Many mitzvot and customs are performed at the Seder. In order to help one remember all of them, the rabbis through the ages provided mnemonics for the sequence of events of this night. The most famous and accepted of them is the one composed by Rabbi Samuel ben Solomon of Falaise (France, thirteenth century). It reads as follows: Kadesh Urhatz/ Karpas Yahatz/ Maggid Rahtza/ Motzi Matza/ Maror Korekh/ Shulhan Orekh/ Tzafun Barekh/ Hallel Nirtza. We will make use of this mnemonic to explain each part of the Seder.

Kadesh: Kiddush is recited over wine, as on all festivals, in accordance with the text that appears in the haggada. This is the first of the four cups that one will drink at the Seder, and one must remember to drink it while seated and reclining. Each of the participants must have a full cup.

When the Seder is held on Saturday night, the Kiddush is combined with Havdala, the ceremony separating between the sanctity of Shabbat and the lesser holiness of the festival. The exact formula for such an occasion can be found in the haggada. This Kiddush-Havdala ceremony also includes a blessing over a candle: “Who creates the lights of fire.” One recites this blessing while looking at a candle that was lit before Shabbat or a candle lit by the transfer of a flame from such a candle. Under no circumstances may one produce a new flame on the festival, and at the end of the Kiddush-Havdala one should not extinguish the candle but rather leave it to burn out.

Urhatz: This is the washing of hands before eating the karpas dipped in salt water. The practice of hand washing before eating is an ancient enactment of the Sages, who ascribe it to King Solomon. This washing of hands was originally intended for the priests [kohanim] who eat consecrated foods, but it was later expanded to include anyone eating bread and, according to some opinions, any food dipped in liquid.

Washing one’s hands before eating food is not merely for purposes of hygiene, but is performed primarily for ritual purification of the hands. Nowadays, most people wash their hands only before eating bread, but some are careful to wash before eating wet foods as well (i.e., foods that have been dipped in liquid). Many people are not particular about this on a regular basis, in line with the opinion of some authorities that this is not required nowadays. Nevertheless, the practice of washing hands before eating karpas dipped in salt water has been preserved over the generations. It is one of many actions that serve to heighten the wonder of the children about the various customs of this special night. This puzzlement is meant to arouse their curiosity about everything that goes on at the Seder table.

The blessing that is usually recited when washing the hands before eating bread or matza (“who commanded us concerning the washing of the hands”) is not recited for this particular washing of the hands.

Some have the custom of bringing a cup of water and a bowl to the table, so that the hands can be washed near the table, in the manner of important people who do not get up from the table during dinner.

Karpas: The karpas vegetable is dipped in salt water or vinegar, in accordance with one’s custom, and then it is eaten. In the past, it was customary to serve vegetables before a meal as appetizers. Eating vegetables before the meal at the Seder is an ancient custom, whose practice can be traced back to the Second Temple period, and it appears in the Mishna. The Talmud does not specify which vegetables should be eaten, but one should not eat the same vegetables that will later be used for the mitzva of eating maror. The early halakhic authorities recommended eating the vegetable called karpas (a kind of celery), as they found various allusions and connections between the word karpas and the exodus from Egypt. Different vegetables were customarily eaten in Jewish communities around the world, perhaps because the people did not have access to karpas, or because the identity of this vegetable was unclear. Today the most prevalent customs are to eat onions, potatoes, or celery.

The dipping of the karpas in salt water or vinegar is meant to arouse the wonder of the children. Before eating the karpas, the following blessing is recited:

“Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who creates the fruit of the ground.”

When reciting the blessing one should also have in mind the vegetable that will be eaten in the meal for maror. One eats only a small amount of karpas, less than an olive-bulk.

