Passover Messianic Haggadah
Haggadah means “the telling.”
Jeremiah 31:30 But every one shall die for his own iniquity: every man that eateth the sour grape, his teeth shall be set on edge. 31 Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: 32 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD: 33 But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. 34 And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.
Blessings recited over Festival candles: (If the feast falls on Sabbath add bracketed words.)
Barukh atah Adonai Eloheynu melekh ha’olam Asher kid’sanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu L’hadlik ner shel (Shabbat v’shel) yom tov.
Blessed are You, O Lord our God. Ruler of the universe who has sanctified us by Your commandments, and has instructed us to kindle the lights for (Sabbath and) the festival.
In the Messianic Jewish community, the following candle blessing is recited after the traditional one, and prior to the festival candle blessing:
Barukh atah Adonai Eloheynu melekh ha’olam Asher kid’shanu bid’varo, v’natan lanu et Y’shua Meshikheyny, v’tzivanu l’hiyot or la olam.
Blessed are You, O Lord our God, Ruler of the universe, who has sanctified us by Your Word, and has given us Y’shua our Messiah, and commanded us to be a light to the world.
Traditional festival candle blessing: (This is said at every Feast, in recognition that He keeps us! )
Barukh atah Adonai Eloheynu melekh ha’olam, shehekheyannu, v’kiy’manu, vehigiyanu laz’man hazeh.
Blessed are You, O Lord our God, Ruler of the universe, who has granted us life and sustenance, and has permitted us to reach this season.
The Four Cups of Wine
Leader says: We fill the first of four cups of wine during the Seder. One explanation offered for this practice is that the four cups are reminders of the four verbs used in the Torah to describe the drama of Redemption found in Sh’mot. (Exodus 6:6-7):
(1)“I will BRING you out from Egypt”….Cup of Sanctification
(2) “I will DELIVER you from slavery”………………….Cup of Recitation of the Plagues
3) “I will REDEEM you with an outstretched arm”……………….Cup of Redemption
(4) “I will TAKE you to Me for a people”………….Cup of Praise and Intimacy
At Passover, we celebrate these promises of redemption and relationship by drinking from our cups four times. With each cup, let us remember the union that YaHoVaH desires to have with us.
The Cup of Sanctification Kadesh…
Leader says: Let us lift our first cup, and bless the name of the Lord together!
Barukh atah Adonai Eloheynu melekh ha’olam borey pri hagafen.
Blessed are You, O Lord our God, Ruler of the universe who creates the fruit of the vine. Let us drink the first cup of wine the Cup of Sanctification while leaning to the left.
Urkhatz We Wash our Hands
Leader says while raising the water basin: At our Seder we reenact a cleansing ceremony from when the Temple was standing and perform the ceremonial washing prior to eating the vegetable dipped in salt water. We wash our hands, but do not say the blessing. (as a reminder of the Temple). (A cup of water is taken in the left hand, and half of it is poured twice over the right hand. Then the other half is poured over the left hand. Only the Leader does this. All go to wash hands in sink. ) (In Y’shua’s Last Supper let us consider the lesson of humility and need for purity that Y’shua conveyed to his Talmidim (disciples) on that important night. John 13:5 After that he poureth water into a basin, and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded. 6 Then cometh he to Simon Peter: and Peter saith unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet? 7 Y’shua answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter. 8 Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Y’shua answered him, If I wash thee not; thou hast no part with me. 9 Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head. 10 Y’shua saith to him, He that is washed needed not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all. 11 For he knew who should betray him; therefore said he, Ye are not all clean.12 So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you? 13 Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. 14 If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet.
Judas had already taken the silver pieces of betrayal from the Pharisees. Now he is profane and cannot be cleaned, he chose evil and has no repentance in his heart. That is harboring leaven, so Messiah tells him to go and do what is in his heart.)
