In Every Generation

V'Hee sheh-amdah lavotaynoo v'lanoo. Sheh lo echad beel-vad amad alaynoo li'chalotaynoo. Elah, sheh-b'chol dor va'dor, omdeem alayanoo li'chalotaynoo. Vi'ha'kadosh baruch hoo matzeelaynoo mee-yadam.

In every generation there are those who seek our destruction, but the Holy One saves us from their hands.

-The story is eternal -- it repeats itself again and again. After the Exodus, we continue to wander in the desert on our way to the Promised Land.

-These are the wanderings of the people Israel after they went out of Egypt. And Israel traveled from Raameses and camped in Sukkot. They traveled from Sukkot and camped in Eitam. They traveled from Eitam and camped in Babylon.They traveled from Babylon and camped in Spain. They traveled, they camped... in France, in North Africa, in Germany, in Poland, in Russia. These are the wanderings of the people Israel.

-Ours is not a happy history. We have suffered much for daring to be different, for the audacity of saying "no" to Pharaohs, princes, priests and potentates. But every "no" is a more powerful "yes." We say "yes" to the present and the future; "yes" to the real possibilities for shaping a happier society for ourselves and our children; "yes" to the men and women outside our own circle who are real and potential allies in the struggle to attain the Passover of the future. None of our sufferings is wasted if, when recalled, they strengthen our resolve to engage in the struggle towards wholeness and freedom for our people and for humankind.

-And in every generation, there are those who join their hands with ours. In the Bible, they were the midwives of Egypt, Shifra and Pooah, who defied the Phaoroah to save the sons of Israelite slaves from genocide. In our times their names are Schindler, Wallenberg, Sugihara — men and women of all cultures and faiths who opened the door and opened their arms to save us.

-Pour out Your love on the nations who have known You and on the kingdoms who call upon Your holy name. For they show loving kindness to the seed of Jacob and they defend your people Israel from those who would devour them alive. May they live to see the shelter of peace spread over all Your children and may they share in the redemption of all peoples.


haggadah Section: Introduction
Source: Valley Beth Shalom Haggadah