Yahatz: One breaks the middle matza of the three into two pieces. The larger portion is hidden away to be used as the afikoman (see below), while the smaller part is put back between the two remaining matzot. The main reason for this custom is the statement of the Sages that the Seder should be performed over a broken matza, as matza is called the “bread of poverty” (Deuteronomy 16:3, according to one interpretation), and it is typical of a poor man to eat only pieces of bread, not a whole loaf. With that said, in honor of the festival one should also have two whole matzot, the lehem mishneh, the customary two loaves used at every Shabbat and festival meal. Therefore, one places the split matza between the two whole matzot.

The larger piece of matza, which is put aside for the afikoman, is usually wrapped in a cloth. Some have the custom of slinging it for a while over the shoulder, like a man carrying a bundle, as described in the verse: “The people carried their dough before it became leavened, their kneading bowls bound in their garments on their shoulders” (Exodus 12:34). Afterward, one places the afikoman in a concealed place until the end of the Seder, when it is eaten in commemoration of the paschal offering, which was consumed at the conclusion of the meal.

In many Ashkenazic communities, it is customary for children to try to find the hiding place of the afikoman, from where they take it and conceal it in a hiding place of their own. Later, at the point when the afikoman is required for eating, the parents then redeem it from their children by means of a “ransom,” a gift of the children’s request. The aim of this custom is also to provoke the interest of the children during the Seder and to keep them alert throughout the evening.

Even though this hiding of the afikoman is done in good spirits, some communities reject this practice, in order not to teach the children that there is legitimacy in theft.

Maggid: The participants at the Seder recite the main text of the haggada. These passages include the mitzva of telling the story of the exodus from Egypt as well as the beginning of the Hallel prayer. At the end of Maggid, the second cup of wine is drunk. During the Maggid section, one may drink if he is thirsty.

Rahtza: One washes his hands before eating matza. The manner of this washing is identical to the washing before karpas, but on this occasion one recites a blessing before wiping the hands:

“Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who sanctified us through His commandments, and commanded us concerning the washing of the hands.”

Motzi: The blessing of HaMotzi (“who brings forth bread from the earth”) is recited on the matza, while holding the two whole matzot with the broken matza between them.

Matza: The Sages instituted a blessing for the mitzva of eating matza:

“Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who sanctified us through His commandments, and commanded us concerning the eating of matza.”

While reciting this blessing, it is customary to let go of the lower whole matza, in order to emphasize the broken, “poor” status of the middle matza. Then one eats an olive-bulk from each of the two top matzot, consecutively.

Maror: One recites the blessing:

“Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who sanctified us through His commandments, and commanded us concerning the eating of maror,” and then eats an olive-bulk of the maror, dipped in a little haroset, without reclining, as noted above.

Korekh: A sandwich is prepared from two pieces of matza, totaling an olive-bulk, between which there is an olive-bulk of maror. One recites the text that appears in the haggada, dips the maror in a bit of haroset, and eats the sandwich quickly and while reclining. It is recommended not to delay between eating the matza and the maror and the subsequent Korekh, but rather to eat them one after the other.

Shulhan Orekh: It is now time for the festive meal. Many Ashkenazic Jews have the custom of starting the meal with a hard-boiled egg dipped in salt water, commemorating the festival peace offering that was the main part of the meal during the Temple period. An egg was chosen for this purpose, as it is a customary food for mourners and reminds us that, sadly, we do not have a Temple today and we are not able to sacrifice offerings.

In most Jewish communities it is customary not to eat roasted meat at the Seder to avoid even the appearance that the food being served is the paschal offering, which had to be roasted. It is of course forbidden to sacrifice the paschal offering or any other offering outside the Temple, or to eat sacrificial meat outside the walls of Jerusalem.

One may eat and drink the festive meal with or without reclining, according to one’s preference. During the meal it is permitted to drink additional wine that is not counted among the four cups. There is no limit to the amount of food one may eat at this meal, but it is wise to leave some room for the olive-bulk of the matza for the afikoman eaten at the end of the meal. Moreover, one should have a desire to eat the afikoman rather than forcing it down despite the fact that he is very full.

During the festive meal it is permitted and even desirable to sing festive songs, and to recount stories relating to the exodus and to redemption in general.

