OMG-D! It’s almost time for Passover! With Nisan upon us, preparations for our annual journey out of Mitzrayim begin in earnest. Whether you take a traditional or modern approach, believe in G!d(dess) or not — Passover is a holiday pretty much all Jews can connect to. There are so many things we could explore as the symbol of Nisan, but here at PeelaPom.com we’re going to explore the Haggadah as the ritual object of Nisan. Over at PunkTorah, look for my article on Chametz as a the symbol of Nisan. “More than any other single ceremonial object or document, the Haggadah exemplifies the continuous evolution of the Jewish symbolic tradition.” ~ The Encyclopedia of Jewish Symbols by Ellen Frankel and Betsy Patkin Teutsch (pg 66) One could argue that the haggadah is a compilation of symbols, but it in itself is a true expression of how one engages with Judaism. For some, it’s the same each year. You use the haggadah your parents used, cook what your parents used, and what you look forward to is the traditions being repeated. But for so many, Passover is a chance to really make a personal and outward facing statement about what Judaism is to you, personally, by your choices in which haggadah you use. There are dozens and dozens of haggadot to choose from, which may be overwhelming for some. What I think is amazing, is now how many people I know who in some way craft their own. For most people it’s a cut and paste experience, where they take a sections from different haggadot to form their perfect (or close as they can) experience. The first person I ever knew who did this was my sister, who is not the religious one in the family (That’s me, in case you were wondering). The first time I saw one of my sister’s photocopied DIY haggadot, it blew me away. It never occurred to me that you could do that in Judaism. Even the parts...
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The theme for my 5771 seder was “Oasis at the Elim.” I had written about this concept a couple of years back, but had gone in a different direction that year. This year, I finally decided to do a menu with the “oasis” theme.
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Here’s a handy reference list to all the Pesach resources I’ve written over the years. I figure this will be a good way to organize all of it and I can just update this as I add more! Passover resources on Peelapom.com: Peeling a Pomegranate Haggadah Menus and Seder Planning Food Blessing Tiramatzah! A More Magickal Pesach Afikomen Prizes Miriam, the Prophetess — a Midrash Peeling a Pomegranate Guide to Counting the Omer: Week 1: Week of Chesed Week 2: Week of Gevurah Week 3: Week of Tifereth Week 4: Week of Netzach Week 5: Week of Hod Week 6: Week of Yesod Week 7: Week of Malchut Now for a Trek in the Desert External Pesach Resources: Amazon.com...
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There are so many amazing things you can do to add a little more magick to your Passover Seder. Needless to say, using the fabulous Peeling a Pomegranate Haggadah is an easy way to do this, but there are so many others that you can do (all of which work great with my haggadah and others, too). Considering that so much of the Seder is about creating a sense of wonder to engage your body, mind, and spirit. It’s intended to be experiential. Here are a few ideas to bring a little more magick to your Pesach. Kavanah At the beginning of your seder, set the intention for your seder. You can turn it into a magickal working this way. Maybe you want to set the intention that this seder will set one enslaved person free. You could even have a specific person in mind. Maybe you want to use the energy of your seder to free minds or end persecutions of a particular people. You could also use your seder to remove the chains of your own biases that you don’t even know. Be sure to restate your kavanah at least a couple of times and use it as a framework for discussion through out so you can build some energy. You can add a final prayer to send the energy out into the world. Learn More: Prayer and Kavanah, Meditations for the Passover Seder Afikomen There is a great deal of folklore around the use of the afikomen as an amulet for good fortune and protection. While it’s traditional to share the recovered piece and eat it as part of the seder, it doesn’t have a lot of meaning for most people anymore. The idea of it as “desert” just doesn’t resonate. What if the recovered piece was broken and given as an amulet for people to take home? You would have to explain it, but people understand the idea of a lucky charm. You could have pretty little mojo bags for people...
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Not a thrilling theme for this year, but some good food none the less. Here’s the menu for my 5770 seder:
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Passover menu planning is always a fun experience for me. I just love food and creating a menu that enhances the spiritual experience of the seder is a great exercise. I like to try a few new things every year, but also mix in a few fan favorites. This year I’m bringing back the charoset sampler, but the rest of the menu is new. I hope this menu works well the with the latest version of the Peeling a Pomegranate Haggadah (shameless plug, I know). Below you’ll find my final menu with links to either the recipe, if I found it online, or the book it can be found in. As I have a freezer full of local beef, I opted to serve meat this year. Be sure to see my 5768 menu, if you are looking for a vegetarian Passover menu. I always try to serve a few good Kosher wines, just to prove to the skeptics that they exist. I discovered a new winery this year: Yogev. The store had a tasting, and I bought two bottles. They are both blends. The Shiraz blend is a smoky flavor which made me think it would go well with a mushroom dish (which I’m not making) and the Merlot blend is a nice spicy wine -which is exactly the opposite of what I would have thought. I’m not great at wine-pairing, so I hope these and whatever my guests bring will go well with the food. 5769 Passover Menu Menu Card template (doc) ~ Charoset Sampler ~ Date & Fig Sephardic-style Candied Walnut Charoset Fig & Port Wine Matzah ———- ~ Salad ~ Fresh Farmers’ Market Salad* ———- ~Main Course~ Cumin-Flavored Meatballs with Onion Jam and Spicy Tomato Sauce Potato and Green Olive Stew ———- ~Dessert~ Dates Filled with Almond Paste Oranges with Pomegranate Molasses and Honey ———- ~Beverages~ Coffee, Tea, Sparkling Water Kosher Wines: Yogev Cabernet Sauvignon & Merlot 2006, Yogev Cabernet Sauvignon & Shiraz 2006, Golan Chardonnay 2007 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ *No recipe for...
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