The Two Minute Haggadah

From a friend of a friend who goes by the handle "The Cosmopolite:"


The Two Minute Haggadah*
(cover-to-cover)

Opening Prayers:

Thanks, 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 matzoh?
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 To The Four Questions:

1. When we left Egypt, we were in a hurry. There was no time for making decent bread.
2. Life was bitter, like your grandmother's 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.

(Note: 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 - browbeat in front of the relatives.

Speaking Of Children:

We hid some matzoh. 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 -- a real yutz, as it were. We cry out for help. God brings plagues upon the Egyptians. We escape, bake some matzoh. God parts the Red Sea.

We make it through; the Egyptians aren't so lucky. We wander forty years in the desert, eat manna, get the Torah, wind up in Israel, get a new temple, enjoy several years without being persecuted again.

(Note: 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. If he'd parted the Red Sea ... etc.

(Note: Remove gefilte fish from refrigerator now)

Eat matzoh. Drink more wine. Slouch.

Thanks again, God, for everything.

SERVE MEAL

____________________________________

* Copyright pending.

Head Case

Melinda (my wife) was included in a new book: Head Case: How I Almost Lost My Mind Trying to Understand My Brain, written by Dennis Cass. The review on Amazon.com from Publishers Weekly isn't great, but the one customer review was solid. It is likely that she was mis-quoted or that her was work was poorly described, but it is cool that she was included nonetheless. He is sending us a copy so I'll post more once I read it.

BeatboxMixer.com

While it has been up for a few months already, I just stumbled across BeatboxMixer.com. I'm not really sure why Verizon launched this site, but it allows you to create your own mix using Rahzel, Masai Electro, and a bunch of other great beatboxers. There is also a fun series of videos about "The Scene" (click on "#3 - Beatbox Backstory" then on "The Scene") - the videos are hosted by my friend Baba.