Introduction

The Passover Seder is a ritual observed at the beginning of the Jewish holiday of Passover. It is conducted both in Israel and the Diaspora on the night of the 15^th of Nisan in the Hebrew calendar and on the following night in the Diaspora. 

15 Steps

In the middle ages of France, the Seder was organized into 15 steps either by Rashi or one of his disciples. These steps were first recorded in the Machzor Vitry, an 11th-century prayer book that incorporates legal rulings, composed by Rabbi Simcha of Vitry, a French scholar and disciple of Rashi. Some have the custom to recite the name of each step before performing the ritual. 

It is interesting to note that these specific steps are neither mentioned by the Talmud nor Maimonides. However these steps are included in most printed texts of the Haggadah. Due to the length of this topic the author has divided this subject into 3 articles each covering 5 of these steps. This article discusses the first 5 steps starting from Kiddush and ending with the retelling of the exodus.   

The following table lists these 5 steps with their names in Hebrew and English with a citation from the Shulchan Aruch (Orach Chaim Chapter 473).

Number	Hebrew	English	Citation
1	קדש	Sanctification	1
2	ורחץ	Ritual Washing of Hands	6
3	כרפס	Dip and Eat Vegetable	6
4	יחץ	Break the Middle Matzo	6
5	מגיד	Tell the Story of the Exodus	7

For each of these steps the author will address the following questions:

• Ceremony – what is actually done?
• Reason – why it is done?
• Origin – what is the origin of the practice?
• Halacha – what are the different views?

Glossary

For ease of reading the author has provided a glossary of terms related to Passover which are frequently cited in this article. The following table lists these words in English (in alphabetical order), Hebrew, and their meaning.

English	Hebrew	Meaning
Haggadah	הגדה	Text for the Seder
Maror	מרור	Bitter herbs
Matzo (or Matzah)	מצה	Unleavened Bread
Seder	סדר	Ritual of these 15 steps

Menu

The following table lists the essential food items for the Seder including the name in English, Hebrew, function, and step in the Seder.

English	Hebrew	Function	Step (s)
Wine	יין	Sanctification	1,5,13 and 15
Karpas (Vegetable)	כרפס	Arouse curiosity of children	3
Matzo Unleavened bread)	מצה	Remember Exodus	7,8, 10, and 12
Maror (Bitter herb)	מרור	Remember Slavery	9 and 10
Charoset (Fruit mixture)	חרסת	Remember Slavery	9 and 10

Analysis

Step 1 – Sanctification – קדש

Ceremony

At this ceremony one performs the following:

• Recites 3 blessings.
• Consumes a cup of wine (while reclining).

This cup is the 1^st of the 4 cups consumed at the Seder. Although each of the participants at the Seder should consume the wine the leader of the Seder may recite the above 3 blessings for the participants at the Seder.

Blessings

The blessings are for the:

1. Wine.
2. Holiday of Passover.
3. Thanksgiving for the holiday.

When the first day (or second day in the Diaspora) occurs on Saturday night, one adds blessings for the Havdalah ceremony (the candle and distinction between the Sabbath and festival) between blessings 2 and 3.

Reason

The sages instituted these blessings to set the tone for the Seder as a religious experience to consume ritual food items in commemoration of the miraculous exodus from Egypt. This theme counters the simplification of the Seder in the popular idiom, “They tried to kill us, we survived, and now let us eat.”     

Origin

The origin of the sanctification ceremony on the Sabbath is biblical based upon the verse (Exodus 20:8), “Remember the Sabbath day to sanctify it. “The Talmud (Pesachim 106a) interprets “the remembrance of the Sabbath” as a biblical command to recite words about the Sabbath either in prayer or at the sanctification ceremony. The requirement to consume wine at this ceremony is rabbinic.

Since the above verse only mentions the Sabbath there is a debate amongst the codifiers of Halacha whether the sanctification ceremony is biblical or rabbinic on Passover and the other festivals. On one hand the Sabbath is linked to the festivals based upon Leviticus 23:2, “Speak to the children of Israel and say to them: Hashem’s appointed days that you shall designate as holy occasions.” The next verse mentions the Sabbath indicating that the Sabbath is considered as a holy day like the festivals. The following verses (ibid. 23:4-44) describe the festivals. On the other hand, the verse in Exodus only mentions the Sabbath and the Torah does not cite a similar verse for remembrance of the festivals. The Mishna Berurah (271:2) favours the latter view. By contrast the Yalkut Yosef (472:38) supports the former view.        

Halacha

The codifiers of Halacha discuss and debate the following points about the cup of wine:

• Type of wine.
• Quantity of wine.
• Time to consume.

Type of wine

The Shulchan Aruch (Orach Chaim 472:11) states a preference for red wine because it is more desirable than white wine. King Solomon warns the alcoholic (Proverbs 23:31), “Do not look at wine when it is red. When he puts his eye on the cup, it appears that life goes smoothly.” However the next verse expresses the reality, “Ultimately, the wine will bite like a serpent and sting like a viper. “  

In addition the colour red symbolizes the blood of the Israelites killed by Pharaoh (Mishna Berurah 475:38). However, in a place of blood libels one should not use red wine (ibid.) even though there is no truth to these libels. (Appendix 1 describes the history of the nefarious blood libel which falsely imputes that Jews kill gentile babies and bake the matzoth in their blood.) The Rema (ibid.), quoting the Tur Shuchan Aruch of the 13^th-14^th centuries notes that one may use white wine if it is higher in quality than red wine.        

The reader may ask, “If the above verses warn against drinking wine why did the sages institute a practice of drinking 4 cups of wine at the Seder?” The answer to this question involves some of the fundamental attitudes of Judaism namely:

• Moderation.
• Strive for holiness.

Moderation

Judaism aims for moderation in character traits and physical indulgence. In reference to the former, Maimonides writes (Laws of Proper Conduct 1:3), “The two extremes of each trait, which are at a distance from one another, do not reflect a proper path. A person should not behave in accordance with either of these extremes.” In reference to indulgence, Maimonides writes (ibid. 3:1), “A person might say: Since envy, desire, and pursuit of honour are a wrong path … I shall move to the opposite extreme. For example, I will not eat meat, nor drink wine, nor get married, nor live in a pleasant home, nor wear fine clothing.”  

Maimonides (ibid.) continues, “This path is incorrect and it is forbidden to walk upon it. Therefore, our Sages directed man to abstain only from those things which the Torah forbids and not to abstain from permitted things by vows and oaths of abstention,” meaning a person should aim for moderation.  

Strive for holiness

In addition to moderation, Judaism strives for holiness as Hashem commands the Israelites (Leviticus 19:2), “You (Israelites) shall be holy, for I, Hashem, am holy.” Hence participation at the Seder in general and consumption of wine in particular are practices that should be conducted with holiness. In particular the opening ceremony at the Seder is called “Sanctification (קדש)”.

