The seder (ceremonial meal of the first night or two of Passover) and the haggadah (text used at that meal).
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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 ...
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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.
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6answers
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How would Har Sinai without the Torah have been enough?
In the Hagada of Peasach it says "even if he brought us to Har Sinai but didn't give us the Torah it would have been enough." What would be the purpose of going to Har Sinai if we didn't get the ...
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1answer
234 views
Advanced Seder Advice
I'm going to be at a seder this year with other adults who are all relatively familiar with the text and structure of the haggadah. Most have heard many of the classic divrei torah many times. I'm ...
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4answers
616 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; ...
10
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7answers
539 views
What can I feed a vegetarian at my Pesach seder?
Wait wait, it's not a question for Seasoned Advice. :-)
I have a vegetarian (not vegan) coming to my seder this year. Most of the vegetarian staples (as far as I know) are chametz or kitniyot. For ...
10
votes
3answers
254 views
Why is the wicked son sanctioned for doing what the wise son does?
In the Passover Hagada we're told about the four sons.
The second one is called wicked because he asks, "What is this service to you?!" ("מה העבודה הזאת לכם?") (emphasis mine), while the first one is ...
9
votes
3answers
234 views
What were the 300 plagues of the Exodus?
The הגדה says:
במצרים לקו חמשים מכות, ועל הים לקו חמשים ומאתים מכות
In Egypt, they were struck with 50 plagues, and by the Sea [of Reeds], they were struck with 250 plagues
What were ...
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 ...
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 ...
9
votes
1answer
164 views
Traditionalist evaluation of the “New American Haggadah”?
One of the hot new offerings in the Haggada market this year is the New American Haggadah by novelists Jonathan Safran Foer and Nathan Englander. It features a new translation by Englander as well as ...
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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)
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votes
6answers
508 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, ...
7
votes
2answers
250 views
How can we drink wine after the Afikomen?
Mishna Berura 478:1:2 says that you should not drink anything other than water after the Afikomen in order not to lose the flavor of the Matza. How then can we drink cup 3 and cup 4 of wine after the ...
7
votes
2answers
67 views
How large is a typical contemporary hagada commentary?
In a contemporary published hagada with commentary, how many total words does the commentary typically comprise? (For comparison, "Hagada - Mi Yodeya?", in its current form, weighs in at about 14,000 ...
7
votes
2answers
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What is Nirtzah?
In every one of the 15 steps one is supposed (according to Halacha) to either do something, eat something or say something.
For example,
Kadesh - one must do Kiddush - Biblical/Rabbinic.
Urchatz - ...
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
1answer
84 views
Why is it ok to pay the kids for the afikoman?
Most Pesach sedarim feature the afikoman hide-and-seek game; either the children steal it and ransom it back or the parents hide it and (in my experience) pay a prize to the child who finds it. At ...
7
votes
2answers
118 views
Why doesn't “This is the bread of our affliction” answer one of the Mah Nishtana?
One of the questions (examples?) in the Mah Nishtana is why on all other nights we eat leavened bread or matzah and tonight (Passover) we only eat matzah. However in the introduction to the seder we ...
6
votes
5answers
159 views
A Leaning dilemma
If I forgot to lean at the time to eat Matzah, I am required by Halacha to eat it again. If when I am going to re-eat it in order to do the leaning my Rebbi Muvhak walks in, what do I do? You don't ...
6
votes
3answers
133 views
How do we know the rasha would not have been redeemed?
The Haggada speaks about 4 sons, the second of which is called "wicked". He distances himself from G-d's commandment, and in turn is told that if he had been in Egypt he would not have been redeemed. ...
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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?
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6answers
223 views
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0answers
137 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 ...
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5answers
186 views
How do you pick a Hagada to use at the Seder?
There are hundreds or thousands of
editions
of the Hagada available. How do you choose which one is best to use at the Seder?
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votes
4answers
691 views
Wearing a Kittel at the Seder
I grew up with my father wearing a Kittel at the Seder. My father wore a Kittel at the Seder immediately from when he got married. Over the years I have heard that some people do not wear a Kittel the ...
