From Karimah in Kairawan, to al-Iskander in Fustat, Spring, 1034

Rabbenu Nissim held a large Passover Seder in his home on the first and second evenings of the Festival. You know that the rabbinic Jews of the Diaspora have a second night of the holiday, something the Torah, of course, does not mention and our Karaite community certainly has no interest in. I admit I thought the second night was wholly unnecessary, although I was grateful for the festive meal, the chance to be out for an evening with friends, and the opportunity to sit in Nissim's home.

He follows the Seder of Rav Amram, may he rest in Eden. Rav Amram was the Gaon of the Sura academy almost one hundred fifty years ago. Nissim prefers his order for the Passover ceremony to that of Rav Saadia Gaon, who came from the Fayyum. The rabbinic Jews in Fustat follow the order of the Fayyumi, while here in Kairawan they follow custom of the Sura academy.

In any case, Nissim says that according to Rav Amram, women are obligated to drink all four cups of wine, which made the Passover Seder much more fun. Most of the women are not used to drinking, even when we mix the wine with water. To be honest, the men of the academy are not much for drinking either. It is not like when I was among the raiders of caravans or on the sea. Those men knew how to drink. So here at the Passover Seder almost everyone got tipsy, except for Hananel and his wife. They said that it was the custom in the Rum to drink wine with every big meal, so they had the stomachs for it.

The other interesting thing is that we recline at the Passover banquet. All of the elder men recline, and their wives kneel behind them. But Nissim insisted that I recline, leaning on my left arm, as the men do. I asked whether it was because I did not have a husband to sit behind. Nissim hesitated before he answered and then he told me that Rav Amram says that important women are obligated to recline, just like the men. Hananel's wife was the only other woman reclining. She acted as the hostess for the evening.

Rabbenu Hananel and Nissim's students did not recline, but kneeled along with their wives. It seems that disciples do not recline when their master is present. I felt odd reclining when so many of the married boys were sitting upright. But their wives said I was their teacher, so it was proper for me to recline, no matter what their husbands did.

They did not serve the usual mutton, out of respect for the Paschal lamb, which can no longer be offered since the Jerusalem Temple was destroyed. So we had stuffed chicken, much like we did that first Sabbath luncheon I ate at Nissim's. Except then the chicken was stuffed with bread and now we had matzah in its place. They eat Haroset here for the Passover Seder. It is a mixture of dates and hazelnuts, wine and cinnamon.

There was a great deal of washing of hands at this banquet. Nissim told stories of the Exodus, and the ancient rabbis, and the four sons. I could see Hananel reciting silently from memory. Even though Hananel is First and Nissim only Second, Nissim got to do the telling because it was his home. This custom goes back to when Nissim's father was the Head and Hananel's father was Second. Since that time, the first Passover Seder is held in the home of ibn Shaheen. Rabbenu Nissim actually used a book with the words of Rav Amram written out. We all joined together for the singing of Psalms both before and after the meal.

Hananel's girls sang their hearts out. It made for a beautiful chorus. I am sad to tell you that Nissim's daughter Ghazal refused to open her mouth. I know that she can recite virtually the entire Order of Passover. Perhaps she was shy in front of all those guests. But I fear she resents the attention that her father pays me. He had me sitting on one side of him and Ghazal was on the other. She was constantly leaning back upon him until she was practically in his lap. She is so starved for his attention, he finally had to take her into his lap and read that way. I could see her following the text with her eyes. But no matter what I said or what Nissim said, she would not sing. She can be quite single-minded that Ghazal. She is so tiny and odd looking.

The exact same performance took place on the second night. The only difference was that Rabbenu Hananel and his family were at their own home. Mulaah and Abu al-Maali came to Nissim's. That was very nice for me. Between us, Mulaah and I acted as hostess. I think this made Nissim very happy. But poor Ghazal was positively sullen.

Brother, I hope you had a joyous Passover with Mommy and Daddy. I wish all of you the true joy of the festival. I miss all of you, especially on Passover. Is it not odd that I wish to be in Egypt on the holiday of our exodus from there? But being with Nissim makes me long for the joys of home, before there was all the trouble between me and Daddy, and before I knew what I now know from Amalfi.