In a similar vein, the text of the blessing for this ceremony mentions holiness at its beginning and end as follows:

“Blessed are you Hashem, our G-d, King of the universe, Who (divine) has chosen us (Israelites) from all of the nations, exalted us above every language (Israelites pray in the divine language of biblical Hebrew), and sanctified (וקדשנו) us with His commandments. You gave us (Israelites), Hashem, our G-d, with love, appointed festivals for rejoicing, holidays which are times for celebration, this day of the Festival of Matzoth, the time of our freedom, a holy convocation, and a commemoration of the exodus from Egypt. For You (Hashem) has chosen and sanctified (קדשת) us (Israelites) from all of the nations, and You (divine) have granted holy festivals for joy and celebration. Blessed are You, Hashem, Who sanctifies (מקדש) Israel and the festive seasons.”    

When the Seder occurs on the Sabbath the blessing includes additional words for the Sabbath.         

Quantity of Wine

The Shulchan Aruch (ibid. 472:9) rules that one should drink the majority or the entire cup of wine. In turn the cup shall contain at least a ¼ of a log (Biblical measurement – Leviticus 14:10) which is equivalent to the volume of 1.5 medium sized chicken eggs. In modern terms the volume of the cup should be a minimum of 81 cc (Yalkut Yosef 472:21) or 86 cc (Dirshu 486:6) or in terms of US fl oz. 2.74 or 2.91 respectively. If the cup exceeds the minimum volume one may distribute the wine to others provided that each person can drink at least the majority of ¼ of a log (Mishna Berurah 472:31) or preferably ¼ of a log (Mishna Berurah 472:32). The Shulchan Aruch (ibid.) quotes a view that should drink the majority of the cup even it is large. The Mishna Berurah (ibid. 472:33) comments that the Halacha follows the former view.      

Time to Consume 

The Rema, on Orach Chaim 472:9, states that one should consume the above quantity of wine without a great delay. The Mishna Berurah (472:34) specifies this time limit as the time to eat half a small loaf of bread which amounts to the volume of 3 or 4 eggs (172-229 cc using 86 cc as the measurement of 1.5 eggs). The contemporary decisors of Halacha define this time as between 2-6 minutes (Dirshu 472:39). Since this time is based on consuming solid food the Mishna Berurah (ibid.) recommends consuming the wine in a time to consume ¼ of a log which means that a person should consume the wine in 2 swallows in a normal fashion which depends upon the person’s habits  (Shaar Hatziyun 210:11).   

Step 2 – Ritual Washing of Hands (First Time) – ורחץ

Ceremony       

The Shulchan Aruch (Orach Chaim 473:6) states that one must wash his hands after step 1 in preparation for the dipping of the karpas vegetable in salt water or vinegar. The Shulchan Aruch (Orach Chaim) specifies the following requirements of this ritual washing:

• Vessel – The water must be poured from a vessel made from metal, glass, stone, or earthen ware (ibid. 159:1). The Dirshu (ibid.) quotes different views about the use of disposable cups (e.g. Styrofoam or paper). 
• Size – The vessel must hold at least ¼ log of water (ibid.). As explained above this measure is a minimum of 81 cc (Yalkut Yosef 472:21) or 86 cc (Dirshu 486:6) or in terms of US fl oz. 2.74 or 2.91 respectively.            

Reason

The Talmud (Pesachim 115a) states that one must perform this rite washing the hands before eating a food item dipped in one of 7 liquids to maintain ritual purity as explained below.

Origin

The obligation to wash one’s hands was instituted by the sages to preserve ritual purity because of the following decrees:

• Unwashed hands are considered impure to the second degree of ritual impurity and confer impurity upon any liquid with which they come in contact.
• Liquids that become ritually impure are automatically impure to the first degree (a higher level) and will therefore transfer ritual impurity to any food that is dipped in them.

Halacha

This section will analyze the Halacha of this ritual in terms of:

• Type of liquid.
• Applicability at present.
• Amount of water.
• Blessing.

Liquids

The Shulchan Aruch (Orach Chaim 158:4), based upon the Mishna Macshirin 6:4, specifies these liquids as dew, water, wine, oil (from olives), blood, milk, and honey (from bees). These 7 liquids, as explained by the commentator Rabbi Obadiah of Bertinoro on this Mishna, have the following characteristics:  

• These liquids are called by their direct name to the exclusion of fruit juices which are called through an adjective (e.g. pomegranate juice or berry juice).
• Scripture calls these liquids as beverages.      

Applicability

The decisors of Halacha debate the requirement to ritually wash hands, before eating solid foods dipped in one of these 7 liquids. After the destruction of the temple the laws of ritual purity with respect to food are not necessarily practiced. 

In this vein Maimonides (Laws of Impure Food 16:13) writes, “Even though it is permitted to eat impure foods and drink impure beverages, the pious men of the early generations would partake of their ordinary food in a state of ritual purity and avoid all sources of impurity throughout their lives.” 

Maimonides (ibid.) continues, “Purifying one’s body leads to sanctifying one’s soul from negative traits. The holiness of the soul leads one to resemble the Divine presence as the Torah (Leviticus 11:44) states in reference to impure foods: “You shall make yourselves holy; and you shall be holy, because I (Hashem) am holy.”   

Therefore Maimonides (Laws of Blessings 6:1) writes, “One must wash one’s hands before partaking of any food dipped in liquid”. The Levush (Orach Chaim 158:3), a ten-volume codification of Jewish law written in the 16^th century by Rabbi Mordecai Yoffe, explains that this practice was instituted with respect to the priestly gift (terumah) separated from olive oil and wine. It was extended to all liquids because the laws governing the contraction of ritual impurity by liquids are more severe than those involving solid foods.

The Mishna Berurah (158:20) writes that some of the early commentators of the Talmud explain that the requirement to consume food in ritual purity does not apply at present because most Israelites have become ritually impure after attending a funeral. By Torah law an Israelite can contract ritual impurity from a corpse through touching, carrying, or under the same roof (Maimonides Laws of Laws of Impurity of the Dead 1:1). This impurity can only be removed by sprinkling a mixture of water and ashes from a red heifer and then immersion in a ritual bath called mikvah (Numbers 19:12-13).

At present we do not have the ashes of a red heifer therefore an Israelite who contracts impurity from a corpse remains ritually impure for life. By contrast other forms of ritual impurity may be removed through immersion in a ritual bath. In addition the laws of impurity primarily relate to the consumption of sacred foods (e.g. Paschal offering). Hence according to this view there is no requirement to ritually wash the hands before consuming solid food that has been dipped in any of these 7 liquids.  

The Mishna Berurah (ibid.) writes that other authorities in Halacha rule that the requirement of ritual washing of the hands applies today. Therefore the Mishna Berurah concludes that it is proper to perform this ritual washing before consuming food dipped in any of these 7 liquids. However the current practice is to be lenient and only perform ritual washing before eating bread.  

