YourPassoverGuide

“In every generation a person is obligated to regard himself as if he had come out of Egypt.”—Passover Haggadah

IntroductionPassover: the Festival of Freedom.

The holiday commemorating our

ancient ancestors' supernatural

escape from the Egyptian Empire.

But Passover is more than a

Biblical legend or historical anec-

dote-it's a celebration brimming

with personal meaning, spiritual

symbolism and rich, enduring

moral lessons. Read on, and

discover a new and relevant side

of Passover.

Text and images provided courtesy of the Farbrengen magazine

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PassoverAny and all leaveneditems that is, foods orproducts containingwheat, barley, oats, rye,spelt or their derivatives—are chametz: Passover-prohib-ited. So a few weeks beforePassover, begin cleaning your entirehome and business–every room, nook and cranny where foodmay have been brought. Search for any chametz productsand isolate them in a designated "chametz closet." Empty yourclothes pockets, throw out vacuum cleaner bags and sweepevery floor totally crumb free. Check ingredients in every-thing–even pet food is potential chametz. You'll be using aseparate set of dishes for Passover, so put your year-rounddishes in that chametz closet. And stock up on kosher-for-Passover items! For good leads on what's Passover-kosher, callChabad or check out www.ok.org.

Search for ChametzConduct the formal search of your house for chametz onthe night before Passover, after nightfall*. We traditionallyuse a candle, wooden spoon and feather: with all lights out,the candle lights the way; any chametz found is swept bythe feather onto the wooden spoon and dumped into apaper bag. Begin searching with this blessing:

Boruch Atoh Ado-noi Elo-hei-nu Melech Ha-olam Asher Ki-de-sha-nu Be-mitz-vo-sov Vi-tzi-vanu Al Bi-ur Chametz.

After searching, put the bag-containing the feather andspoon-in a place you won't overlook, and recite this dis-claimer:

All leaven or anything leavened which is in my possession,which I have neither seen nor removed, and about which I am unaware, shall be considered naught and ownerless as the dust of the earth.

Burning of the ChametzThe morning* after your chametzsearch, retrieve the bag, take it out-side, put it on your grill and light up.However you destroy your chametz,recite this annulment as you do:

All leaven or anything leavened whichis in my possession, whether I haveseen it or not, whether I have observedit or not, whether I have removed it ornot, shall be considered naught andownerless as the dust of the earth

Fast of the FirstbornWhen G-d slew the firstbornof Egypt, He spared the first-born sons of Israel. Out ofgratitude all firstborn sonsfast on this day. To avoid fast-ing, simply participate in asiyum, the formal completionof a Talmudic tractate, themorning of the fast—theintellectual achievement andensuing celebration are causeenough to void the fast.

*See precise dates/times on enclosed calendar

The Seder ToolsThe Seder table contains aneclectic mix of items eachalluding to myriads of mys-tical meanings. The Seder'srevelations unfold in thesame order as the eventswhich led to redemption. Infact, the very word Sedermeans order.

The Three MatzotThe bread of Faith. Our ancestorsdisplayed the deepest levels of faithwhen they followed G-d into thedesert with such haste that therewasn't even time for the bread theyhad baked to rise. The three Matzotrepresent the entire Jewish people-Cohen, Levi and Israel. In keepingwith Passover's leaven prohibition,use Shmurah (isolated) Matzah.Shmurah Matzah flour is carefullyisolated from any contact with waterfrom harvest through grinding andkneading at controlled facilities,making it kosher for Passover.

The Seder PlateZEROAH (Shankbone) The Pascal Lamb isrepresented by the Zeroah. Mystical traditionreplaces the shankbone with a chicken neckthat is not eaten, as a reminder that althoughwe approach freedom during the Seder,our ultimate freedom is soon to comewith the final redemption.

BETZAH (Egg) The egg symbolizesthe Festival Offering made onPassover in the ancient HolyTemple.

MAROR (Bitter Herbs/Horseradish)The bitterness of Egypt is broughtto the table with Maror.

