
the heavens!
Leader: Who is like the LORD our God, who is enthroned on
high, sees what is below, in heaven and on earth?
Others: He raises the poor from the dust, lifts up the needy
from the refuse heap and sets them with the great, with the
great men of His people!
Leader: He gives the woman without children a home and a
family, and she becomes like a mother rejoicing over children.
ALL: Hallel-Yah!
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L: If You had only given us a Messiah that came in human form,
and not given us Jesus that performed mighty signs and wonders that only the Messiah could do...
ALL: Dayenu (die-AY-new), it would have been enough!
L: If You had only given us Jesus that performed mighty signs
and wonders that only the Messiah could do and not given us a
Savior that was willing to die in our place and for our sins...
ALL: Dayenu (die-AY-new), it would have been enough!
L: If You had only given us a Savior that was willing to die in our
place and for our sins, and not raised Him from the dead, thus
proving his Messiah-ship...
ALL: Dayenu, it would have been enough!
L: If You had only raised Jesus from the dead, thus proving his
Messiah-ship, and not seated Him at Your right hand ever to
bear witness to His once-for-all sacrifice...
ALL: Dayenu, it would have been enough!
L: If You had only seated the Risen Christ at Your right hand to
ever bear witness to His once-for-all sacrifice and not given us
the Holy Spirit...
ALL: Dayenu, it would have been enough!
L: If You had only given us the Holy Spirit and not given us the
Church...
ALL: Dayenu, it would have been enough!
L: But thanks be to God, You have given us all of these things
and more! We bless and praise You, Lord Jesus Christ, Bread of
Heaven, who lives and reigns with You, Almighty Father and the
The Four Cups
Leader: Tonight, we will drink from four cups—two times
before dinner, and twice after dinner. These four cups represent God’s four acts of deliverance, as mentioned in Exodus
6:6-7. The four cups on the Seder table remind us of God’s
actions toward us. First, He has brought us out and set us
apart for His good work. Second, He has delivered us from
our affliction brought on by lives bent down by burdens and
stinking of death, and we need to take time to remember
and tell this story of deliverance. Third, with His mighty
power, He has redeemed us—bought us back—from the
slave master of sin and hopelessness. And fourth, He has
indeed taken us to Himself, bound up our brokenness,
healed us, and made us a people under His name! HallelYAH! We need to take the time to give the Lord praise for
His mighty acts. (Pause and ask your family/guests to spontaneously praise the Lord, or read Psalm 146 together.)
The First Cup: The Cup of Sanctification
Leader: (The leader fills the first cup with grape juice.) Please
pour the grape juice into your first cup, but do not drink it
at this time. When you have filled your cup, pass the juice
to the person on your left, until everyone has, in turn, filled
their first cups. Please remember to wait, and not drink
your first cup until I give the instruction. (Once everyone
has filled their cup, the leader will lift his cup and direct everyone seated at the table to say a sanctification blessing over the
juice in honor of the Passover.)
Holy Spirit, One God now and forever more! Amen!
ALL: Dayenu, it would have been
© enough!
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Leader: Let us all pray together:
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All: Blessed are You, O Lord our God, King of the Universe,
who creates the fruit of the vine.
Leader:(Leader replace the drops taken from the second cup
with new juice.) Now, let us refill our second cup of juice to the
brim, replacing the ten drops of juice with new juice. In doing
this, we celebrate God restoring our joy through the giving of
new wine, in Jesus Christ. Let’s take time now to praise our AllPowerful God who has saved us! (Pass the juice to the person
to the left. Everyone should replace their juice., but do NOT
drink. Now, pause and praise the Lord)
Leader: As we praise God for His marvelous acts, repeat after
Leader: This first cup is called the Cup of Sanctification, representing our being set apart for God’s good work and purposes. We honor our Lord for making us living stones that
God is building into His spiritual temple. We are His holy
me: Dayenu (die-AY-new), it would have been enough!
priests.
Leader (L): If You, O LORD, had only given us the books of the
law, and not shown us Your miraculous might in delivering the
Remember how God set apart His people in Egypt. Remember the words of Moses, "Therefore, say to the people of Israel: 'I am the LORD. I will free you from your oppression
and will rescue you from your slavery in Egypt. I will redeem
you with a powerful arm and great acts of judgment….’”