The Shulchan Aruch (Orach Chaim 473:6), taking into account both views, rules that one performs ritual washing at the Seder presumably in commemoration of the temple. The washing ritual also arouses curiosity of the children who note that the washing of the hands does not lead directly to eating matzo (Dirshu 473:63).                

Amount of Water

The Shulchan Aruch (Orach Chaim 160:13) rules that ¼ of a log of water (81 cc – Yalkut Yosef 472:21 or 86 cc – Dirshu 486:6 or in terms of US fl oz. 2.74 or 2.91 respectively) is sufficient for ritual washing of both hands because the sages determined that with this amount one can wash his hands well (Dirshu 160:52). In addition this amount is the minimum to purify impure vessels (Shulchan Aruch Harav 160:16).

The Mishna Berurah (160:66) explains that one should pour the water 2 times on each hand. The first pouring purifies the hands and the second pouring purifies the water on the hands. However if one pours the full amount of ¼ of a log at one time then one pouring is sufficient for both hands (ibid.). If water is easily available one should not rely on the minimum amount (ibid.).         

Blessing

Although Maimonides  (Laws of Matzo 8:1) writes that one should recite the blessing over this ritual washing of the hands the Shulchan Aruch (ibid. 473:6) rules otherwise. The Mishna Berurah (158:20) explains that since there are conflicting opinions about the blessing we follow the general rule, “We do not recite a blessing in a matter of dispute”. 

Step 3 – Dip and Eat Vegetable (Karpas Ritual) – כרפס

Ceremony      

The Shulchan Aruch (Orach Chaim 473:6) states that one should select a vegetable, dip it in a liquid, and recite a blessing before eating the vegetable.

Reason

The Talmud (Pesachim 114b) states that the reason for this ritual is to arouse the curiosity of children so that they should ask questions at the Seder. Typically vegetables at a meal would be eaten after the bread or in this case matzo.

Origin

The Torah (Exodus 13:8) commands the retelling of the exodus from Egypt on the night of the 15^th of Nissan, the first day of Passover. The verse follows, “You shall tell your son on that day, saying: Because Hashem acted on my behalf when I left Egypt (we tell the story of the Exodus).” Since the sages ordained this retelling through a question and answer format we must arouse the curiosity of the children.   

Halacha

This section will analyze the Halacha of this ritual in terms of:

• Type of vegetable.
• Type of liquid. 
• Blessing.
• Reclining.
• Amount.

Vegetable

 The Karpas ritual involves dipping a vegetable in a liquid before eating it.  The reader may ask, “Why did the sages choose a vegetable for this ritual?” In fact the requirement to ritually wash the hands before dipping applies to any solid food (e.g. vegetable, fruit, or meat – Mishna Berurah 158:11). The answer lies in the blessing over this vegetable in relation to the blessing over the bitter herbs (maror) – step 9 of the Seder.

Since the Talmud did not specify a specific vegetable for this ritual there are many different selections for the Karpas ritual. For example neither Maimonides (Laws of Matzo 8:1) nor does the Tur (Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 473) recommend a specific vegetable. However all Halachic authorities agree that maror (bitter herb) should not be used for the Karpas ritual unless no other vegetable is available.   

The Shulchan Aruch (473:6) recommends using a vegetable called karpas or in Hebrew כרפס. The Mishna Berurah (473:19), quoting the halachic authority Maharil, explains that the letters of the Hebrew word כרפס when rearranged spell פרך ס which is an allusion to 600,000 men who were slaves in Egypt. The numerical value of the letter ס is 60 when multiplied by 10,000 alludes to the 600,000 men who left Egypt (Exodus 12:37). The Hebrew word פרך refers to the back breaking slavery in Egypt (בפרך in Exodus 1:13-14).    

The decisors of Halacha debate the identity of this vegetable with the majority favouring celery while others identify karpas as parsley or coriander. In the opinion of the author this mystery may be resolved by:

•  Linguistic comparisons.
• Citation in scripture.
• Citation from Talmud. 

Linguistic comparisons 

The identity of karpas may be determined by noting how the word karpas or similar pronunciations are used in different languages of the Middle East. It is interesting to note that celery in both Persian (language used in the time of Esther) and Arabic are pronounced similar to karpas as follows: 

• Persian – karaf or karafs
• Arabic – karfs or karfsa

Citation from Scripture

The Hebrew word כרפס occurs only once in scripture (Esther 1:6) in reference to the lavish celebration of King Ahasuerus. The verse follows, “There were spreads of white, fine cotton dyed green (כרפס), and blue wool, embroidered with cords of linen and purple wool, on silver rods and marble columns.” The Targum on this verse translates the Hebrew word כרפס as green like a leek. Hence we can determine from this verse that the karpas vegetable should preferably be green. However this verse does not associate karpas with a particular vegetable.

Talmud

The Talmud (Megillah 12a) interprets the word כרפס as a compound word taking the first and last two letters of the word כרפס (i.e. כר and פס) to make the following words in plural form –    כרים (pillows) and פסים (fine wool or velvet). The additional letters ים are the plural form of the above two words. However this citation does not discuss the colour of karpas.               

The Talmud (Ketubot 61a) provides diet advice for pregnant women, for example a woman who consumes fish during pregnancy will bear graceful children. Of particular interest, the Talmud (ibid.) states that a woman who eats karpas during pregnancy will have radiant or beautiful children. Here Rashi translates karpas as apia (celery).    

The Talmud (Sukkah 39b) quotes the Mishna in Sheviit 9:1 which provides examples of wild produce with respect to the Sabbatical Year.  Of particular interest this Mishna mentions wild karpas as “karpas that grows by a river”. Rashi on Sukkah 39b translates this karpas as “either watercress or apium which is wild celery”. Rashi favours the first explanation because wild celery does not grow near a river. (Although commercially grown celery is planted on farm land away from rivers some wild celery does actually grow near rivers. Perhaps in the locale of Rashi (i.e. France) celery was not grown near rivers.) By contrast the Jerusalem Talmud (Sheviit 9:1) indentifies karpas as parsley using the Latin word “petroselinum”.

In Latin the word for celery is apium which is similar to the word apia used by Rashi (Ketubot 61b).    By contrast the word parsley in Persian or Arabic is not at all similar to karpas. In Latin parsley is called petroselinum. Based upon these 3 languages the identification of karpas with celery is conclusive.   

Appendix 2 provides the context of wild produce with respect to the Sabbatical year and the botanical relation of karpas to watercress, wild celery, and parsley.

Practical Considerations

In addition to the definition of karpas the selected vegetable for this ritual must meet the following requirements:

• Easily obtainable.
• Free of infestation.
• Consumed in the regular manner (raw or cooked).

Obtainable

The selected vegetable for karpas must be easily obtainable. In the past this was an important consideration for the Jewish communities in Northern Europe (e.g. Poland and Russia) where fresh vegetables were not readily available at the beginning of Pesach. Although Peach occurs near the beginning of spring the actual time can vary from end of March to end of April depending upon the Hebrew year, whether 12 or 13 months.