KARPAS (Vegetable) Egypt crushedour ancestors' spirits with endless, sense-less, back-breaking drudgery. A raw veg-etable, usually an onion, parsley or potato, isdipped in saltwater and eaten so we maytaste their anguish-and in it realize the poten-tial to rise above our own.

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CHAROSET (fruit nutpaste) As slaves we usedmortar - symbolized byCharoset - to make bricksthat formed structureswhich were erected only

to be destroyed.

CHAZERET(Romaine

Lettuce) Theinitial stagesof exile werepleasant, yetsoon the

injustices ofslavery became

overwhelming.So too is the first

taste of Chazeret mild,but soon its bitter rootbecomes dominant.

The Four Cups of

Wine. The cups represent

the four progressive stages towards freedom.

First Cup—Physical removal from the Land ofEgypt ("I will release you");

Second Cup—Liberation from intellectual andspiritual slavery ("I will save you");

Third Cup—Creation of a people foreverimmune to permanent slavery ("I will liberateyou");

Fourth Cup—G-d's acceptance as His chosenpeople and the granting of the Torah at Sinai.("I will take you onto me as a nation").

A Fifth special Cup of wine, the Cup of Elijah, isfilled after the Seder's Grace (Step 13). Thesoul of the spiritually immortal Elijah theProphet visits every Jewish home on Sedernight, and this one's symbolically for him.

The Four SonsFour sons, four perceptions, forever foundin us. The Wise Son, brilliant, yet still askingthe same questions each year. The WickedSon's cynicism is driven by his need to fitthings into his down-to-earth world.Knowing the price for everything, he valuesnothing. Out there in a world of silentamazement, the Simple Son is a transpar-ent channel for the Infinite. If only he couldtell us about it. The Son Who Doesn't KnowHow to Question probably thinks he is thewise son. When you know it all, there'snothing left to ask. And in modern times,the most important son has appeared: theFifth Son. While the classic Four are at theSeder table each year, the Fifth Son has yetto experience the freedom of Passover.

A toast to freedomFill your cup with wine (orgrape juice). That's the first offour cups you'll enjoy attonight's Seder. Make sure itholds at least 3-1/2 ounces.Everyone stands and recitesKiddush together. Now getready for some serious relax-ing- remember to recline toyour left side while you drink.

Washing handsFill a cup with water. Poursome water over your righthand three times, then overyour left hand three times.

(When we wash our handsagain before eating matzah,we'll recite a blessing. Butnot now.)

The appetizerWe now dip a vegetable(potato, onion or parsley)into saltwater. Say the bless-ing for eating vegetables,and munch good; you're notgoing to eat for a while. Thesaltwater represents thetears of our people, begin-ning with our slavery inEgypt. We taste harshnessagain in order to give us thehumility necessary for free-dom.

Breaking the matzahTake the middle matzah fromyour Seder Plate and break itinto two. Put the smaller pieceback between the two com-plete matzahs. This piece is the"poor man's bread" over whichwe will recount the story ofour Exodus. The larger piecebecomes the Afikoman (seestep 12); put it in a bag and setaside until the Seder's end

Your 15-Step “SoulfulSeder” CompanionThe first step of the Seder is to forget the noise andstresses of the world and leave it all behind. Tonight weenter a timeless space, where we experience the Exodustogether with Moses and all our ancestors.

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Washing hands We now prepare ourselves to eat matzah byagain washing our hands. Pour some waterover your right hand three times, then overyour left hand three times. Say the appropri-ate blessing and dry your hands.

Thanking G-d for breadRaise the three matzahs together-the topone, the broken middle one and the bot-tom one-and say the blessing

". . . Who brings forth bread out of theearth." Then return the bottom matzahto the Seder Plate.

Bitter herbs Maror is the bittertaste of our slaveryin Egypt. Dip bitterherbs (horseradish,romaine lettuce orboth) in charoset,which recalls themortar of ourenslavement, andthen shake off thecharoset. Say theblessing: ". . . Whocommanded usconcerning eatingbitter herbs." thistime we don'trecline

RetellingThe Seder Plate is moved aside andthe second cup of wine is filled. Thestory of our Exodus is now retold.Children ask the Four Questions,found in the Haggadah. No children atyour Seder? Have an adult ask. Alone?You be the child and G-d, the Father.