(Exodus 6:6 NLT)
I can’t help but to thank God for you, dear brothers and sisters, who are loved by the Lord! We are always thankful to
God for choosing us to be among the first to experience salvation—a salvation that came through the Holy Spirit who
makes us holy. He called us to salvation when we heard the
Good News; now we share in the glory of our Lord Jesus
Christ (II Thessalonians 2:13-14 NLT). Let us pray:
ALL: Dayenu (die-AY-new), it would have been enough!
People called Israel from oppression...
ALL: Dayenu (die-AY-new), it would have been enough!
L: If You had only shown us Your miraculous might by delivering the People called Israel from oppression, and not provided
the prophets to warn us about the stain of sin and the hope of
repentance...
ALL: Dayenu (die-AY-new), it would have been enough!
L: If You had only provided the prophets to warn us about the
stain of sin and the hope of repentance, and not given us John
the Baptist to clear the way for Messiah...
ALL: Dayenu (die-AY-new), it would have been enough!
L: If You had only provided John the Baptist to clear the way
for Messiah and not given us Jesus, a Messiah to whom we
could relate because he came in human form…
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ALL: Dayenu (die-AY-new), it©would
been
enough!
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Reader 2: From Romans Chapter 3, we hear these Holy Spiritinspired words from the Apostle Paul, “Our involvement with
God's revelation [the Law] doesn't put us right with God. What
it does is force us to face our sin the and the sin of all. [The Law
shows us how blind we truly are]. But in our time, something
new has been added. What Moses and the prophets witnessed
to all those years has happened.
Reader 3: The God-setting-things-right that we read about [in
the Old Testament] has become Jesus-setting-things-right for
us. And not only for us, but for everyone who believes in Him.
For there is no difference between us and them in this. Since
we've compiled this long and sorry record as sinners (both us
and them) and proved that we are utterly incapable of living the
All:
Blessed are You, O Lord our God, King of the Universe who has chosen us among all peoples, exalted us
above all tongues, and sanctified us with Your commandments. You gave us, O Lord our God, Sabbaths for rest, appointed times for joy, and the Passover, Feasts of Unleavened Bread and Firstfruits to remember the Exodus from
Egypt and our freedom from sin and death. You chose us
and called us through Your Son, Jesus Christ, and You have
given us a heritage by the power of the Holy Spirit. You
have brought us into a good land filled with milk and honey.
Blessed are You, O Lord who sanctifies! Amen!
glorious lives God wills for us, God did it for us.
Reader 4: Out of sheer generosity, He put us in right standing
with Himself. A pure gift. He got us out of the mess we're in and
restored us to where He always wanted us to be. And He did it
by means of Jesus Christ.
Reader 1:
God sacrificed Jesus on the altar of the world to
clear the world of sin.
Reader 2: Having faith in Him sets us in the clear!
Reader 3: God decided on this course of action in full view of
the public—to set the world in the clear with Himself through
the sacrifice of Jesus, finally taking care of the sins He had so
patiently endured. This is not only clear, but it's now—this is
current history!
Reader 4: God sets things right. He also makes it possible for
us to live in His rightness.”
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(The above re-telling has been adapted
Dr.
Eugene
tons’s The Message® translation of the Bible)
Leader: Before we drink the first cup, I want to ask everyone
to lean to the left as a traditional symbol of freedom. In
Christ, we are free indeed! Let us all drink! (Everyone drinks
the first cup of juice while leaning to the left as a symbol of
freedom.):
ALL drink the first cup.
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The First Washing of Hands
Leader: God commanded Aaron to wash his hands and feet
before approaching the altar of the Lord. We wash our
hands as a symbol of our desire to live a clean life of acceptable service to our Holy and Almighty God. After I wash my
hands, I will hold the bowl and towel for the person on my
left, so that they may wash, then they will hold the bowl and
towel for the person to their left. (The Leader dips his/her
fingers in the bowl, then dries them. Afterward, the Leader
passes the bowl and towel to the next person on his/her left.)
