When we last left Moses, he was talking to God in the form of a burning bush. God said he was going to free the Jewish people! So he sent Moses back to Pharoh. Moses told Pharoh that God had sent him and that he needed to free the Jewish people right away. 

Pharoh said, "no.  So, God sent wonderous and terrifying miracles in the form of plagues. Each time one of the plagues happened, Moses went to Pharoah and told him to let his people go. Each time he said, "No." 

But after the tenth plague, Pharoh relented and let Moses lead the Jewish people out of Egypt and into freedom. The Jewish people knew he could change his mind at any moment, so they left quickly, not even waiting for their bread to rise. That's why on this night, we eat matzoh--to remind us of how the Jewish people had to leave Egypt in a hurry. 

When the Jews were leaving Egypt, sure enough, Pharoh changed his mind. He sent all the Egyptian warriors to chase after the Jews. The Jewish people were running away, when they were stopped by a giant sea called the Red Sea. They thought they were trapped, until, in another wonderful miracle, God parted the Red Sea so the Jewish people could walk right through the middle on dry land! When the Jewish people had safely crossed to the other side, God brought the waters back and stopped the Egyptians from following after the Jews. In this way, God led the Jewish people safely out of slavery and into a land of freedom, a land flowing with milk and honey.


haggadah Section: -- Exodus Story