Monday Funnies

Thanks to one and all for making Holy Week so moving, and for our spectacular Easter Vigil and Easter Day services. The flowers were amazing, the music glorious, the attendance over-the-top.

So many people worked so hard, I know I will miss someone who should be thanked: the ushers and altar guild, the choir and musicians, the flower guild, chalice bearers, coffee makers, the clergy, and the office and program staff tending to thousands of details. Thanks. Thanks. Thanks.

As you can see by the Dave Walker cartoon, the church office is in need of a break, so we are talking the day off. But religious observances continue. My friend Patrick Hill in Sacramento sent me this -- a two-minute version of a seder Passover dinner. Dayenu.

The Two-Minute Haggadah

A Passover service for the impatient.

By Michael Rubiner 

Opening prayers:
Thank God for creating wine. (Drink wine.)
Thanks for creating produce. (Eat parsley.)

Overview:
Once we were slaves in Egypt. Now we're free. That's why we're
doing this.

Four questions:
1. What's up with the matzah?
2. What's the deal with horseradish?
3. What's with the dipping of the herbs?
4. What's this whole slouching at the table business?

Answers:
1. When we left Egypt, we were in a hurry. There was no time for
making decent bread.
2. Life was bitter, like horseradish.
3. It's called symbolism.
4. Free people get to slouch.

A funny story:
Once, these five rabbis talked all night, then it was morning.

(Heat soup now.)

The four kinds of children and how to deal with them:
Wise child - explain Passover.
Simple child - explain Passover slowly.
Silent child - explain Passover loudly.
Wicked child - explain in front of the relatives.

Speaking of children:
We hid some matzah. Whoever finds it gets five bucks.

The story of Passover:
It's a long time ago. We're slaves in Egypt. Pharaoh is a
nightmare. We cry out for help. God brings plagues upon the Egyptians.
We escape, bake some matzah. God parts the Red Sea. We make it through;
the Egyptians aren't so lucky. We wander 40 years in the desert, eat
manna, get the Torah, wind up in Israel, get a new temple, enjoy several
years without being persecuted again.

(Let brisket cool now.)

The 10 Plagues:
Blood, Frogs, Lice - you name it.

The singing of "Dayenu":
If God had gotten us out of Egypt and not punished our enemies, it
would've been enough. If he'd punished our enemies and not parted the Red
Sea, it would've been enough, oh, Dayenu! Dayenu, Dayenu...

If he'd parted the Red Sea -

(Remove gefilte fish from refrigerator now.)

Eat matzah. Take a few more sips of way too sweet red wine. Slouch.

Again thank God for everything.