Friday March 22,
The Hebrew word “Seder” (pronounced “say-dehr”) translates to “order” in English. Order is just one part of the meaning of the Seder. The Seder is also designed to remind us of the Israelites’ experience of Egyptian slavery, and how God redeemed them from Egypt. The Seder shows us that the Passover holiday is a commemoration of both suffering and joy.
Before the Seder meal can be eaten, all the Seder participants join together to recall the trials and miracles that forged the Jewish nation. The Haggadah text tells us the story of the Israelites’ descent into slavery in Egypt, their suffering under Pharaoh’s rule, and God’s miraculous redemption of the Jewish people.
The symbolism of the Seder rituals supports this commemoration.