Ruler of the Universe,
grant me the ability to be alone;
may it be my custom to go outdoors each day among the trees and grass,
among all growing things
and there may I be alone,
and enter secluded meditative prayer,
to talk with the One to whom I belong.
May I express there everything in my heart, and may all the foliage of the field —
all grasses, trees, and plants —
awake at my coming,
to send the powers of their life
into the words of my prayer
so that my prayer and speech are made whole through the life and spirit of all growing things, which are made as one by their transcendent Source.
May I then pour out the words of my heart before your Presence like water, O Eternal, and lift up my hands to You in worship, on my behalf, and that of my children!
-Adapted from R’ Natan, Likutey T’filot, 1:52, 2:11 2:22
The first cup we drink is white — without colour. Representing the realm of Asiyah - Actualisation. The white of the wine recalls the white of winter snow.
To see the budding of the vale;
To see if the vines had blossomed,
If the pomegranates were in bloom.
If the pomegranates had sprouted. Those who fulfill the commandments are full of merits. Why is Israel compared to a nut? Just as this nut, you see it entirely of wood [shell], and what is inside is not discernible, and you crack it and find it full of compartments of edible food, so are Israel modest and humble in their deeds, and the students among them are not discernible, and they do not boast by announcing their own praise. But if you examine him, you find him full of wisdom. There are many additional interpretations of this matter. Just as if this nut falls into mud, its inside does not become sullied, so are Israel exiled among the nations and they suffer many blows, but their deeds do not become sullied.
The second cup we drink is mostly white. Representing the realm of Yetzirah - Formation. The colour of the wine recalls the first blossoming of spring.
And Rabbi Yirmeya ben Elazar also said: What is the meaning of that which is written: “And the dove came in to him in the evening, and lo, in her mouth was an olive leaf, plucked off [taraf]; so Noah knew that the waters were abated from off the earth” (Genesis 8:11)? The dove said before the Holy Blessed One: Ruler of the Universe, let my food be bitter as an olive but given into Your hand, and let it not be sweet as honey but dependent upon flesh and blood. He adds this explanation: Here it is written: Taraf. And there it is written: “Remove far from me falsehood and lies; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me [hatrifeni] my allotted portion” (Proverbs 30:8).
The third cup we drink is mostly red. Representing the realm of Beriah - Creation. The colour of the wine recalls the heat and energy of summer.
Rabbi Chiyya bar Abba said that Rabbi Yochanan said: What is the meaning of that which is written (about Wisdom): “The one who guards the fig tree shall eat its fruit” (Proverbs 27:18)? Why were matters of Torah compared to a fig tree? Just as this fig tree, whenever a person searches it for figs to eat, they find figs in it, as the figs on a tree do not ripen all at once, so too, with matters of Torah. Whenever a person meditates upon them, they find in them new meaning.
The fourth cup we drink is entirely red. Representing the realm of Atzeilut - Emanation. The colour of the wine recalls the vivid colours of the leaves falling in autumn.
(ז) תָּאנָא, בְּהַהוּא שַׁעֲתָא אִשְׁתְּלִימוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל לְתַתָּא, כְּגַוְונָא דִּלְעֵילָּא, כְּמָה דְּאוֹקִימְנָא, דִּכְתִּיב, (שמות ט״ו:כ״ז) וַיָּבוֹאוּ אֵלִימָה וְשָׁם שְׁתֵּים עֶשְׂרֵה עֵינוֹת מַיִם וְשִׁבְעִים תְּמָרִים וְגו'. וְאִתְתָּקַּף אִילָנָא קַדִּישָׁא, בִּתְרֵיסַר תְּחוּמִין, בְּאַרְבַּע סִטְרֵי עָלְמָא. וְאִתְתָּקַּף בְּשִׁבְעִין עַנְפִין, וְכֹלָּא כְּגַוְונָא דִּלְעֵילָּא.
(ח) בְּהַהִיא שַׁעֲתָא, נָטִיף טַלָּא קַדִּישָׁא, מֵעַתִּיקָא סְתִימָאָה, וּמַלְיָא לְרֵישֵׁיהּ דִּזְעֵיר אַנְפִּין, אֲתָר דְּאִקְרֵי שָׁמַיִם. וּמֵהַהוּא טַלָּא דִּנְהוֹרָא עִלָּאָה קַדִּישָׁא, הֲוָה נָגִיד וְנָחִית מָנָא לְתַתָּא. וְכַד הֲוָה נָחִית, הֲוָה מִתְפְּרַשׁ גְּלִידִין גְּלִידִין, וְאַקְרִישׁ לְתַתָּא. הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִּיב דַּק כַּכְּפוֹר עַל הָאָרֶץ.
