Seder Meal at Holy Trinity
Posted Monday 29 March 2010 ~ 5:57pm
On Friday evening 26th March, Ruth McLachlan led a group of twenty members of Holy Trinity of all ages through the first night of the Jewish festival of The Passover – the Seder.
This ceremony is one of the oldest and most important events in the Jewish calendar, and commemorates the story of the Jewish people’s flight from Egypt to freedom.
Ruth told of the intense build-up to the ceremony which would happen in every Jewish household. These preparations would be exhaustive, the thorough cleaning of the house, and the preparation of specific dishes. There would be an increasing excitement as everyone gathered for this annual event.
Ruth had prepared a typical Seder table and with considerable skill and enthusiasm led us gently through the various stages of the Seder, highlighting on occasion the resonance with aspects of our Eucharist.
She explained the use of unleavened matzo, reflecting the haste with which the Jewish people fled from Egypt, having to take with them bread not yet risen. At the table one seat was left empty for the arrival of Elijah.
We went through the ceremonies of hand-washing, the breaking of the ‘middle matzo’ and the hiding of one piece which was to be found after the meal by the children present.
Ruth told us of the four questions and the answers to them. We joined in the ceremony of taking wine on four occasions during the ceremony. We ate a piece of lettuce which we dipped in salt water, and then some bitter herbs (watercress) with a mixture of apple and raisins, followed by a hard-boiled egg dipped in salt.
Everyone then enjoyed a delicious meal of lamb casserole accompanied by roasted vegetables. Following the dessert we ended the meal by eating sweet biscuits made without flour.
We were all moved by the beauty of the ceremony and felt privileged to have been included in the event, just as any member of a Jewish family would feel when they participate in the Seder.
It did not feel like a single ‘event’ but something of great significance in the life of the Jewish community as a whole. The Seder gave us some insight into another faith, and perhaps told us there was perhaps more to unite us than separate us.
Categories: General