SEDER SERVICE. by Phyllis E. Price

Transcription

1 SEDER SERVICE by Phyllis E. Price

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3 SEDER SERVICE By Phyllis E. Price

4 2 CAST OF CHARACTERS Pastor Played by your church s pastor if possible. Joe The liturgist. Thomas A Jewish man. Papa A modern Jewish man. Mama A modern Jewish woman. Auntie Jo A modern Jewish woman. Boy Preteen child. (May be a girl.) Girl Grade school or preschool child. (May be a boy.) All Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. NIV. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved.

5 3 INTRODUCTION The Seder meal is the first feast of the Jewish festival of Passover. It is celebrated in the spring and coincides with the Christian celebration of Easter. There is a good reason for this: Jesus last supper was a Seder meal, and he used the symbols of the Seder well-known to every Jewish person of his day and ours to proclaim his place in the order of God s universe and plan. The word Seder means order, and the meal is a strictly ordered process, prescribed and established by God himself for the teaching of the children. Many Christians have no idea what a Seder is, much less why it should be important to them. Sadly, because of this lack of understanding, many miss the powerful symbolism and often much of the deeper meaning of the service of Holy Communion. The meal was instituted by God for the purpose of ensuring that each new generation of Israelites would fully understand their dependence on him and the sacrifices he is willing to make on their behalf. These are goals God our Father also sets for us as Christians adopted into his chosen family. Participating in a learning Seder meal can be an exciting experience of fellowship, enlightenment, worship, and fun for people of all ages and levels of faith. In most Jewish households, a Seder is a long family meal combined with worship, music, storytelling, game-playing, and prayer. It may last up to seven hours, beginning at dusk and ending at midnight. For our purposes, that is too long and complicated. The purpose of the Seder is to allow Christians to experience a time-condensed Seder and to learn how this Jewish tradition relates to our Christian faith and our Lord s life and teachings. At the center of the experience is a full, three-course, modern Jewish meal, led by a Jewish Papa and Mama in a Jewish family setting. All participants take roles. As family members or servants, participants get to hear and sing traditional songs, play games, serve, worship, pray, and eat. Planners also get to shop for actual Jewish kosher foods, fix Jewish recipes, and struggle with Jewish prohibitions. Celebrating the feast results in a clearer understanding of today s Jewish culture, the culture of the Bible, the man Jesus in his home setting, and his role as head of the household. It can help us understand the worldview of Judaism in our time, but it also defines

6 4 and clarifies the rich symbolism of the sacred act of Holy Communion way back through the Old Testament. Plus, the Seder can be used as a powerful lead-in to an actual Communion service using the bread and wine from the Seder table, just as Christ did on that night two thousand years ago. What I have tried to do is to glean the essence of the symbols and lessons prescribed in Exodus and Deuteronomy and combine them with those social customs which have been preserved over the centuries to come up with a shorter but just as meaningful Seder experience that can be enjoyed by your church family in about the same amount of time as any evening s entertainment. There are Jews who have done this as well, and many Christians and Messianic Jews who have written books that may be used as references. What I did not find is a script that could be used to guide a group that is unfamiliar with Jewish tradition, which is why I wrote this Seder service. A Seder meal experience is a major undertaking for a church. It requires the effort and cooperation of many volunteers. Smaller churches may wish to combine efforts with neighboring congregations to make the Seder a community project. But my suggestion is to start small. These plans can work well for a group of as few as twelve people, as our Lord knows. Whatever your situation, experiencing the Seder meal will be a blessing to you and your children. This Playkit includes: A script for the leaders and preparers Costume information A list of foods with simple recipes A list of sources for information A props list Music suggestions A responsive reading for your bulletin, overhead, or PowerPoint projector