Reader 2: The Israelites moved on from Rameses to Succoth,
about 600,000 on foot, besides their dependents. There was
also an ethnically diverse crowd who followed along, not to
mention the large flocks and herds of livestock. They baked
[unleavened bread] with the bread dough they had brought
out of Egypt; it hadn't raised—they'd been rushed out of Egypt
and hadn't time to fix food for the journey.
Reader 3: The Israelites had lived in Egypt 430 years. At the
end of the 430 years, to the very day, God's entire army left
Egypt.
Reader 4: God kept watch all night, watching over the Israelites as He brought them out of Egypt. Because God kept
watch, all Israel for all generations will honor God by keeping
watch this night—a watchnight.
Eating the Karpas
Leader: Now, we dip the Karpas (parsley) in salt water TWO
TIMES and eat it. The salt water represents the tears shed as
a result of slavery in Egypt. Let us also remember the tears
Christ shed over His people and the new hope of our salvation through Christ’s suffering. Now let us say a blessing
Reader 1: God said to Moses and Aaron, "These are the rules
for the Passover: No foreigners are to eat it. Any slave, if he's
paid for and circumcised, can eat it. No casual visitor or hired
hand can eat it.
Reader 2: Remember, as believers in Jesus Christ we have
been “grafted into” the People called Israel. Because of Jesus,
we are no longer slaves to sin, but freed members of the
household of faith.
over the Karpas:
Reader 3: Eat it in one house—don't take the meat outside
the house. Don't break any of the bones. The whole commuAll: Blessed are You, O Lord our God, King of the Universe,
who has created the fruit of the earth.
nity of Israel is to be included in the meal.
Reader 4: All the Israelites did exactly as God commanded
Moses and Aaron. That very day, God brought the Israelites
out of the land of Egypt, tribe by tribe.
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Reader 1: Now, let’s hear from the New Covenant what God
says about how He is rescuing
humanity through Jesus, our
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Passover.
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Leader: And now, let us remember the 10 plagues which the
LORD used to open the fist of Pharaoh, so that he would let
the People of Israel go! As I call out the name of each plague,
please repeat the name after me. Let us dip our little finger in
the juice of the second cup, putting a drop of juice on a plate
after each plague is named. This action symbolizes the lessening of joy and life that was removed by the plagues. (Leader
calls out the name of each plague and the people repeat. Everyone should dip a finger into their second cup of juice and place
one drop of juice on their own dinner plate for each plague that
is named, for a total of 10 drops.)
Leader: Blood! (lessen your 2nd cup by one drop after naming
each plague. All repeat after Leader: Blood!, etc.) Frogs! … Lice!
… Flying Insects! ... Cattle Disease! ... Boils! … Hail! … Locusts! …
Darkness! … Slaying of the Firstborn! (Please remind everyone
NOT to drink from the cup at this time.)
Reader 4: The Egyptians couldn't wait to get rid of them; they
pushed them to hurry up, saying,
ALL (The Egyptians): "We're all as good as dead!"
Reader 4: The people grabbed their bread dough before it
had risen, bundled their bread bowls in their cloaks and threw
them over their shoulders.
Reader 1: The Israelites had already done what Moses had told
them; they had asked the Egyptians for silver and gold things
and clothing. God saw to it that the Egyptians liked the people
and so readily gave them what they asked for. Oh yes! They
picked those Egyptians clean!
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Leader: I will now dip the parsley in this bowl of salt water
two times and eat it. Then, I will pass the bowl around the
table. Everyone should then dip their parsley in it twice and
eat. (Leader removes a small sprig of parsley from the Seder
plate, dips it in the small bowl of salt water 2x, eats the parsley, and then passes the bowl and the Seder plate to the person on his/her left. The bowl and plate are passed until all
have dipped a sprig of parsley in the salt water and eaten it.)
Three Pieces of Matzah
Leader: (Hold up a piece of matzah.) This is the bread of affliction. It is made from the simplest of ingredients: flour
and water. It contains no yeast or leavening of any kind.
