Passover The Festival Itself The First Festival Day

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Passover The Festival Itself

The First Festival Day

The structure of Passover is very similar to that of the festival of Sukkot, which also has a holy day [yom tov] at the beginning and at the end, with the intermediate festival days, Hol HaMoed, in between them. Outside of Israel, the first two days are yom tov, followed by four days of Hol HaMoed, and then two final days of yom tov.

The festival morning prayer service is basically the same as the morning service of Shabbat, until the Amida. The Amida prayer recited is the special one for the three pilgrimage festivals. If the festival falls on Shabbat, there are some changes and minor additions in the formula of the prayer.

After the Amida prayer, the congregation recites the complete Hallel, which is followed by Kaddish. In some congregations, the Song of the Day is recited at this point.

Two Torah scrolls are now taken from the ark for the reading of the Torah. Five men are called up for the reading from the first scroll; if it is Shabbat, seven are called up. The reading is from Exodus 12:21–51. This passage includes the commandment for the first paschal offering in Egypt, and it also recounts the plague of the firstborn and the start of the exodus from Egypt. Furthermore, it contains the instruction to inform one’s children about the exodus. The second scroll is for the shorter reading of the maftir, which deals with the festival offerings that were brought in the Temple on this day (Numbers 28:16–25).

Further reading: The Torah reading can be found in A Concise Guide to the Torah, p. 162. The maftir can be found in A Concise Guide to the Torah, p. 412.

After this, the haftara is read from the book of Joshua (5:2–6:1). Some preface this reading with three verses from chapter 3 (verses 5–7). This passage describes the first Passover that was celebrated by the children of Israel after they entered the Land of Israel.

Next, the congregation recites the festival Musaf prayer service, even if the festival falls on a Shabbat.

Starting from the Musaf service of this day, one stops saying in the second blessing of the Amida the phrase mashiv haruaĥ umorid hageshem, “He causes the wind to blow and the rain to descend.” In Israel and in some congregations outside of Israel, the phrase morid hatal, “He causes the dew to fall,” is recited instead from this day on. Therefore, most communities include in this Musaf service the “prayer for dew,” or the “tikkun for dew,” which is a sequence of liturgical prayers of praise for God for the descent of dew, together with a request for a dew of blessing in the approaching summer. Some Ashkenazic communities recite this section before the silent Amida prayer, in which case they make the change from “He causes the wind to blow and the rain to descend” to “He causes the dew to fall” already in the silent Amida. Others recite the prayer for dew in the cantor’s repetition of the Amida, and therefore they make the switch from “He causes the wind to blow and the rain to descend” to “He causes the dew to fall” only in the repetition.

In those congregations where the change occurs already in the silent Amida prayer, the synagogue gabbai will announce beforehand in a loud voice: Morid hatal (“He causes the dew to fall”).

Further discussion: For more on the prayer for rain, see A Concise Guide to the Sages, p. 352.

After returning home from the morning prayer service, Kiddush is recited over a full cup of wine and everyone partakes of the festive meal.

אִם תָּשִׁיב מִשַּׁבָּת רַגְלֶךָ, עֲשׂוֹת חֲפָצֶךָ בְּיוֹם קָדְשִׁי. וְקָרָאתָ לַשַּׁבָּת עֹנֶג, לִקְדוֹשׁ אֲדֹנָי מְכֻבָּד. וְכִבַּדְתּוֹ מֵעֲשׂוֹת דְּרָכֶיךָ, מִמְּצוֹא חֶפְצְךָ וְדַבֵּר דָּבָר. אָז תִּתְעַנַּג עַל אֲדֹנָי, וְהִרְכַּבְתִּיךָ עַל בָּמֳתֵי אָרֶץ. וְהַאֲכַלְתִּיךָ נַחֲלַת יַעֲקֹב אָבִיךָ, כִּי פִּי אֲדֹנָי דִּבֵּר.

Im tashiv miShabbat raglekha asot ĥafatzekha beyom kodshi, vekarata laShabbat oneg likdosh Adonai mekhubad, vekhibadto me’asot derakhekha mimetzo ĥeftzekha vedaber davar, az titanag al Adonai, vehirkavtikha al bamotei aretz, veha’akhaltikha naĥalat Ya’akov avikha, ki pi Adonai diber.

