During a famine, our ancestor Jacob and his family fled to Egypt where food was plentiful. Jacob’s son, Joseph became prime minister to the Pharoh, and our people were successful, well-respected and well-regarded, secure in the power structure of the time. Generations passed and our people remained in Egypt. As rulers came and went, a new Pharaoh ascended to the throne. He felt threatened by the success of strangers in his people's midst, and ordered our people enslaved.  Alerted to a prophecy that the Israelites would be led to freedom by a boy yet to be born, Pharaoh ordered all newborn Jewish boys cast into the Nile.

Yocheved, with the help of Two midwives named Shifrah and Puah defied his orders. They set Yocheved’s newborn son, Moses, adrift in the Nile in a basket, where he was found by Pharaoh’s daughter, who adopted him and named him Moshe. The pharoe’s daughter hired Moses’ mother Yocheved as his wet-nurse. Thus he survived to adulthood and was raised as Prince of Egypt. Moses took refuge in Midian with Jethro and married Jethro's daughter, Tziporah. While shepherding Jethro’s sheep, Moses came upon a burning bush which was not consumed. The Voice called him to lead the Hebrew people to freedom. Moses argued with God, pleading inadequacy, but God disagreed. Sometimes our responsibilities choose us. 

Moses returned to Egypt and went to Pharaoh to argue the injustice of slavery. He gave Pharaoh a mandate with resounds through history: Let my people go. Pharaoh refused, and Moses warned him that Mighty God would strike the Egyptian people. These threats were not idle. Each time the pharoah said no, another plague (blood, frogs, lice, wild animals, pestilence, boils, hail, locusts and darkness) struck Egypt. Finally, God struck dead all the Egyptian first born. Only when his nation lay in ruins did Pharaoh agree to our liberation.

Fearful that Pharaoh would change his mind, our people fled, not waiting for their bread dough to rise. (For this reason we eat unleavened bread as we take part in their journey.) Our people did not leave Egypt alone; a "mixed multitude" went with them.  From this we learn that liberation is not for us alone, but for all the nations of the earth.

Pharaoh's army followed us to the Sea of Reeds. We plunged into the waters. Only when we had gone as far as we could did the waters part for us. We mourn, even now, that Pharaoh's army drowned: our liberation is bittersweet because people died in our pursuit. 

To this day we relive our liberation, that we may not become complacent, that we may always rejoice in our freedom. 


haggadah Section: -- Exodus Story