Infestation

Some will not use certain vegetables (e.g. parsley) for fear of insect infestation. The Torah (Leviticus 11:41-42) explicitly forbids the consumption of insects except for certain species of locusts (ibid. 11:22). (These locust species are a matter of dispute with the Shulchan Aruch Yoreh Deah 85:1 ruling that permissibility must be based upon a well established tradition.) Although celery may have thrips, flies or worms it may be cleaned as follows:    

“Remove all leaves; hold the celery firmly under a strong stream of water; brush the stalk inside and outside with a finger or vegetable brush. If a worm burrow is spotted, slit open the stalk, remove the worm, and wash thoroughly. Leaves must be washed with a soapy solution.”   

Source: https://oukosher.org/content/uploads/2020/06/Bug-Book-FV-chart20b.pdf

Consumption

The vegetable selected for karpas must be consumed in its normal manner whether raw or cooked to warrant the blessing “produce of the earth” before eating. Otherwise, the blessing before eating is the general blessing over food, “Through His (divine) word all came to be.” The blessing over karpas also covers the maror (bitter herb) discussed in detail in step 9. Based upon the above considerations there are many customs for karpas as follows:

• Celery – according to Talmud and linguistic comparison.
• Parsley – according to Jerusalem Talmud.
• Cucumber or cabbage – green colour from scripture.
• Potato, radish, or onion – based upon availability (Aruch Hashulchan Orach Chaim 473:10).     

However one should not use a vegetable for karpas which is also suitable for maror to avoid fulfilling the mitzvah of consuming maror before retelling of the story of the exodus (Mishna Berurah 473:20).     

Type of Liquid

In the karpas ritual one dips a vegetable in a liquid. This liquid must be one of the 7 liquids that require ritual washing of the hand as discussed above. The Shulchan Aruch (Orach Chaim 158:4), based upon the Mishna Macshirin 6:4, specifies these liquids as dew, water, wine, oil (from olives), blood, milk, and honey (from bees). The Shulchan Aruch (ibid. 473:6) suggests vinegar as the liquid for dipping which means wine vinegar because wine is one of the 7 liquids listed above. Vinegar made from other materials would not be valid for this ritual and certainly grain vinegar is prohibited on Passover as a leavened product. Vinegar derived from wine, apple cider, or sugar cane may be used on Passover but not for this ritual. The Rema (ibid. 473:4) mentions salt water and the Mishna Berurah (473:54) wine. 

Although not mentioned in the Shulchan Aruch one may use olive oil or bee honey as a liquid for dipping. Presumably these 2 liquids are not used for karpas because vegetable dips were slightly acrid and not sweet at the time of the temple and Mishna.    

Blessing

Before consuming the karpas one recites the blessing on partaking of a vegetable, “Blessed are You, Hashem our G-d, Who (divine) creates the produce of the earth.” The Mishna Berurah (473:55) suggests that when reciting this blessing one intends to cover the blessing on consuming the maror. This point will be discussed in detail in step 9 of the Seder – Mitzvah of Maror.

The Dirshu (473:66) records a dispute about the sequence of dipping and blessing. On one hand the Shulchan Aruch (ibid. 473:6) states that one should dip the vegetable and then recite the blessing to minimize the delay between the blessing and consumption of the vegetable. On the other hand the Magen Avraham (473:19) writes that one should recite the blessing and then dip the vegetable to show that dipping is an essential component of the karpas ritual and therefore is not an interruption between the blessing and consumption of the vegetable.         

Reclining

The Shulchan Aruch does not indicate whether or not a person should recline when consuming the karpas vegetable leading to a dispute in Halacha (Dirshu 473:67). On one hand the purpose of the karpas ritual is to arouse the curiosity of the children and therefore the consumption of this vegetable is not directly a sign of freedom. On the other hand this ritual is part of the Seder and may relate to freedom. The Dirshu quotes a compromise position that suggests some of the karpas should be eaten while reclining and some not. The Yalkut Yosef (473:12) leaves the decision up to participants of the Seder.        

Amount

The Shulchan Aruch (Orach Chaim 473:6) rules that one should eat less than the volume of a medium sized olive (<30 cc). Normally the amount of food consumed to fulfill a mitzvah should be the size of an olive. However, the purpose of the karpas ritual is to arouse the curiosity of the children and even consuming a small amount of this vegetable serves this purpose. In addition, consuming this small amount avoids a dispute about the blessing after eating food. Even If a person consumed more than the volume of an olive he does not recite the blessing after eating (Mishna Berurah 473:56). These points will be discussed in detail in step 9 of the Seder – Mitzvah of Maror.

By contrast, Maimonides (Laws of Matzo 8:2) rules that one should consume an olive size amount of the karpas vegetable because this is the amount of food consumed to fulfill a mitzvah. In addition, Maimonides selects charoset (a mixture of fruit and nuts which will be discussed in step 9) as the dip instead of salt water or wine vinegar.  

The Yalkut Yosef (473:15) suggests leaving some of the karpas vegetable on the Seder plate until both the matzo and maror are consumed. In this manner the Seder plate remains complete until the meal.

Step 4 –Break the Middle Matzo -יחץ

Ceremony

The leader of the Seder uses 3 matzoth as will be explained in steps 7, 8, 10, and 12. At this point the Shulchan Aruch (ibid. 473:6) rules that the leader of the Seder breaks the middle matzo with the larger piece used for the Afikoman due to its importance and the need to eat 2 olive sizes of matzo (Dirshu 473:69) as will be explained in step 12 – Afikoman. The smaller piece is used for the consumption of matzoth for the initial mitzvah (steps 7 and 8).

The Shulchan Aruch (ibid.) further explains that the leader of the Seder gives the larger piece to one of the participants. He then places it underneath a covering or the tablecloth for safekeeping. The Mishna Berurah (473:59) relates that before this placement some carry this piece of matzo on their shoulders to re-enact the exodus from Egypt. 

Stealing the Afikoman

Some have the custom that the children “steal the Afikoman” and seek a reward (or ransom). They find a source for this practice “of stealing the Afikoman” in Maimonides (Laws of Matzo 7:3), based upon the Talmud (Pesachim 109a), who writes that the matzoth should be snatched from one to another to arouse curiosity of the children. Others explain that one hurry the Seder (literally eat the matzo quickly) to avoid the children falling asleep during the Seder. Despite these sources most contemporary codifiers of Halacha object to this practice (Dirshu 473:70) because it rewards stealing.  

(The author has a suggestion to maintain the practice of children of hiding the Afikoman, receiving a reward, and avoiding the appearance of theft. Rather than the children steal the Afikoman, the leader of the Seder can allow the children to hide it. Near the end of the meal the leader of the Seder or another adult tries to find the Afikoman like a treasure hunt. To reduce the search time, the children may tell the adult in which room it is hidden. In addition the children may give clues during the search or indicate whether the adult is closer or farther from the Afikoman (i.e. clues of warmer or colder). At the end of the hunt the adult retrieves the Afikoman and agrees to give the children a gift for their effort. In this manner the children receive a reward without stealing and actively participate in the Seder.)                   

