LET MY PEOPLE GO!
A short play for the seder

  

NARRATOR: Pauline

Our story begins in the land of Egypt where Joseph, once a prisoner, is now the Pharaoh’s chief advisor.

JOSEPH: Scott

So how are things back in Israel?

BENJAMIN: Brad  

Oy! Terrible. Our gardens and crops are dying. There is no rain this year. That is why we had to come down to Egypt!

JOSEPH: Scott

Well, don’t worry..life in Egypt is fantastic. Ipads   in every house, High Definition Television, Teslas in the driveway, This is the most powerful nation on the planet!

BENJAMIN: Brad   

Did you have rain this year? Are the gardens and crops doing well?

JOSEPH: Scott  

We don’t have to worry about that. I’ve stored away tons of food in giant warehouses. The Pharaoh will be able to feed the people for three years at least, even if we get no rain.

BENJAMIN: Brad

What does the Pharaoh think of us Hebrews?

JOSEPH: Scott

 He loves me. He welcomes the Hebrews into his land. Bring the entire family, we’ll make a great life here.

Narrator: Pauline

The Hebrews all moved to Egypt and had many children and lived a successful life. But after many years, after Joseph and his brothers had died, a new Pharaoh rose to power.

PHAROAH: Mark

Advisor, bring me the latest census report. I want to know all the people who I rule over!

ADVISOR: Melissa

Yes, you’re Royal Highness. I have the numbers here.

PHAROAH: Mark

 Let’s see..Nubians, Midians, yes, very good. Are there really that many Hebrews?

ADVISOR: Jenna

Oh yes, your highness. They are growing in number. They are very strong workers.

PHAROAH: Mark

Do you think that might be a danger? Perhaps they will challenge my rule – make demands. You know how these workers are always complaining about the size of the rocks for the new Pyramids. I am worried that they will use their strength in numbers to rise up against me!

ADVISOR: Jared

Yes, you are right, we must do something to break their spirits.

PHAROAH: Mark

First, let us begin with something small. We’ll get them to make more bricks each day. If that doesn’t work, we’ll eliminate the fifteen-minute breaks. If that doesn’t break them, then maybe we’ll turn to harsher measures.

Narrator: Pauline

The Hebrew workers struggled to keep up with Pharaoh’s demands.

HEBREW 1: Jenna

My hands are killing me. And my back, oy! I can’t take this pace.

HEBREW 2: Melissa

We can make a thousand bricks a day—but two thousand? No team can work that hard! We’ll fall over!

HEBREW 3:Niki

Get back to work, the boss is coming!

BOSS: Vin

Efficiency, people! We have got to make 900 more bricks by sundown! Come on, let’s work faster!

HEBREW 1: Dani

We are working as fast as we can, boss.

BOSS: Vin

Listen, smart aleck, I’ve got a lot of pressure on my shoulders. If Pharaoh doesn’t get his bricks, I’m out of a job. I got a family to feed, too, you know. So get back down in the pit and start working!

HEBREW 2: Melissa

We haven’t had a break all day!

BOSS: Vin

And you are not going to get one! Work!

HEBREW 4:Danielle

You know what, boss; you have become a real pain in the backside!

BOSS: Vin

What’d you say?

HEBREW 1: Jenna

You heard me.

[The BOSS walks over and pushes Hebrew 3 to the ground]

BOSS: Vin

Now get back to work before I get really angry!

Narrator: Pauline

Meanwhile, Pharaoh’s daughter adopted a young Hebrew child. The child, Moses, was raised with the finest Egypt had to offer.

BAT PHAROAH: Rafi

Here, sweetheart, eat your honey cakes before your flute lesson.

MOSES: Billy

I’m so excited about the party this evening.

BAT PHAROAH: Rafi

Your new robe looks lovely, dear. I just hope that the Pyramid is finished. Your grandfather has the workers working double time just to get the place finished before the great assembly.

MOSES: Billy

 I heard that the Hebrews were complaining.

BAT PHAROAH: Niki

Complaining? Don’t worry about that. We take care of the needs of all our workers, dear. They are fed, given homes, and we give them a new pair of shoes each year. We are very generous. The only problem is that there are simply too many Hebrews. For that reason, we are cutting down their number. I know that it is sad that we have to kill off their baby boys, but we are really doing it for their own good.

MOSES: Billy

I know so little about the world. Someday I’d like to go out of the palace and see how they live.

