Hebrew
פֶּסַח
peh-sach, "passover"
Why do we eat matzah on Passover?
Matzah is eaten on Passover remind us of the Israelites' hurried departure from Egypt. The Israelites had to leave so quickly, there was no time for their bread to rise, resulting in unleavened bread, which we call matzah. It symbolizes both the suffering of slavery and the liberation from it.
10. Blood, frogs, lice, flies, cattle disease, boils, hail, locusts, darkness, killing of the first born.
How many days does Passover last?
Eight. The first and last two days are special and include special services.
Who is traditionally supposed to ask the Four Questions?
The youngest child.
הַגָדָה
hagaddah, "telling"
What does the word "seder" mean?
"Seder" means "order."
G-d splits the sea so that the Israelites can cross it and escape the Egyptians. What is the name of that sea?
The Red Sea, or the Sea of Reeds.
What do we dip our green vegetable in at the seder? Why?
We dip the karpas in salt water to remind us of our ancestors' tears while they were enslaved.
Name three things you might put in charoset.
מִצְרַיִם
meetz-rah-yeem, "Egypt"
What does the charoset symbolize?
The mortar that the Jewish slaves used to make bricks for Pharaoh in Egypt.
What is the name of Moses's sister and why is she important to the story of the Exodus from Egypt?
Moses sister is Miriam and she was a prophet and hero. She helped Moses's mother, Yocheved, save baby Moses and keep him safe as he floated down the Nile. She also led the women in song after they crossed the sea.
Sing one of the Four Questions, including the chorus.
What is the name of the 9th century prophet for whom we leave a cup of wine and open the door at our seder?
Elijah.
חַרוֹסֶת
charoset
What is the Hebrew name for the green vegetable we eat at our seder?
karpas, כַּרְפַּס
What is the name of Moses's brother, who he brings to help him speak to Pharaoh? Why?
What does the word "dayeinu" mean? Sing a bit of the song.
"Dayeinu" ( דַּיֵינוּ) means "enough."
How many times are we supposed to wash our hands during the seder?
Twice, once without a blessing, and once with.
אֲפִיקוֹמָן
afikomen, "dessert"
What is a בֵּיצָה and why is it on the seder plate?
Along with the green vegetable of karpas, eggs are a symbol of new life, suitable for this “Festival of Spring.” Passover is a time of rebirth and renewal, and emphasizing its connection to spring reinforces that meaning. It's also supposed to remind us of one of the burnt offerings Jews used to bring to the Temple.
Why does Moses leave Egypt at the beginning of the Passover story and what does he do while he's gone?
Moses kills an Egyptian overseer who's beating a Jewish slave. To avoid punishment, he flees and goes to Midian where he meets and marries his wife Tzipporah and becomes a shepherd.
What are the three symbols that Rabban Gamliel says we need to explain in order to have a proper seder?
The shank bone, the matzah, and the maror (bitter herbs).
Recite the kadesh urchatz. Bonus points if you can do it with hand motions.
Kadesh, urchatz, karpas, yachatz, magid, rachtzah, motzi matzah, maror, korech, shulchan orech, tzafun, barech, hallel, nirtzah.
קַדֵּשׁ וּרְחַץ כַּרְפַּס יַחַץ מַגִּיד רָחְצָה
מוֹצִיא מַצָּה מָרוֹר כּוֹרֵךְ שֻׁלְחָן עוֹרֵךְ
צָפוּן בָּרֵךְ הַלֵּל נִרְצָה