Origin

The Talmud (Pesachim 115b-116a) refers to the practice of breaking the matzo based upon the verse (Deuteronomy 16:3) which calls matzo, “bread of affliction (עני לחם)”. The Talmud (ibid.) interprets the word עני as a poor man and states just as a poor man eats pieces of bread rather than a whole loaf so too at the Seder we eat from a broken matzo.  

Reason

The breaking of the matzo commemorates the affliction and poverty of the Israelites during their long slavery in Egypt. The Mishna Berurah (473:59) explains that the covering of the broken matzo commemorates the Israelites leaving Egypt with their leftover matzo bound up in their garments upon their shoulders (Exodus 12:34). The other piece is placed between the first and third matzoth for later use. 

Halacha

Although the Talmud requires the breaking of matzo it does not specify at which point in the Seder it should occur. The Shulchan Aruch (ibid. 473:6) rules that one performs this ritual immediately after the karpas ritual. In this manner one retells the exodus from Egypt over a broken piece of matzo. The Talmud (ibid. 115b) also interprets the expression “bread of affliction (“לחם עני”)as bread over which many statements are recited (Shulchan Aruch Harav 473:36). In Hebrew the word עני may mean affliction or reciting.   

By contrast Maimonides (Laws of Matzo 8:6) rules that one breaks the matzo before reciting the blessing on consuming the matzo (step 7) to directly connect these steps.

Step 5 –Tell the Story (of the Exodus) – מגיד

Ceremony

This step of the Seder is the actual retelling of the story of the Exodus from Egypt.

Reason

Although the Torah commands the retelling of the exodus it does not clearly specify the reason. The commentators on the Torah and Halacha provide many rationales for this practice. For sake of brevity the author will provide a sampling of these explanations as follows:

• Belief in Hashem – Just as the Sabbath commemorates that Hashem created the world; the retelling of the exodus enforces the belief or knowledge that Hashem runs the world and may perform miracles to redeem the Israelites (Nachmanides on Exodus 13:16).
• Observance of mitzvoth – Since Hashem freed the Israelites from slavery in Egypt, they owe a debt of allegiance to Hashem as the verse states (Leviticus 25:55), “The children of Israel are servants to Me … whom I took out of the land of Egypt. I am Hashem your G-d” (Aruch Hashulchan Orach Chaim 473:22). 
• Gratitude – By retelling the exodus from Egypt and discussing the miracles that Hashem wrought we are filled with a sense of gratitude towards Hashem (Pesachim 116a). 
• Hope – The retelling of the exodus gives the Israelites hope. Just as Hashem rescued the Israelites from the slavery of Egypt so too Hashem will save them from their enemies throughout the generations. In the words of the Haggadah, “Although In every generation our enemies rise against us (Israelites) to destroy us, the Holy One, Blessed be He, rescues us from their hands.”     
• Joy in heaven – The Zohar (2:40b) adds a mystical dimension to the retelling of the exodus when performed with joy. According to the Zohar the words of recital reach the heavens and are received by Hashem with delight. Hashem then summons the angels to listen to the Israelites praising Hashem at the Seder. In turn the angels exult with the Israelites in a heavenly communion which protects the Israelites in this world.
• Connection to divine – In addition the Zohar (2:41a) comments on the citation in the Haggadah, “It is a mitzvah to retell (לספר) the exodus from Egypt. Furthermore, whoever retells (לספר) the exodus in great detail is praiseworthy.” The Zohar connects the root word ספר (to tell or retell) to the Hebrew word for sapphire (ספיר) as used by scripture for the jewels of the breastplate of the high priest (Exodus 28:18) and the brightness of the heavenly throne (Exodus 24:10 and Ezekiel 1:26). The Zohar concludes just as sapphire reflects heavenly light so too the retelling of the exodus at the Seder connects one to divine light and revelation.          

Origin

The retelling of the exodus on the first night of Passover is a biblical command based upon the verse in Exodus 13:8, “You shall tell your son on that day (1^st night of Passover) saying: Because Hashem acted on my behalf when I left Egypt (we tell the story of the Exodus).” In the Diaspora the Seder is observed on the first 2 nights of Passover.  

Many are curious about the origin of the current text of the Haggadah. In fact this topic has been debated by Torah scholars and historians. Neither the Torah nor the Talmud provides a reference text for the Haggadah. In fact, the earliest extant of the Haggadah is the 9^th century text of Rav Amram Gaon of Babylonia contained in his collection of liturgy called the Seder of Rav Amram. Similar texts are included in the Machzor Vitry of the 11^th century and Maimonides Mishneh Torah of the 12^th century as an addendum to his Laws of Matzo.

Some have suggested that the outline of the Haggadah began at the beginning of the second temple era by the sages of the Great Assembly who organized the basic form of prayers and blessings (Berachot 33a). The requirements, listed in the next section “Halacha”, are recorded in the Mishna or Talmud but without a time frame when included in the Haggadah.                    

Halacha

Although the Torah does not specify a text for this retelling, the Talmud (Pesachim 116a-b) cites the following requirements and the author lists them in the order of the Haggadah:

• Begin with disgrace and conclude with glory.
• Question and answer format.
• Expound upon Deuteronomy 26:5-8.
• Explain the reason for Pesach (Paschal lamb), matzo, and maror. 
• Mention Deuteronomy 6:23.

Disgrace and then Glory

The Talmud (Pesachim 116a) states that the retelling of the exodus begins with disgrace of the Israelites and ends with their glory because in this manner one truly appreciates freedom. The Talmud presents the following views about this disgrace and glory:

• Spiritual – Initially the ancestors of the Israelites were idolaters including Abraham who was raised as an idolater. Then at Sinai, Hashem gave the Israelites the Torah to draw them to His service. To illustrate this point the Haggadah quotes Joshua 24:2-4, “From earlier times your fathers, including Terah, the father of both Abraham and Nahor, dwelt on the other side of the river (Euphrates) and served other gods. I (Hashem) took your father Abraham from the other side of the river (Euphrates), led him throughout all the land of Canaan, multiplied his offspring, and gave him Isaac. I (Hashem) gave Jacob and Esau to Isaac and Mount Seir to Esau as an inheritance (where he dwelt). However Jacob and his sons went down into Egypt (to eventual slavery).” This chapter in the book of Joshua cites the exodus from Egypt including the 10 plagues (ibid. 5) and the miracles at the Sea of Reeds (ibid. 6) but these verses are not quoted by the Haggadah.
• Physical (slavery to freedom) – After the 4 questions the Haggadah states, “We were once slaves in Egypt but Hashem, our G-d, brought us out from there with a strong hand (ביד חזקה) and outstretched arm (ובזרע נטויה)”.  It is interesting to note that this wording does not occur in scripture. Although the verses in Deuteronomy 5:15 and 26:8 mention both the strong hand and outstretched arm the former verse refers to “your G-d (singular)” rather than “our G-d (plural)” as in the Haggadah. By contrast the latter verse only mentions Hashem and does not include G-d in the possessive form. Perhaps the Haggadah uses the plural form (i.e. our G-d) to convey the message of freedom to all who are assembled at the Seder. By contrast verses of Deuteronomy 6:21, 7:8, and 9:26 only mention the strong hand.              