7 5 PRODUCTION NOTES This Seder service is approximately 45 minutes in length. The cast should be comprised of people who are familiar with the Seder meal and perhaps have even participated in one. I suggest that you find some videos of the Seder at your library and invite your cast to watch them. Those designed for children are especially helpful in giving you ideas and making your presentation as authentic as possible. We need to be as accurate as we can to avoid misrepresenting someone else s religious practices. Give everyone plenty of time to become comfortable with this presentation, then enjoy it as if it were just a family meal. Props Hand microphone, others as needed Large Bible Table and six chairs Tablecloth Five small wine glasses One chalice (Elijah cup) Two plates One Seder tray These can be very elaborate. They are usually made of china and thus are expensive. I made a theatre version using the base of a cake carrier and copying the five places on it with permanent markers. Even a large, sturdy paper plate would do. Again, the Internet can give you many examples. Matzoh covers Three pieces of white felt and one yard of gold ribbon. Two of these may be simple square pieces of white felt or white linen napkins. The top one is usually more elaborate. I made one by forming a Star of David (two triangles intertwined) out of gold ribbon and gluing it onto the third piece of felt. Other ideas may be found on the Internet. White or red chair drape (A sheet may be used) Two small pillows (Optional) for children s chairs Small water pitcher and bowl (If there is a Communion set, that may be used)

8 6 Hand towel Small deep bowl (For salt water) Pitcher/decanter (For grape juice) Two very small bowls for Charoseth (Pronounced kuhrow'-set) and roasted egg Five Haggadahs (Pronounced huh-gah'-duh) This is the order of the Seder like a church bulletin, it leads the family through the elaborate three-hour ceremonies. Its cover can be a simple Star of David or any other Jewish or Passover symbol. Make covers and then put your scripts inside. Two white taper candles in holders Matches Red crepe paper or other decoration symbolizing blood, to be put over the door. Door drape (Optional) Two goodie bags with trinkets representing the ten plagues. Food Grape juice for the wine (Poured into a wine bottle) Matzoh which is kosher for Passover (Look in the ethnic section of large supermarkets.) Lamb shankbone (Order this early from a butcher. It has to be boiled until all the meat comes off the bone and it can be separated into pieces about seven to eight hours. Only a small piece is used on each plate.) Roasted egg (Hard-boil an egg with a tea bag to mimic a real roasted egg, or cover six eggs with lots of water in an oven-safe pot, bake overnight, and try the real thing. They have a good, rather smoky flavor.) Horseradish root (Handle carefully. If this is fresh it can burn your skin.) Charoseth or karoset (Apple salad: finely grind one apple with its peel. Mix in crushed walnuts, pecans, or almonds. Add one to two teaspoons of cinnamon. Moisten with grape juice. It is supposed to look like mortar.) One stalk of celery with leaves or fresh parsley

9 7 Costumes Pastor and Joe may be dressed as they typically would be for a church service. Mama, Auntie Jo, Boy, and Girl should be dressed as for a nice dinner. Thomas should wear a modern suit, prayer shawl, and yarmulke. Papa should wear a suit: his suit jacket is tucked into his belt, or he carries a staff. He also wears a yarmulke. Yarmulkes are small Jewish beanies that the males wear. They may be found on the Internet, but they are also available from your local Christian bookstore. Be sure to allow yourself sufficient time for ordering what you need. Music Information Go Down, Moses is in the public domain (CCLI #212031) Sing Alleluia to the Lord by Linda Stassen (CCLI #26271) The Walking Song by Steven B. Fulberg (CCLI # ) Fill My Cup, Lord by Richard Blanchard (CCLI #15946) Other Jewish-type music you may want to consider: Christ, Our Passover by Betty Carr Pulkingham (CCLI #136375) Jehovah Jireh by Merla Watson (CCLI #21284) God Has Spoken to His People by Willard F. Jabush (Tune: The Torah Song) The CD Jerusalem by Bill and Gloria Gaither ( 2005 Gaither Music Group) has some appropriate selections you may play as the congregation is leaving. It is available at your local Christian bookstore or through online sources, such as CDUniverse.com (catalog #42608).

