אַשְׁרֵי הַגַפְרוּר שֶׁנִשְׂרַף וְהִצִית לֶהָבוֹת
.אַשְׁרֵי הַלְהָבָה שֶׁבָּעֲרָה בְּסִתְרֵי לְבָבוֹת
...אַשְׁרֵי הַלְבָבוֹת שֶׁיָדְעוּ לַחְדוֹל בְּכָבוֹד
.אַשְׁרֵי הַגַפְרוּר שֶׁנִשְׂרַף וְהִצִית לֶהָבוֹת
Ashrey ha-gafrur sheneeshraf ve-heetzeet lehavot,
ashrey ha-l’hava sheba’arah be-sitrey levavot.
Ashrey ha-levavot sheyadu lachdol be-kavod…
ashrey ha-gafrur sheneeshraf ve-heetzeet lehavot.

Blessed is the match consumed in kindling the flame.
Blessed is the flame that burns in the secret fastness of the heart.
Blessed is the heart with strength to stop its beating for honor’s sake.
Blessed is the match consumed in kindling the flame.

This poem was written by Hannah Szenes, a Jewish resistance fighter who fought the Nazis during World War II. After parachuting into Yugoslavia, she was captured by German soldiers. In prison, the Nazis tried to get information from Hannah by brutally torturing her, but she refused to jeopardize her comrades. On November 7, 1944, she was executed by firing squad at just 22 years old. Hannah wrote timeless poetry in prison. In her own words: “I gambled on what mattered most. The dice were cast. I lost.”

Light the candles and say:

בָּרוּך אַתָּה יי אֱלהֵינוּ מֶלֶך הָעוֹלָם
:אַשֶׁר קִדְשָנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו וְצִוָנוּ לְהַדְלִיק נֵר שֶל יוֹם טוֹב
Baruch atah Adonai, eloheynu melech ha-olam,
 asher kidshanu b’mitzvotav vitzivanu l’hadlik ner shel yom tov.

Blessed are you, who sanctifies us with your mitzvot,
and commands us to light holiday candles.
 


haggadah Section: Introduction