There are many Passover
haggadahs available, each of which has its own specific way of following the order of
the Passover meal. We offer this short Passover Haggadah as a template that you can use when you celebrate this appointed
time.
Bedikat Chametz
Prior to the Passover, it is customary that all leavened items be removed from one’s
home. These leavened items notably include things that have yeast in them. The lesson we learn from removing all chametz
from the house is that we are to search our hearts and remove the sin from our lives. In many homes, it is customary to take
the leaven outside and burn it.
The Seder Plate
The traditional seder plate holds the ceremonial items of Passover. These include the
bitter herbs, roasted egg, the charoset apple mix, parsley, and lamb shankbone. Each one has a symbolic importance
regarding the Passover story.
Lighting the Candles
The Passover seder begins with the lighting of the holiday candles by the mother or woman
of the house. She then recites the following blessing:
Baruch atah Adonai, Elohenu melech ha olum, asher keedshanu b’mitzvohtav l’heyot
or l’goyeem v’natan-lanu Yeshua M’sheekhaynu ha-or la-olum.
Blessed are You, Yahveh our Elohim, King of the Universe, who has sanctified us by
Your commandments and has commanded us to be a light unto the nations, and has given us Yashua, the Light of the World.
Blessed are You, Yahveh our Elohim, King of the Universe, who has kept us alive, sustained
us and brought us to this season. Amen.
The Cup of Sanctification
"I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptions."
Exodus 6:6
The first cup of wine drunk at Passover is the Cup of Sanctification. Before drinking
it, we all say the following blessing:
Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu melech ha olum, boray p’ree hagafen. Amen.
Blessed are You, Yahveh our Elohim, King of the Universe, who creates
the fruit of the vine.
All then drink the Cup of Sanctification.
Urchatz
Now all assembled take a basin of water and wash their hands. This is a symbolic act as we remember
the holy nature of this appointed time.
Karpas
We now dip the parsley in salt water, being reminded how Israel is as a green plant, but was
birthed out of tears. We dip the parsley in the salt water twice because it reminds us that we must be born again. As we eat
the karpas, we recite the following blessing:
Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu melech ha olum, boray p’ree ha’adamah.
Blessed are You, Yahveh our Elohim, King of the Universe, who creates the fruit of the Earth.
Yachatz
Three pieces of matzah or unleavened bread are taken. The middle of the three pieces is
broken in two. The best part of the two broken pieces, called the afikomen, is taken and wrapped in a linen cloth.
It is taken to a place to be buried, covered with a pillow called the stone. Near the end of our meal, we will call for the
afikomen to come forth.
The Cup of Instruction
"I will rid you out of their bondage." Exodus 6:6
The Cup of Instruction is the second cup of Passover. Prior to drinking this cup, it is customary
for us to recall the story of the Passover from the Book of Exodus. At this time, the small children ask the Four Questions:
1. On all other nights we eat bread or matzah. On this night why do we only eat matzah?
2. On all other nights we eat all kinds of vegetables. On this night why do we eat only bitter
herbs?
3. On all other nights we do not dip our vegetables even once. On this night why do we dip them
twice?
4. On all other nights we eat our meals sitting or reclining. On this night why do we eat only
reclining?
We then go through and remember the Ten Plagues that befell the Egyptians: blood, frogs, gnats,
flies, murrain, boils, hail, locusts, darkness, death of the firstborn.
After this, we go through the various elements on the Passover plate and what they represent.
We then recite the blessing over the Cup of Instruction and drink it.
Motzee Matzah
After drinking the Cup of Instruction, we now take a small piece of matzah and eat it.
Before eating it we recite the following blessing:
Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu melech ha olum, hamotzee lechem meen ha aretz.
Amen.
Blessed are You, Yahveh our Elohim, King of the Universe, who brings forth bread from
the Earth.
Following this, we now take a piece of matzah and eat it with the bitter herbs. Before
eating the bitter herbs, we recite the following blessing:
Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu melech ha olum, asher kidshanu b’mitzvotuv
v’tzivanu al achilat maror. Amen.
Blessed are You, Yahveh our Elohim, King of the Universe, who has sanctified
us by Your commandments and has commanded us to eat bitter herbs. Amen.
It is now customary to eat what has become known as the "Hillel sandwhich," where we take two
pieces of matzah, adding bitter herbs and charoset. Eating this reminds us of the bitterness of slavery with
the sweetness of the Lord.
DINNER IS SERVED
Tzafun
After our dinner, we commemorate Yashua as the Firstfruit by calling the afikomen forth.
The children go to where the afikomen was placed, covered with the pillow/stone. When the children go to the afikomen,
they discover that it is missing. The children are sent to find the afikomen and a ransom is paid for it.
We remember first that it was during the seder that Yashua took the afikomen and
said "This is My body, broken (executed) for you."
Finding the afikomen, we then say the traditional blessing over the bread and eat it,
remembering Yashua’s death, burial, and resurrection.
The Cup of Redemption
"I will redeem you with a stretched out arm and with great judgments."
Exodus 6:6
The Cup of Redemption is the third cup of the Passover seder. This is the cup that
Yashua took and said that "This cup is the new covenant in My blood shed for you." After reciting the traditional blessing
over the cup, we drink it.
Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu melech ha olum, boray p’ree hagafen. Amen.
Blessed are You, Yahveh our Elohim, King of the Universe, who creates
the fruit of the vine.
The Cup of Elijah
"I will take you to Me for a people." Exodus 6:7
A special cup that was added over the centuries has been the Cup of Elijah. The coming
of Elijah signals the coming of Messiah. This cup is filled to the brim so that it will be irresistible for Elijah to come
to our table.
The Cup of Praise
"I will bring you in unto the Land, and I will give it to you for an heritage."
Exodus 6:8
The fourth cup of the seder is the Cup of Praise. Yashua said of this cup that
He would not drink of it until He was in the Kingdom. As we drink it, we look forward to His coming Kingdom. We recite the
customary blessing over the cup as we drink it.
Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu melech ha olum, boray p’ree hagafen. Amen.
Blessed are You, Yahveh our Elohim, King of the Universe, who creates
the fruit of the vine.
Next Year in Jerusalem
As the seder is complete, we remember the Passover Lamb, Messiah Yashua, and His work
for us. We look forward to the day when we can keep the Passover fully in Jerusalem.
Le’shanah haba’ah b’Yerushalaim!
Next year in Jerusalem!