10 8 Bulletin Insert (Or PowerPoint or Overhead Projector Information) PAPA: Hear the word of our Lord: Now what I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you or beyond your reach. It is not up in heaven Nor is it beyond the sea No, the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it (Deuteronomy 30:11). Take this bread and eat it. It represents the sacrifice made for our freedom. Once this bread is eaten, it is customary to eat nothing else. CONGREGATION and FAMILY: May we do the will of our Lord, who has promised us the heavenly bread, our Messiah, who like the Afikomen is now hidden, but in time will be revealed. PAPA: Let us say grace: ALL: May the name of the Eternal be praised forever! PAPA: We will praise our God, of whose bounty we have partaken. ALL: Praised is he through whose goodness we live! PAPA: Our God and God of our fathers, be ever caring of us, so that we may find mercy, life, and shalom from this feast of unleavened bread. ALL: Amen!

11 (The service should begin as you usually do, with the pastor, liturgist, or song leader. After one song, the drama begins with the first Scripture reading by the liturgist [JOE in the drama] and the PASTOR.) Scripture: Exodus 12:1-17, 21-27, 13:8-9 (NIV or Living Bible suggested) Hymn/special music suggestion: Go Down, Moses (American folk spiritual) THOMAS: (Entering from the side door, creating a disturbance. Addresses JOE at the podium.) Hi! I m Thomas. I m Jewish. The Lord God Jehovah, may his name be exalted, has sent me to be your guide. I m going to teach you about a special meal we Jews partake of this time of year. (Crosses to Center Stage as he is talking.) A meal called the Seder! JOE: Wait a minute! (Follows THOMAS.) You say you re Jewish? I m sorry; you ve come to the wrong place. THOMAS: Nope. (Picks up a hand mike, then heads back toward the podium.) JOE: (Still following THOMAS) But we re Christians. This is a Christian church. Why do we need to know about Jewish customs? THOMAS: (Stops, surprised, and looks at JOE.) Your Jesus was a Jew! JOE: Yes, but he didn t stay Jewish! He turned into a Christian THOMAS: Your Bible was written by Jews! JOE: No, no, no! You ve got it all wrong! The Bible is all about being a Christian! Everyone who wrote it was a Christian. It was written by Christians to teach us how to be good Christians! THOMAS: (Looks at JOE unbelievingly.) You don t really

12 believe that do you? JOE: Well, yes. Why? THOMAS: (Looks at JOE with concern.) Son, you are badly mistaken. The Bible was written by Jews, to teach us how to be good Jews. JOE: You mean Matthew THOMAS: Was a Jew. JOE: Mark? THOMAS: Jewish. JOE: Luke and John? THOMAS: Well, Luke he was Greek. But John, a fine Jewish boy. And Paul he was a Jew s Jew. The people who first followed your Jesus all Hebrews like me. (THOMAS picks up the large Bible and holds it open so that the Old and New Testaments are divided.) And the entire what you call the Old Testament The Torah why, look at the size of it, and you know what it all is? It s the history of the Jews! How we lived and found our God. The mistakes we made. The things we learned. The beautiful relationship we have with our God when we love him and follow his commands! JOE: (Puzzled) Then (Whining) why do we Christians even bother with it if it s all about you? THOMAS: A lot of you Christians don t bother with it! (Pause for response) JOE: Ouch. THOMAS: (Puts an arm around JOE s shoulder, fatherly.) Son, have you ever been in love? JOE: Wha? THOMAS: Have you been married, maybe? JOE: Well, no, but someday... (Or, Well, yes, but ) THOMAS: (Picturing this) So, you see a pretty girl across the room, get weak in the knees, go over to her, and first thing you say to her is, I want to spend the rest of my life with you and share everything I have. Whaddaya

