Five Misvot apply on the night of Pesah nowadays, two on the level of Torah obligation, and three on the level of Rabbinic enactment. The obligation to eat Masa and the obligation of Sippur Yesi’at Misrayim (telling the story of the Exodus) are required even nowadays on the level of Torah law; on the level of Rabbinic enactment, we are obligated to eat Marror, drink four cups of wine, and eat Haroset. In addition to these five Misvot, the Sages established numerous customs that should be followed on the night of the Seder, some to commemorate the Korban Pesah and Hagiga offering which were brought on Ereb Pesah in the times of the Mikdash, and others to arouse the interest and curiosity of the children.
Even if one is studying Torah in the Bet Midrash when Pesah begins, he must interrupt his learning in order not to delay the Seder. One should recite Arbit immediately at nightfall, and then proceed home to begin the Seder. It is not proper to sit to learn Torah after Arbit before starting the Seder, and it goes without saying that one should not converse in other matters after Arbit instead of proceeding immediately to the Seder. The Seder should not be delayed, so that the children will be awake and interested.
Some have the custom to immerse in a Mikveh before the Seder, due to the special Kedusha of the Seder. Many have the custom to immerse on Ereb Pesah, and the immersion of Ereb Pesah certainly suffices for the Seder.
Before beginning the Seder, it is appropriate to take a few moments to engage in retrospection, contemplate the misdeeds that one has committed, and resolve in his mind never to repeat those acts. The students of the Ba’al Shem Tob (Rabbi Yisrael Ba’al Shem Tob, 1698-1760) taught that it is proper to contemplate thoughts of Teshuba (repentance) before performing a Misva, and this certainly would apply before the Seder.
Men, women and children should attend the Seder dressed in their finest attire, as an expression of our celebration of freedom. Abarbanel (Spain, 1437-1508) was of the opinion that when the Haggadah tells of five Rabbis who conducted the Seder "Bi’Bneh Berak," it refers not to a place called "Beneh Berak," but rather to "Begadim Mabrikim" – "shiny garments." They were adorned in special clothing in honor of the Seder, as is required. This applies to women, as well, and all the more so, as it was in the merit of the righteous women of Beneh Yisrael that our nation was redeemed from Egypt. Women should thus attend the Seder in fine clothing and jewelry in honor of the special occasion.
There is a Misva to distribute treats to the children at the Seder in order to keep them awake, and to arouse their curiosity, as they will naturally wonder why on this night their parents are giving them treats before the meal. Some distribute the treats before the Seder, whereas others do so before "Ha Lahma Anya."
The one who leads the Seder should make a point of announcing before every Misva at the Seder that everyone should have in mind to fulfill the Misva. Before each of the four cups of wine, for example, he should remind the people at the Seder to have in mind to fulfill the Misva of "Arba Kosot." This applies to all the Misvot, including Masa, Marror, and Sippur Yesi’at Misrayim. Likewise, he should remind the people at the Seder that they must drink at least a "Rob Rebi’it" – 1.6 oz. – in one shot for each of the four cups of wine. Preferably, one should drink the entire cup, but one must drink at least 1.6 oz. all at once.
When one returns home from the synagogue on the night of Pesah, he should enter the home and warmly greet his family members with a pleasant countenance in order to put them in a festive mood as is befitting of the occasion.
It is customary in our community to chant all the "Simanim" – meaning, "Kadesh," "U’rhatz," "Karpas," etc. – at the beginning of the Seder, and then again before we proceed with each Siman. Before Maggid, for example, we chant the names of all the "Simanim," and then we begin chanting them again until "Maggid," and then we stop there. There is deep significance to the names of the Simanim, and thus one should not belittle this time-honored practice of chanting the names of the Simanim at the Seder.
