This article from Haaretz (The Globe) discusses the modern Rabbinic Seder.
I have a few disagreements with it. First it describes a Hebrew spring festival replaced by a myth about Egypt. The author, no surprise given that this is Haaretz, subscribes to the theory that the Exodus story was invented and did not actually occur. He is ignoring the preponderance of evidence, some of which I have discussed on this blog under the history label, that suggests that it did actually happen much as it is described in the Torah.
I am very happy to read that I am not the only person in the world who knows about Greek symposia and their similarities to the Passover Seder. The similarities between the Dionysian Cult and Talmudic Judaism have always been disturbing to me.
The poem at the end of the article bears a striking similarity to Chad Gadya (one goat) an Aramaic tune that Rabbinic Jews sing before each seder. It seems the Rabbis felt that copying the Greek symposium virtually verbatim was better than maintaining the ancient traditions of our people.
By contrast to the Talmudic Seder, the Karaite Jewish Seder is remarkably simple. The story of the Exodus from Egypt is retold. Bitter herbs are consumed and special prayers said. The prayers and Haggadah reading can take from as little as 10 minutes to as long as about 1/2 hour. Either is shorter than a traditional Talmudic Seder. The most important difference is this: at the end of a Talmudic Seder you leave asking yourself: “what was the point?” Whereas one leaves the Karaite Seder saying thank G-d He rescued us from slavery and gave us the Torah so we will never have to be servants of men ever again. Unfortunately, Talmudic Jews are slaves to their Rabbis whom they treat as saints or in some cases living g-ds. If they really understood the true meaning of the Chag Hamatzot (pilgrimage festival of unleavened bread) they might learn to think for themselves and reject Rabbinic “reforms.”
Thank You and Bless You YHVH for granting us our freedom!
Silver Trumpets 