As we rejoice at our deliverance from slavery, we acknowledge that our freedom was hard-earned. We regret that our freedom came at the cost of the Egyptians’ suffering. We pour out a drop of wine for each of the plagues as we recite them.

Dip a finger or a spoon into your wine glass for a drop for each plague.

These are the ten plagues which God brought down on the Egyptians:

Blood | dam | דָּם

Frogs | tzfardeiya | צְפַרְדֵּֽעַ

Lice | kinim | כִּנִּים

Beasts | arov | עָרוֹב

Cattle disease | dever | דֶּֽבֶר

Boils | sh’chin | שְׁחִין

Hail | barad | בָּרָד

Locusts | arbeh | אַרְבֶּה

Darkness | choshech | חֹֽשֶׁךְ

Death of the Firstborn | makat b’chorot | מַכַּת בְּכוֹרוֹת

The Egyptians needed ten plagues because after each one they were able to come up with excuses and explanations rather than change their behavior. Could we be making the same mistakes? J. Cole talks about how revolution isn't always the answer, because it just contributes to the cyclical nature of oppression. 

"Here's a thought for my revolutionary heart
Take a deeper look at history, it's there to pick apart
See the people at the top, they get to do just what they want
Till after while the people at the bottom finally get smart
Then they start to holla revolution, tired of living here, destitution
F*** that looting, can you tell me what's the best solution?
I used to think it was to over throw oppressors
See, if we destroy the system that means we'll have less of greed
But see, it's not that simple
I got to thinking bout the history of human nature
While this instrumental, play
Then I realized something that made me wonder if revolution was really ever the way
Before you trip and throw a fit over these words I say
Think about this for second, you heard the way
The children in abusive households grow up knocking girlfriends out cold
That's called a cycle
Abused becomes the abuser and that how life go, so understand
Look at the power, but you know what power does to man
Corruption always leads us to the same thing again
So when you talk about revolution dawg, I hear just what you saying

What good is taking over, when we know what you gon' do
The only real revolution happens right inside of you"

-J. Cole, High For Hours 


haggadah Section: -- Ten Plagues