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)
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votes
2answers
193 views
Hardboiled eggs and salt water at the Seder
I've participated in only 3 different families' Passover Seders, so my experience is limited in terms of different families' traditions.
How widespread is the custom of eating a hardboiled egg in ...
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votes
2answers
146 views
Preparing the Beitzah for the Seder Plate
What is the appropriate way to prepare the Beitzah for the Seder Plate?
5
votes
1answer
258 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 ...
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 ...
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votes
1answer
155 views
Why do we sing Chad Gadya and Echad Mi Yodea at the seder?
Some of the songs at the end of the seder have an obvious connection to what has come before. Adir Hu is about praising God, which we've been doing all night; Eliyahu HaNavi makes sense because ...
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votes
1answer
48 views
Why are some sons' answers different from what's written in the Torah?
In the Hagada, the 4 sons ask questions (except, of course, for the son who doesn't know how to ask…), and they get answers.
In most cases, both the questions and the answers are put in the form of ...
5
votes
1answer
110 views
Adir Hu - mi yodeya?
A popular song sung at the seder is Adir Hu. The song contains many phrases of the pattern:
[Adjective] is He.
that are grouped together alphabetically with a refrain asking for the speedy ...
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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.
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5answers
185 views
What is your favorite haggadah? [closed]
There are many classic and modern haggadot. Any recommendations? If so, why? And if available online (such as at HebrewBooks), please provide a link.
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votes
3answers
197 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 ...
4
votes
2answers
104 views
Are you supposed to do the responsive parts of Hallel at the Seder?
At a Pesach Seder, when you get to the parts of Hallel that are done responsively in a congregation, are you supposed to do them responsively? Does the answer depend on how many people are at the ...
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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?
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votes
2answers
128 views
Two Matzos at the Seder
Many Hagados show an option of using only 2 Matzos at the Seder as Nusach HaGra. Does anyone still do only 2 Matzos?
4
votes
1answer
84 views
Using The Washington Haggadah
Yesterday, Harvard University Press released a haggadah which is a reproduction of a manuscript written in 1478 and held by the Library of Congress. It can be purchased on Amazon.
If I bought this, ...
4
votes
1answer
75 views
Why do we say we don't dip food on other days?
In the four questions, we ask "on all other nights, we don't dip, even once, but on this night, we dip twice"
How can we ask this if we dip challah in salt on Shabbat (and other days)?
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votes
2answers
79 views
If Hashem brought about Macos Bechoros by himself, with out any angel, then what is the משחית?
If Hashem brought about Macos Bechoros by himself, with out any angel, then what is the משחית that would not harm the Bnei Yisroel mentioned in Shemot Chapter 12, Verse 23?
Premises based on the ...
4
votes
2answers
106 views
Why is the Haggadah written in Hebrew?
The Haggadah was written during the Talmudic period, so I would expect it to be written in Aramaic. Especially since the entire purpose of the Haggadah is the telling over of the story of ...
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
1answer
145 views
Sheva Brachos Seder
What does one do if his or her Sheva Brachos comes out on Seder Night do the Kosos become Sheva Brachos and what are all the other Halachic Implications?
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1answer
49 views
Who composed the Piyut Echad Mi Yodeya?
Who composed the Piyut Echad Mi Yodeya that is commonly recited on Pesach?
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votes
1answer
92 views
Who hides the afikoman?
Is the leader of the seder supposed to hide the afikoman so that the kids can find it, or are the kids supposed to hide it so that the leader can find it? And what is the point of this hide-and-seek ...
4
votes
2answers
65 views
Chametz u'matza?
The first of four questions specifically says, "On all other nights we eat chametz or matza, why on this night only matza?"
While I understand that it's halakhically acceptable to eat matzah when it ...
4
votes
1answer
145 views
“Motzi Matzah” or “Motzi and Matzah” (separately)? Passover Seder
In some haggadot, I have seen the numbers of sections as being 14, with Motzi Matzah being combined, and in other haggadot, I have seen 15 with them separated. What is the reason behind each side?
