Table of Contents

1. Introduction: Autobiographical Reflections 1
What Is Contained in This Haggadah? 6
2. The Ritual of Hunting for Khametz 8
The Search for Khametz 8
Burning the Khametz Ritual 11
3. The Ritual of Eruv Tavshilin 13
4. Blessing of the Candles 15
5. The Passover Seder: Fifteen Steps toward Illumination 17
Prelude to the Seder: A Hassidic Tale of Faith, Devotion, and Courage 17

THE SEDAR PLATE
Step 1: Kadesh: Blessing of the First Cup 25
Step 2: Urkhatz: First Washing of the Hands 40
Step 3: Karpas: First Dipping of a Vegetable 42
Step 4: Yakhatz: Breaking the Middle Matzah—Hiding the Afikomen 45
Step 5: Magid: Telling the Exodus Story 48
The Four Questions: Mah Nishtanah 53
Step 6: Rakhtzah: Second Washing of the Hands 99
Steps 7—8: Motzi-Matzah: Blessing on the Matzah 101
Step 9: Maror: Eating Bitter Herbs 103
Step 10: Koraikh: The Ancient Matzah Sandwich 105
Step 11: Shulkhan Orekh: The Banquet 106
Step 12: Tzafune: Eating the Afikomen 108
Step 13: Baraich: After Blessing at Conclusion of Banquet 109
Step 14: Hallel: Songs of Praise 125
Step 15: Nirtzah: Concluding Prayers and Songs of Goodwill 146

Bibliography: Annotated List of Sources 173
Glossary 179
About the Author 189

About the Author

Rabbi Eliahu Klein is a passionate ambassador of Kabbalah, Jewish Meditation, and Hassidism, who has taught these traditions for over thirty years throughout the United States, Great Britain, and Israel. He apprenticed under two of the greatest Jewish teachers of the post-Holocaust generation, Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan and Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach. In 1983 his mentor Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan ordained Eliahu Klein with a private Rabbinic ordination and authorized his student to begin transmitting Kabbalah publicly.
Eliahu Klein has taught Jewish mysticism at the Oxford Centre for Hebrew and Jewish Studies, an institution of the University of Oxford, Great Britain; the University of California at Berkeley; San Francisco State University; and the Institute of Transpersonal Psychology in Palo Alto, California. He also lectures on Rabbi Nachman of Bratzlav, Lurianic Kabbalah, and Midrash at the Academy for Jewish Religion.
Rabbi Eliahu Klein currently serves as Jewish Chaplain for the State of California Department of Rehabilitation, serving Jews and their friends in need. He is working to develop an Emergency Referral Service Agency for Jews in hospitals, nursing facilities and correctional institutions in Northern California.

Reviews

“Steeped in the tradition of Kabbalah, the mystic branch of Judaism, Klein’s book sheds new light on old traditions and adds a contemplative aspect to often numbingly familiar stories; it’s sure to provide, if not enlightenment, then at the very least a little novelty at the traditional meal.”
—Kirkus Reviews

“Rabbi Klein brings us deeper into the ways of tikkun according to Kabbalah and Hasidism, than any other Haggadah in English. One of the great strengths of this Haggadah is that it reflects Rabbi Klein’s personal experience. He is particularly adept at weaving more abstract kabbalistic commentaries with stories and personal advice from Hasidic rebbes. A Mystical Haggadah can help teach us how to pray with activist feet, or at least rehearse the steps on Passover night.”
—Kennard Lipman, Tikkun magazine

“Rabbi Klein has penned a fascinating Haggadah according to the mystical traditions of Kabbalah and Hassidic masters…This is a deep and satisfying book that invites the reader to dive deeply into the Spirit behind the Seder.”
—Pan Spence, The Ohio Jewish Chronicle

“Chassidic tales, gematria, kabbalistic meditations and the traditional Haggadah text combine in A Mystical Haggadah…There’s a homey feel, it’s refreshing, and there are several items in it that you may wish to incorporate into your celebration.”
—Cynthia Ramsay, Jewish Independent

“This is a complex haggadah that stops at nearly every point in the telling of the Passover story to discuss the meaning and greater mystical significance of every action undertaken during the seder, as well as including the occasional story with lessons and miracles of harder, but more pious times…for those looking for inner meaning, they may well find it in this text.”
—Joel Magalnick, JTNews

“This elegant haggadah is filled with wondrous commentaries—many outside the realm of standard interpretations and comments—by a variety of kabalistic and Chassidic teachers.”
—Stephen S. Pearce, J Weekly

“[A Mystical Haggadah] stops at nearly every point in the telling of the Passover story to discuss the meaning and greater mystical significance of every action undertaken during the seder, as well as including the occasional story with lessons and miracles of harder, but more pious times.

“Rabbi Klein borrows from Chassidic masters and features descriptions of his own experiences, providing meditations every step of the way while he blesses God and the shechinah....

“...[T]hose looking for inner meaning may well find it in this text.”
—Diana Brement, JTNews

"A Mystical Haggadah: Passover Meditations, Teachings and Tales by Eliahu Klein incorporates the Kabbalah teachings into the 15-step seder ritual."
—Publishers Weekly