Question and Answer

In addition to the texts cited above, the Aruch Hashulchan (Orach Chaim 473:21), based upon the Talmud Pesachim 116a, writes that the retelling of the exodus should follow a question and answer format. Specifically the children ask questions and the father or other adults at the Seder answer them.  The Talmud (Ibid.) adds that if a son or daughter is not present then his wife may ask the questions. Even if a person is alone he should raise questions about the exodus or the laws of the Seder.

The Torah refers to this question and answer format by specifically raising questions from 3 different sons as listed below. In addition the Torah alludes to a 4^th son who does not know what to ask.

• Wise.
• Wicked.
• Simple.
• Does not know what to ask.

In each case the Torah provides an answer which the Haggadah cites although not necessarily in direct response to the question. In the case of the son who does not know what to ask, the Torah instructs the father to tell him the story of the exodus. In this manner the Torah emphasizes the teaching of Torah to the young or uniformed to prevent them from falling into the ways of the wicked son. In fact the Haggadah uses the same verse for the answer to the wicked and son who does not know how to ask. The following paragraphs cite the question and answer from the Torah and the place of this answer in the Haggadah.                  

Wise son

• Question – Deuteronomy 6:20 – “If your son will ask you: What are the testimonies, statutes, and ordinances that Hashem, our G-d, commanded you?”
• Answer – Deuteronomy 6:21 – “You shall say to your son: We were slaves to Pharaoh in Egypt, and Hashem took us out of Egypt with a strong hand.”
• Place in Haggadah – Immediately after the 4 questions.

Wicked son

• Question – Exodus 12:26 – “Your children will say to you: What is this service to you?”
• Answer – Exodus 12:27 – “You shall say: It is a paschal offering (פסח) to Hashem Who (divine) passed over (פסח) the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt, when He (divine) smote the Egyptians, and saved our households.”
• Place in Haggadah – Explanation of the paschal offering.

  Simple Son

• Question – Exodus 13:14 – “If your son will ask you: “What is this?”
• Answer – ibid – “With a strong hand Hashem took us out of Egypt from a house of bondage.”
• Place in Haggadah – Answer to this son.

Does not know to ask

• Question – None (does not know to ask).
• Answer or Response – Exodus 13:8 – “You shall tell your son on that day, saying: “Because Hashem acted on my behalf when I left Egypt (we tell the story of the Exodus and must engage this son).”
• Place in Haggadah – Answer to this son.

Analysis of Responses

It is interesting to note that the answers in the Haggadah for the wise and wicked son are not the same as in the Torah. This indicates that a standard answer is not the most effective way of dealing with the inquisitive nature of these sons. Rather the answer should be tailored to the needs of the son based upon the verse from Proverbs (22:6), “Teach a young man according to his way so that when he grows old he will not turn away from it.” For the wise son the Haggadah provides an answer from the end of the tractate Pesachim (119b) to emphasize that he must master the Talmud. For the wicked son the Haggadah stresses observance of the mitzvoth as the key to survival of the Jewish people. In the words of the Haggadah, “Since he has excluded himself from the community … you answer him: Had he been there he would not have been redeemed (rather he would have passed away during the plague of darkness – Exodus Rabbah 14:3).”        

By contrast the Haggadah uses the same verse as in the Torah to teach the simple son that a straight forward answer is best suited for him. The Haggadah, by quoting Exodus 13:8, advises the father to tell the story of the exodus to the son who does not know how to ask thereby placing the onus on the father.     

Expound upon Deuteronomy 26:5-8

At a literal level the Israelites recite these verses when they offer their first fruits to the priests at the temple in Jerusalem. The sages chose these verses because:

• Brief summary of the slavery and exodus.
• Familiarity with these verses due to the declaration accompanying the gift of the first fruit.
• Similarity of words – first fruit declaration in Deuteronomy 26:3 (הגדתי) and the command to retell the exodus in Exodus 13:8 (והגדת).
• Gratitude – Just as the first fruit declaration involves gratitude so too the retelling of the exodus should be infused with gratitude.    

The verses follow with comments from the author in brackets:

Deuteronomy 26:5 – “An Aramean (Laban) tried to destroy my forefather (Jacob). He descended to Egypt and sojourned there with a small number of people (70 as listed in Genesis 46:8-27). There he spawned a nation which was great, mighty, and numerous (Exodus 1:7).”

Deuteronomy 26:6 – “The Egyptians treated us (Israelites) cruelly by imposing hard labour upon us (Exodus 1:11 and 1:13).”

Deuteronomy 26:7- “Then we cried out to Hashem, G-d of our forefathers. Hashem heard our voice and saw our affliction, toil, and oppression (Exodus 2:23-25).”

Deuteronomy 26:8 – “Hashem took us out from Egypt with a strong hand and an outstretched arm, with great awe, signs and wonders.”

The Haggadah does not include the following verse (ibid. 26:9) because it speaks of inheriting the land of Israel. Originally this verse was part of the Haggadah but was omitted some time after the destruction of the second temple when most Israelites lived in the Diaspora.

These verses provide a brief summary of the exodus and history of the Israelites as follows:

• Persecution – internal (Laban was Jacob’s uncle) verse 5 and external (Egypt) verse 6.
• Prayer – and divine mercy (verse 7).
• Deliverance – with miracles (verse 8).

Reason for Pesach, Matzo, and Maror

The Mishna (Pesachim 115b-116a) states that one who does not explain the reason for Pesach (Paschal Lamb), matzo, and maror has not fulfilled his obligation.  Since the Mishna does not explain which obligation the commentators on the Talmud offer the following answers:

• Retelling of the exodus (Maimonides Laws of Matzo 7:5) – Tosafot (Pesachim 115b) notes that the Torah (Exodus 12:27) cites an explanation for the Paschal lamb in relation to the retelling of the exodus. Although the Torah did not explicitly mandate an explanation for matzo and maror at the Seder, Tosafot (ibid.) reasons that these 3 food items are compared to each other.   
• Consuming these foods (Maharsha on Pesachim 116a) – the Maharsha explains that in addition to consuming these foods the Torah requires a person to explain the reason for the mitzvah based upon scripture and spiritual considerations. Since the Torah emphasizes the need to remember the exodus from Egypt (e.g. Deuteronomy 5:15 and 16:3) the consumption of these foods must be accompanied by an explanation of these mitzvoth. In addition the spiritual component of the exodus from Egypt (i.e. from idolatry to Judaism) requires verbalization of the mitzvah to draw way from negative influences (in the words of the Maharsha from impurity to purity).          

