A Living Seder - CHRONICLE Online/The WORD 04/2/26

Weekly On-line Rabbi's D'var-Torah

April 1, 2026

14 Nisan 5786

Passover

The first Passover is described in the Torah itself—Exodus 12—and its focus is clear: the eating of the Passover sacrifice and getting out of Egypt. 

The Passover Haggadah as we know it took shape much later, largely compiled about 2,000 years ago. Its earliest version appears in the Mishnah, redacted around 200 CE, in chapter 10 of tractate Pesachim. 

So while Passover itself stretches back more than 3,000 years, the Seder, as a structured experience, is closer to 2,000 years old. 

Given that gap, it’s not surprising that each generation has brought a tremendous amount of creativity to the Seder table, shaping it in ways that speak to their own moment. This isn’t just a 21st-century phenomenon—though the ability to create and print your own Haggadah at home has certainly made that creativity more accessible. 

Consider just a few additions from the past 75 years: 

In the years following World War II, some began speaking of a fifth child—the child of the Holocaust—who did not survive to ask the questions. 

Soon after, others introduced a fifth cup of wine for the State of Israel. The traditional four cups correspond to four promises of redemption; the fifth acknowledged yet another chapter of redemption in Jewish history. 

In 1969, in the wake of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Arthur Waskow created The Freedom Haggadah, drawing a powerful connection between the Exodus story and the struggle for civil rights in America. 

During the 1970s, many Seders included a fourth matzah—the Matzah of Hope—expressing solidarity with Soviet Jews and the hope that they, too, would one day be free to tell the story of the Exodus. 

In the 1990s, some added potatoes to the Seder plate in recognition of Ethiopian Jews airlifted to Israel, many of whom were so malnourished that even a boiled potato was a challenge. 

That spirit of creativity has only continued into the 21st century. Some add an extra matzah to call attention to modern-day slavery. Others place an orange on the Seder plate to acknowledge and affirm the LGBTQ+ community. Miriam’s Cup has become a meaningful way to honor the role of women throughout Jewish history. Some include prayers for the dwindling Jewish communities of Arab lands still hoping to reach Israel. More recently, beets have been added in solidarity with the people of Ukraine. And many of us placed yellow ribbons on our kiddush cups as we prayed for the safe return of hostages.

Two years ago, the organization Jewbelong—known for its bold pink billboards across the Metro New York area—suggested naming ten modern plagues of antisemitism in the Seder. In a striking twist, instead of removing drops of wine, participants were invited to take a sip of coffee with each one—a way of waking ourselves up to the realities of our time. 

The Seder is not just the story of our ancestors some 3,000 years ago. It is also the story of the world we live in now. It reflects the struggles of our people in every generation. It’s not enough to retell the ancient story. We have to help the next generation see themselves inside the ongoing story of the Jewish people—and understand that it is still being written.

Chad Same'ach!

Shalom,

RAF.