In the Seder order, which step immediately follows Kadesh?

Urchatz is the Seder step that immediately follows Kadesh.

Kadesh begins the Seder with Kiddush and the first cup of wine. Urchatz follows with a ritual washing of the hands, traditionally performed without the usual blessing. The unusual sequence is intentional: it creates a noticeable change from the ordinary meal pattern and encourages children to ask why the participants wash their hands before eating a dipped vegetable.

Urchatz is the second of the Haggadah’s traditional fifteen Seder steps. It is followed by Karpas, when a vegetable such as parsley or celery is dipped in salt water, and then by Yachatz, the breaking of the middle matzah. The Seder’s order is therefore Kadesh, Urchatz, Karpas, and Yachatz—not Kadesh followed directly by Maggid.

The later step Rachtzah can cause confusion. Rachtzah is another hand-washing, performed before the blessings over bread and matzah, and it normally includes a blessing. Urchatz and Rachtzah are separated by several parts of the Seder and serve different ritual roles.