The Exodus from Egypt was muchmore than just an historical event.Rather it is a dynamic process thatoccurs daily as we emancipate our-selves from our own limitations andstrive to grasp the divine. To retellthe story is to express our essentialself; to come face to face with whowe really are.

At the end of this reading, say theblessing over the second cup.

Bless thematzah Recite the blessing onthe top and (broken)middle matzah: ". . .Who commanded usconcerning eatingmatzah."

Break off a piece fromeach of these twomatzahs for yourselfand for each of thosesitting at your table.Everyone eats at leasttwo ounces (about twothirds of a matzah).Lean to the left whileyou munch.

5 6 8 9

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maggid rachtzah

motzie

matzah maror

SandwichTake two pieces of matzah, totaling at least an ounce (using the bottommatzah). Take an ounce of maror, dip it in charoset, then shake off thecharoset. Place the maror between the matzah pieces and say: "So didHillel in the time of the Holy Temple . . ." Lean to the left while eating.

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Festive meal It is the custom of some to begin the meal with eating the eggon the Seder Plate, dipped in saltwater. The egg symbolizes thecycle of life and is also a sign of mourning. At every festive occa-sion, we mourn the destruction of Jerusalem. Now you can eat.

11shulchan orech

Out of hidingAt the conclusion of the Passover meal, theAfikoman (which had been set aside) isreturned. Everyone eats two-thirds of amatzah, after which nothing else is con-sumed tonight, except for the two remain-ing cups of wine.

Praise"Songs of Praise" are now offered.Sing them to your heart's con-tent. At the end, say a blessingand drink the fourth and final cupwhile leaning to the left.

Grace after mealThe third cup is now filled. We say the grace afterthe meal and then the appropriate blessing forwine, drink this cup while leaning to your left.Now fill a special cup of wine, the Cup of Elijah,and set it in the middle of the table. Open thefront door of your home to welcome Elijah andrecite the prayer, "Pour out Your wrath . . ."

12tzafun 13 14bairach hallel

AcceptanceThe steps of the Seder have been integrated into our conscious-ness and accepted. Now we pause, take a deep breath, andreflect on our experience: We examined our personal challengesthrough the slavery of our ancestors, and we achieved a personalfreedom by reliving the Exodus. We completed our part in goodfaith; the rest is up to you-know-Who.

The last song of the Seder echoes our hope and that of ourancestors that G-d heals our broken world, and that His promisefor a world of peace and wisdom become a reality. "Nation shallnot lift up sword against nation, nor study war anymore," and theentire world will dwell "in a city built where all are united as one."

Next Year In Jerusalem!!Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi did not include the passage "The order of Pesach is concluded" in his Haggadah, for indeed,the Seder never concludes. Its message endures throughout theyear. A Jew leaves Egypt every day by transcending his limita-tions, reaching ever-higher levels of holiness.

15nirtzahGet Counted!On the second night we begin tocount the Omer, which lasts for 49days. In the Holy Temple the Omerwas a barley offering taken from thefirst grain of the new crop. We countseven weeks, from the bringing of thefirst Omer offering (Passover) until theday we received the Torah (theFestival of Shavuot). These 49 daysrepresent the 49 steps of mysticalself-purification and preparation ourpeople achieved between leavingEgypt (Passover) and receiving theTorah (Shavuot).

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Four Intermediates OnlyBetween the first two and last two days of

Passover, go ahead and function relatively nor-mally. However you shouldn't work too hard.

Keep the wine flowing; it's a custom to drink aglass of wine every day of Passover. And don't

forget the matzah! It's what Passover is all about.

The FinalsThe final day ofPassover, emphasizesan even higher levelof freedom and isdedicated to ourimminent and FinalRedemption.