The Haggadah addresses these 3 items in a question and answer format as follows:

• Pesach.
• Matzo.
• Maror.

Pesach

The Haggadah asks, “What does the Pesach offering, which our ancestors ate when the Temple stood, recall?  It recalls that the Holy One, blessed He, passed over (פסח) the houses of our ancestors in Egypt as said in the Torah (Exodus 12:27).” The verse follows, ”You shall say: ‘It is a Pesach offering for Hashem because He passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt when He struck the Egyptians and saved their households. The people (Israelites) bowed down (in gratitude).” It is interesting to note that the name of the holiday (פסח) which means to pass over applies in both Hebrew and English. 

In addition to passing over the word פסח also has the connotation of mercy (חיס) as translated by Targum Onkelos. This connotation is reinforced by using the Atbash system of letter transformation the word פסח becomes וחס, in English, “and (Hashem) had mercy” or when the letters are rearranged חוס in English “(Hashem have mercy”.

This means that Hashem had mercy on the Israelites and protected them from the plague of the killing of the firstborn. Even if a firstborn Egyptian hid in the house of an Israelite he was not spared from this plague. 

Matzo

The Haggadah asks, ”What does the matzo that we eat at the Seder recall? It recalls the dough of our ancestors, which did not have time to rise before the King, King of kings, the Holy One, blessed be He, revealed Himself to the Israelites and redeemed them as said in the Torah (Exodus 12:39).” The verse follows, “They baked the dough that they took out of Egypt into unleavened cakes because it had not risen because they were driven from Egypt and could not delay. (In addition) they made no provisions for themselves.”

Maror

The Haggadah asks, “What does the maror that we eat at the Seder recall? It recalls the bitterness that the Egyptians imposed on the lives of our ancestors in Egypt as said in the Torah (Exodus 1:14).” The verse follows, “They embittered their lives with hard labor, with mortar and bricks, and with every labour of the field. All the work involved crushing harshness.”

The Shulchan Aruch (Orach Chaim 473:7) rules, based upon the Talmud Pesachim 116b, that one should lift the matzo and maror from the Seder when explaining the reason for these mitzvoth. The Rema (ibid.) adds that one should select the middle matzo for this lifting. The Mishna Berurah (473:72) states that one should not raise the shank bone on the Seder plate to avoid giving the impression that this part of the paschal offering.     

Mention Deuteronomy 6:23

The Haggadah quotes the Mishna in Pesachim 116b,” In every generation one should view himself as though he personally left Egypt, as stated in Exodus 13:8: You shall tell your son on that day, saying, because Hashem acted on my behalf when I left Egypt”.

The Talmud (ibid.) states that in addition to citing Exodus 13:8 one must also quote Deuteronomy 6:23, “He brought us out from there (Egypt) to bring us to the land which He promised to our ancestors to give to us.” Therefore, the Haggadah includes this verse after citing Exodus 13:8.

The Rashbam (ibid.) comments that this verse indicates that a person must show himself (to others) that he left Egypt. By contrast the Mishna states that one should only view himself as he left Egypt. The Aruch Hashulchan (Orach Chaim 473:22) explains that the verse in Exodus could be misinterpreted as referring to the Israelites who actually left Egypt but not future generations as suggested by the wicked son. Therefore the Haggadah includes the verse in Deuteronomy which refers to the generation ready to enter Israel 40 years after the Exodus. By extension, the retelling of Exodus applies to all generations of Israelites.         

It is interesting to note that Maimonides quotes both of these versions (i.e. view or show) in different contexts. In the Mishneh Torah (Laws of Matzo 7:6), “In every generation, a person must show himself as if he has now left the slavery of Egypt, as the verse states (Deuteronomy 6:23): “He (Hashem) took us out from there.” Regarding this manner, Hashem commanded in the Torah Deuteronomy 5:15: “Remember that you were a slave” meaning as if you, were a slave and went out to freedom and were redeemed.”

By contrast in his test of the Haggadah, Maimonides writes, “In every generation, one should view himself as though he personally left Egypt. It was not only our ancestors whom the Holy One, blessed be He, redeemed from Egypt; rather, He redeemed us, as it is stated (Deuteronomy 6:23): ” He brought us out from there (Egypt) to bring us to the land which He promised our ancestors to give to us.”

Maimonides in the Laws of Matzo Chapter 7 emphasizes the obligation of retelling the exodus applies not only to the recitation of the Haggadah but to all the practices performed at the Seder. Since we must recite the Haggadah to others, as implied by the question and answer approach as discussed above (Laws of Matzo 7:3), he must demonstrate to others his personal experience of the exodus, hence the expression, “show himself”. By contrast the expression, “view himself” refers specifically to this section of the Haggadah. This explanation may be found on commentary on Laws of Matzo 7:6 from the following link:

https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/937306/jewish/Chametz-UMatzah-Chapter-Seven.htm

Method of reciting

The Mishna Berurah (473:71) states that one should not recline when reciting the Haggadah. Rather one should recite it with due reverence. The Aruch Hashulchan (ibid. 473:20) adds that the participants of the Seder must understand the words of the Haggadah and therefore may follow in a translated text.    

Appendix 3 discusses the different reasons why a blessing is not recited over the retelling of the exodus.  

Conclusion

This article analyzed the first 5 of the 15 steps of the Seder, namely from the Sanctification Ceremony until the retelling of the exodus from Egypt. For each step the author discussed the nature of the step, its reason, origin, and disputes in Halacha with the objective to make the Seder more meaningful. In this manner one can fulfill the maxim of the sages, “In every generation an Israelite is obligated to see himself as though he had actually left Egypt.” The next article “15 Steps of the Seder – Part 2” analyzes steps 6 – 10, namely ritual washing of the hands and the different practices of the consumption of matzo and maror.       

Appendix 1 – Blood Libel

Blood libels, together with allegations of well poisoning, were a major theme in Jewish persecution in Europe throughout the middle Ages and into the modern era. They were a central component in the development of modern anti-Semitism of the 19th century. The earliest references to blood libel charges against the Jews can be found in the Hellenistic writings of Apion in the 2nd century BCE. The blood libel was often spread around Passover because the church accused the Jews of deicide with the alleged blood used in the baking of matzo representing the blood of crucifixion.  

The first recorded case of the blood libel in Europe was that of William of Norwich in 1144. The Jews of Norwich, England, were charged with ritual murder after the body of a young boy (William) who was discovered stabbed to death in the woods. In this case, the Jews of Norwich were alleged to have “bought a Christian child before Easter and tortured him similar to our Lord, and on Long Friday hanged him in hatred of our Lord.”

In the next 100 years, cases were recorded in England, France, Spain, and Germany. Medieval poet Geoffrey Chaucer’s “The Prioress’s Tale” (in The Canterbury Tales) also invokes the blood libel motif, describing Jews as aroused by satanic urges to murder Christian children.

