The 4 cups of wine - let's drink like kings

Haggadah Section: Kadesh

Tonight, it is Jewish tradition to drink 4 cups of wine. The question is (and you will see, Jews love questioning things) why 4 cups? Why not 5, 6 or 20? There are a lot of different reasons around why we drink 4 cups of wine at the Passover Seder, one prominent reason is that when promising to deliver the Jews from 210 years of Egyptian slavery, God used four terms to describe the redemption:

"I shall take you out..."
"I shall rescue you..."
"I shall redeem you..."
"I shall bring you..."

Why is the order of these 4 steps to redemption so important?

We could not be brought to receive the Torah until we had been Redeemed, because to be redeemed is is spiritual salvation from spiritual bondage. We could not be redeemed - spiritually free to serve our god - until we were rescued out of Egypt. And we could not be rescued from Egypt until we were taken out of the evil system that was slavery. So as we drink the 4 cups of wine tonight, we celebrate freedom. For this reason, we drink leaning left and have our neighbors pour our drinks for us, just as a king would, because similar to kings, we are free.

Inspired to create
your own Haggadah?

Make your own Haggadah and share with other Seder lovers around the world

Have an idea
for a clip?

People like you bring their creativity to Haggadot.com when they share their ideas in a clip

Support Us
with your donation

Help us build moments of meaning and connection through
home-based Jewish rituals.

OUR TOP CONTRIBUTORS

contributor image
Esther Kustanowitz
4 Haggadahs44 Clips
contributor image
JQ International
1 Haggadah40 Clips
contributor image
MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger
5 Haggadahs109 Clips
contributor image
18Doors
1 Haggadah13 Clips
contributor image
JewishBoston
1 Haggadah78 Clips
contributor image
Truah: The Rabbinic Call for Human Rights
1 Haggadah36 Clips
contributor image
American Jewish World Service
1 Haggadah44 Clips
contributor image
JewBelong
3 Haggadahs57 Clips
contributor image
Repair the World
12 Clips
contributor image
HIAS
5 Haggadahs48 Clips
contributor image
Be'chol Lashon
2 Haggadahs27 Clips
contributor image
PJ Library
1 Haggadah17 Clips
contributor image
Jewish World Watch
3 Haggadahs42 Clips
contributor image
Secular Synagogue
10 Clips
contributor image
SVIVAH
1 Haggadah9 Clips
contributor image
The Blue Dove Foundation
20 Clips
contributor image
ReformJudaism.org
24 Clips
contributor image
Jewish Emergent Network
1 Haggadah22 Clips

Passover Guide

Hosting your first Passover Seder? Not sure what food to serve? Curious to
know more about the holiday? Explore our Passover 101 Guide for answers
to all of your questions.

Haggadot

Haggadot.com by Recustom, is a free resource for all backgrounds and experiences. Consider making a donation to help support the continuation of this free platform.

Copyright © 2024 Custom and Craft Jewish Rituals Inc, dba Recustom, dba Haggadot.com.
All Rights Reserved. 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization. EIN: 82-4765805.