Karpas Parsley
Leader says while raising the parsley: Passover is celebrated in the springtime, as the earth becomes green and is blossoming with new life. This vegetable, called karpas, represents new beginnings in the cycle of resurrected life, created and sustained by the Eternal One. (The salt water is raised). But for the children of Israel, life in Egypt was filled with despair. This salt water represents the pain, anguish, and tears suffered by our people. Let us take the parsley and dip it into the salt water, remembering that life is often immersed in tears.
Barukh atah Adonai Eolheynu melekh ha’olam borey pri ha’adamah.
Blessed are You, O Lord our God Ruler of the universe, who creates the fruit of the Earth.
Now let us all eat the Karpas together.
Yakhatz Breaking the Middle Matzah
(Leader takes the middle Matzah and breaks it in two, leaving one half between the two whole ones, and wrapping the other half in a linen cloth as the “Afikomen.” )
Leader says: What do these three matzot represent, and why is the middle piece broken, wrapped and put away until later? (Afikomen is the only Greek word in the Seder and it means: I HAVE COME) Leader explains the Mysteries of the Matzah Trio which to us as believers begins with the understanding that the The Afikomen is the Passover Lamb and the trio is the Triune Godhead; Abba (Father), Afikomen (Son), Ruach Ha Kodesh (Holy Spirit)
Leader then says: We will elaborate more on this mystery when the Afikomen comes back into the picture at the end of our Seder which is after our festive Pesach Meal.
(The Leader wraps the Afikomen, and sets it aside for later. Traditionally, right after the meal, the children search for the Afikomen.)
Magid The Passover Story
(Uncover the Matzah and lift up the plate for all to see) The recitation of the Haggadah begins with the following words: Ha lakh’ma anya. This is the bread of affliction which our ancestors ate in the land of Egypt. All who are hungry let them come and eat. All who are needy let them come and celebrate the Passover with us. Now we are here: next year may we be in the Land of Y’srael. Now we are slaves; next year may we be free men. (The plate is put down, and the matzah is covered.)
The Four Questions Ma Nishtanah
“When your children ask you, “What does this ceremony mean to you?” then tell them. Exodus 12:27 (KJV)
27 That ye shall say, It is the sacrifice of the LORD‘S passover, who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt, when he smote the Egyptians, and delivered our houses. And the people bowed the head and worshipped.
Why is this night different from all other nights?
(1) On all other nights we eat either leavened bread or unleavened matzah. On this night why do we eat only 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? Leader says: It is our responsibility, privilege and duty to answer these questions at Pesach, and to retell the story of God’s redemptive faithfulness and of His mighty acts. All of these questions, and more, will be answered as we proceed through the order of our Seder: Why do we recline? On all other nights we eat either sitting or reclining, but this night we eat reclining. The first Passover was celebrated by our people when they were still slaves. Back then, they ate the Passover in haste, while anticipating their imminent departure from the bondage of Egyptian slavery. Now, as free people, we can recline at our Seder. Once we were slaves, but now we are free!
(At Messiah’s last meal with His disciples they also reclined during their supper, according to common custom. BUT, Y’SHUA IS THE PASSOVER LAMB so it was not the Passover meal that he had with them. It was the beginning of the Day of the Preparation of the Passover. )
The Answer ‘We begin with the shame and conclude with the praise’ Talmud-Pesachim 116a Avadim hayinu—We were slaves of Pharaoh in Egypt, and the Eternal our God brought us out with a strong hand and an outstretched arm. And if the Most Holy, blessed be He, had not brought our ancestors out from Egypt, then even we, our children and our children’s children might still have been in bondage to the Pharaoh in Egypt. Therefore, even if we were all wise and filled with understanding, or all of us were scholars, well versed in the Torah, it would still be our responsibility to tell the story of the departure from Egypt. And all who elaborate upon the story of the departure from Egypt are accounted as worthy of praise. It is said that Rabbi Akiba sat all night discussing this story with four other Rabbis. Concerning the passage; “Remember the day of your going out from Egypt all the days of your life, “ they concluded, the days of your life refers to this world only, but ALL the days of your life includes the time of the Messiah.