And On The Seventh DayWe stay up all night studying Torah to commem-orate the Miracle of the Splitting of the Sea andour total liberation from Egypt P:2 (The Sequel)

The "Second Passover," isobserved simply by eating a pieceof matzah. When the Jews fledEgypt, some of them were unableto participate in the Paschal offer-ing because they were rituallyimpure. They prayed to G-d for asecond chance. G-d agreed, allow-ing them to enjoy a "SecondPassover."

Last But Not Least Yizkor memorial prayers are recit-ed during services. Following thecustom of the Ba'al Shem Tov,Passover concludes with a "Feastof Moshiach"-a festive meal com-plete with Matza and four cupsof wine. It begins before sunsetand is designed to greetMoshiach. Nightfall marks theofficial conclusion of Passover.

Sunday, April 4 Formal search for Chametz After nightfall

Monday, April 5 Stop eating Chometz Before 10:30 amBurn Chametz Before 11:30 amLight Passover candles Say Blessings 1 & 2 At 6:30 pm

Tuesday, April 6* Light Passover candles* Say Blessings1 & 2 After 7:30pm

Friday, April 9** Light Shabbat candles Say Blessing 3 At 6:35 pm

Shabbat, April 10 Shabbat ends At 7:30 pm

Sunday, April 11 Light Passover candles Say Blessing 1 At 6:40 pm

Monday, April 12* Light Passover candles* Say Blessing 1 After 7:40 pm

Tuesday, April 13 Yizkor At 10:30 am Passover ends At 7:40 pm

Wednesday, May 5 P2 – Pesach Sheni

* Light only from a pre-existing flame. ** Do not light after time indicated.

Dates &

Times

Delegation Of Power For Sale Of ChametzSince it is even prohibited to "own" Chametz during Passover, it is customary tosecure your "Chametz" in a designated space and sell its contents to a non-Jew.Fill-out this "Mechirat Chometz" form and simply fax it to (123) 456-7890 (allforms must be received by April 4, 2004 5:00 p.m.).

BlessingsBoruch Atoh Ado-noi Elo-hei-nu Melech Ha-olam Asher Ki-de-sha-nu Be-mitz-vo-sov Vi-tzi-vanu Le-had-lik Ner Shel Yom Tov.

Boruch Atoh Ado-noi Elo-hei-nu Melech Ha-olam She-heh-che-yoh-nu Vi-kiye-mo-nu Ve-he-ge-ah-nu Liz-man Ha-zeh.

Boruch Atoh Ado-noi Elo-hei-nu Melech Ha-olam Asher Ki-de-sha-nu Be-mitz-vo-sov Vi-tzi-vanu Le-had-lik Ner Shel Shabbat Kodesh.

I,__________________________________ fully empower

and permit Rabbi _______________________________ toact onmy behalf to sell all Chometz/mixtures of Chometz owned by me, asdefined by the Torah and Rabbinic Law, particularly at the address/es listedbelow, and elsewhere.This power is in conformity with all Torah, Rabbinicand Civil laws.

Residence Address Apt.

City/State/Zip

Business Address Suite

City/State/Zip

Signature Date

NON PROFIT ORG.U.S. POSTAGE

PAIDThousand Oaks, CAPermit No. 988

MACHON MENACHEM

Chabad of the Valley18181 Burbank BoulevardTarzana, California 91356

Join Chabad of Sanfransisico for an enchanting

Passover SederEnjoy an in-depth Hebrew/English Passover experience, with

plenty of translation and an abundance of commentary.

Second Seder Night:Tuesday April 6th at 7:30 pmExplore the Kabalistic insight on the numberfour: Four cups of wine, four suns, four ques-tions and four types of freedom

First Seder Night:Monday April 5th at 7:30 pm

Explore the Kabalistic insight on the numberfour: Four cups of wine, four suns, four ques-

tions and four types of freedom

Suggested donation: Adults $36 - Child $10For more information and reservation please call Chabad at: 987-654-3210

E-mail: Chabad@chabad.com Please RSVP by April 1st