The Holistic Haggadah: How Will You Be Different This Passover Night

Features

• Cover Type: Hard Cover with 239 pages
• Published by: Urim Publications; Bilingual edition March 15, 2005
• Written in: English
• ISBN 10 Number: 9657108497
• ISBN 13 Number: 978-9657108499
• Book Dimensions: 9.4 x 7.3 x 0.7 inches
• Weighs: 1.5 pounds

From Publishers Weekly
"How is this night different from all other nights?" is the traditional Passover question. But Kagan (who describes himself as an "ortho-practicing, but unorthodox, Jew") wants seder participants to look beyond the obvious and ask themselves a different question: "How will this night change me?" Using the Exodus story as an allegory of an individual's spiritual Slavery and redemption, Kagan advocates a holistic approach to Judaism that merges the worlds of action, emotion, intellect and spirit. Readers are asked to reflect upon what is keeping them enslaved in their "inner Mitzraim" (Egypt). Kagan spiritualizes the various elements of Passover observance; burning the hametz (leavened bread), for example, symbolizes a willingness to let go of attachments and anything that puffs us up.
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Product Description
This fascinating guide to the inner journey offered by the Passover Seder evening incorporates a holistic approach to Judaism, which activates the four worlds of the individual: the world of action, the world of emotion, the world of intellect, and the world of spirit. It weaves a gorgeous tapestry, illuminating the treasures available within Passover and the Jewish yearly festival cycle.

Reader Reviews
How many Haggadah's that you know of mention the film, The Matrix ? Urim publications has created another winning haggadah. The holistic Haggadah includes readings and insights that will make your seder better and more interesting. Technically, this haggadah moves right to left with a full Hebrew text in a very nice, voweled font, with English translations, but no transliterations. It has at least twice as much explanations as your average haggadah. It also includes translations of Hallel and Blessings over the Meal (the source of food and nourishment) by that holistic big-daddy, Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi. The theme of this haggadah is "How will YOU be different this Passover night?" More than a 12 step program approach to Passover, it reinforces Pesach as the Spring holiday that regenerates yourself for the coming planting season, rids your home of leavened bread, and rids you of that yeasty, puffy, poori-like inflated ego. Each section of the seder contains commentaries under the headings of "BEING" and "DEEPENING." Some holistic viewpoints that can be found in these sections of this haggadah are: The period between Purim and Passover as period akin to the month of Elul; The search for hametz as a search for one's inner spoilage, namely one's slavery to materialism, and fears of loss, success, and embarrassment; The burning of the hametz as a letting go of attachments; The candle lighting as the introduction of illumination and knowledge; The Seder as an ordering out of the chaotic hiddeness of Adar's Purim; and a silent Urhatz (washing without a prayer) as a sign of enslavement. Other insights are the salty Karpas as a form of connection to your inner, narrow, Mitzraim; Yahatz as the broken self; the Four Questions as the call to hear the inner child; the treasures of Egypt as a choice to debasment or being true to oneself; and the Afikoman as... well you'll have to read the book for that precious tidbit. The traditional four sons are rendered as four children; in this case they are female. The RaSha child is here "alienated" and not wicked (did you realize that the Haham, Rasha, Tam children spell the acronym of HeRut [freedom]?) There are so many ideas upon which your seder participants can expound. And the ones above only scratch the surface. This is highly recommended.