All those present, take turns reading a paragraph:
The Wise Child asks: “What is the meaning of the testimonies, statutes, and judgments which the Eternal our God has commanded us?” You shall instruct him in all the laws of Passover, even to the very last detail concerning the Afikomen.
The Wicked Child asks: “What does this service mean to you?” Saying you, he excludes himself, and has withdrawn from the community. You should say to him, “Because of what the Eternal did for me when I came forth from Egypt: I do this…” For me and not for the wicked child; for had he been there, he would not have been redeemed.
The Simple Child asks: “What is this?” To him you shall reply, “With a strong hand the Eternal brought us forth from Egypt, out of the house of bondage.” As for the Child who does not even know how to ask a question, you must begin for him as it is written, “You shall tell your child on that day, ‘this is done because of what the Eternal did for me when I came forth from Egypt.’ ”
Long ago, our ancestors worshipped idols. Now the Eternal is our God and He alone do we worship. This is even as the Scripture confirms, “And Joshua said to all the people, ‘Thus says the Eternal, the God of Israel, your forefathers lived beyond the river; that is, Terah, the father of Abraham and Nahor, and they served other gods. Then I took your father Abraham from beyond the river, and I led him throughout the whole land of Canaan. I increased his family by giving him a son, Isaac; and I gave Isaac two sons, Jacob and Esau. To Esau I gave Mount Seir as a possession, but Jacob and his children went down to Egypt.’ “
Blessed be God, who keeps His promise to Israel. Blessed be the Almighty who foretold the end of the bondage to Abraham at the Covenant between the Pieces (of Sacrifice). For God said to Abraham, “Know that your children will be strangers in a land that is not their own. They will be enslaved there, and oppressed four hundred years. However, the nation whom they shall serve, I will judge. Afterward, they will go forth with great abundance and wealth.”
All raise the cup of wine as an offering, and cover the matzah, as the Leader says the following:
This promise made to our forefathers stands true also for us. For more than once have they risen against us to destroy us. In every generation some have risen to seek our annihilation, but the Holy One, blessed be He, always delivers us out of their hands. Put down the cup, and uncover the matzah. Each person takes turns reading the following paragraphs:
Come and learn what Laban the Syrian tried to do to our father Jacob. While Pharaoh’s decree was only against the males, Laban desired to uproot all. For so it is written, A Syrian sought to destroy my father: and he went down to Egypt and dwelled there, small and few in number. From there he became a nation, great, mighty and numerous.”
“He went down to Egypt “ –Why did he go down to Egypt? He was compelled by God’s word. “And he dwelled there” — this means that our father Jacob did not go down to Egypt intending to settle there, but only to stay for a short time; for so it is written, “And they said to Pharaoh, we have come to dwell in the land because there is no pasture for our flocks due to very severe famine in the land of Canaan. Now please let your servants dwell in the land of Goshen.”
“Few in number” –as it is written, “Your ancestors went down into Egypt with seventy persons. Now the Eternal your God has made you as numerous as the stars in heaven.” “And there he became a nation” — from this we learn that Israel was established to be a distinct nation in Egypt. “Great and mighty” — as it is said, “And the children of Israel were fruitful and increased in abundance, multiplied, and became very strong—“and the land was filled with them.” “And numerous” as it is said, “I have increased you as the growth of the field, and you have grown to become numerous and adorned in great beauty. You are fully matured, yet you remained naked and bare.”
“The Egyptians evilly mistreated us” — they made us suffer by setting burdens of hard labor upon us. “And the Egyptians did evil unto us” — as the Scripture says, “Come, let us deal craftily with them, lest they multiply even more; And in the event of war they might join themselves with our enemies, fight against us, and depart out of the land altogether.” “And they made us suffer” – as it is written, “the Egyptians set taskmasters over them in order to oppress them with heavy forced labor; and they built Pithom and Raamses as stone storage cities for Pharaoh. And they weighed us down with bitter, hard labor” as the Scripture states, “And Egypt made the children of Israel to labor relentlessly.”
