The Open Source Haggadah

HOST:
Now that we know the story, let us go back and answer the four questions we were asked concerning the meaning of Passover. (Raises then Matzoh for all to see).

On all other nights we eat both leavened and unleavened bread; why on this night do we eat only unleavened bread?

READER:
Behold the Matzoh, symbol of the bread of slavery, the bread of poverty which our ancestors ate when they were slaves in Egypt. As they fled the land of their enslavement, they carried the raw dough of Egypt on their backs, having had no time to bake it or even to put in the yeast or leavening that would make it rise to become bread. And so it was baked flat by the sun.

Let the Matzoh, the bread of our people's time of affliction and poverty, remind us of many of our people and others who are poor and hungry. Would that they could eat as we eat. Would that all who are in need could partake with us of this Pesach Feast.

ALL:

Let us resolve to strive for the day when all will share in the joysof freedom; when poverty will be no more, and when all people will equallyenjoy the fruits of freedom and justice. Let these be our goals as Jews.

BORUCH ATTO ADONAI ELOHENU MELECH HO'OLOM HAMOTZI LEHEM MIN HO'ORETZ.

(All present take take a piece of Matzoh together, pulling until it breaks, salt it, and eat it.)

The leader of the Seder breaks pieces from the upper and middle matzoh, and distributes the pieces around the table. Holding only the top and broken middle matzoh, the leader of the Seder says:

Bless you, Lord our God, ruler of the universe,
Who made us holy with your commandments, and bade us eat unleavened bread.

Baruch ata adonay eloheinu melech ha'olam
asher kidshanu bemitzvotav ve'tzivanu al achilat matza.

Eat the matzoh.