Telling of the story

Reader:

Tonight is the night we remember the story of our ancestors who were slaves of Pharaoh in Egypt. By telling an retelling this story we link ourselves back to these ancestors.

All:

We were slaves to Pharaoh in Egypt, and God freed us with a mighty hand. Had God not delivered us from Egypt, then we, our children and our children's children would still be enslaved.

Reader:

The Egyptians were taskmasters over the Jewish people with forced labor. They embittered their lives with harsh labor at brick and mortar. The more the Jews were oppressed the more they increased, and the Egyptians became worried, So Pharaoh decreed that every boy that was born would be thrown into the Nile while every girl would live, The Israelites cried out unto God, and God heeded their plight.

Reader:

And God said," I will go through the land of Egypt on that night, and I will mete out justice against all the Gods of Egypt." And God brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand, not through a messenger did God act, but alone, in solitary glory.

And God said, “The nation which they have served shall I judge, and afterwards, they shall go out with great substance.”

The Israelites fled from Egypt, Pharaoh recanted his decision to allow them to go and sent his armies after them. As the Israelites approached the Red Sea the Egyptians were right behind them. God parted the Red Sea so that the Israelites could cross to safety, and as the Egyptians entered the path, the waters crashed down upon them and they drowned.

It is said that when the Egyptians were drowning in the seas the Israelites broke out into songs of jubilation/ God silenced then and said “ My creatures are perishing, and you sing praises?”

All:
And so, thought we benefited from all the evils that befell the Egyptians, our joy is diminished knowing that they suffered too.

Reader:
To remember their suffering, we pour ten drops of wine from our cup.

All:
Each drop of wine we pour is a hope and a prayer that people everywhere will cast out the plagues that threaten us all, every where they are found, beginning in out own hearts.
The making of war
The teaching of hate and violence
The spoiling of the earth
Perversion of justice and government
Fomenting vice and crime
Neglect of human needs
Oppression of nations and peoples
Destruction of peace
Erosion of freedom


haggadah Section: Maggid - Beginning