This blood libel was often combined with allegations of well-poisoning by Jews during the time of the Black Death in the middle of the 14^th century. In 1475, a 2-year old boy named Simon disappeared from the city of Trent in Italy around the time of Easter. His father alleged that he had been kidnapped and murdered by the local Jewish community in order to make matzo for Passover. The entire Jewish community was arrested and forced to confess under torture before they were sentenced to death and burned at the stake.

Martin Luther, German theologian and key figure in the Protestant Reformation, lent even further credence to the blood libel charge by accepting the Jewish use of Christian blood as fact in his work (published in 1543), “On the Jews and their Lies”.

By the 17^th century, blood libels became increasingly common in Eastern Europe, particularly in Poland and Lithuania resulting in pogroms or anti-Jewish riots. For example the 1903 Kishinev pogrom started with the murder of a Christian boy in the town of Dubossary, about 15 miles (25 km) north of Kishinev, the capital of Bessarabia in the Russian Empire. Spurred by articles published in the Russian-language anti-Semitic newspaper, The Bessarabian, the pogrom broke out on April 19, 1903 (Easter Sunday). In the course of three days of rioting, almost 50 Jews were killed and hundreds were wounded. Hundreds of Jewish homes and businesses were looted and destroyed.

The Beilis Affair, in which Menachem Mendel Beilis was accused of murdering a Christian boy in 1911 (and subsequently acquitted at a trial in 1913), sparked international criticism of Czarist Russia’s anti-Semitic policies.

The Nazis made effective use of the blood libel charge in their anti-Semitic propaganda. The May 1934 volume of Der Sturmer was devoted specifically to the blood libel, accusing Jews of practicing ritual murder to secure the blood of Christians to use in Jewish religious rituals with the headline “Jewish Murder Plan against Gentile Humanity Revealed.”(Der Sturmer was a weekly German tabloid-format newspaper published from 1923 to the end of World War II by Julius Streicher. It was a significant part of Nazi propaganda and virulently anti-Semitic.) 

Even after the Holocaust, the blood libel figured prominently in a number of pogroms that broke out in Poland after the war. Most prominent was the Kielce pogrom of July 1946. The pogrom was sparked by charges that a nine-year-old gentile, who had left his home in Kielce without informing his parents, had been kidnapped and hidden in the basement of the local Jewish Committee building in Kielce. Although he returned home two days later, the accusation led to a pogrom that resulted in the deaths of 42 Jews and sparked the widespread flights of thousands of Jews out of Poland. In addition the motivation for the pogrom was to discourage holocaust survivors from returning and reclaiming their homes and belongings that were now in the possession of the Poles.   

The Roman Catholic Church has since repudiated the blood libel charge, removing Simon of Trent from the list of saints in 1965. Nonetheless, the myth of the blood libel remains powerful into the 21st century, especially in the Arab world. For example a 2003 TV series broadcast in Syria and Lebanon based on The Protocols of the Elders of Zion shows the Jewish people as engaging in a conspiracy to rule the world. It also presents Jews as a people who murder Christian children and drain their blood to bake matzoth. Content for this appendix was taken from the following source:

https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/blood-libel

Appendix 2 –Wild Vegetables on the Sabbatical Year

The Talmud (Sukkah 39a-b) discusses the issue of buying an etrog from an unlearned person on the Sabbatical year. In addition to the prohibition of working the land on this year (Leviticus 25:4), produce of the land cannot be guarded meaning that anyone can enter a field and pick produce for immediate consumption or sale (Leviticus 25:6-7). Furthermore money used to purchase this produce acquires the sanctity of the sabbatical year and may only be used to purchase food, fuel, lotions, or dyeing materials. In addition the money must be used before the time of removal near the end of the sabbatical year. Hence the sages placed restrictions on buying produce from an unlearned person as follows:

• Farmed produce – “We do not give even the slightest amount of money to an unlearned person to purchase farmed produce of the Sabbatical year (Maimonides – Laws of Sabbatical Year 8:10)”. 
• Wild produce (typically ownerless) – It is permitted to purchase from an unlearned person 3 meals of produce that grows wild because it is assumed to be ownerless (ibid. 8:12).

The Talmud (Sukkah 39b) quotes the Mishna in Sheviit 9:1 which provides examples of wild produce with respect to the Sabbatical Year.  Of particular interest this Mishna mentions wild karpas as “karpas that grows by a river”. Rashi on Sukkah 39b translates this karpas as “either watercress or apium which is wild celery”. Rashi favours the first explanation because wild celery does not grow near a river. (Although commercially grown celery is planted on farm land away from rivers some wild celery does actually grow near rivers. Perhaps in the locale of Rashi (France) celery was not grown near rivers.) By contrast the Jerusalem Talmud (Sheviit 9:1) indentifies karpas as parsley using the Latin word “petroselinum”.

For those interested in botany the author has provided some background information about watercress, wild celery, and parsley as follows.

Watercress

Watercress is a species of aquatic flowering plant in the cabbage family and is similar in appearance to spinach or parsley. The hollow stems of watercress float in water. Watercress leaves, stems, and fruit may be eaten raw or cooked.

Wild Celery

Apium is a genus of flowering plants that can grow in the wet soil of marshes, especially wild celery. The species apium graveolens includes celery, celeriac, and leaf celery.

Parsley

Parsley or garden parsley is a species of flowering plant in the family Apiaceae and is widely cultivated as an herb or vegetable. It may be eaten raw (e.g. salads) or cooked (e.g. soups).

Since both celery and parsley are both members of the genus apium it is possible that when Rashi and other commentaries call karpas as apium it may refer either to celery or parsley.   

Appendix 3 – Blessing over the Retelling of the Exodus

The current practice is not to recite a blessing over the retelling of the exodus even though the retelling is a commandment from the Torah. By contrast one does recite a blessing over the matzo and maror. The commentators on the Talmud and Halacha offer many reasons for the current practice. For sake of brevity the author will provide a sampling as follows:  

• Covered by a previous blessing – Several blessings on this night cover a blessing on the retelling of the exodus because these blessings refer to the exodus from Egypt. In particular the blessing in the evening prayer, “Who redeemed Israel (from Egypt)” and the blessing of the Sanctification Ceremony (Step 1 of the Seder).   
• Nature of the retelling – The sages applied a blessing on a mitzvah of physical action (e.g. lighting Hanukkah candles) or hearing a fixed text (e.g. Megillah). By contrast the mitzvah of retelling the exodus requires neither a physical action nor reading a fixed text. Rather this mitzvah is dependent upon understanding the text and matters of faith. Similarly the recital of the Shema which requires understanding of the text and associated matters of faith and does not require a blessing on this mitzvah. Alternately both of these mitzvoth involve Torah study and are therefore covered by the daily blessing on Torah study.       

It is interesting to note that despite the above reasons, Rabbi Menachem HaMeiri, (the Meiri) of 13^th-14^th century France, on Berachot 12b records a view that allows one to recite a blessing over the retelling of the exodus. In fact, some early versions of the Haggadah did include this blessing. However, the Meiri writes that the accepted practice is not to recite this blessing.