This past Sunday I had the pleasure of participating in my first ever seder. AARC joined Pardes Hannah for their second Tu Bishvat Seder at the Leslie Science Center, where we explored the four mystical worlds of the Kabbalists. Rav Gav and Rabbis Elliott Ginsburg and Aura Ahuvia led us on a winding path through these worlds, using delicious fruits a grape juice to illustrate their meaning.
Before this I had never had much interaction with Jewish Renewal. In fact, this may have been the first. But Rabbi Elliott and Rabbi Aura were warm and knowledgeable, and their community members friendly and welcoming. I learned too that Rabbi Elliott had been a teach of Rav Gav’s at ALEPH, and they remained friends after her ordination. I can’t imagine how proud a teacher must be to work alongside a pupil like that. It was beautiful.
The first world we explored was Assiyah, the physical world, is represented by the element of Earth, the winter season, and the physical aspect of ourselves. Oranges, pistachios, pomegranates and walnuts are eaten with a glass of pure white wine (or, in our case because insurance, white grape juice.).
Brief aside here: I am glad that my first Seder was one where we use grape juice instead of wine. I had absolutely no clue that this was a thing at seders, and I don’t think anybody would have thought to tell me about it ahead of time because why would it occur to them that I would not also know this? Also, the juice seems like it just would taste better mixed together later in the seder being juice rather than wine, but maybe that’s just me. Anyway.
After Assiyah, we meandered through Yetzirah, the realm of water and spring, of emotions and creativity, are represented by foods with edible outsides and inedible centers. Dates (my favorite!), olives (my second favorite!), cherries, carob, apricots and plums all represent this realm.
B’riyah represents the third world, of air and summer and the intellectual. For this we ate the entirely edible — berries, berries, and more berries for me. I’m sort of a berry crazy, and it was only because I was around basic strangers that I didn’t use my little goblin hands to just scoop all of them from the seder plate straight to my mouth.
We ate nothing as we spoke about the fourth world, the world of Atzilut. Fire and the fall season represent Atzilut, which is the realm of the spiritual and the mysterious.
The moon was full and bright and silver, and we could see it through the window behind the rabbis as we sang and danced and prayed together. As we learned together. As I surreptitiously stuffed more and more berries, pistachios and dates into my mouth. I will not forget my first seder, and thanks to my heads up about the cups of wine, I will remember future ones too.
I’m so pleased to have had this first experience with you all.
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה’ אֱ-לֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, שֶׁהֶחֱיָנוּ וְקִיְּמָנוּ וְהִגִיעָנוּ לַזְּמַן הַזֶּה.
Baruch atah, Adonai Eloheinu, Melech haolam, shehecheyanu, v’kiy’manu, v’higiyanu laz’man hazeh.
Blessed are You, Adonai our G-d, Sovereign of all, who has kept us alive, sustained us, and brought us to this moment.
