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A climax of the festival prayers is the public recitation of the Hallel. From the initial verse, “Halleluya! Give praise, O servants of the Lord” (113:1 – all quotations are from Tehillim unless ...

The Pesach Haggadah is a study in striking contrasts. On the one hand, we begin by bemoaning sordid origins as idol worshippers. On the other hand, we celebrate the miraculous redemption from Egypt ...

The words signifying the order of the Seder are well known. We begin with Kadesh/Sanctifying the Seder night over wine, continuing with another eleven or thirteen (depending on whether some segments ...

Calling out in prayer and beseeching God to answer our supplications involves an element of entitlement, perhaps even temerity. In contrast, silence reflects humility. Passover Seder night is all ...

Read Pamela Greenberg’s translation of Psalm 136 from her book “The Complete Psalms: The Book of Prayer Songs in a New Translation” (Bloomsbury, 2010). Sometimes called “the Great Hallel,” Psalm 136 ...

At first glance, Chad Gadya is a kind of light hearted song whose sole purpose is to provide an entertaining ending to the seder. Yet, in order to truly understand its meaning an analysis of the ...

At first glance, Chad Gadya is a kind of light hearted song whose sole purpose is to provide an entertaining ending to the Seder, which we participated in earlier this week. Yet, in order to truly ...

Jewish people around the world will begin their Passover celebrations tonight. One of the most important religious holidays on the Hebrew calendar, Passover celebrates the journey from slavery to ...