(ט) כָּל אִינּוּן בְּנֵי מְהֵימָנוּתָא, נַפְקֵי וְלַקְטֵי, וּמְבָרְכָאן שְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא עָלֵיהּ. וְהַהוּא מָנָא, הֲוָה סָלִיק רֵיחִין דְּכָל בּוּסְמִין דְּגִנְתָּא דְּעֵדֶן, דְּהָא בֵּיהּ אִתְמְשַׁךְ וְנָחִית לְתַתָּא. שַׁוְיֵהּ לְקַמֵיהּ, בְּכָל טַעֲמָא דְּאִיהוּ בָּעֵי, הָכִי טָעִים לֵיהּ, וּמְבָרֵךְ לְמַלְכָּא קַדִּישָׁא עִלָּאָה.
(7) It was taught, at the time Israel was completed below, so it was above, as it has been established by what it written (Shmot 15:27), "And they came to Elim, where there were twelve springs of water and seventy palm trees; [and they encamped there beside the water.]" The holy tree was strengthened, with twelve boundaries, on the four sides of the world, and it was strengthened with seventy branches, all of them corresponding to what's above.
(8) At that time, the holy dew dripped down, from the ancient secret place, filling the top of the Lesser Countenance, the place that is called heaven. From that dew of the supernal holy light, the manna continued to descend below. When it descended, it spread out as frosted layers, and solidified below. This is what is written (Exodus 16:14), "[When the fall of dew lifted, there, over the surface of the wilderness, lay a fine and flaky substance,] as fine as frost on the ground."
(9) All of these faithful ones went out and gathered [the manna] and made blessing upon the holy name. That manna brought out the scents of all the spices that are in Gan Eden, for through [the Garden] it had descended below. All possibilities before them, they could taste whatever they desired, for here it had that taste. And they blessed the supreme holy sovereign.
(יט) בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהֹוָה, אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, בּוֹרֵא מִינֵי בְשָׂמִים:
Blessed are You, Eternal, Our God, Ruler of the Universe Who creates a variety of spices.
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, עַל הַגֶּפֶן וְעַל פְּרִי הַגֶּפֶן:
הָעֵץ וְעַל פְּרִי הָעֵץ: וְעַל תְּנוּבַת הַשָּׂדֶה וְעַל אֶרֶץ חֶמְדָּה טוֹבָה וּרְחָבָה שֶׁרָצִיתָ וְהִנְחַלְתָּ לַאֲבוֹתֵינוּ לֶאֱכוֹל מִפִּרְיָהּ וְלִשְׂבּוֹעַ מִטּוּבָהּ. רַחֵם (נָא) יְיָ אֱלֹהֵינוּ עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל עַמֶּךָ וְעַל יְרוּשָׁלַיִם עִירֶךָ וְעַל צִיּוֹן מִשְׁכַּן כְּבוֹדֶךָ, וְעַל מִזְבְּחֶךָ, וְעַל הֵיכָלֶךָ. וּבְנֵה יְרוּשָׁלַיִם עִיר הַקּדֶשׁ בִּמְהֵרָה בְיָמֵינוּ. וְהַעֲלֵנוּ לְתוֹכָהּ וְשַׂמְּחֵנוּ בְּבִנְיָנָהּ, וְנֹאכַל מִפִּרְיָּהּ וְנִשְׂבַּע מִטּוּבָהּ וּנְבָרֶכְךָ עָלֶיהָ בִּקְדֻשָּׁה וּבְטָהֳרָה, כִּי אַתָּה טוֹב וּמֵטִיב לַכֹּל וְנוֹדֶה לְךָ יי אֱלֹהֵינוּ עַל הָאָרֶץ וְעַל פְּרִי הַגֶּפֶן: וְעַל הַפֵּרוֹת:
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יי, עַל הָאָרֶץ וְעַל פְּרִי הַגֶּפֶן, וְהַפֵּרוֹת:
Blessing after drinking wine and eating fruit from the seven species (grapes, figs, pomegranates, olives, or dates):
Blesssed are you Eternal our God, ruler of the universe, for the vine and the fruit of the vine, for the tree and the fruit of the tree, for the produce of the field, and for the precious, good, and spacious land which You have graciously given as a heritage to our ancestors, to eat of its fruit and to be satiated with its goodness. Have mercy, Eternal our God, on Israel Your people, on Jerusalem Your city, on Zion the abode of Your glory, on Your altar, and on Your Temple. Rebuild Jerusalem, the holy city, speedily in our days, and bring us up to it and make us rejoice in it, and we will bless You in holiness and purity. For You, Eternal, are good and do good to all, and we offer thanks to You for the land and for the fruit of the vine and the fruit. Blessed are you Eternal, for the earth, the fruit of the vine and the fruit.