דַּיֵּנוּ

One of most beloved songs in the Passover seder is "Dayenu". A few of us will read the stanzas one at a time, and the everyone else will respond, "Dayenu" – meaning, “it would have been enough”.

How many times do we forget to pause and notice that where we are is exactly where we ought to be? Dayenu is a reminder to never forget all the miracles in our lives. When we stand and wait impatiently for the next one to appear, we are missing the whole point of life. Instead, we can actively seek a new reason to be grateful, a reason to say “Dayenu.”

If God had taken us out of Egypt,
It would have been enough! דַּיֵּנוּ

If God had brought us to Mount Sinai but not given us the Torah,
it would have been enough! דַּיֵּנוּ

If God had given us the Torah but not brought us into the land of Israel
it would have been enough! דַּיֵּנוּ

If God had brought us into the land of Israel but allowed us to build the Temple,
it would have been enough! דַּיֵּנוּ

אִלּוּ הוֹצִיאָנוּ מִמִּצְרָיִם

!דַּיֵּנוּ

Transliteration of Song:

Ilu ho-tsi, ho-tsi-a-nu,

Ho-tsi-anu mi-Mitz-ra-yim

Ho-tsi-anu mi-Mitz-ra-yim

Da-ye-nu

Chorus

Da-da-ye-nu,

Da-da-ye-nu,

Da-da-ye-nu,

Da-da-ye-nu,

Da-ye-nu Da-ye-nu

Rabbi Gamliel, the head of the Sanhedrin (rabbinical court) near of the end of the Second Temple Period (first century CE), said one must discuss the three symbols of Passover as part of the Seder:

Pesach The Passover sacrifice represented by the shank bone (or a roasted beet). The Pesach sacrifice reminds us that God passed over the Israelite houses when the tenth plague was visited upon the Egyptians after the Israelites offered the Passover sacrifice.

Matzah The unleavened bread. The matzah represents the hurried Exodus from Egypt wherein the Israelites left so quickly that their dough did not have time to rise.

Maror The bitter herbs. The maror reminds us of the bitter pain and suffering the Israelites went through as slaves to the Egyptians.

We now conclude the Magid section of the Seder: Tradition teaches us that in every generation, we ought to look upon ourselves as if we personally had gone out of Egypt. Therefore, it is our duty to thank the One who performed all the miracles for generations past and present.


haggadah Section: -- Cup #2 & Dayenu