A wise Rabbi Gamliel, long ago taught

These symbols each Seder must have a clear thought

First Pesach reminds us that on the night we went free

God "passed over" our houses,

no death did we see

While all Egypt suffered,

while each home saw great strife

in the homes of our ancestors,

there were new signs of life

And the Matzah we eat to remember through taste

that from Egypt our ancestors departed in haste

they didn't have time to pause and surmise

they hadn't a moment to let their bread rise

And then there's the maror, the meal's bitter herb

a reminder of slavery, our senses disturb

The maror's a symbol intended to teach

that enslavement is evil wherever its reach

In each generation we are called and commanded

to do more than just read and then eat

our Seder is special, our gathering quite sacred

for our tradition we actually meet

At a time such as this, we really should feel

that it was we who went free on that night

For with that sensation

we are one, we're a nation

we're together for all that is right

Now let's take a deep breath

let's pause and let's think

and from the sweet cup of freedom

we'll then take a drink

We're thankful and lucky to be in this place

where the blessing of freedom

brings joy to the face

A free people are we

we're both happy and proud

we thank God for the goodness

with our prayer, clear and loud

For our Torah, it tells us

that our God strong and calm

heetz-chal-tee et-chem me-a-vo-da-tam

(Our Torah teaches that God promised our enslaved ancestors that:  “ I will

deliver you from the Egyptian bondage.”  Exodus 6:6)

Ba-ruch A-tah A-do-nai, E-lo-hei-nu, Me-lech Ha-o-lam

Bo-rei, pe-ree ha-ga-fen.

O Holy One of Blessing, Your Presence fills creation,

We praise you for creating the fruit of the vine.


haggadah Section: Introduction
Source: A Family Pesach Seder in Rhyme