Expert: Rabbi Barry Dov Lerner - 4/2/2004

Question
What is the symbolism of  Miriam's Cup at the Seder and where did this tradition begin?


I am 49 years old, with an Orthodox background but am now a practicing Conservative.

Answer
Dear Marily,

Thanks for asking.

I'm going to send you to my web-site for the 2003 Seder Supplement and all kinds of 2004 information for Seder - including the ritual and explanations for Miriams Seder. Just download, read and print whatever you want or need

www.jewishfreeware.org

Since it is FREEWARE - please share the address with anyone interested in making their own Haggadah, in needing transliteration for the Haggadah (new for 2004) - and I'll append a message you can cut and paste to your heart's delight. :-)

Rabbi Dov

"Dear Friends,


Want to CREATE your own Haggadah? Want to edit the Haggadah for your family? Want to join 38,000 others who have already downloaded their copies? Check it out at  my web site  www.jewishfreeware.org  and see I've developed a DIY (Do It Yourself) FREE Jewish Family Haggadah and other Seder materials:


For whom is this intended? Parents and children, Rabbis, Principals, Educators, Jewish Family Educators, USY-Kadima, Early Childhood, Day School, Havurot, Dual-Faith Families and other faiths interested in Passover.


For whoever is interested in downloading pages from which to print, edit and compile  YOUR OWN FAMILY HAGGADAH for this year, look at the following at  www.jewishfreeware.org  edited and compiled by Rabbi Barry Dov Lerner with thanks to Davka.com for Hebrew text and fonts.



1. <http://jewishfreeware.org/downloads/5764-1MASTERNOVICESHORT3-21-04.PDF>
Jewish Family Education Haggadah (For Novices)  consisting of the basic Hebrew, transliteration and selected English translations. For Songs download the next package.


2. <http://jewishfreeware.org/downloads/5764-1MASTERSONGS3-21-04.PDF>Passover
Songs Old and New, Silly English and Traditional Hebrew Songs


3. <http://jewishfreeware.org/downloads/5764-1MASTERNOVICELONG3-21-04.PDF>
Jewish Family Education Haggadah (For Almost Novices) with page breaks at each unit to truly facilitate editing YOUR OWN FAMILY HAGGADAH for this year.


4. "5763 version of Seder Supplement" also at the same website contains many readings for last year AND ALSO this year 5764 with which to support YOUR OWN FAMILY HAGGADAH and Sedarim. Download and then insert your selection(s) for the LEADER or for the PARTICIPANTS."


5. Suggestions on HOW TO USE these resources for maximal impact:


       a. The "Long" Haggadah has "page breaks" at each section. One can download, print and then choose which pages   to include in their family edition, and then xerox/duplicate/etc. OR they can download and then edit on the computer,   printing out those pages and sections they wish to include. The "Long" has Songs included; the "Short" does not. Once you have a "master Jewish Family Haggadah" for your family then you can make copies -3 hole punched for a note book, stapled, curly bound, etc - and you are ready to go. BTW, you can also print out a reading that will be given to just someone to read "solo" to which the participants can respond with discussion.


       b. The "Short" can be treated the same way for editing as the"Long" although there are no page breaks between   sections and it is more difficult - and then download the Songs as a separate addition to the Haggadah.  Once you have a "master Jewish Family Haggadah" for your family then you can make copies -3 hole punched for a note book, stapled, curly bound, etc - and you are ready to go. BTW, you can also print out a reading that will be given to just someone to read "solo" to which the participants can respond with discussion.


       c. Then download the "2003 Passover Guide and Seder Supplement" which has been updated and has "oodles" of readings that you can print out individually to insert into your Family Haggadah, Long or Short version. Alternatively you can print out the entire "2003 Supplement" and then select which readings you want to insert into your own final "master" version from which to make duplicates for the Seder.


       d.  CONGREGATION LEADERS: For future use, both the long and the short Birkat have been included in the "Long" section, and you can always print these out for various synagogue functions.


6. In answer to those who have written - knowing the incredible downloads we achieved last year - we're currently running on the average of  more than 300 downloads per hour since posting on jewishfreeware and 65 on foundationforfamilyeducation. Clearly some have been spreading the word and I am personally thankful. I just wish that the technical bugs could have been worked out earlier, but this has been months in the works.


Kol Tuv and thanks for helping out if you haven't yet either checked the site and sent out your congregational or organizational email mailings.