בְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה

בִּקְשׁוּ מַלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת

לוֹמַר שִׁירָה לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא

אָמַר לָהֶם

מַעֲשֵׂה יָדַי טוֹבְעִים בַּיָּם

וְאַתֶּם אוֹמְרִים שִׁירָה לְפָנַי

The Rabbis teach us (Babylonian Megillah 10b):

At the very hour that the Egyptians were drowning, 

The angels wanted to sing before the Divine.

She said to them:

“My children are drowning in the sea - 

Yet you want to sing in My presence?!”

 

As the hairs of slaves redeemed from Egypt’s violence,

We rejoice at the sight of oppression overcome. 

Yet, our triumph is diminished by the slaughter of the foe.

Therefore we take ten drops from the wine in within our cups:

One for each plague -

Whether modern or ancient, whether the plagued “deserved it” 

Or not. 

For while we wish and aim for liberty and justice for all, 

We did not wish pain on any.


haggadah Section: -- Ten Plagues