The matzah signifies several things. 1. The haste with which
the people of Israel departed from the land of Egypt. They
did not have time to wait for their bread to rise, once the call
to move had been issued. 2. The simple and pure nature of
this bread helps us to remember our past with humility, and
to live an uncomplicated and holy life. 3. In the Bible, leavening is a symbol of sin, and thus this bread is a call to live
without willful sin. 4. Finally, the matzah is a portrait of Jesus
Christ himself, the perfect One who knew no sin. He was
pierced and beaten for the transgressions of humanity. He is
the Bread of Life.
(Leader picks up the Matzah Taschen, see page 12)
The three pieces of matzah wrapped in this tri-fold napkin is
a way of visually representing the Tri-Unity of God: the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Jesus, the second person in this
Tri-Unity was broken, wrapped in cloth, buried and brought
forth again.
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Hiding the Afikomen
Leader:
I now break the middle piece of matzah to demonstrate how
Christ was broken for our sins. I will wrap the smaller piece
in the cloth napkin, just as Jesus was wrapped in linen for His
burial.
(The leader should take the middle piece of matzah and break
it into two pieces, one piece slightly larger than the other.
Wrap the smaller piece in a separate cloth napkin. This piece
will be hidden and will be served later as the Afikomen. Put
the larger piece of matzah back into the unity napkin between
the top and bottom pieces of whole matzah.)
We call this bread in the cloth napkin the Afikomen (Ah-feeKOH-min). Afikomen is a Greek word meaning “that which
comes after,” such as the dessert after a meal. I need all the
children in the room to close their eyes. I am going to hide
the Afikomen; this represents Jesus’ body that was hidden in
a tomb for three days and three nights. (Children close their
eyes while the Afikomen is hidden. Leader will hide the Afikomen so that it can be found by the children after dinner. If you
have several children participating, you may want to hide a
few extra pieces, so that each child has an opportunity to find
the Afikoman. Take some extra matzah from the box of matzah and break into two pieces. Wrap the smaller piece in a
napkin and hide it. The remaining larger pieces can be used as
extra in case you run out of matzah while eating the Maror or
Haroset.)
Moses: "Select a lamb for your families and slaughter the
Passover lamb. Take a bunch of hyssop and dip it in the bowl
of blood and smear it on the lintel and on the two doorposts.
No one is to leave the house until morning. God will pass
through to strike Egypt down. When He sees the blood on the
lintel and the two doorposts, God will pass over the doorway;
He won't let the destroyer enter your house to strike you down
with ruin. "Keep this word. It's the law for you and your children, forever. When you enter the land which God will give
you as He promised, keep doing this. And when your children
say to you, 'Why are we doing this?' tell them: 'It's the Passover
-sacrifice to God who passed over the homes of the Israelites
in Egypt when He hit Egypt with death but rescued us.'"
Reader 1: The people bowed and worshiped.
Reader 2: The Israelites then went and did what God had
commanded Moses and Aaron. They did it all. At midnight,
God struck every firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh, who sits on his throne, right down to the
firstborn of the prisoner locked up in jail, also the firstborn of
the animals.
Reader 3: Pharaoh got up that night, he and all his servants
and everyone else in Egypt—what wild wailing and lament in
Egypt! There wasn't a house in which someone wasn't
dead. Pharaoh called in Moses and Aaron that very night and
said,
Pharaoh: "Get out of here and be done with you—you and
your Israelites! Go worship God on your own terms. And yes,
take your sheep and cattle as you've insisted, but go. And bless
me!"
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Reader 1: The blood will serve as a sign on the houses where
you live. When I see the blood I will pass over you—no disaster
will touch you when I strike the land of Egypt. This will be a
memorial day for you; you will celebrate it as a festival to God
down through the generations, a fixed festival celebration to
be observed always.
Reader 2: You will eat [unleavened] bread (matzah) for seven
days: On the first day get rid of all yeast from your houses anyone who eats anything with yeast from the first day to the
seventh day will be cut off from Israel. The first and the seventh days are set aside as holy; do no work on those days. Only
do what is absolutely necessary for you to prepare your meals,
Leader: God’s Word tells us that we should eat this Passover
meal together and that it should arouse curiosity in our children. Exodus 12:25-27 says, “When you arrive in the land the
LORD has promised to give you, you will continue to celebrate this festival. Then your children will ask, 'What does all
this mean? What is this ceremony about?' And you will reply, 'It is the celebration of the LORD's Passover, for He
passed over the homes of the Israelites in Egypt. And
though He killed the Egyptians, He spared our families and
did not destroy us.’"
and nothing more.