“So we cried unto the Eternal, the God of our fathers, and the Eternal heard our voice, saw the sorrow of our affliction, and the deep burden of our oppression.”
“And we cried unto the Eternal, the God of our fathers” –as it is written, “And it came to pass after many days, that the King of Egypt died, and the children of Israel moaned because of their bondage, and cried out; And their anguished cry went up before God.”
“And the Eternal heard our voice” — as it is written, “And God heard their groaning, and God remembered His covenant with Abraham, with Isaac and with Jacob. “And He saw our affliction” — this phrase implies the forced separation between husbands and wives during the time of their persecution, as it is written, “And God saw the children of Israel, and God understood their cruel plight.” “And our sorrow” –recalls the edict to drown all the male children, as it is said, “Every son that is born, you shall cast into the river, but every daughter you shall keep alive. “And our oppression” — denotes the severity of our crushed lives, saying, “And I have seen the oppression with which the Egyptians oppress them.” “And the Eternal brought us forth from Egypt, with a strong hand, and with an outstretched arm, with great terror, and with miraculous signs and mighty wonders.
The Cup of Plagues/Recitation
Leader says: God sent plagues, one after another. With each plague Pharaoh continued to harden his heart. The Egyptians were afflicted with discomfort, disease, discouragement and ruination. Still Pharaoh refused to give in. Then, with the tenth and most dreadful plague, God pierced through the hardness of Pharaoh’s stubborn and stony heart. All say: “For I will pass through the land of Egypt on that same night, and will kill all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and animal; and I will execute judgment against all the gods of Egypt—I am YaHoVaH”
(Exodus 12:12) Leader says: Let us fill our cups for the second time. A full cup is symbolic of joy, and certainly on this occasion we are filled with joy for the mighty deliverance wrought by our God. But let us not forget the great price that was paid to secure our redemption. Lives were sacrificed in bringing the release of God’s people from the slavery of 400 years.
The second cup of wine is filled.
As I recite the name of each plague in Hebrew, you repeat each plague while dipping your finger into the cup, allowing a drop of wine to fall to your plate, thus reducing the fullness of our cup of joy this night. This symbolizes our sadness at the loss of human life –even that of our enemies.
Dahm / Blood
tz’Far-Dey-ah / Frogs
Ki-nim / Lice
Arov / Swarms of Flies
Dever / Cattle
Sh’Khin / Boils
Bah-Rad / Hail
Ar-Beh / Locusts
Kho-Shekh / Darkness
Mah-kat B’Kho-Rot / Death of the Firstborn
(Now All Sing Dayenu)
The Passover Offering/The Matzah/The Bitter Herbs
Rabbi Gamliel* used to say, “Whoever does not explain these three symbols at the Seder on Passover has not fulfilled his duty.” *This is the same Rabbi Gamliel who was the grandson of Rabbi Hillel, and who served as the primary mentor and teacher to Rav Shaul (Paul).
Raise the appropriate item as each is described:
Z’roa… Shankbone of the Lamb Leader says: This roasted shank bone represents the lamb whose blood marked the houses of the children of Israel, signifying their obedience to God’s Command. (required appropriation of the Way of Redemption). We are enjoying a fulfilled Passover with the Lamb being Y’shua!
The Passover Offering/ Pesach Lamb The Passover Offering, which our fathers ate during Temple days, -What was the reason for it? It was because the Holy One, blessed be He, passed over the houses of our forefathers in Egypt when He smote the Egyptians and spared our houses. And the people bowed their heads and worshipped.” Readers take turns reading:
Exodus 12:3 Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for an house: 4 And if the household be too little for the lamb, let him and his neighbour next unto his house take it according to the number of the souls; every man according to his eating shall make your count for the lamb. 5 Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year: ye shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats: 6 And ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month: and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening. 7 And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it.