13 say? (Back to JOE) Right? JOE: Right! I mean, no! THOMAS: No? Why not? JOE: Well, I don t even know her! I mean, I d have to at least meet her family. Her dad might be a terrorist or something! Wait a minute. What s this have to do with the Old Testament? THOMAS: What s it have I ll tell you what! This Book this is your Jesus family! Abraham right up to Mary and Joseph genealogy! All right here! Where he came from. Why he came. What his family expected from him. (Aside to the audience) Why they were disappointed! (Back to JOE) You say you love your Jesus and want to spend your life with him. You want to miss all that? JOE: No But I m really confused now. How can the Old Testament be all about Jesus? It happened before he was even born. Before anybody even knew who he was! THOMAS: (Evading the question) Ahhhh! That is what makes this such a wonderful book. It s a history! It s a mystery! Now, are you ready to stop arguing and learn about Seder? JOE: Why sayder? THOMAS: Because that special meal is the last meal your Jesus ate. You call it the Last Supper. But he was a good Jewish boy. He called it Seder the feast of Passover! JOE: OK, but go slow. I m not very good with history. THOMAS: How good are you with eating? JOE: (Suddenly looking very interested) Eating is good. THOMAS: Well, eating it is. And you will be glad to know that Seder is no thing of the past. Seder is let s see, April three Seder is days from today. (Change this line to fit the actual date of Passover this year.) JOE: Really? THOMAS: Yes, really! And if we don t get started, we ll still

14 be here arguing. JOE: (Calling to back of church) Pastor, did you know anything about this? PASTOR: Yes. Go ahead. JOE: OK then, Thomas, show us about how d you say it? Say-der? THOMAS: That s right Seder. JOE: (To congregation) Everybody, this is Thomas. Say hi to Thomas. (Wait for response.) God sent him. (Giving congregation a big wink) He s going to teach us about Seder. Say Seder. (Wait for response.) THOMAS: Good! (Picks up hand mike and pushes JOE toward the side door.) Let s get going! We have to meet the family. (There is knocking at the door. JOE opens it. PAPA and BOY enter from the side door carrying a table. They proceed to Center Stage where they set up the table. THOMAS holds the mike for PAPA as they walk. The rest of the family enters from the back door: MAMA carrying a wine bottle and two white candles in holders, AUNT carrying a tablecloth and five wine glasses, and GIRL carrying a matzoh box, matches, and two small pillows. They enter quietly while PAPA is speaking. As soon as the table is in place, they begin setting it. The pillows go on the children s chairs.) THOMAS: This is Papa. Good evening! Shalom! What can you tell these fine people about Seder? (Walks with PAPA to Center, followed by JOE. After PAPA and MAMA speak, JOE and THOMAS take their places out of the way at Stage Left.) PAPA: (To congregation) Shalom! Peace be with you! Seder is a feast that begins the week of Passover, the Jewish festival of freedom. It has been celebrated every year since the Hebrew escape from Egypt. That s more than five thousand years! The Seder starts at sundown on the first day of the Jewish calendar year. But much preparation goes on before it starts. This

15 is Mama. She can tell you more. I have to get the chairs. (As MAMA is talking, PAPA and BOY put down the table and leave to get six chairs. GIRL and AUNT spread a tablecloth on the table and set it with wine glasses at each place. They place two candles and matches at the center of the table. GIRL sets the box of matzoh by the head of the table, then they leave toward kitchen, Stage Right.) MAMA: Shalom! As you can see, Seder is a family holiday. It is a teaching time commanded by God so the Jewish people will always remember their slavery and God s gift of freedom. And each family member has an important part. Papa is our rabbi, as head of the family. He will lead the festivities. (MAMA exits Right.) PAPA: (Carrying drape and a chalice) Son, would you help me set up the Elijah chair? BOY: (Taking the drape and putting it across the chair) Why do we always have a chair for Elijah, Dad? He never comes! PAPA: It s true that we have never seen Elijah, although his spirit is here in the hope we feel at each Seder. But a time will come, son, when Elijah will reappear as the prophet Micah predicted, and will announce the coming of the Lord s Messiah, the Promised One! And that reappearance, some say, will be during the Seder meal! When we see the chair, we remember the promise of God to send us a ruler for our people. That is why we open the door for Elijah at the close of each Seder. That is why we fill a special cup of wine just for him and set it at his place. (Shows the chalice and places it on the table.) But nobody will drink from that cup until Elijah comes to announce the day of the Lord! (As PAPA and BOY exit Right) Come on. Let s go help Mama. (GIRL and AUNT enter carrying an empty plate and Seder covers for matzoh, which they set down.)

