Moses returned to Egypt and met with Pharoah, asking him to release the Jews.  Pharoah refused.  And Pharoah continued to refuse despite the reign of plagues sent down on his people. 

We spill a drop of wine while we recite each of the plagues, not to commemorate the plagues, but to remember the suffering of the Egyptians during this time by reducing from our own cup the wine that lifts our spirits in order not to celebrate pain and suffering, even of our of our enemies.

  1. Blood
  2. Frogs
  3. Lice
  4. Beasts
  5. Cattle disease
  6. Boils
  7. Hail
  8. Locusts
  9. Darkness
  10. Killing of the first born[D1] 

Not until the 10th plague was visited on the Egyptians did Pharoah finally get the message, and agree to free the Jews.  So there was a collection of physical afflictions visited upon the Egyptians.  This can be read as a metaphor for bad things happening to bad people.  It can also be interpreted that there are powers over the water, all animal life, health, the sky and all that is in it, time and life itself that we do not understand and that are beyond human… some would call that God, others the rules of the universe, or physics or some combination of all.

Dayenu

Ilu hutsi, hutsianu

Hutsi anu mi mitzrayim

Hutsi anu mi mitzrayim

Dayenu!

Day-Day-enu

Day-Day-enu

Day-day-enu

Dayenu Dayenu

Ilu natan natan lanu

Natan lanu et ha Shabat

Natan lanu et ha Shabat

Dayenu

Chorus

Ilu natan natan lanu

Natan lanu et ha Torah

Natan lanu et ha Torah

Dayenu

Chorus

We are thankful that we are free.


haggadah Section: -- Ten Plagues