There were two bowls of water set on a side-board. Cohen and his wife rinsed their hands in one bowl, Zillah and the two children in the other.
Addressing himself to his son, more than to the others, Cohen, when they had returned to the table, as the head of the house was instructed to do, explained why they sat at the Feast:—
“Our Fathers, when they took the Feast for the first time in Egypt, my son, took it standing, with their loins girt, and their staff in hand, for they were starting on that great journey that eventually lasted forty years. But we, their descendants, eat the feast to-day, sitting at our ease, as a symbol that our people have been delivered from the cruel bondage.”
Then the first Hallel was repeated.—Psalms 113, and 114. The second cup of Blessing was taken by each. Then Cohen asked a Blessing on each kind of food on the table. Then he carved a portion of lamb for each one, they took their seats, and the meal began.
The children were excused from eating the stinging bitter herbs. But Cohen, Rachel, and Zillah, each took a little with their lamb and unleavened bread.
Conversation became fairly general over the meal, except that Rachel’s sullen anger increased, and she kept silent.
At the conclusion of the meal, the third cup of Blessing was drunk, and Cohen repeated the 115, 116, 117, 118, Psalm. At the close of the Hallel, the fourth, and last cup of Blessing was taken. The Feast was over.
A sudden silence fell upon them all. No one moved, no one spoke, for a moment. Suddenly Zillah broke the dead silence. She had a glorious voice, and she let it ring out in that wondrous song:—
“Not all the blood of beasts
On Jewish altars slain