16 THOMAS: (Speaking softly to JOE, like a narrator) In the kitchen, the women have been cleaning for weeks, and now they re preparing the foods for the feast. Every food has a special meaning. MAMA: (Frantically runs in.) Sis, did you find the matzoh that s kosher for Seder? I set the everyday matzoh back behind the cans so we wouldn t use it by mistake, but now I can t find the Passover matzoh... AUNT: Here it is, on the table. (She opens the box and removes three matzoh. MAMA makes a relieved sound, throws up her hands, and runs back Stage Right, as if into the kitchen. BOY and PAPA come in with rest of chairs. They go behind GIRL and AUNT, setting them around the table.) GIRL: (To AUNT) Can I help? I brought you the matzoh. (Holding up the bread and studying it, so that the congregation can see it as well) Why is it so flat, Auntie Jo? BOY: Because for seven days we can t have anything with leavening in it. Leavening makes stuff rise, like cakes and muffins and bread. PAPA: But furthermore, the Lord commanded that we cannot even have any leavening in our house! No yeast. No baking powder! Before dinner, I will have you children take all the remaining leavening and throw it out the door into the fire. We must be kosher! AUNT: (To GIRL) Come, honey. Let s stack the three matzoh on the plate. We put a napkin between each one. Papa will break the top one first. Then he will hide half of the second one for you to find. Do you remember why? GIRL: Because it is called the Afikomen (Ah fee ko mun) and (Tentatively) and it is about something that we want to find but it is hidden? (They arrange the matzoh as they talk, and the GIRL holds it up to look at it.) AUNT: That s right! The flat bread helps us remember our fast escape from Egypt, when there was no time for the bread to rise. Did you know that they have to make

17 each matzoh in less than eighteen minutes or it will not be kosher for Passover? We hide the center matzoh because it represents our freedom. Sometimes our freedom is hidden from us. But when our redeemer comes for us, as Moses came for us, we are filled with joy. The afikomen represents the redeemer sent from God to bring us to freedom. But we cannot be free until all men are truly free. So we leave the Afikomen hidden, as a sign of our hope. GIRL: I like matzoh, but I m going to miss regular bread. And cookies. And doughnuts! And... (AUNT puts her arm around the GIRL and leads her toward Stage Right and the kitchen.) AUNT: Oh, but we only miss those things for a week. We d miss them so much longer if we were still slaves in Egypt! Besides, how often do we get to have a night with the whole family together singing songs, playing games, and eating wonderful holiday cooking? You ll be so full, you won t miss a thing! (They exit.) MAMA: (To PAPA, from the kitchen) Dear, would you come lift the lamb out of the oven? (To GIRL) Sweetie, will you help me with the Seder tray? (Holds the tray so all can see the designs on it.) I have all the ingredients here. Let s put each one in its place. (Family members hand over each thing and GIRL puts it in its place.) Bitter herbs, to make us cry. BOY: Horseradish! Yum! GIRL: Yuck! MAMA: Parsley represents new life and the hyssop that was used to put the blood of the sacrificed lamb on the doorposts. (Points to red over the door.) Only those who walked under the blood of the lamb were safe from the death that went through the country that night, killing all the firstborn males in the land even the animals. AUNT: Here s the roasted egg. That represents the temple in Jerusalem.

18 PAPA: (Comes in with the bone.) Don t forget the shankbone of the Paschal lamb. It represents sacrifice. To win liberty, we must make sacrifices and endure suffering. AUNT: A bowl of charoseth (kuh ro set) the apple salad that represents the mortar we used to build Pharaoh s cities. Apples and nuts make it gritty like sand, and the cinnamon and wine make it dark like the bricks. GIRL: That s my favorite! MAMA: Let s see. Have we forgotten anything? GIRL: The tears! Where are the tears we dip our parsley and celery in? MAMA: Oh! The bowl of salt water! Thank you, honey! BOY: I ll get it, Mom, while Sis gets the yeast. (They leave and return quickly with a bowl of water and two packets of yeast. BOY puts the water on the table.) MAMA: Then I think we re all ready. Hurry! It s almost sundown! BOY: (Heading for the door) Come on, Sis! Dad s got the trash fire going. (GIRL follows him.) PAPA: Yes, get that awful stuff out of our house. It is time for the closing of the doors! (GIRL exits momentarily, returns without the yeast, and BOY closes the door. [Or drape, if there is no door.] They seat themselves as follows: PAPA at head, MAMA beside him, BOY beside MAMA, AUNT and GIRL at end and other side. Elijah chair is to the left of PAPA. Be sure all are visible.) PAPA: (Passes a book to each person.) And the Haggadahs! (huh gah duz) Now, let us begin.

