URCHATZ - One should wash his hands as if he were washing for bread (i.e. use a cup, use a רביעית, etc.). One does not say the beracha of על נטילת ידים on this washing.
KARPAS - It is best to use a green vegetable (because the Gemara calls it ירק) and one that is uncooked (because it increases one’s appetite). If one’s custom is to use potatoes, one does not have to change. The vegetable should be dipped into salt water [preferably before saying the beracha of בורא פרי האדמה]. When saying the beracha one should have in mind that it also applies to the Maror that will be eaten later. One should make sure to eat less than a כזית.
YACHATZ - Break the second Matzah and put aside the larger part for the אפיקומן.
MAGGID - One should not merely recite the Haggadah, but should explain it and expound on its lessons. The Haggadah should be said with awe. One should not eat or drink during the recital of the Haggadah. It is best if everyone recites the מה נשתנה on his or her own. When we remove some wine from the cup (i.e. when saying the ten plagues) it should be done with the index finger unless one has a different custom. It is best for everyone to say his or her own beracha at the completion of the מגיד. If one knows that since the time of ורחץ he has not touched anything that would require one to wash his hands, he should specifically touch such a place (i.e. a מקום מכוסה) in order to enable him to say the beracha on this washing.
MOTZI MATZAH - When one says the beracha of המוציא, he should hold all the Matzahs, and when one says the beracha of על אכילת מצה, he should hold the top two Matzos. One should have in mind that the berachas will also cover the Matzah of כורך and the Matzah of אפיקומן. One should not talk until after כורך. One must eat 1.5 fluid ounces [7 inches by 6.25 inches of machine matzah (hand matzah depends on its thickness)] within 2-4 minutes. Sick and elderly should be careful not to say the beracha of על אכילת מצה unless they eat at least 1.5 fluid ounces (or at least 1 fluid ounce) of Matzah within 4 minutes. It is a good to drink water while eating the Matzah to make it easier to eat (other drinks have a taste so they should not be used).
MARROR - Many people use romaine lettuce since if left in the ground longer it would become slightly bitter. Since Maror is a מצוה דרבנן, a כזית would be 1 fluid ounce and בדיעבד 0.7 fluid ounces. It should be eaten within 2-4 minutes. If one uses romaine lettuce leaves, it should be 8 inches by 10 inches. Stalks should be 3 inches by 5 inches.
One should have in mind that the beracha of על אכילת מרור will also cover the Maror eaten by כורך. Most people only slightly dip the Maror into the חרוסת. The חרוסת should consist of apples, almonds, walnuts, pomegranates, figs and dates that all represent the Jewish people in שיר השירים. Some also add cinnamon and ginger sticks, which represent straw. One should add wine before dipping.
(At first, it represents the clay used to make bricks then it represents blood. Also, it makes it easier to dip into.) If one uses horseradish, it must be ground, and it cannot have other ingredients mixed in. One may use the דרבנן measurements for the Matzah and the Maror. If necessary one may rely on the measurements of the רמב"ם. This should be eaten within 4 minutes. The Matzah and the Maror should be put into one’s mouth simultaneously, not one at a time. It need not be swallowed at one time. One should recline, but if one did not recline he does not have to eat it again.
SHULCHAN OREICH - Some have the custom to eat eggs dipped in salt water. According to the גר"א only the egg on the Seder Plate needs to be eaten. One should eat good food and leave enough room for the אפיקומן.
TZAFUN - The אפיקומן should be eaten before Chatzos (some hold חצות is the mid-point between sunrise and sunset others hold it is a set time) and one should not eat anything for the rest of the night. The אפיקומן has the same measurements as in מוציא מצה.
One should have כונה to be יוצא whatever חז"ל want. One should recline while eating the אפיקומן. If one did not lean then if he has not yet said ברכת המזון he should try to eat another כזית if he has room; if he already said ברכת המזון he should not eat again (we rely on the ראבי"ה because one may not eat the אפיקומן twice).
One may not eat anything after the אפיקומן because one should keep the taste of מצה in his mouth. There is a מחלוקת if drinking is permissible. One must be stringent with regard to alcoholic beverages and, preferably, to all drinks except water and the like (e.g. tea). If one did eat, then as long as he did not yet say ברכת המזון he should eat another כזית of Matzah.
BOREICH - The cup has all the rules of כוס של ברכה (i.e. washing it both inside and outside, etc.). If there is a מזומן, only the leader’s cup has all the rules of כוס של ברכה and only the leader needs to lift the cup throughout the entire ברכת המזון. The custom is that the leader of the household leads the מזומן, unless he has a specific reason to pass it to someone else.
HALLEL - If possible, one should hold the wine throughout the entire הלל. Even though הלל should be said with tremendous joy; like the Haggadah, one should sit and not lean while saying הלל. One needs to drink at least 3 fluid ounces in order to say the beracha of על הגפן on their own, otherwise one should be יוצא with someone else’s beracha. After The Four Cups one may not drink anything that is either alcoholic, that is חמר מדינה, or that has a strong taste. Water, tea, etc. are permitted.
NIRTZEH - One should follow his custom regarding what to say at this point, such as שיר השירים. One must discuss the leaving of Egypt or the laws of Pesach until sleep begins to overtake him.
