Plagues Past and Present

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, for we are all human beings made in the image of God. 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.

Today we have people enslaved and afflicted with man-made plagues such as: 

  1. Homelessness
  2. Addiction
  3. Gun violence
  4. Voter suppression
  5. Poverty
  6. Racial inequality
  7. Gender inequality
  8. Lack of healthcare
  9. Lack of education
  10. Environmental degradation

What can you do to help liberate those afflicted?

They came for the Communists, and I didn't speak up, because I wasn't a Communist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I didn't speak up, because I wasn't a Jew.
Then they came for the Trade-Unionists, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Trade-Unionist. Then they came for the Catholics, and I didn't speak up because I was a Protestant.
Then they came for me, and by that time
there was no one left to speak up. 

- Reverend Martin Niemoeller. 


haggadah Section: -- Ten Plagues