Exodus 12: 8 And they shall eat the flesh in that night, roast with fire, and unleavened bread; and with bitter herbs they shall eat it. 9 Eat not of it raw, nor sodden at all with water, but roast with fire; his head with his legs, and with the purtenance thereof. 10 And ye shall let nothing of it remain until the morning; and that which remaineth of it until the morning ye shall burn with fire. 11 And thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: it is the LORD’s Passover. 12 For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the LORD. 13 And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.
Moses reminds us that it was YaHoVaH Himself who redeemed the children of Israel from slavery—“YaHoVaH brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, with great terror and with signs and wonders.” Yochanan the Immerser (John the Baptist) clearly had this image in mind when he said of Y’shua, “Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.”
Leader raises the broken Matzah and says: This Matzah which we now eat, what does it mean? It is eaten because there was no time for the dough of our ancestors to become leavened, before the supreme Ruler of all, the Holy One, blessed be He, revealed Himself to them and redeemed them, as it is written, “And the dough which they brought out of Egypt, they baked into cakes of unleavened bread, for it had not leavened because they were thrust out of Egypt, and they could not wait, nor had they made any provisions for themselves.”
Leader raises the bitter herbs and says: These Bitter Herbs which we eat, what is their meaning? They are eaten to recall that the Egyptians embittered the lives of our ancestors in Egypt, as it is written, “And they embittered their lives with hard labor: with mortar and bricks, with every kind of work in the fields; all the work which they imposed on them was hard labor.”
In every generation each individual must regard himself as if he had personally come out from Egypt, as it is written, “And you shall tell your son on that day, saying, it is because of what the Eternal did for me when I went forth from Egypt.” For it was not our ancestors alone whom the Holy One, blessed be He, redeemed; He also redeemed us along with them, as it is said, “He brought us out from slavery to freedom, from anguish to joy, from sorrow to festivity, and from darkness to light. Let us therefore sing before Him a new song.
Praise in the Hallel—
Let us sing together and recite Psalm 113:
(All sing…) Hallelu Yah!
— Praise the LORD. Praise, O you servants of the Lord, Praise the name of the Lord!
Blessed be the name of the Lord from this time forth and for evermore! From the rising of the sun to the going down of the same, The name of the Lord is to be Praised. The Lord is high above all nations, His glory above the heavens.
Who is like the Lord our God, who dwells on high. Who humbles Himself to behold the things in the heavens and in the earth?
He raises the poor from the dust, and lifts the needy from the ash heap. To seat them with princes –With the princes of His people. He makes the childless woman a home, like a joyful mother of children. Hallelu Yah! — Praise the LORD!
Leader raises the cup of wine and says:
Blessed are You, O Eternal our God, Ruler of the universe, who redeemed us and our forefathers from Egypt, and brought us to this night to eat unleavened bread and bitter herbs. Thus may the Eternal our God, and God of our fathers, bring us to future feasts and festivals in peace; and to the upbuilding of Your city Y’rushalaiyim, and to the happiness of Your holy service, so that there, we may partake of the ancient Pesach offerings. Then we shall sing a new song to You, giving thanks for our deliverance and redemption. Blessed are You, O Eternal, who redeemed Y’srael.
Let us lift our second cup of wine and bless the name of the Lord together!
Barukh atah Adonai Eloheynu melekh ha’olam borey pri hagafen.
Blessed are You, O Lord our God, Ruler of the universe, who creates the fruit of the vine.
(Let us drink of this, the second cup of wine, the Cup of Plagues/Recitation)
Rakhtzah Washing Hands
(This is done as before. All go to sink.) The hands are washed again at this time with the following blessing recited first:
Barukh atah Adonai Eloheynu melekh ha’olam Asher kid’shanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu al n’tilat yadayim.
