Return to Passover page The Fourteen Steps of the Seder Candle lighting and the prayer for the festival, including the first glass of wine. Hand washing without a blessing. (Ritual hand washing usually requires a blessing.) Eating of the parsley dipped in salt water Breaking the middle matzah of the three matzahs and hiding half as the afikomen Telling the Passover story Washing hands with a blessing Saying the blessings over bread and matzah and eating the matzah. Eating the bitter herb. Eating the bitter herb, the matzah and the charoset together. Eating the festival meal Finding and redeeming the afikomen and eating the afikomen Saying the grace after meals Reciting psalms of praise (Hallel) Concluding the seder with the traditional closing words — Next year in Jerusalem.