The Seder consists of many details that come together to form a whole, and it is important to determine the significance of the various parts. There are the main points, namely, the mitzvot ordained by the Torah and the rabbinical requirements around which the Seder is constructed, whose fulfillment is the goal of this night. Then there are the customs and additions, which are indeed very important for the creation of the appropriate atmosphere and the overall experience, but whose significance is secondary and can even be dispensed with if necessary. The main mitzvot that must be fulfilled during the course of the Seder are: the story of the exodus from Egypt, eating matza, eating maror, drinking the four cups of wine, and reciting Hallel.

The mitzva to relate the story of the exodus from Egypt is the most important commandment of the Seder, and is in fact the main point and the essence of the night. A father has the obligation to fulfill the biblical command to “tell your son” (Exodus 13:8), and thereby to pass down to his children the story of the exodus and link them to the tradition of generations. The questions of Ma Nishtana (“How is this night different from all other nights?”) that the children ask are meant to be an opening to a discussion of the story of the exodus from Egypt. Therefore, it is clearly not enough to applaud the children’s successful chanting of the questions; rather one must provide them with answers that suit their level of understanding and knowledge.

This mitzva has no fixed measure or limit; one can continue learning about and discussing the exodus all night long, as the haggada itself relates concerning the talmudic Sages who expounded on the story of the exodus until sunrise. Those who have the strength to do so can carry on with telling the story of the exodus from Egypt even after the end of the meal and the reading of the entire haggada.

In order to make it easier for one to fulfill this central mitzva, the Sages formulated the Maggid section of the haggada, which describes the difficulty of enslavement in Egypt and the miracle of the redemption from slavery and exodus from Egypt.

Even within the section of Maggid, certain passages are more important than others, and therefore it is important to read them carefully and understand them fully. Some passages that are of central importance are the following:

(1) The aforementioned Ma Nishtana questions call attention to several unusual customs and observances of this night, and serve as an introduction to the story of the exodus from Egypt. Each child asks his father these questions, regardless of the ages of the child and the father. If there is no second-generation individual in the house, the Seder participants pose the questions to each other. Even if one conducts a Seder alone, he must ask these questions to himself aloud.

(2) Another important part of the haggada is the answer to the Ma Nishtana questions: “We were slaves to Pharaoh in Egypt, and the Lord our God took us out from there with a strong hand and with an outstretched arm. If the Holy One, blessed be He, had not taken our fathers out of Egypt, then we, our children, and our children’s children would have remained enslaved to Pharaoh in Egypt.” This answer summarizes the entire story, and it serves as a kind of headline for all that is said later in the haggada.

(3) It is also very important to recite the statement of Rabban Gamliel with regard to “the paschal offering, matza, and maror,” which comes toward the end of the Maggid section. Rabban Gamliel explains the conceptual essence of the paschal offering, and the obligations to eat matza and maror. These are key aspects of the obligation to relate the exodus story.

The mitzva to eat matza is fulfilled three times over the course of the Seder, at the sections called Motzi, Matza, and Tzafun (see below for details of these three sections of the Seder). At Motzi and Matza, after washing one’s hands and reciting the blessings, it is obligatory to eat a halakhically significant quantity of matza. Since one recites two blessings, for the breaking of bread and for the eating of the matza itself, one should consume a double portion.

The quantity that is considered halakhically significant is an olive-bulk [kezayit]; that is, the volume of a large olive. Since this measure is not precisely defined, many halakhic authorities accept a stringent measurement and determine that an olive-bulk is about 27 grams, though this amount may appear to be larger than an average olive. Some, however, maintain that the volume of an olive-bulk of matza is equivalent to 15 grams. The first measure equals roughly one-third of an average matza, while the second is approximately one-fifth of a matza.

In order to fulfill the mitzva, it is not enough to occasionally nibble on some matza over the course of the evening. Rather, one must be sure to eat the requisite amount immediately after the blessing. Also, this amount should be eaten without interruption, if possible.