Blessed are you, O Lord our God, Ruler of the universe, who has sanctified us with Your commandments, and commanded us concerning the washing of the Motzi Matzah.
Eating the Matzah …
Take the two whole matzah along with the broken one, and say the following:
Barukh atah Adonai Eloheynu melekh ha’olam hamotzi lekhem min ha’aretz. Blessed are you, O Lord our God, Ruler of the universe, who brings forth bread from the earth.
Barukh atah Adonai Eloheynu melekh ha’olam Asher kid’shanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu al akhilat matzah. Blessed are you, O Lord our God, Ruler of the universe, who sanctified us with Your commandments, and commanded us to eat unleavened bread.
Leader says: Let us now share a piece of this unleavened bread of Passover.
Maror … Bitter Herbs… As we scoop some maror onto a piece of matzah, let the bitter taste cause us to shed tears of compassion as we remember the sorrow that our ancestors experienced thousands of years ago, and for those today, who suffer the bitterness of oppression. Let us dip the bitter herbs and say the following blessings:
Barukh atah Adonai Eloheynu melekh ha’olam Asher kid’shanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu al akhilat maror. Blessed are you, O Lord our God, Ruler of the universe, who sanctified us with Your commandments, and commanded us to eat bitter herbs.
At the supper of the Last night (beginning of the preparation of Passover) Y’shua identified Y’hudash (Judas) as the one who would betray Him when at this point, He said: “It’s the one to whom I give this piece of matzah after I dip it in the dish.” –See Yochanan (John) 13:21-30 21 When Jesus had thus said, he was troubled in spirit, and testified, and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me. 22 Then the disciples looked one on another, doubting of whom he spake. 23 Now there was leaning on Jesus’ bosom one of his disciples, whom Jesus loved. 24 Simon Peter therefore beckoned to him, that he should ask who it should be of whom he spake. 25 He then lying on Jesus’ breast saith unto him, Lord, who is it? 26 Jesus answered, He it is, to whom I shall give a sop, when I have dipped it. And when he had dipped the sop, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon. 27 And after the sop Satan entered into him. Then said Jesus unto him, That thou doest, do quickly. 28 Now no man at the table knew for what intent he spake this unto him. 29 For some of them thought, because Judas had the bag, that Jesus had said unto him, Buy those things that we have need of against the feast; or, that he should give something to the poor. 30 He then having received the sop went immediately out: and it was night. (Note, if this were the evening of Passover they would not even think that the Lord would send anyone out to buy anything. The only shops open would be the Gentile’s shops.)
Korekh … Hillel Sandwich
(bitter herbs, kharoset & matzah) In memory of the Holy Temple, we do as Hillel did in Temple times. He put matzah and bitter herbs together and ate them as a sandwich, to literally observe the words of Torah, “They shall eat it (the Passover offering) with matzah and bitter herbs.”
Lifting the matzah with the maror and kharoset let us all say together:
We dip the bitter herbs into kharoset to remind ourselves that even the most bitter of circumstances can be sweetened by the hope we have in God. “For His anger is just for a moment, but His favor is for a lifetime; Weeping may linger for a night, but joy comes in the morning.” (Psalms 30:5)
Shulkhan Orekh … The Festive Meal
Now is the time to eat the festive meal, but the end of our Seder has not yet come. After our meal, we will conclude with a short, but important closing ceremony, by first redeeming the Afikomen, and then explaining its deep significance.
Tzafun … Revelation of Afikomen
The revealing of the Afikomen is symbolic of the Resurrection of Messiah! Y’shua is the Bread from Heaven that the Father sent, which gives life to the world. John 6. He told them that, “I AM the Bread of Life!” He explained at the last supper with his disciples, that the bread that is broken in the Seder is His body. Once He gave up His Spirit He spent 3 days and 3 nights in the tomb. The hiding of the broken matzah, (the Afikomen) is symbolic of this.