וְשָׁמְרוּ בְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת הַשַּׁבָּת, לַעֲשׂוֹת אֶת הַשַּׁבָּת לְדֹרֹתָם בְּרִית עוֹלָם. בֵּינִי וּבֵין בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, אוֹת הִיא לְעֹלָם, כִּי שֵׁשֶׁת יָמִים עָשָׂה אֲדֹנָי אֶת הַשָּׁמַיִם וְאֶת הָאָרֶץ, וּבַיּוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי שָׁבַת וַיִּנָּפַשׁ.

Vesha’meru venei Yisrael et haShabbat, la’asot et haShabbat ledorotam berit olam. Beini uvein benei Yisrael ot hi le’olam, ki sheshet yamim asa Adonai et hashamayim ve’et ha’aretz, uvayom hashevi’i shavat vayinafash.

זָכוֹר אֶת יוֹם הַשַּׁבָּת לְקַדְּשׁוֹ. שֵׁשֶׁת יָמִים תַּעֲבֹד וְעָשִׂיתָ כָּל מְלַאכְתֶּךָ. וְיוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי שַׁבָּת לַאדֹנָי אֱלֹהֶיךָ, לֹא תַעֲשֶׂה כָל מְלָאכָה אַתָּה וּבִנְךָ וּבִתֶּךָ, עַבְדְּךָ וַאֲמָתְךָ וּבְהֶמְתֶּךָ, וְגֵרְךָ אֲשֶׁר בִּשְׁעָרֶיךָ. כִּי שֵׁשֶׁת יָמִים עָשָׂה אֲדֹנָי אֶת הַשָּׁמַיִם וְאֶת הָאָרֶץ, אֶת הַיָּם וְאֶת כָּל אֲשֶׁר בָּם, וַיָּנַח בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי.

Zakhor et yom haShabbat leka’desho. Sheshet yamim ta’avod ve’asita kol melakhtekha. Veyom hashevi’i Shabbat ladonai Elohekha. Lo ta’aseh khol melakha, ata uvinkha uvitekha, avdekha va’amtekha uvhemtekha, vegerekha asher bisharekha. Ki sheshet yamim asa Adonai et hashamayim ve’et ha’aretz, et hayam ve’et kol asher bam, vayanaĥ bayom hashevi’i.

עַל כֵּן בֵּרַךְ אֲדֹנָי אֶת יוֹם הַשַּׁבָּת וַיְקַדְּשֵׁהוּ.

Al ken berakh Adonai et yom haShabbat vayka’deshehu.

אם חל ביום חול מתחילים כאן:

On a weekday, one starts here:

אֵלֶּה מוֹעֲדֵי אֲדֹנָי, מִקְרָאֵי קֹדֶשׁ, אֲשֶׁר תִּקְרְאוּ אֹתָם בְּמוֹעֲדָם. וַיְדַבֵּר מֹשֶׁה אֶת מוֹעֲדֵי אֲדֹנָי אֶל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל.

Eleh mo’adei Adonai, mikra’ei kodesh, asher tikre’u otam bemo’adam. Vaydaber Moshe et mo’adei Adonai el benei Yisrael.

סַבְרִי מָרָנָן וְרַבָּנָן וְרַבּוֹתַי.

Savri meranan verabanan verabotai:

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה אֲדֹנָי, אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הַגָּפֶן.

Barukh ata Adonai, Eloheinu, melekh ha’olam, boreh peri hagafen.

“If you restrain your walking because of the Sabbath, pursuing your needs on the day of My holiness and you call the Sabbath a delight and the Lord’s sacred, honored, and you honor it by refraining from doing your business, from seeking your needs and from speaking of matters, then you will delight in the Lord and I will mount you onto the heights of the earth and I will feed you the inheritance of Jacob your forefather, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken” (Isaiah 58:13–14).

“The children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath for their generations an eternal covenant. Between Me and the children of Israel, it is a sign forever. For in six days the Lord made the heaven and the earth and on the seventh day, He rested and was invigorated” (Exodus 31:16–17). “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall work and perform all your labor. The seventh day is Sabbath for the Lord your God; you shall not perform any labor, you, and your son, and your daughter, your slave, and your maidservant, and your animal, and your stranger who is within your gates, because in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea and everything that is in them and He rested on the seventh day; therefore, the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and He sanctified it” (Exodus 20:8–11).

On a weekday, one starts here:

“These are the appointed times of the Lord, holy convocations, that you shall proclaim at their appointed time” (Leviticus 23:4). “And Moses spoke to the children of Israel the appointed times of the Lord” (Leviticus 23:44).

