Jewish Seder meal

[cazayoux]

Hello !

I did a search in the forums on 'seder', but didn't find a full on discussion that I am curious about.

I have started conversations with a Jewish friend about the seder meal.

I've been reading Scott Hahn's "The Lamb's Supper" and I'm more curious than ever about our mass, it's structure and it's origins.

I am curious how closely the seder meal resembles the structure of our mass.  They do scripture readings, and pray.  The foods have significance.  I found some information on a site entitled "Judaism 101" ... [www.jewfaq.org](www.jewfaq.org) i think.

Anyway ... it's a curiousity, I don't really wish to ignore Christ's fulfillment of the OT.  If the friend did invite me to a seder meal.  Would it be okay for me, as a Catholic, to attend? participate?

What about a jewish service at a synagogue?

I did find it interesting that on the web site I visited, they never wrote out the word G-d ... so as not to have to blaspheme if it were deleted.

Your thoughts would be appreciated.

Thanks!

michel

 

[Deacon_Tony560]

Many Catholic Churches have this meal before Easter. You may find some old threads on this site. In many cases, it is used as a teaching tool just as you have said. It’s a great way to make the “Last Supper” more understandable. You may have to wait until next year.

Deacon Tony

 

[EddieArent]

Wasn’t there a Pope that condmned Catholics eating items with seder?

 

[cazayoux]

EddieArent:

Wasn’t there a Pope that condmned Catholics eating items with seder?

Don’t know … therefore, … the question.

Where would I look up something like that?

Any help is appreciated.

michel

 

[WhiteDove]

I seriously doubt that going to a seder is forbidden for Catholics. This should be a wonderful experience for anyone.

The meal commemorates the Exodus from Egypt, where the Jewish children were passed over for death, then the Jews escaped across the Red Sea with only unleavened bread, because in their haste they didn’t have time to let the bread rise.

The meal is headed by a male member of the family who can read Hebrew. Everyone is given a booklet and there are communal responses in English as well, where the story of Exodus is told by participants. There are certain symbolic foods, such as horseradish, which is the ‘bitter herb’ representing Jewish suffering. People eat matza ball soup, and other Jewish foods, all of it symbolizing something in the ceremony, I don’t remember the details. Everyone, including the children, drinks wine at certain points in the ceremony, plus usually extra for enjoyment. At one point in the celebration the youngest child opens the door to let Elijah in. At the end everyone proclaims “Next year in Jeruselem!” Afterwards sometimes there is a game called ‘Find the Matza’ for the children, where an adult hides a Matza and the children look for it with the winner getting a monatary prize. The adults drink lots of wine. The women bring different spongecakes for dessert because spongecake is made without leavening which is forbidden for Passover.