Luke 22:19-20 (KJV) 19 And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me. He explained at the last supper with his disciples, that the bread that is broken in the Seder is His body. The middle matzah which was broken and hidden away, to be found by those with a childlike-faith, can eat of Him and find sanctification, deliverance, redemption and intimacy with YaH, for their souls. This is the Gospel of the Kingdom in the briefest and most concise terms.
(Distribute Afikomen.) The matzah is unleavened, striped and pierced and is symbolic of Messiah: The Bread of Affliction.
Isaiah 53:4-9 (KJV) 4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. 5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. 7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.
8 He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken. 9 And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.
Selah: All meditate on the excellent plan of our redemption (Take a moment to pray silently.)
Leader: Barukh Atah Adonai, YaHoVaH, Eloheynu Melech Ha Olam ha motzi lechem min ha Aretz.
All say: Blessed are You, Lord YaHoVaH, our Elohim, King of the Universe, who brings forth Bread from the Earth. (Now all may eat of the symbolic Bread of Life, in gratitude for the fulfillment.)
Barekh … Grace After the Meal…
The third cup of wine is filled – Let us say grace.
All say: May the name of the Eternal be blessed from now and forevermore. With one voice, we praise our God, whose food we have eaten.
Leader: Blessed be our God, whose food we have eaten and in whose goodness we live. Blessed be He and blessed be His name.
All say: May He who is most merciful, make us worthy to behold the days of the Messiah and eternal life in the world to come. He gives great salvation to His King, and shows mercy to His anointed; to David and his seed forever. May He who makes peace in His high heavens, grant peace unto us, and to all Israel, and let us say, Amen.
Leader says: Let us lift our third cup of wine, and bless the name of the Lord together!
Barukh atah Adonai Eloheynu Melekh ha’olam borey pri hagafen. Blessed are you, O Lord our God, Ruler of the universe, who creates the fruit of the vine.
Traditionally referred to as the Cup of Redemption, this is the cup of wine Y’shua spoke of after praying the Kiddush with His talmidim, which he did every Shabbat. It is where he associated his immanent sacrificial death with the redemptive blood of the Passover lamb, as previously mentioned in Luke 22;19-20.
We must note here that the Hebrews have been doing this since Melchizedek performed this prayer over 4 thousand years ago. Since we know that Messiah Y’shua was Melchizedek and on the cross ushered in the Melchizedek Priesthood, we are to do this knowing that we are kings and priests. We are enjoying the fulfilled prayer! He said, “Do this in remembrance of me. Most believe that Melchizedek said the same to Abram which is why Abram, who afterwards became Abraham, instructed his descendants to do it and to teach their children and on and on.
Leader says: Let us lean and drink the third cup of wine (the Cup of Redemption).
Kos Eliyahu … The Cup of Elijah …
Fill the cup of Elijah the Prophet and open the door for him.
All rise. Say the following together:
“Where is the place of God’s glory? …Wherever one allows Him in.”
Luke 1:17 (KJV) 17 And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord. We acknowledge that this is what excellence of spirit we are to embrace, too. Before the fourth cup (the Cup of Praise) is poured, and before the second half of the Hallel is said, the following unusual passage is read. It is not meant to be a vitriolic statement against the nations, but a reminder that God will ultimately deliver us from all those who have sought to persecute us throughout all history. This is also the time to remember the 6 million, but also those who still are not free to celebrate as we do.
Sh’fock Cha-mat-cha
Pour out Your wrath upon the nations that do not know You, and upon the kingdoms that do not call upon Your Name: For they have consumed Jacob and laid waste his habitation. Yochanan the Immerser came in the spirit of Elijah prior to Y’shua. It is important to note that it is not coincidental that the Messiah and His forerunner are traditionally referred to so often after the festive meal. Passover gives a clear picture of the world’s redemption through the Messiah.