Reader 3: Keep the Festival of [Unleavened] Bread! This marks
the exact day I brought you out in force from the land of
Egypt. Honor the day down through your generations, a fixed
festival to be observed always. In the first month, beginning
on the fourteenth day at evening until the twenty-first day at
evening, you are to eat [unleavened] bread. For those seven
days, not a trace of yeast is to be found in your houses. Anyone, whether a visitor or a native of the land, who eats anything raised shall be cut off from the community of Israel.
Don't eat anything raised. Only matzah."
Reader 4: Moses assembled all the elders of Israel. He said,
The Second Cup: The Cup of Instruction
Leader: (Leader fills the second cup with grape juice.) Please
pour the second cup, but do not drink it at this time.
Again, after you have filled your cup to the brim, pass the
juice to the person to your left. (Leader, pour the second cup
of juice into your cup and pass the bottle to the person seated
to your left. DO NOT DRINK THE SECOND CUP AT THIS TIME.)
(As participant cups are being filled, the Leader raises his/her
second cup and says:) This is the cup of instruction and deliv-
erance. It is poured before the story of the Passover is told.
It stands as a silent witness of God’s deliverance. (Leader
lowers cup and replaces it on the table.)
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The Passover Story
Remembering Israel's exodus from Egypt is key and it is the
pinnacle of tonight’s celebration. No Seder is complete without repeating this story.
The Four Questions
As we begin the re-telling of God’s drama of deliverance, it is
traditional to have child(ren) (or youngest person(s) present)
ask the following questions. Remember, Jesus says ,
“Whoever does not welcome the Kingdom of God like a little
child will never enter it." (Mark 10:15 CSB)
Child #1: Why is this night different from all other nights?
On all other nights, we may eat both leavened bread and
matzah; on this night, why do we eat only matzah
(unleavened bread)?
Child #2: On all other nights, we eat all kinds of vegetables
like carrots, broccoli or green beans; but tonight, why do we
eat bitter herbs?
Child #3: On all others nights, we do not usually dip our
vegetable, but why on this night, do we dip vegetables
twice? The first time we dip the parsley in salt water and the
second time we dip matzah in horseradish and Haroset (haROH-set).
Child #4: On all other nights, we may eat either sitting up
straight or leaning; why on this night, do we all eat and drink
leaning to the left?
Page 27
Leader: Now, let’s listen to the story of the Passover—the one
begun in the Book of Exodus and fulfilled in Jesus Christ, our
Passover.
Reader 1: This is the story of Israel’s release from bondage,
found in Exodus Chapter 12:
Now the LORD gave Moses and Aaron instructions on how to
celebrate and remember their deliverance, while still in Egypt,
Reader 2: “This month is to be the first month of the year for
you. Address the whole community of Israel; tell them that on
the tenth of this month each man is to take a lamb for his family, one lamb to a house. If the family is too small for a lamb,
then share it with a close neighbor, depending on the number
of persons involved. Be mindful of how much each person will
eat. Your lamb must be a healthy male, one year old; you can
select it from either the sheep or the goats. Keep it penned until the fourteenth day of this month and then slaughter it—the
entire community of Israel will do this—at dusk.”
Reader 3: “Then take some of the blood and smear it on the
two doorposts and the lintel of the houses in which you will eat
it. You are to eat the meat, roasted in the fire, that night, along
with bread, made without yeast, and bitter herbs. Don't eat any
of it raw or boiled in water; make sure it's roasted - the whole
animal, head, legs, and innards. Don't leave any of it until morning; if there are leftovers, burn them in the fire.
Reader 4: And here is how you are to eat it: Be fully dressed
with your sandals on and your stick in your hand. Eat in a hurry;
it's the Passover to God. The LORD said, “I will go through the
land of Egypt on this night and strike down every firstborn in
the land of Egypt, whether human or animal, and bring judgment on all the gods of Egypt. I©am
God.
2 0 11 W I N D S OR
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