Tzafun: The afikoman is retrieved from the place where it was hidden (tzafun), and each of the participants eats an olive-bulk from it. Since this broken piece of matza is usually not large enough for an olive-bulk for each of the diners, they may also supplement their portion from other matzot. The afikoman is eaten while reclining.

If a child has hidden the afikoman, at this stage it is “redeemed” from him. If the child has fallen asleep or demands an excessive “ransom,” or is simply unwilling to return it, one may use other matzot for the afikoman.

After eating the afikoman, one should not eat anything else until the morning, so that the flavor of the afikoman will remain in the mouth after the Seder. It is recommended to eat enough during the meal so that one will be full after the afikoman.

One should finish eating the afikoman matza before halakhic midnight. In the event that one missed this time, he is permitted to eat the afikoman even afterward.

Barekh: This refers to the blessing [berakha] of Grace after Meals. Beforehand, a cup of wine is poured for each of the participants. Then one recites Grace after Meals, remembering to say the Ya’aleh VeYavo section in its proper place, as appears in the haggada. When the Seder is held on Shabbat, one adds the Retzeh passage as well, before Ya’aleh VeYavo.

At the conclusion of Grace after Meals, the blessing is said over the third cup of wine, and it is drunk while reclining.

Before the resumption of Hallel, it is customary to pour a large glass of wine (called the cup of Elijah the prophet), which is placed at the center of the table, after which the door of the house should be opened. Some have the custom to announce to Elijah the prophet: “Welcome!”

While the door is open, the participants recite a passage that begins with the following verses: “Pour Your anger upon the nations that do not know You, and upon the kingdoms that do not call in Your name, as they have consumed Jacob; they have consumed him and annihilated him, and they have rendered his abode desolate” (see Jeremiah 10:25). We thereby remind God of the hardships of our people and ask Him to punish our enemies who persecute us. Since this hope will be realized at the final redemption of the Jewish people, it is customary at this stage to pour a cup for Elijah the prophet who, according to the sources (see Malachi 3:23), is the one who will arrive to herald the redemption. Opening the door of the house is also a demonstration of our absolute trust in God and in His protection of us, praying that we may witness the full redemption in merit of our faith in God.

Further reading: Another event at which tradition has it that Elijah is present is a circumcision; see p. 12.

Hallel: Now one completes the Hallel, which was begun before the meal and then interrupted. Before reciting the rest of the Hallel, the fourth cup of wine should be poured, and at the completion of Hallel, one drinks the wine while reclining. After drinking the fourth cup, one recites the abridged Grace over the wine, as printed in the haggada.

Nirtza: At the end of the Seder, we express our gratitude for having merited to fulfill it properly, and we offer the hope that it will be pleasing (nirtza) before God. We also pray that we will merit to perform the Seder for many more years, and that it will be held “next year, in the rebuilt Jerusalem!”

At the end of most haggadot there are liturgical poems and songs with which it is customary to end this special night. In this regard, there are differences among the various communities. Outside Israel there are different liturgical poems for the first Seder and the second Seder. Not everyone has the custom to recite these liturgical poems.

After the Seder has been concluded, some have the custom of reading the book of Song of Songs, as it is interpreted as a metaphorical description of the deep bond between God and the people of Israel, which was expressed at the time of the exodus. Those who have the energy to do so should continue to recount the story of the exodus from Egypt, as related in the haggada that the righteous talmudic scholars “were discussing the exodus from Egypt all that night, until their disciples came and told them: Our Masters! The time has come for reciting the morning Shema.”

The Seder night is referred to as a “night of vigilance,” based on the verse: “It is a night of vigilance of the Lord to bring them out from the land of Egypt; it is this night for the Lord” (Exodus 12:42). Consequently, on this night we are protected from harmful spiritual forces. Therefore, the reading of Shema that is customarily performed every night before one goes to bed is abbreviated on this night. Sections that are recited for protection against those negative spiritual forces are omitted, and one says only the first paragraph of Shema.