As we rejoice at our deliverance from slavery, we acknowledge that our freedom was hard-earned. We regret that our freedom came at the cost of the Egyptians’ suffering, for we are all human beings made in the image of God. We pour out a drop of wine for each of the plagues, to diminish our enjoyment of this festival. 

Dip a finger or a spoon into your wine glass for a drop for each plague as we recite them together in remembrance of the ten plagues which God brought down on the Egyptians:

Damדָּם | Blood  There was blood in all the water of Egypt. The Egyptians could not bathe. They had no clean water to drink and could not water their crops.

Ts'Fardei-aצְפַרְדֵּֽעַ | Frogs  No one could sleep in peace. Frogs were everywhere.

Kinimכִּנִּים | Lice  Lice infested both man and beast making everyone miserable.

Aarovעָרוֹב | Beasts  Wild beasts galloped, slithered, snorted, growled, roared, and clawed in every corner of Egypt, threatening the people and trampling the crops.

Deverדֶּֽבֶר  | Diseases  There were diseases that could not be cured and the cattle that the Egyptians needed for food died.

Sh’chinשְׁחִין | Boils  Painful boils afflicted the Egyptian people.

Baradבָּרָד | Hail  Hail rained down as dangerous balls of ice. The hail smashed roofs and damaged crops.

Arbeh | אַרְבֶּה | Locusts  Locusts swarmed over all the trees and blades of grass, eating all the crops and greenery.

Choshechחֹֽשֶׁךְ | Darkness  Darkeness blotted out the sun. There was no natural light or heat. Moonlight and stars did not appear.

Makat b’chorotמַכַּת בְּכוֹרוֹת | Death of the First-Born  Death of the first-born son of every Egyptian family.


haggadah Section: -- Ten Plagues