0
Why do you only have 4 cups of wine at the seder on Passover instead of 5?
Wiki User
∙ 15y ago
Five cups of wine are filled for the Passover seder-
Four cups- to be consumed throughout the night by each person at the seder table and one cup to be set aside, untouched for the prophet Eliyahu Ha-navi (Elijah)
If you search for deeper meaning, you will find that the number 5 is a very special number in Judaism- this is where the term Quintessential originates-
The Kabbalah explains that there are 5 levels of the human soul- the first four levels are within the reach of human understanding and spiritual interaction the fifth level is so complex and beyond the scope of anything imaginable that it stands alone as an extremely mysterious, powerful and holy concept-
This theme is repeated throughout Jewish literature, tradition and custom.
The five levels are as follows: ( From
http://www.faqs.org/faqs/judaism/FAQ/06-Jewish-Thought/section-9.html) "1. Nefesh - the lower part, or animal part, of the soul. Is linked to instincts and bodily cravings. 2. Ruach - the middle soul, the spirit. It contains the moral virtues and the ability to distinguish between good and evil. 3. Neshamah - the higher soul, or super-soul. This separates man from all other lifeforms. It is related to the intellect, and allows man to enjoy and benefit from the afterlife
4. Chayyah - The part of the soul that allows one to have an awareness of the divine life force itself. 5. Yehidad - the highest plane of the soul, in which one can achieve as full a union with G-d as is possible. " ( represented by the fifth cup of 'untouchable' wine) On a much simpler level, the verse says five languages of redemption. The last one will only be fulfilled by the coming of Mashiach (the messiah), so we don't drink it.
Wiki User
∙ 15y ago
The four cups of wine represent the four expressions of deliverance mentioned in Exodus 6:6-7: "I will take you out, I will deliver you, I will redeem you, and I will take you as my people." The fifth cup, known as the Cup of Elijah, is traditionally left untouched to symbolize the hope for the future arrival of the Messiah.
Add your answer:
Earn +20 pts
How do reformed Jews celebrate Passover?
Reform Jews have only 1 seder instead of 2.
Is the seder on the first night of Passover?
In Israel, the Seder is on the first night of Passover. Outside Israel, Orthodox and some Conservative Jews celebrate Seders on the first two nights of Passover. Most other Jews have a Seder on only the first night, though some may also have Seders on the first two nights of Passover.
What is the ceremony of the first two nights of Passover?
The religious ceremony held on the first two nights of Passover outside of Israel (1st night only in Israel) is called a Seder. The word Seder means 'order'.
Why do Jews have a Seder plate?
The Seder Plate is a special plate for holding the symbolic foods used during the seder. Pieces of the symbolic foods are distributed to everyone during the course of the seder. Traditionally, the person leading the seder is the only one with a Seder Plate. However if there are many guests, additional Seder Plates can also be set on the table.
Where is there parallelism with Christ and the seder table?
There isn't any. The only correlation is that Jesus is said to have been executed on Passover.
When do jews eat the seder meal?
Generally it occurs only during Passover, a Jewish holiday. There is also a seder for the holiday of Tu Bishvat, but this seder is rarely observed.
How many seder plates are in a passover dinner?
There is only one ceremonial plate; other than that, everyone present at the seder has a plate for the normal purpose of holding their food. Depending upon how many people are at the seder, this can be lots of plates.
How much grape wine is consumed during passover?
Four full glasses of wine are drunk during the seder. Inside Israel, there is only one seder and outside of Israel there are two sederim.
When is a seder plate used passover or all Jewish holidays?
Anyone who is hosting a Passover Seder (the ritual dinner on the first two nights of Passover), would have a Seder plate. It's usually placed in the center of the dinner table. It is a special plate containing symbolic foods eaten and displayed during the Passover Seder. The foods are arranged on the plate has special significance to the retelling of the story of the exodus from Egypt, which is the focus of the Seder. There are 6 ritual items, five of them are on the Seder Plate: • Bitter herbs, symbolizing the bitterness of slavery, which the Hebrews endured in Egypt. • A sweet mixture of chopped nuts, grated apples, cinnamon, and sweet wine called "Charoset", represents the mortar used by the Jewish slaves in building Egypt. • A vegetable, usually Parsley or Endive , which is dipped into salt water to represent the tears of the Hebrew slaves in Egypt. • A roasted lamb or shankbone, chicken wing, or chicken neck; symbolizing the Passover sacrifice, which was a lamb that was offered in the Temple in Jerusalem. This item is not eaten. • A hard-boiled egg, symbolizing the mourning of the destruction of the Temple and our inability to offer any kind of sacrifices in honor of the Passover holiday today. (eggs are the first thing served to mourners after a funeral) • The sixth ritual food is Matzos, which is placed on a separate plate. There are many decorative and artistic Seder Plates, but any plate large enough to hold all the ritual food items can be used.
What prophets play a significant symbolic role in the passover Seder?
Moses and Eliyahu (Elijah) are each mentioned once in the Passover Haggadah. Symbolically, Eliyahu comes to the Seder and we prepare a cup in his honor. He symbolizes the future redemption (Malachi ch.3). See:More about the Seder
Is ice cream kosher for Passover?
Most ice cream is not kosher for passover, but you might be able to find ice creamwith a reliable Passover hashgacha (kosher certification for passover). But if it onlyhas a regular year-round kosher symbol, that doesn't by itself mean that it is kosherfor passover.(Note that while it might be possible to find ice cream that is kosher for Passover,you cannot eat it as part of the Passover Seder meal, as ice cream is dairy andthe Seder meal contains meat. The Torah forbids Jews to mix the two.Addendum (by another contributor):My mother used to make ice cream during Passover.
Why do Jews specifically eat bitter herbs and not other vegetables in the Passover Seder?
This question likely comes from the differences in phrasing of the second question of "Ma Nishtana", the set of four Passover questions. The question is, "On all other nights we eat many vegetables, why on this night, [only] bitter herbs?". The word "only", put in brackets here, is inserted in some versions and removed in others. This is likely a problem deriving from remembering the questions of "Ma Nishtana" incorrectly, because the first question has a similar format: "On all other nights we eat both leavened and unleavened bread, why on this night, only unleaveaned bread?" Since the format was similar, the "only" in the first question, which is legitimate - no leavened products are eaten on Passover, it was incorrectly carried to the second question.As others have noted, Jews eat a variety of other vegetables on Passover, most notably the "karpas", which is a piece of parsley or celery that features in the Seder celebration. Additionally, most Jews will include some vegetables in the meal that is served during the meal-portion of the Seder. So, the premise behind the question of "only" is incorrect.
