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Four Children - Clementine
Contributed by Josh Newman

  • TOP HAGGADAHS FOR 2023

The Ballad of the Four Children

(To the tune of “My Darling Clementine”)

Said the parents to their children

“At the seder you will dine,

You will eat your fill of Matzhah

You will drink fur cups of wine”

Now these parents had four children

Yes their kids they numbered four

One was wise and one was wicked

One was simple and a bore

And the fourth was sweet and winsome,

Was so young and also small

While the others asked the questions

This one could not speak at all.

Said the wise one to the parents

“Would you please explain the laws?

All the customs of the Seder

Will you please explain the cause?”

And the parents proudly answered

“Cause our forebears ate in speed,

Ate the Pesach lamb ‘ere midnight

And from slavery were freed.

“So we follow their example

And ‘ere midnight we must eat

The afikoman (O so tasty!)

Which must be our final treat”

Then did snear the child so wicked,

“What does all this mean to you?”

And the parents’ voice was bitter

As their grief and anger grew.

“If yourself you don’t consider

As a child of Israel,

Then for you this has no meaning,

You could be a slave as well.”

Then the simple child said simply

“What is this?” and quietly,

The good parents told their offspring

“We were freed from slavery”

But the youngest child was silent

And just could not ask at all

But with eyes all bright with wonder,

Listened to the details all.

So the parents taught their children

That each one of us must feel

In every age and generation

As if we ourselves were freed

Now dear children, heed the lesson

And remember evermore

What the parents taught their children,

Taught their kids who numbered four.
haggadah Section: -- Four Children

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