The Open Source Haggadah

When the great founder of the modern Hasidim, Rabbi Israel Baal Shem Tov, saw misfortune threatening the Jews, it was his custom to go into a certain part of the forest to meditate. There he would light a fire, say a special prayer, and the miracle would be accomplished, and the misfortune or trouble averted.

Later, when his disciple, the celebrated Rabbi Maggid of Mezritch, had occasion, for the same reason, to intercede with heaven, he would go to the same place in the forest and say: "Master of the Universe, listen! I do not know how to light the fire, but I am still able to say the prayer." And again the miracle would be accomplished, disaster was averted and life continued with its ups and downs.

Still later, Rabbi Moshe-Leib of Sasov, in order to save his people once more (this time, from themselves) would go into the forest and say: "I do not know how to light the fire, I do not know the prayer, but I know the place and this must be sufficient." It was sufficient and the miracle of continued life was accomplished.

Then it fell to Rabbi Israel of Rizhyn to overcome misfortune. Sitting in his house, his head in his hands, he spoke to God: "I am unable to light the fire and I do not know the prayer; I cannot even find the the place in the forest. All I can do is to tell the story, and this must be sufficient." And it was sufficient.

So some people say God made men because He loves stories. And we tell the story of Passover every year before this holiday meal because this is the story of how we got to where we are. This is the story, as far back as we can remember, of our beginning.

(to the theme of "The Muppet Show")

It's time to burn some chometz
It's time to bless the lights
It's time to start the seder, on the Matzah Show tonight

It's time to put on kittels
It's time to lean left, not right
It's time to raise the 4 cups, on the Matzah Show tonight

It's time to ask some questions
It's time to leave Egypt tonight
It's time to get things started on the most sensational
Inspirational, celebrational, sederational
This is what we call the Matzah Show!!!!!

(Discussion #1: How could Kermit be a plague?)

(to the tune of "We didn't Start the Fire" By Billy Joel)

Kadesh, Orchatz
Karpas, Yachatz,
Maggid, Rachtza, Motzei Matzah--

Maror, Korech,
Shulchan Orech,
Tsafoon,
Baraich,
Hallel, Nitrzah!

We didn't start the seder,
The Hagadah has always been our script
Since the Jews left Egpyt
We didn't steal the afikomen
No we didn't eat it
But we tried to hide it

(additional verses)
Burn your Chometz, after you search,
Bedika, blowtorch,
Fill up, your first cup of wine,
Throw on your kittel,
Kiddush time

Stand up, say the prayer,
Shechiaunu, for the new year,
Lean to the Left,
Drink it slow,
Realize you got four cups to go!

We didn't start the seder,
The Hagadah has always been our script
Since the Jews left Egpyt
We didn't steal the afikomen
No we didn't eat it
But we tried to hide it

Chad Gad Ya, Who knows one,
That's it,
The seder's done

Ever since I was a young boy, we've had a seder meal
With cousins from Toronto, it was such a deal
But you ain't seen nothing like this, no matter what the shpiel
This rock and roll haggadah, sure has a unique feel

It isn't any longer, it isn't all that strange
I can't even sing it, I haven't got the range
But it plays with the institution, the passover meal
This rock and roll haggadah, sure has a unique feel

Its a rock'n roll seder, there has to be a twist
A rock'n roll seder, aren't you glad that I didn't write a bris?

Why do you think I wrote this? (You don't know?)
I didn't think you would.

Ain't got no dissertations, but this is more than fun
And it raises serious questions, to provoke and maybe stun
There's many thoughtful issues, lets ponder and lets dwell
This rock and roll haggadah, sure has a unique feel

You thought this was a silly seder thing
But I'm just starting a round of questioning
Even at this floor level table, we can pass the test
We'll step through all the pages, we can always take a rest
And when we’ve pondered issues, we have our seder meal
This rock and roll haggadah, sure has a unique feel

PASSOVER 2008


This year, as we begin our celebration of freedom we reflect on the state of the world and how the promise of liberation remains a dream for too much of humanity.

We reflect on the over 4,000 American soldiers, men, women, fathers, mothers, spouses, sons, daughters, brothers and sisters, who lost their lives in Iraq in a war that should never have begun -- a war that was justified by lies and preying on people?s fears.

We reflect on the hundreds of thousands of Iraqis, both Sunni and Shiite, who have lost their lives and have been displaced by the struggle.

We reflect on the Israelis who are afraid to go to sleep at night or get on a bus, not knowing if they will be the next victims of a suicide bomb, and the Palestinians who live desperate lives waiting for a state of their own.

We reflect on the people of Darfur who are suffering and dying, as the United States does little to stop the genocide.

We reflect on the peoples of Tibet and Myanmar, whose monks lead them to protest for freedom, only to be crushed by militaristic regimes.

We reflect on all the governments around the world that suppress the rights of women, gay men and lesbians, people of color, the poor, and all who struggle for human dignity.

We reflect on people who are in need of health care they cannot afford, who are afraid of losing their homes, or are already homeless.

We reflect on a world that needs healing from its own industrialization, lest we destroy all that sustains life on the planet.

We reflect, and we reflect, and we reflect, and pray that our reflection will lead to action.

And let us say, Amen.



Fran Shahar

The following speech is one of my favorites. The Jewish tradition of resistance and revolt does not end with the exodus from Egypt. Jewish history should be defined not solely by it's trials but also by the extraordinary acts of courage and revolt in the face of these trials. On this night when we remember the first great act of Jewish resistance and revolt in the face of great persecution I like to also remember that this same spirit carries on through the generations.

Call to Revolt:

Jewish youth!
Do not trust those who are trying to deceive you. Out of the eighty thousand Jews in the "Jerusalem of Lithuania" only twenty thousand are left. . . . Ponar [Ponary] is not a concentration camp. They have all been shot there. Hitler plans to destroy all the Jews of Europe, and the Jews of Lithuania have been chosen as the first in line.

We will not be led like sheep to the slaughter!

True, we are weak and defenseless, but the only reply to the murderer is revolt!

Brothers! Better to fall as free fighters than to live by the mercy of the murderers.

Arise! Arise with your last breath!