Passover Today

Passover today looks a little different then it did in Exodus. Somethings are the same while a lot has changed.

Similar things:

We still eat lamb or goat (although I don't know a single person who raises the lamb or goat and keeps it themselves then slaughters it) I will admit most go to butchers for that

We do make sure there is no yeast either in the house or not eaten during the 7 days (some of us more then others)

We do remember why Passover is still so important and why we still celebrate. The story of Exodus is repeated during the meal on the 1st or 2nd night usually during Seder

Bitter herbs are eaten and we ask 4 very important questions to help guide us and remind our youths why we are doing what we are doing.

Otherwise here is what we do in a traditional Passover (1st or 2nd night)

The table is set with the finest china and silverware to reflect the importance of the meal. During this meal, the story of the Exodus from Egypt is retold using a special text called the Haggadah. Four cups of wine are consumed at various stages in the narrative. The Haggadah divides the night's procedure into 15 parts:

1. 1. Kadeish קדש – recital of Kiddush;blessing and drinking of the first cup of wine usually said by the head of the house but we all say it at mine
2. Urchatz ורחץ – the washing of the hands – without blessing
3. Karpas כרפס – dipping of the karpas in salt water (no idea why but usually we do roast egg so stinking good and honestly my favorite part! 
4. Yachatz יחץ – 3 this one works by taking 3 pieces of matzo and then breaking the middle matzo; the larger piece becomes the afikoman (which is hidden) which is eaten later during the ritual of;
5. Tzafun Maggid מגיד – retelling the Passover story, including the recital of "the four questions" ;see below and drinking of the second cup of wine 
6. Rachtzah רחצה – second washing of the hands – with blessing 
7. Motzi מוציא – traditional blessing before eating bread products 
8. Matzo מצה – blessing before eating matzo 
9. Maror מרור – eating of the maror 
10. Koreich כורך – eating of a sandwich made of matzo and maror 
11. Shulchan oreich שולחן עורך – lit. "set table"—the serving of the holiday meal 
12. Tzafun צפון – eating of theafikoman 
13. Bareich ברך – blessing after the meal and drinking of the third cup of wine In many traditions, the front door of the house is opened at this point. Psalms 79:6-7 is recited plus Lamentations 3:66. In my house we have the custom to fill a fifth cup at this point for Elijah I think the fifth cup is called Kos shel Eliyahu ("Cup of Elijah"). Over time, people came to relate this cup to the notion that Elijah will visit each home on Seder night as a foreshadowing of his future arrival at the end of the days, when he will come to announce the coming of the Messiah. Since we are Messianic Jews we leave it for the sole purpose of Christ coming. It's a weird tradition that doesn't really make sense anymore. 
14. Hallell הלל – recital of the Hallel, traditionally recited on festivals; drinking of the fourth cup of wine The remaining psalms 115-118, are recited at this point 
15. Nirtzah נירצה – conclusion : The Seder concludes with a prayer that the night's service be accepted. A hope for the Messiah is expressed: "L'shanah haba'ah b'Yerushalayim! - Next year in Jerusalem!"

These are the 4 questions we ask during Maggid

Why is this night different from all other nights?

1. Shebb'khol hallelot anu okh’lin ḥamets umatsa, vehallayla hazze kullo matsa.
Why is it that on all other nights during the year we eat either leavened bread or matza, but on this night we eat only matza? We eat only matzah because our ancestors could not wait for their breads to rise when they were fleeing slavery in Egypt, and so they were flat when they came out of the oven.
2. Shebb'khol hallelot anu okh’lin sh’ar y'rakot, vehallayla hazze maror.Why is it that on all other nights we eat all kinds of vegetables, but on this night we eat bitter herbs? We eat only Maror, a bitter herb, to remind us of the bitterness of slavery that our ancestors endured while in Egypt. Shebb'khol hallelot en anu matbillin afillu pa‘am eḥat, vehallayla hazze sh'tei fe‘amim.
3. Why is it that on all other nights we do not dip [our food] even once, but on this night we dip them twice? The first dip, green vegetables in salt water, symbolizes the replacing of our tears with gratitude, and the second dip, Maror in Charoses, symbolizes the sweetening of our burden of bitterness and suffering. 
4. Shebb'khol hallelot anu okh’lin ben yosh’vin uven m'subbin, vehallayla hazze kullanu m'subbin. Why is it that on all other nights we dine either sitting upright or reclining, but on this night we all recline? We recline at the Seder table because in ancient times, a person who reclined at a meal was a free person, while slaves and servants stood.

The seder is replete with questions, answers, and unusual practices to arouse the interest and curiosity of the children at the table. The children are also rewarded with nuts and candies when they ask questions and participate in the discussion of the Exodus and its aftermath. Children are encouraged to search for the afikoman, the piece of matzo which is the last thing eaten at the seder. Audience participation and interaction is the rule, and many families' seders last long into the night with animated discussions and much singing. The seder concludes with additional songs of praise and faith printed in the Haggadah, including. 

So there you have it... Any questions let me know I would be happy to answer. This year Passover is on April 22, 2016