Observances & Rituals:
The seder: An educational experience
By Rabbi Yossi Kenigsberg
April 25, 2008
The seder nights on Pesach are among the primary events in the Jewish calendar year. Historically, it seems that even in the most irreligious homes, the seder nights were dutifully designated as a time of religious commitment and expression. Families and friends, on whatever their own level of observance, assemble to participate in this highly anticipated event.
In order to comprehend the rationale behind the seder rituals, two central questions must be answered. First of all, why do we require a seder with its pre-planned scenario, script and menu? Are we not sufficiently sophisticated to devise our own agenda and tributes on Pesach night? Secondly, on no other Jewish holiday are we instructed to have a formalized dialogue and discussion recollecting the relevant historical events of the time. Why did our sages provide us with the Haggadah text and prescribe this lengthy and detailed analysis of our Egyptian experience?
Besides celebrating our physical emancipation from slavery, on Pesach we also commemorate the anniversary of Jewish nationhood and identity. Since the Exodus represents the genesis of our Jewish collective identity, it is vital that we do everything possible to discover and reaffirm our Jewish consciousness at this juncture. In order to achieve this, we must feel a connection to our Jewish past, present and future. The objective of the seder and the Haggadah format is to facilitate the opportunity for us to develop an acute sense of affiliation with the past, present, and future of the Jewish experience.
It is the time to view our selves not only as individual Jews, but also to perceive ourselves as components of the corporate entity of Jewish nationhood. This night is too significant to be left to chance, and therefore we were provided with the means to maximize the potential of this opportunity. Our sages realized that a person is molded and affected by actions and therefore prescribed the seder's concrete observances to help us vicariously experience the redemption from
The seder, as well, is a night dedicated to Jewish education. We all become teachers and students at the seder, utilizing the Haggadah as the lesson plan. We create an ideal learning environment by using words, actions and physical stimuli (the special foods) to whet our children's spiritual appetites. Our children are encouraged to ask questions and we are mandated to answer them with patience and precision. We attempt to creatively involve all seder participants in the evening's itinerary. With this pedagogical experience we inspire our children to identify with the past, present, and future of the Jewish people and thereby enhance the potential of our own continuity.
By scrupulous adherence to all the rituals of the seder nights, our families can embrace an invigorated identification with our religion and our people. As we approach the final days of the holiday, we should try to sustain the inspiration that we gleaned from the seder experience.
Throughout the trials and tribulations of Jewish history, God continuously intervenes on our behalf and we are confident that His divine protection will always embrace us. The fusion of the past, present, and future that we created on those first nights of Pesach will provide for us and for our children a glimpse into eternity.
Rabbi Kenigsberg is an educator who lives in