The Story

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MAGGID STORY

These are important questions. Let’s start at the beginning – as far back as we can remember. By learning about our ancestor’s struggles, we can better understand what it took our fore parents overcame to get us here. The tale of the Jews’ first quest for freedom from slavery in Egypt was written so long ago that no one knows how much of it is fact and how much is fiction.

A long time ago in approximately, around 1225 BC, during a time when famine was raging in the Middle East, the ancient Israelites traveled to Egypt. The Egyptians had plenty of food because they had carefully saved it during seven years of plenty that came before the famine. According to this legend, the Israelites at that time were all in a single family – Jacob and his children. One of Jacob's sons was Joseph had a high position in the court of the Pharaoh. The Pharaoh welcomed Joseph's family and settled them in the fertile delta region of Goshen, where they prospered.

For many generations, the Israelites enjoyed the protection of the Pharaohs, who valued their work as shepherds. However, a Pharaoh eventually came to power who feared the Israelites. According to the Book of Exodus, this Pharaoh tried to destroy the Israelite population by ordering all male Israelite infants to be killed at birth. He also required the Israelites to work on large-scale building projects without pay and under terrible working conditions. The Israelites saw themselves as slaves.

After the Israelites were in Egypt for over 400 years, a man arose among them. He demanded that Pharaoh let his people go! Many times he risked his life to insist on the freedom of his people.

A battle of wills ensued between the Israelites desire to leave and the will of the Pharaoh. Ten plagues were visited upon the Egyptians, the last of which was the death of the first born of each family. Each of the Israelites family slaughtered a lamb as a paschal sacrifice and put the blood of the sacrifice on the doorposts of their homes so that the Angel of Death would pass over them on the night of the tenth plague. After this night of terror, Pharaoh said that the Israelites could leave Egypt. Fearful that the Pharaoh would change his mind (which he subsequently did), the Israelites left as quickly as possible. Because of this, their bread did not have time to rise.

They fled and found themselves standing at the shore of the Red Sea with the Pharaoh's chariots close behind in pursuit. The sea parted for them, and they walked across on dry land. When the chariots tried to follow, the iron wheels stuck in the soft sand, the waters closed over them, and they drowned. Miriam, the sister of Moses and Aaron led the women in celebrate their new freedom -- dancing and singing in praise for miracle on their behalf. The men complained and worried that they would go hungry now they didn't have access to the Pharoh's food supplies.

At our Passover Seder, we celebrate the story of Moses and the people he led out of slavery 3000 years ago. We celebrate the struggle of all people to be free. Throughout the centuries, the story of Moses and the exodus from Egypt has inspired Jews and non-Jews in time of persecution and hardship.

Let us remember that the thirst for freedom exists in all people. Many centuries after the time of Moses, African people were brought to America as slaves. These slaves longed for freedom, and they were inspired by the story of Moses and the ancient Israelites.

Group: The freedom we celebrate tonight is not only freedom from slavery. It is also the freedom to live in peace, with dignity and with hope for a bright future. This constant vision has inspired the Jewish people since the ancient times recorded in the Bible.

For many centuries, most Jews lived in Europe, where they were often persecuted. They were driven from place to place, and their lives were often filled with terror and despair. There came a time when many Jewish families heard of a place called America, where they could live without fear. This was the promise that America held out to them and too many other suffering people.

By the thousands, and then by the millions, year after year they crossed a large ocean, enduring the dangers of that long voyage before reaching the shores of America. Even then for a time they suffered from poverty and homelessness, but because of their perseverance, courage, and skills, they [we] are here tonight celebrating this festival of freedom in a free land.

haggadah Section: Maggid - Beginning

Source: Secular Humanist with additions and edits by Scott Rosenfeld