19 Music Suggestions: Use El Shaddai or other appropriate Jewish-sounding music here. The library has many Seder/Passover songs. You may use a singer, tapes, or instrumental music. Time the pantomime and plan the music accordingly. During music: 1. Candlelighting. (MAMA stands and lights the two candles, blessing the gathering by waving the smoke toward her with a circular motion. She sits.) 2. PAPA s blessing. (He stands, extending his hands over each family member.) 3. Pouring wine. (Each glass is filled to about one-half inch.) 4. The first cup. (All raise glasses in a toast and drink wine. ) 5. Hand-washing. (BOY gets bowl, pitcher, and towel from a side table. The altar Communion set may be used for this. He pours water over PAPA s hands for the ceremonial washing.) 6. Breaking of the matzoh. (PAPA stands. As if reading from the Haggadah, he removes the top napkin and raises the top matzoh in blessing. He breaks it in half, passing one half each direction, and family members break off pieces, using them to scoop up apple salad and eat it.) 7. Parsley. (PAPA passes each person a piece of parsley, and all together they dip them into the saltwater three times, then eat them.) 8. Hiding of the Afikomen. (PAPA lifts and blesses the second matzoh, breaking it in two. One half he replaces on the plate. The other half, he wraps in the white napkin, has the children hide their eyes, and hides it somewhere under the tablecloth as music fades out or ends.)

20 GIRL: (Standing, facing the audience, reading from her Haggadah) Papa, why is this night different from all other nights? On other nights we eat leavened bread. Tonight, only unleavened. (Sits.) BOY: (Standing) Why on this night do we eat only bitter vegetables? Why must we dip them twice into the saltwater? And why do we sit upon a pillow? (Sits.) PAPA: (Standing) Once we were the slaves of Pharaoh in Egypt... (Fades out to pantomime. Family hold up their Haggadahs and pretend to follow a script. PAPA hands each child a small bag of reminders of the ten plagues and they eagerly open them.) THOMAS: (Speaking in a stage whisper) The children are now being taught about the ten plagues. They receive gifts to help them remember how many things the Lord Almighty has done for them. After lots of talking and reading, Mama and Auntie will serve the meal and everyone will stuff themselves and talk for an hour or so. Remember, they cannot go out this night. It is a very long dinner. Let us do a time lapse. (Louder) Fastforward, please. (BOY and GIRL search for the Afikomen.) JOE: (While they are looking) Now what are the children doing? Are they looking for something? THOMAS: The Hidden Bread of Affliction, remember? The Afikomen. It represents the coming redeemer. (BOY or GIRL finds the Afikomen, takes it to PAPA, then receives a treat. Applause from the rest of the family follows. Standing, Papa holds up the wrapped matzoh for all to see, then sets it on the table beside the Elijah cup, still wrapped. Mama refills the cups. The people around the table pick up their Haggadahs and open them.) JOE: (From behind the table, looking over their shoulders) What they re doing now looks like a responsive reading. THOMAS: Seder is almost over. They are doing the closing now. Let us join them. I put the words on your

21 Thank you for reading this free excerpt from: SEDER SERVICE by Phyllis E. Price. For performance rights and/or a complete copy of the script, please contact us at: CHRISTIAN PUBLISHERS LLC P.O. Box Cedar Rapids, Iowa Toll Free: Fax customerservice@christianpub.com