BAT PHAROAH:Melissa

They are not clean like us, dear. Especially the Hebrews. They throw garbage on the streets, and the smells are truly horrible.

Narrator: Pauline

One day Moses decides to sneak out of the palace, and see for himself the plight of the Hebrews.

HEBREW 1: Danielle

I can’t work, today, I’m sick! And I hurt my arm yesterday lifting stones!

BOSS: Vin

I don’t want to hear excuses. This pyramid has got to be finished by Thursday! Today is Wednesday! So get moving!

HEBREW 1: Jenna

I can’t work. Please, listen to me, have some compassion!

HEBREW 2: Melissa

Give him a break, boss!

BOSS: Vin

Shut up!

HEBREW 3: Niki

Don’t get involved!

HEBREW 2: Melissa

I’m tired of this, boss! My cousin there is hurt. He can’t work today. And he’s not working. So go tell Pharaoh that he’ll have to hire some more workers or this isn’t getting done!

BOSS: Vin

Shut up!

[Boss pushes Hebrew 2 to the ground.]

HEBREW 1: Danielle

Stop it!

BOSS: Vin

I’m going to hurt you bad, you whiny Hebrew!

HEBREW 3: Niki

Stop! One of Pharaoh’s princes is coming!

MOSES: Billy

What is happening?

BOSS: Vin

I am going to give this man the beating he deserves, your honor! Watch this!

MOSES: Billy

No!

[Moses hits the Boss, who falls to the ground]

HEBREW 3: Niki

Oh no! What did you do to the boss? We’ll be blamed for this! We’ll be punished!

MOSES: Billy

What have I done? What have I done?

Narrator: Pauline

Moses ran away, far off into the wilderness. Where he is taken in by Yitro, and marries one of Yitro’s daughter’s Zipporah. One day, as Moses is taking care of yitro’s sheep, he stumbles across a burning bush.

GOD: Jenna

Moses, Moses!

MOSES: Billy

Who is that? What is going on? What is happening?

GOD: Jenna

It is me, the God of your ancestors, Abraham, Issac, and Jacob.

MOSES: Billy

You must have the wrong number.

GOD: Jenna

This is no time for jokes. You must go back to Egypt and stand up to Pharaoh! Then you will lead the people back to their homeland!

MOSES: Billy

How will I do that? The people do not know me! I have no power now that I have run away!

GOD: Jenna

I will be with you. Go to your sister, Miriam, and brother, Aaron, and stand up to Pharaoh!

Narrator: Pauline

Moses returns to Egypt, with his wife and son, Gershom. Aaron and Moses approach Pharaoh.

PHAROAH: Mark

What do you want?

AARON: Brad

Our people need a three-day vacation. We need to go outside of the city so that we can pray to God in our own way.

PHAROAH: Mark

Why can’t you wait for the festival of the pyramids? Then your people will have a chance to celebrate with everyone.

MOSES: Billy

We do not wish to pray to your gods. We have one God, who is mightier than all of your gods.

PHAROAH: Mark

You must be joking. The gods have made Egypt a great nation. What has your God done for you?

MOSES: Billy

You’ll see what our God can do! And then you’ll give in to our demands!

PHAROAH: Mark

Don’t count on it, Hebrew!

Narrator: Pauline

Pharaoh was a stubborn man. Even after plagues of blood, frogs, lice, disease, hail, and darkness, he would not let the Hebrews take a day off. It wasn’t until a disease struck and killed the first born of every Egyptian, that the Pharaoh changed his mind.

PHAROAH: Mark

Don’t you understand what is happening?

ADVISOR: Jared  

No, your highness, I don’t know why our gods are not protecting us.

PHAROAH: Mark

Everything we did to the Hebrews is now happening to us!!!

ADVISOR: Melissa

Maybe their God is powerful!

PHAROAH: Mark

Tell the police that are surrounding their neighborhood to let them go.

Narrator: Pauline

That night, Moses, spoke to the people.

MOSES: Billy

Put on your sandals, we will not have time to bake the bread for tomorrow! Tonight we will leave Egypt, and set out for a new land! Our children, and our children’s children will remember this night! They will tell the story of how we stood up to Pharaoh, and how God helped us to be free!

AARON: Scott

Let all who are hungry come and eat!

Narrator: Pauline

And thus ends our little play.


haggadah Section: Maggid - Beginning