Likewise, at the Tzafun section, which is at the end of the meal, one should eat an olive-bulk of matza from the afikoman (see below). This matza is eaten to commemorate the paschal offering, which was eaten before midnight and after which nothing else was consumed. Therefore, one should be as stringent as possible about eating the matza of the afikoman before the time of halakhic midnight, as publicized in synagogue calendars. After that, one should avoid eating anything else, so that the taste of the afikoman will remain in his mouth. It is, however, permitted to drink water after the afikoman, as well as the remaining two of the four cups of wine.

The matza must be eaten at the Seder while reclining on one’s left side. According to many halakhic authorities, this is essential for the fulfillment of the mitzva. The reason for reclining is that at one time this was the manner of aristocratic diners, who had plenty of leisure time. They would eat in a half-reclining position on special couches made for this purpose, while leaning on their arm so that they could eat in comfort and converse as they ate.

Nowadays, people do not ordinarily recline while eating, but in order to emphasize our status as free people, or even as aristocrats, on the Seder night, we perform the central actions of the Seder, eating the matza and drinking the four cups of wine, while reclining. Each participant sits on his chair and leans on the table or a pillow. Among other reasons, one leans to the left side so that the right hand will be free for using while eating. However, it should be noted that even lefties should lean to their left side rather than to their right.

The obligation of reclining applies to every male over the age of bar mitzva. It is also appropriate for women to recline, although this is not customary in all communities. Each woman should follow the custom of her family and community.

Those people who are unable to eat wheat products, such as those who suffer from celiac disease, should consult a rabbi about how to fulfill the mitzva of eating matza.

For the mitzva of eating maror, which appears in the haggada in the sections of Maror and Korekh, one must likewise consume an olive-bulk of the bitter herbs immediately after reciting the blessing. This volume, for lettuce leaves, is equivalent to or slightly larger than one large leaf. If one eats horseradish for maror, there is no need to be overly stringent, and it is enough to make do with the volume of an actual olive. Those who want to add to this so that they can eat a larger quantity can do so by adding some lettuce to the horseradish.

The maror should be dipped in a little haroset before eating it. Haroset is a symbolic commemoration of the clay with which our forefathers performed backbreaking labor while building cities in Egypt. The maror dipped in haroset is not eaten while leaning, as it symbolizes bondage, not freedom.

For Korekh (literally, “wrap”), it is necessary to take an olive-bulk of maror together with an olive-bulk of matza and eat it, as described in the haggada. This Korekh is eaten while reclining, because it is also part of the mitzva of eating matza. One must be sure to prepare enough maror in advance for all the diners at the Seder.

The drinking of the four cups of wine is performed in various stages over the course of the Seder, as follows: the first cup for Kiddush; the second cup after the first part of Hallel, at the end of Maggid, before the meal; the third cup immediately after Grace after Meals; and the fourth cup after concluding Hallel.

For the purpose of the mitzva of the four cups, as mentioned earlier, there is a preference for drinking wine, but those who cannot do so or find it difficult may drink natural grape juice.

One must use cups that contain a volume of a revi’it. This is about 86 cc, although some are more stringent and require a cup that contains approximately 150 cc. Most standard cups hold more than this amount. From each of the four cups one should drink at least a majority of a revi’it, but it is recommended to drink most of the contents of the cup. For purposes of comparison, a standard disposable cup holds 180 cc. (This is stated merely as an aid for estimating the quantity; one should not use a disposable cup for the Seder, but rather a nicer cup or glass.) The four cups should be drunk while reclining to the left.

Further reading: For more on the symbolism of the four cups, see A Concise Guide to the Sages, p. 308.

The first part of Hallel is recited at the end of Maggid, and is followed by the drinking of the second cup of wine. The remainder of the Hallel is recited following Grace after Meals and the opening of the door for Elijah the prophet, and is followed by the drinking of the fourth cup. It is important to read all of these passages.

These are the most important aspects of the Seder, and one must be more stringent about these than the other aspects. Old or sick people, young children, or those who for whatever reason cannot participate in the entire Seder, should at least recite the above passages and eat and drink as explained above. If they have any time left, they should add more passages from the haggada and extend the story of the exodus from Egypt as much as they can.