Traditional Seder
Traditional Seder Outline
1. This begins with a sanctification blessing
over grape juice in honor of the holiday. The
grape juice is drunk, and a second cup is poured,
which is symbolic of the blood of Jesus (Matt.
26:28; Mark 14:23,24; Luke 22:20; John 6:53-56).
2. The father or leader pours water into a basin
and washes his hands. This symbolizes the foot
washing Jesus did before He ate the Passover meal.
After that he poureth water into a basin, and
began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe
them with the towel wherewith he was girded (John
13:5).
3. The Karpas (a vegetable--usually parsley)
is dipped in salt water and eaten. The vegetable
is said to symbolize the lowly origins of the
Jewish people; the salt water symbolizes the tears
shed as a result of our slavery.
4. There are three pieces of matzah, two for
the blessing and one to be broken. There is a
special cloth holder with three sections called
matzah tash. The three pieces of matzah are inside,
one in each compartment. The leader takes the
middle sheet of matzah and lifts it for everyone
to see. He then breaks the bread in two. This
symbolizes Christ. Next he takes one piece and
places it back in the matzah tash. Then he takes
the other piece and wraps it in a linen cloth.
This linen-wrapped matzah is called the Afikoman.
The matzah tash forms a unity of one which speaks
of the unity of God: God the Father, God the Son,
and God the Holy Spirit.
5. The leader hides the Afikoman. This is a picture
of Yÿshua (Jesus), the middle part of the
tri-unity, which was broken, wrapped up in cloth,
buried and brought forth again (as bread brought
forth from the earth.) Yÿshua (Jesus), the
bread of life, was without sin (leaven), pierced,
and striped just as the unleavened matzah. And
when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it
in a clean linen cloth, and laid it in his own
new tomb...(Matt. 27:59-60).
6. There should be a retelling of the story of
the Exodus from Egypt and the first Passover.
This may begin with the youngest person asking
The Four Questions. Then the leader reads the
Passover story in Exodus 12. We should try to
motivate our children to ask their own chain of
questions, by pointing out small items that will
lead them along a path of discovery to ever bigger
and more important items.
7. A blessing is recited over the second cup
of wine and it is drunk.
8. A second washing of the hands, this time with
a blessing, in preparation for eating the matzah.
9. A blessing specific to matzah is recited,
thanking God for bread that symbolizes the body
of Christ (Matt. 26:26). Then a piece of matzah
is eaten.
10. A blessing is recited over a bitter herb
(usually raw horseradish), and it is eaten. This
symbolizes the
bitterness of slavery and the bitterness of our
sin. The bitter vegetable should be eaten together
with matzah.
11. The bitter vegetable is eaten again, but
with a mixture of apples, nuts, cinnamon and wine,
which symbolizes the mortar used by the Jews in
building during their slavery. This mixture symbolizes
how the sweetness of Yÿshua can overcome
bitter sin.
12. A festive meal is eaten. There is no particular
requirement regarding what to eat at this meal
except that leaven cannot be eaten. Traditionally,
some Jews eat gefilte fish and matzah ball soup
at the beginning of the meal.
13. The piece of matzah set aside earlier is
eaten as dessert, the last food of the meal. The
children look for the Afikoman. Once it is found
it is ransomed to the leader for a price as the
Messiah was our ransom.
14. The third cup of wine, called the redemption,
cup is poured. Grace is recited afterward. Then
a blessing is said over the third cup and it is
drunk.
15. The fourth cup is poured.
16. Some items are set aside for the prophet
Elijah (see previous section Jewish Customs of
Passover Today.) The door is opened for awhile
at this point for Elijah.
17. Several psalms of praise are recited. A blessing
is recited over the last cup of wine and it is
drunk.
18. The Passover is completed with the phrase:
Lashanan Habaÿah Bi Yerushalayim!
Next Year in Jerusalem!
This is sometimes followed by various hymns and
stories.
An excellent Passover video is available from
Sojourner Ministries. You can view a clip online.
Click The
Unleavened Messiah Video
More About Passover
| Simple
Seder | Traditional
Seder | Seder
Checklist | Jewish
Customs |
| Ten
Plagues | Other
Crafts | Sheep
Unit | Messiah
in Passover |
| Celebrating
Passover |
|
