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The 1st Cup: Kiddush
The setting of the Passover Seder is so special in our eyes and so seemingly unique among our traditions that it is easy to forget how clearly it parallels the blessings of every other holiday or Shabbat meal. The recitation of blessings over wine (usually one cup suffices) and bread (on other occasions, as in the answer to that question, we eat all kinds of bread), hand washing, and blessings after a meal are all part of the ritual of every Shabbat and every Holiday. (Okay, we’ll leave Yom Kippur out of that…)
I sometimes note a bit sarcastically that perhaps the laws for keeping kosher on Passover are set in place so that when Passover is over (no pun intended), we will find that keeping kosher the rest of the year is rather easy. But the same may be said of the Seder meal. We gather family, we offer our prayers and our blessings, we talk to our children about what it all means, and we are grateful to God for the privilege of celebrating our heritage.
But we do that every week. Or we can. And we note that the exodus from Egypt is included in the Kiddush for Shabbat. Every week is a mini-Seder, or every Seder is only an expanded Shabbat/Yom Tov meal.
May Passover be a happy and healthy time of gathering for all, and an inspiration for more opportunities to celebrate throughout the year.
Hag Sameach,
Rabbi Harold Berman
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