13. הלל “Hallel.”—The rest of Hallel is sung, followed by Ps.
cxxxvi., and the whole of נשמת with the concluding blessing.—The
fourth cup of wine is then taken, and the usual prayer after the
partaking of wine is recited.
14. נרצה “Completed.” [117]—The Seder-Service is completed; it
concludes with a prayer for the rebuilding of the Temple and the
restoration of Israel to Zion. The prayer seems to have been originally
the conclusion of a Piyyut or liturgical poem on the Passover
Sacrifice.
The Haggadah contains, besides, several hymns and songs, of which the
following are found in the ordinary editions of the work:—
1. ויהי בחצי הלילה “And it was in the middle of the night.” The
author reflects on the various marvellous events in our history that
happened in the night-time.
2. ואמרתם זבח פסח “And ye shall say, It is a sacrifice of Passover.”
A song referring to wonderful events which, according to Tradition,
took place on Passover.
3. כי לו נאה “To him praise is seemly.” A praise of God as the only
Being worthy to be called King and Ruler.
4. אדיר הוא “He is mighty.” A praise of God, and an expression of
hope that He will soon rebuild the Temple.
5. אחד מי יודע “One, who knows?” A popular song enumerating persons
and objects in Jewish History and Tradition, as well as in Nature
according to numbers up to thirteen, with the object of emphasising the
Unity of God.
6. חד גדיא “One kid.” A popular song that illustrates the working of
Divine Justice in the history of mankind.
Passover as an agricultural feast was kept “in the season of the month
of ripeness” (למועד חדש האביב), when the barley sown in the winter
had become ripe. On the second day of Passover an offering was brought
of “the beginning of the harvest;” it consisted of an omer [118] of
barley (Lev. xxiii. 9 sqq.). Before this offering was presented it was
not allowed to eat of the new corn (ibid. 14).
From the bringing of the Omer to “the harvest feast” the days are
counted, viz., forty-nine days, and the fiftieth day is the feast of
harvest (חג הקציר), or “the day of the first-fruit offering” (יום
הבכורים).
The counting commences on the second evening. It is done either
immediately after Maarib, or later on during the Seder-Service; it is
preceded by the following blessing: ברוך … אשר קדשנו … על ספירת העומר
“Blessed art thou ... who hast sanctified us by thy commandments and
hast commanded us ... to count the days of the Omer.” The following is
the way of counting: היום יום … לעומר “This day is the first day
since the Omer.” From seven upward the number of weeks is likewise
expressed, [119] היום יום … שהם … שבועות … לעומר “This day completes
... that is ... weeks ... since the offering of the Omer.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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