How to Conduct a Model Pesach Seder According to the Moroccan Custom
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Rabbi Lebhar delivers a comprehensive, heartfelt guide to conducting a traditional Moroccan Passover Seder, emphasizing the importance of preserving family customs while grounding practices in halachic sources. He walks listeners through the preparation, structure, and symbolic significance of each step, from the proper handling of wine and matzah to the nuances of leaning, dipping, and the 15 steps of the Seder. The rabbi highlights unique Moroccan customs—such as singing together during Magid, the use of a Seder plate arranged in the Arizal’s layout, and the practice of mixing red and white wine to achieve a deeper hue—while also addressing practical concerns like keeping children engaged and managing fatigue. He underscores the spiritual elevation of the Seder night, describing it as a mystical experience that reenacts the Exodus and strengthens faith. The episode concludes with a warm, celebratory tone, encouraging families to maintain their traditions while adapting to modern realities.
Follow the Minhag of your father's home, but if uncertain, rely on the Shulchan Aruch or the Moroccan custom as a guide.
Use non-mevushal, red wine for the four cups; if unavailable, mix white and red wine to achieve a deep color.
Lean at a 45-degree angle on a stable surface—ideally someone else’s armrest—for proper haseba.
Eat less than a kezayit of karpas to avoid making a boreh nefashot; the karpas is not a full meal component.
The afikomen should be eaten with a kezayit (or two for extra merit), and you must lean while eating it.
…and 3 more takeaways available in PodZeus
Introduction to the Moroccan Seder and Family Minhag
“I wish I had more props over here, but my props are not the best, as you're going to see.”
Preparation: Wine, Matzah, and Leaning
“If you have a full cup and you are going to take the full cup and you are going to lean, it's going to spill. So listen to what Rabbi Shleiman said you should do. What you should do is that you should take a big gulp without leaning and then you lean and you swallow.”
The Seder Plate and the 15 Steps of Lel HaSeder
Rabbi Lebhar describes the Moroccan arrangement of the Seder plate, following the Arizal’s layout, with the zeroah on top right, egg on left, maror in the center, and karpas on bottom left. He explains the spiritual significance of the 15 steps of the Seder, connecting them to the 15 steps of the Temple, the 15 days of the moon’s cycle, and the mystical ascent of the soul during the Seder night.
Kiddush, Urchatz, and Yachatz: Rituals and Symbolism
The rabbi walks through the first three steps of the Seder—Kiddush, Urchatz, and Yachatz—explaining the custom of singing together, the reason for washing hands without a bracha, and the symbolic meaning of breaking the matzah into a daled and vav. He discusses the Moroccan minhag of not hiding the afikomen, allowing children to find it if it helps keep them engaged.
Magid: The Storytelling Night and Its Customs
The rabbi emphasizes the centrality of Magid—the storytelling of the Exodus—as the spiritual heart of the Seder. He describes the Moroccan custom of the leader going around the table with the Seder plate three times, the importance of covering the matzah during certain moments, and the use of songs and translations to engage all participants. He also shares a personal anecdote about a family’s unique way of saying the Haggadah.
“You think you're better than my grandfather Rabbi Yaakov Abu Chazir? In one case there was some Bachrim that came and didn't answer Baruch Hu Baruch Shemot. He asked them not to come back at the table the next day.”
“If you have a full cup and you are going to take the full cup and you are going to lean, it's going to spill. So listen to what Rabbi Shleiman said you should do. What you should do is that you should take a big gulp without leaning and then you lean and you swallow.”
“Shefoch HaMathchei LaGoyim. They opened up the door. The Liyao Anavi. Is the Liyao Anavi there? Shefoch, right? It's Shefoch there. It's a joke that some people say. It's Shefoch there.”
Host
Rabbi Lebhar
person
Shulchan Aruch
book
Baba Sali
person
Rabbi Shlomo Miller
person
Rabbi Shleiman
person
Rabbi Yashiv
person
Rabbi Yaakov Abu Chazir
person
Rabbi Chazon Ish
person
Rabbi Moshe Feinstein
person
Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky
person
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