15+Steps+of+the+seder



1. **Kadeish: Sanctification** A blessing is recited over wine in honor of the holiday. The wine is then drunk. A second cup is then poured (but not yet drunk).

2. **Ur'chatz: Washing** Participants wash their hands without a blessing in preparation for eating the Karpas.

3. **Karpas: Vegetable** A vegetable (usually parsley) is dipped in salt water and eaten. The vegetable symbolizes the lowly origins of the Jewish people; the salt water symbolizes the tears shed as a result of our slavery.

4. **Yachatz: Breaking** The middle of the three matzot on the table is broken into two pieces. The smaller part is returned to the pile, the larger one is set aside for the afikoman.

5. **Magid: The Story** A retelling of the story of the Exodus from Egypt and the first Pesach. At the end of the Magid, a blessing is recited over the second cup of wine and it is drunk.

6. **Rachtzah: Washing** Participants wash their hands again, this time with a blessing, in preparation for eating the matzah.

7. **Motzi: Blessing over Grain Products** Ha-motzi, the blessing for bread or grain products used as a meal, is recited over the matzah.

8. **Matzah: Blessing over Matzah** A blessing specific to matzah is recited, and a bit of matzah is eaten.

9. **Maror: Bitter Herbs** A blessing is recited over a bitter vegetable (usually raw horseradish), and it is eaten. This symbolizes the bitterness of slavery. The maror is dipped in charoset, a mixture of apples, nuts, cinnamon and wine, which symbolizes the mortar used by the Jews in building during their slavery.

10. **Korech: The Sandwich** Rabbi Hillel was of the opinion that the maror should be eaten together with matzah and the paschal offering in a sandwich. In his honor, we eat some maror on a piece of matzah, with some charoset.

11. **Shulchan Orech: Dinner** A festive meal is eaten. Roast chicken or turkey are common as traditional main courses, as is beef brisket. Jews with far-ranging palates can put their own unique, contemporary stamp on this meal.

12. **Tzafun: The Afikoman** The piece of matzah set aside earlier is eaten as "dessert," the last food of the meal. Different families have different traditions relating to the afikoman. Some have the children hide it, while the parents have to either find it or ransom it back. Others have the parents hide it. The idea is to keep the children awake and attentive throughout the pre-meal proceedings, waiting for this part.

13. **Barech: Grace after Meals** The third cup of wine is poured, and birkat ha-mazon (Grace after Meals) is recited. This is similar to the grace that would be said on any Shabbat, but with the special insertion for Passover. At the end, a blessing is said over the third cup and it is drunk. The fourth cup is poured, including a cup set aside for the prophet Elijah, who is supposed to herald the Messiah, and is supposed to come on Pesach to do this. The door is then opened to invite Elijah into our homes.

14. **Hallel: Praises** A blessing is recited over the last cup of wine and it is drunk.

15. **Nirtzah: Closing** A simple statement that the seder has been completed, with a wish that next year, we may celebrate Pesach in Jerusalem (i.e., that the Messiah will come within the next year).

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