Long ago, Pharaoh ruled the land of Egypt. He enslaved the Jewish people and made them work very hard building his cities.   

Phaoraoh was afraid the Jewish people would multiply and take over, so he ordered the midwives, Shifra and Puah, to kill all newborn Jewish boys. One mother hid her baby in a waterproof basket in the river. His sister, Miriam, watched the cradle go down the Nile, and saw the Pharoah's daughter find him and take him home to live in the palace. The Pharoah's daughter named him "Moses," and his sister Miriam looked after him in secret.

As Moses grew up, he learned about the suffering of the Jews. While defending a Jewish man being beaten, he killed an Egyptian, and had to flee the city. He ran away to a small Jewish farming community, got married, and became a shepherd. While he was looking after the sheep, he saw a bush on fire that did not burn up and heard God's voice telling him to go back to Egypt, to tell Pharoah to let the Jewish people go.  

When Moses went to Pharoah, he said "Let my people go." Pharaoh said "No." So, God sent the 1st plague -The Nile river turned to Blood, so none of the crops would grow, no one could drink the water.

Moses went to Pharoah. He said, "Let my people go." Pharaoh said "No." So, God sent the 2nd plague - swarms of frogs.

And so it went. The 3rd plague was lice infesting the Egyptians. The 4th plague was wild beasts--lions and hyenas--invading the city. The 5th plague was cattle disease--all the livestock died. The 6th plague was painful boils, all over the Egyptian's bodies. The 7th plague was hail, destroying the crops and homes and infrastructure of the city. The 8th plague was locusts, devouring all plant life that was left. The 9th plague was darkness--a never-ending night and fog. And The last plague was death. The Jews were instructed to mark their doors with the blood of a lamb so the angel of death would pass over them, then all the firsborn children of Egypt were killed at the stroke of midnight.

Finally, Pharoah begged the Israelites to leave. They had to g et ready to leave very quickly, so quickly that their bread didn't have time to rise; it baked into matzah. They walked through the desert to the sea. But Pharoah changed his mind and sends soldiers to chase after the Jews. When the Jewish people got to the sea, Moses held up his his staff and the sea divided. The Jewish people walked through the sea to freedom and a new future. The sea closed behind, drowning the Egyptian soldiers.


haggadah Section: -- Exodus Story