“Attention, masters, gentlemen, my teachers.

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

מִזְמוֹר לְדָוִד, אֲדֹנָי רֹעִי לֹא אֶחְסָר. בִּנְאוֹת דֶּשֶׁא יַרְבִּיצֵנִי, עַל מֵי מְנֻחוֹת יְנַהֲלֵנִי. נַפְשִׁי יְשׁוֹבֵב, יַנְחֵנִי בְמַעְגְּלֵי צֶדֶק לְמַעַן שְׁמוֹ. גַּם כִּי אֵלֵךְ בְּגֵיא צַלְמָוֶת, לֹא אִירָא רָע כִּי אַתָּה עִמָּדִי, שִׁבְטְךָ וּמִשְׁעַנְתֶּךָ הֵמָּה יְנַחֲמֻנִי. תַּעֲרֹךְ לְפָנַי שֻׁלְחָן נֶגֶד צֹרְרָי, דִּשַּׁנְתָּ בַשֶּׁמֶן רֹאשִׁי כּוֹסִי רְוָיָה. אַךְ טוֹב וָחֶסֶד יִרְדְּפוּנִי כָּל יְמֵי חַיָּי, וְשַׁבְתִּי בְּבֵית אֲדֹנָי לְאֹרֶךְ יָמִים.

Mizmor LeDavid: Adonai ro’i lo eĥsar. Binot deshe yarbitzeni, al mei menuĥot yenahaleni. Nafshi yeshovev, yanĥeni vema’agelei tzedek lema’an shemo. Gam ki elekh begei tzalmavet lo ira ra, ki ata

אִם תָּשִׁיב מִשַּׁבָּת רַגְלֶךָ, עֲשׂוֹת חֲפָצֶךָ בְּיוֹם קָדְשִׁי, וְקָרָאתָ לַשַּׁבָּת עֹנֶג, לִקְדוֹשׁ אֲדֹנָי מְכֻבָּד, וְכִבַּדְתּוֹ מֵעֲשׂוֹת דְּרָכֶיךָ, מִמְּצוֹא חֶפְצְךָ וְדַבֵּר דָּבָר. אָז תִּתְעַנַּג עַל אֲדֹנָי וְהִרְכַּבְתִּיךָ עַל בָּמֳתֵי אָרֶץ, וְהַאֲכַלְתִּיךָ נַחֲלַת יַעֲקֹב אָבִיךָ כִּי פִּי אֲדֹנָי דִּבֵּר.

וְשָׁמְרוּ בְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת הַשַּׁבָּת, לַעֲשׂוֹת אֶת הַשַּׁבָּת לְדֹרֹתָם בְּרִית עוֹלָם. בֵּינִי וּבֵין בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אוֹת הִיא לְעֹלָם, כִּי שֵׁשֶׁת יָמִים עָשָׂה אֲדֹנָי אֶת הַשָּׁמַיִם וְאֶת הָאָרֶץ, וּבַיּוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי שָׁבַת וַיִּנָּפַשׁ.

Vesha’meru venei Yisrael et HaShabbat, la’asot et HaShabbat ledorotam berit olam. Beini uvein benei Yisrael ot hi le’olam, ki Sheshet yamim asa Adonai et hashamayim ve’et ha’aretz, uvayom hashevi’i shavat vayinafash.

אֵלֶּה מוֹעֲדֵי אֲדֹנָי, מִקְרָאֵי קֹדֶשׁ, אֲשֶׁר תִּקְרְאוּ אֹתָם בְּמוֹעֲדָם. וַיְדַבֵּר מֹשֶׁה אֶת מֹעֲדֵי אֲדֹנָי, אֶל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל. שָׁלֹשׁ פְּעָמִים בַּשָּׁנָה יֵרָאֶה כָל זְכוּרְךָ אֶת פְּנֵי אֲדֹנָי אֱלֹהֶיךָ בַּמָּקוֹם אֲשֶׁר יִבְחָר, בְּחַג הַמַּצּוֹת וּבְחַג הַשָּׁבֻעוֹת וּבְחַג הַסֻּכּוֹת, וְלֹא יֵרָאֶה אֶת פְּנֵי אֲדֹנָי רֵיקָם. אִישׁ כְּמַתְּנַת יָדוֹ, כְּבִרְכַּת אֲדֹנָי אֱלֹהֶיךָ אֲשֶׁר נָתַן לָךְ.