HALLEL …PSALMS OF PRAISE …
Hodu Ladoshem Ki Tov… Ki leolam Khasdo
Leader says the first part of each line of Psalm 118 and everyone reads the underlined type of the second part of the line. During this time we will use this as intercession for the Jews. Cry out to the Lord to unveil their eyes and give them a salvation knowledge of Y’shua Ha’Mashiach. And, blind Gentiles, too.
Give thanks to YaHoVaH; for He is good, for His mercy endures forever!
Now let Y’srael say, “His mercy endures forever.”
Now let the house of Aaron say, “His mercy endures forever.”
Now let those who fear YaHoVaH say, “His mercy endures forever.”
With YaHoVaH on my side, I fear nothing—What can human beings do to me?
With YaHoVaH on my side as my help, I will look with triumph at those who hate me.
It is better to take refuge in YaHoVaH than to trust in human beings;
Better to take refuge in YaHoVaH than to put one’s trust in princes.
The nations all surrounded me; in the name of YaHoVaH- I cut them down.
YaHoVaH is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation.
The sound of rejoicing and victory is heard in the tents of the righteous:
“YaHoVaH‘s right hand struck powerfully! YaHoVaH’s right hand struck powerfully!
I will not die; no, I will live and proclaim the great deeds of YaHoVaH!
YaHoVaH disciplined me severely, but did not hand me over to death.
Open the gates of righteousness for me; I will enter them and thank YaHoVaH.
This is the gate of YaHoVaH: the righteous can enter it.
I am thanking you because you answered me: you became my salvation.
The very stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone!
This has come from YaHoVaH, and it is amazing in our eyes.
This is the day YaHoVaH has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it.
Please YaHoVaH! Save us! Please, YaHoVaH! Rescue us!
Blessed is He who comes in the name of YaHoVaH.
We bless you from the house of YaHoVaH.
YaHoVaH is God, and He gives us light.
Bring the sacrifice bound with branches all the way to the horns of the altar.
You are my God, and I thank You. You are my God; I exalt You.
Give thanks to YaHoVaH; for He is good, for His mercy endures forever.”
Leader says: Let us lift our fourth cup of wine, and bless the name of the Lord!
Barukh atah Adonai Eloheynu melekh ha’olam borey pri hagafen.
Blessed are you, O Lord our God, Ruler of the universe, who creates the fruit of the vine.
Leader says: Let us drink the fourth cup (the Cup of Praise and Intimacy with God)
Nirtzah … Conclusion of the Seder…
The Passover Seder is ended according to custom, statute and law. As we were worthy to celebrate it this year, so may we perform it in future years.
O Pure One in heaven above, restore the congregation of Israel in Your love. Speedily lead Your redeemed people to Zion in joy. And many nations will come and say, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of YaHoVaH, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths.” For the Torah will go forth from Zion, the word of YaHoVaH from Y’rushalaiyim.
Micah 4:2 They will neither harm nor destroy on all My holy mountain, For the earth will be full of the knowledge of YaHoVaH as the waters cover the sea.
Isaiah 11:9 May Messiah return quickly, and speedily restore all things! YaHoVaH shall be King over all the earth. On that day YaHoVaH will be One, and his name the only One.
All declare together: Zechariah 14:9
NEXT YEAR IN JERUSALEM—L’shanah haba-ah bi Y’rushalaiyim !!!
Leader says: Now that we have taken the journey from ancient times and the first Passover Seder in Egypt, celebrated with acknowledging Y’shua as the King of the Jews, the High Priest, the Atoning Sacrifice and the Suffering Servant and we have honored God with this Seder in our home, let us go from this place inspired and encouraged to live all the days of our lives worthy of this precious freedom. It was purchased for us by the blood of the Lamb of God and by the mighty outstretched arm of God Himself who gave us shadow pictures of His great SALVATION which are shown clearly in all of the FEASTS OF THE LORD !
