The seder (ceremonial meal of the first night or two of Passover) and the haggadah (text used at that meal).
4
votes
3answers
198 views
How much is 2 Zuz worth in current USD?
As mentioned in the Passover Hagaddah, how much is "2 Zuz" worth in March 2013 US Dollars?
Please note there may be different types of Zuz: "זוזי פשיטי" and "זוזי ממש" (Gemara Ketuvot 67a). This may ...
9
votes
2answers
203 views
Beginners' Seder Advice
I'm going to be at a seder this year with young children who are familiar with the basic structure of the haggadah. Some will likely have some of the classic divrei torah prepared for them to say. I'm ...
6
votes
0answers
138 views
Chad Gadya: The price of a kid goat
Was the fair market value of a kid goat really two zuzim? This piyyut is of course allegorical, but, if the value given is highly inaccurate, is the discrepancy in value symbolic beyond the symbolism ...
6
votes
6answers
223 views
5
votes
2answers
147 views
Preparing the Beitzah for the Seder Plate
What is the appropriate way to prepare the Beitzah for the Seder Plate?
20
votes
9answers
526 views
Seder advice when with people who aren't interested?
This may have some things in common with beginner's seder advice, but it's different enough that I'm asking separately.
For family-obligation reasons, I sometimes find myself at a seder where most of ...
9
votes
3answers
295 views
why do we say Pesach seder brachot both nights?
During the Pesach seder, but not during the rest of Pesach, we say b'rachot for the mitzvot of matzah and maror. (I mean the "asher kidshanu b'mitzvotav" b'rachot.) So it seems that we are only ...
7
votes
1answer
104 views
Origin of Spilling Wine by 10 Plagues
The custom among all Jews (as far as I know) is to spill a drip of wine for each of the plagues as they are mentioned in a list in the haggadah. This custom is not mentioned anywhere in the Talmud (as ...
7
votes
6answers
509 views
Custom to refrain from eating meat at the Pesach Seder?
I recently heard from two separate people about a custom not to eat any meat at the Seder (i.e. only fish and chicken are eaten). This was surprising to me, as the minhag mentioned in the Mishnah, ...
5
votes
1answer
261 views
Is it appropriate for a Gentile to attend and/or participate in a Seder?
The context: last year, I saw this sign that announced the time and place that a Jewish Seder (probably Yom Kippur) would happen. I was definitely curious and considered going and at least observing ...
2
votes
4answers
136 views
Washing hands before Karpas
What was the Brisker Rov's explanation for washing hands before Karpas by ורחץ?
14
votes
7answers
259 views
What do you do with Kos Shel Eliyahu
The Minhag is to fill up an additional cup towards the end of the seder known as Kos Shel Eliyahu. I was just wondering what the various minhagim are as to what to do with it after the seder is over.
11
votes
4answers
617 views
“If God had not delivered us from Egypt we would still be slaves”? Really?
One part of the Pesach seder that has always bothered me is saying that if God had not taken us out of Mitzrayim at that time we would still be slaves today. This seems lacking in faith in God; ...
8
votes
1answer
137 views
Origin of Haggadah Section Titles (Kadesh Urchatz, etc.)
What is the historical origin of the section titles of the Haggadah?
(Inspired by discussion in comments on this answer to the question: Translation of haggadah section titles)
6
votes
2answers
82 views
Why a Beitzah on the Seder Plate?
Why do we use a roasted (maybe?) egg on the Seder Plate to represent the Festival offering?
5
votes
2answers
115 views
Why do we quote the pasuk from Pesach Sheni for Korech?
At the seder, by Korech (the sandwich) we state
So did Hillel do. When the Temple was standing he would bind [meat from the} Pesach [offering] Matzah and Marror and eat them as one. As the verse ...
5
votes
1answer
168 views
Can you eat the Beitza at the Seder?
The Halacha is not to eat roasted meat at the Seder, therfore you can not eat the Zeroa at the Seder. Can you eat the roasted egg (Beitza) at the Seder? (sources)
4
votes
1answer
57 views
Starting the Seder quickly
It says in SA OC Siman 472 that one should hurry to start the Seder in order that the children shouldn't fall asleep. If the person doesn't have any children is there still a reason to hurry to start ...
4
votes
2answers
133 views
Is there a custom not to eat roasted chicken at the Seder?
Does the custom to refrain from eating roasted meat at the Seder extend to chicken, turkey, and any other fowl one might serve roasted?
4
votes
1answer
49 views
Who composed the Piyut Echad Mi Yodeya?
Who composed the Piyut Echad Mi Yodeya that is commonly recited on Pesach?
4
votes
2answers
180 views
matza significance
I would like to know the meaning of the three matzot and why only the middle one is broken.
3
votes
1answer
105 views
Who dropped Moses from the Hagaddah?
Moses is not mentioned in the Hagaddah (with one minor exception), presumably to show that the exodus happened entirely by G-d's power and to not deify Moses.
Presumably, though, the maggid during ...
3
votes
3answers
96 views
3
votes
4answers
274 views
Karpas - What do you use?
I have heard of potatoes, celery, scallion. What else do people use for Karpas? Is there one item that is more L'Chatchila than the others?
3
votes
3answers
154 views
3
votes
4answers
479 views
Do bananas make the best karpas?
For karpas at the seder, one is supposed to eat a food on which the blessing "borei pri ha'adama" is made. However, many of the most commonly used food items for karpas (e.g. parsley, raw onion, raw ...
2
votes
4answers
173 views
What's the best way to dip maror into charoset if you're using horseradish?
Every seder I've ever been to has used ground horseradish for maror, and "dipping" it in the charoset ends up being implemented as putting both maror and charoset on a piece of matzah and eating that. ...
2
votes
1answer
173 views
Translation of haggadah section titles
What are the litteral translations of the different section titles of the haggadah? (i.e. What exactly do kadesh, urchatz, etc. mean)
2
votes
1answer
139 views
Urchatz - does everyone wash?
I have heard different Minhagim regarding washing at Urchatz. It seems that in some families everyone washes and in others only the Baal HaBayis. Does anyone have sources as to the different Minhagim ...
1
vote
0answers
48 views
Why is Moshe (mostly) absent from the haggadah?
Somebody asked at my seder this year why Moshe is largely absent from the magid. I have heard that the reason is because we're supposed to focus on God, and also that Moshe was very humble and there ...
-1
votes
0answers
37 views
Can a gentile celebrate the holidays like Rosh Hashanah or Pesshach with jews?
we have gentile friends that would like to celebrate the Chagim with us.
Can they do it? Also on Yom Kippur?