How is This Night Different From All Others: A Guide To The Passover Seder

On the first night of Passover, the night of the 15th of Nisan, Jews around the world sit down to a Passover Seder during which they commemorate the Exodus from Egypt and the countless miracles God performed at that time. While most people associate the Seder with the four glasses of wine, the matzah (unleavened bread, mirroring that which the Hebrews took in their haste to leave Egypt), and telling over the story, there is much more to the evening than meets the eye.

There are 15 steps to the Seder, symbolizing the 15 steps that led from the courtyard of the Temple Mount to the doors of the Holy Temple, teaching that just as it took the people 15 steps to walk toward holiness, so too experiencing the Passover Seder will bring one to a place of higher spiritual growth.

Here are the 15 steps of the Passover Seder:

Kadesh (Kiddush - Sanctifying the Day Over a Cup Wine)
Urchatz (Washing the Hands for Vegetables)
Karpas (Eating Vegetables Dipped in Salt Water)
Yachatz (Breaking the Middle Matzah)
Magid (Retelling the Passover Story)
Rachtzah (Washing the Hands for the Meal)
Motzi (First Blessing)
Matzah (Second Blessing)
Maror (Bitter Herbs)
Korech (the Hillel Sandwich)
Shulchan Orech (the Meal)
Tzafun (the Afikoman)
Barech (Grace After Meals)
Hallel (Praise)

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