Eleh mo’adei Adonai, mikra’ei kodesh, asher tikre’u otam bemo’adam. Vaydaber Moshe et mo’adei Adonai el benei Yisrael. Shalosh pe’amim bashana yera’e khol zekhurekha et penei Adonai Elohekha bamakom asher yivĥar: Beĥag hamatzot uvĥag hashavuot uvĥag hasukkot. Velo yera’e et penei Adonai reikam. Ish kematenat yado, kevirkat Adonai Elohekha asher natan lakh.

(בשבת: עַל כֵּן בֵּרַךְ אֲדֹנָי אֶת יוֹם הַשַּׁבָּת וַיְקַדְּשֵׁהוּ).

On Shabbat, add: Al ken berakh Adonai et yom haShabbat vayka’deshehu.

סַבְרִי מָרָנָן.

Continue: Savri meranan.

השומעים עונים: לְחַיִּים!

Those listening answer: Leĥayim.

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה אֲדֹנָי, אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הַגֶּפֶן.

Continue: Barukh ata Adonai, Eloheinu, melekh ha’olam, boreh peri hagefen.

“A psalm by David. The Lord is my Shepherd; I lack nothing. He has me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. Even when I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup is full. May only goodness and kindness pursue me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the House of the Lord forever” (Psalms 23).

On a weekday, one starts here:

“Three times in the year all your males shall appear before the Lord your God in the place that He shall choose: On the Festival of Unleavened Bread, and on the Festival of Weeks, and on the Festival of Tabernacles, and they shall not appear before the Lord empty-handed. Each man according to the gift of his hand, in accordance with the blessing of the Lord your God that He gave you” (Deuteronomy 16:16–17).

(On Shabbat: “Therefore, the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and He sanctified it” (Exodus 20:11).)

“Attention, my masters.”

The listeners respond: “To life!”

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

The breaking of the bread and the blessing of HaMotzi (“who brings forth bread from the earth”) are, of course, performed on matzot. In Grace after Meals, throughout the festival, the Ya’aleh VeYavo section is added.

The festival afternoon prayer service is recited, even if the festival falls on a Shabbat. In such a case, one must pay attention to the minor changes and additions that are made to the prayers.

In Israel, the second night of Passover is the beginning of the intermediate festival days [Hol HaMoed]. Outside of Israel, however, the second night and day are observed as festival days [yom tov] just like the first day, as with all other festivals other than Yom Kippur. This extra day of yom tov is called the “second festival day of the exiles.” The origin of this second festival day was explained earlier regarding Sukkot, on p. 221.

It should be noted that one may not prepare for the second holy day on the first day, even if the preparations do not involve the performance of prohibited labor. For example, one may not set up the second day’s candles in the afternoon of the first day, but must wait for nightfall. One may cook extra food on the first day which he will eat on the second day, provided that this does not involve additional effort, e.g., if extra stew ingredients are placed into the same pot.

A Seder is conducted again on the second night, identical to the first Seder, except for a slight difference in the liturgical songs that are recited toward the end of the Seder, as indicated in the haggada.

While the prayers of the second festival day of Passover are basically the same as those of the first day, the main Torah reading differs from that of the first day. It is the same as the Torah reading for the first day of Sukkot, which consists of a section of the book of Leviticus (22:26–23:44), which details the laws of the three pilgrimage festivals. The haftara is from II Kings (23:1–9, 21–25). This passage recounts the historical observance of Passover by King Josiah and his people. The prayer for dew, which was recited on the first day, is not repeated on this day.

A resident of Israel who is staying abroad for the festival, or one visiting Israel from abroad, should consult with a rabbi ahead of time on how to conduct himself on the second day of the festival.

In the evening prayer service at the conclusion of the first day of Passover, one begins the counting of the omer, as explained on p. 331, in fulfillment of the Torah’s command: “And you shall count for yourselves…seven weeks; they shall be complete” (Leviticus 23:15).

Further reading: For more on the mitzva of counting of the omer, see A Concise Guide to the Torah, p. 316.

At the end of the second day of yom tov (or in Israel, after the first day), Havdala is recited on a full cup of wine. The wording of this Havdala is identical to the Havdala of Shabbat, but without the blessing over the flame and the spices. Likewise, it is customary not to recite the introductory verses before Havdala. One recites the blessing over the wine: “who creates the fruit of the vine,” followed by the blessing of: “who separates between the sacred and the mundane.” If it is a Saturday night, the regular weekly Havdala of Shabbat is recited.