The Fifteen Steps: The First Five
The word “Seder” means “order.” It suggests structure and internal meaning. The Pesach, or Passover, Seder follows a definite structure. Perhaps an aspect of this construction of the Seder was to...
The Four Sons
Who are the Four Sons? The Haggadah continues the Q & A format in the Section dealing with the “Four Sons.” Here we meet the four personality types which exist within...
The Four Expressions
In Shemot (6:6-7), there appear four expressions of Redemption: “Therefore, say to the Children of Israel, ‘I am Hashem and I shall take you out from under the burdens of Egypt;...
The Four Cups
In the Hebrew Calendar, Pesach follows close behind Purim, where Pesach occurs in the month of Nisan, which is immediately preceded by the month of Adar, which is the month of...
The Four Questions
The Baal HaHaggadah records four questions, which are to be asked by the youngest person present at the Seder capable of doing so, to the person who is conducting the Seder,...
The Number “Four”
One of the fascinating and suggestive features of the Haggadah is the prominence of the number “Four,” which appears in connection with the following elements of the Haggadah: The Four Cups...
The Haggadah
What is the Haggadah? The Haggadah is the text which is used for the Seder, and which has been used for at least a thousand years, though its elements are clearly...
Glossary of Common Passover Terms
1. Chametz: Fermented or leavened wheat, rye, oats, spelt and barley. When these grains come in contact with water, they leaven within 18 minutes. In the case of hot or salted...
Matzah: The Main Symbol
The main symbol of “Pesach,” or Passover, is the Matzah. It is actually a double symbol. It is called “lechem oni,” or in Aramaic, “lachma anya,” but this expression has been...
About Work Restrictions
All Jewish holidays and observances, with the exception of some fasts, begin on the evening previous to the first day. Except as noted, all require special additional prayers and services are...
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- Asarah B'Tevet
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