The Foundation Stone Haggadah: Kadesh 6

The Seder begins with Kiddush. This Kiddush is not only that which we recite at the beginning of every Yom Tov meal. It is one of the steps of the Seder. As it is the first of the fifteen steps, it must introduce the theme of the night as well. The words are the same as every Kiddush. We must look at it from a different perspective than other Kiddushim.

It is also the first of the Four cups. The cup of wine itself must be more than the wine we drink with every Kiddush.

There is an Or HaChaim that can provide us with at least one idea we can use to look at this text as the introduction to the Seder.

He focuses on the idea of God’s choice of B’nei Yisrael.

It was, and is, a choice based on our descent from the Avot, and, on what he calls, Chesed Elyon. The Avot idea is imperative to the Seder. The Exodus was based on the promises Hashem made to the Avot.

Chesed Elyon is the Chesed that was used to create the world.

According to the Meshech Chochma the first cup corresponds to the first of the first terms of redemption. God could only take us out if we had an innate sense of Kedusha.

The Kiddush is a reminder of the inner sense of Kedusha we have, just as we did in Mitzrayim. The Kiddush actually allows us to use our sense of Kedusha/being different, to sanctify time and our lives. This is why every Kiddush, even Shabbat, say “zeicher litziat Mitzrayim” To remember the exodus from Egypt.