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NIRTZA – 15 Steps of the Seder (Part 16)WORDS Unlike the previous 14 steps, this last and final step does not manifest itself in any prayer or action....
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HALLEL – 15 Steps of the Seder (Part 15)THE SECOND HALF OF PRAISE Although we have already recited half of the Hallel (the special Psalms of praise to...
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BEIRACH – 15 Steps of the Seder (Part 14)NO MORE FOOD! When we are ready to recite the Birkat Hamazon, as we do whenever we eat bread, the...
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SHULCHAN OREICH – 15 Steps of the Seder (Part 12)THE CHAGIGAH OFFERING A “set table” is a reference to the festival meal that we are obliged to eat every...
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TZAFUN – 15 Steps of the Seder (Part 13)GO NORTH?! Following the meal, we eat the Afikoman (the larger half of the middle Matzah that we broke and...
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KOREICH – 15 Steps of the Seder (Part 11)THE DIVINE SANDWICH The creation of a sandwich is attributed by some to an 18th century English aristocrat. As Jews,...
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MARROR – 15 Steps of the Seder (Part 10)WE’RE NOT OUT OF THE WOODS YET After we have internalized the dynamic and liberating force of G-dly awareness, it...
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MATZA – 15 Steps of the Seder (Part 9)THE MITZVAH OF MATZAH In the next step of the Seder, we recite a blessing that praises G-d for giving...
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MOTZIE – 15 Steps of the Seder (Part 8)INTERNALIZATION After washing our hands, we begin the process of internalizing the message of spiritual freedom by eating the Matzah....
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RACHTZA – 15 Steps of the Seder (Part 7)REACHING HIGHER Before we partake of the Matzah, we wash our hands a second time. If washing the first time...
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MAAGID – 15 Steps of the Seder (Part 6)EMPATHY The tone has been set. We know that we are holy. We know that we have the need to...
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YACHATZ- 15 Steps of the Seder (Part 5)SETTING THE TONE The fourth—yet still preliminary—step is the breaking of the middle Matzah. We break the Matzah at this...
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KARPAS -15 Steps of the Seder (Part 4)DOING SOMETHING DIFFERENT The third step, Karpas, consists of dipping a vegetable in salt water. (Customs vary as to which...
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U’RCHATZ – 15 Steps of the Seder (Part 3)Washing the Hands SIMPLE REASON After reciting the Kiddush, we wash our hands before dipping a vegetable in salt water,...
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KADESH -15 Steps of the Seder (Part 2)A SPECIAL KIDDUSH We open each Seder with recitation of the Kiddush, just as we do at the onset of...
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Introduction – 15 Steps of the Seder (Part 1)ORDER AND JEWISH EDUCATION The Seder, as its name suggests, is an orderly ritual; so orderly, in fact, that even...