As we rejoice at our deliverance from slavery from the Egyptians, we acknowledge that freedom is always 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

At this point in the Seder, we typically recite the 10 plagues as they were described 3000 years ago (Blood, frogs, lice, beasts cattle disease, boils hail, locusts darkness, death of the first born). Some years, we talk about the plagues that exist in our world and I'm sure there are many we could name tonight.

One hundred years ago this year, World War I ended and a few months later the Jews of Turkey like Jews around the world celebrated Passover. All of Europe, including the Turks, endured unspeakable horrors from a war that was meant to end all wars. The Turkish Jews wrote their own Haggadah to recall their wartime experiences. Tonight, in their honor and memory, we read the words they recited a century ago and as we do so, we pour out a drop of wine for each of the plagues. Either dip a finger or spoon in to your wine glass for a drop for each plague.

TOGETHER: These are the 10 plagues that the war brought over the residents of Turkey and they are:

Bloodshed | dam | דָּם

Proliferation of Orphans | tzfardeiya | צְפַרְדֵּֽעַ

Lice | kinim | כִּנִּים

KIlling of Great Men | arov | עָרוֹב x

Mange | dever | דֶּֽבֶר

Rage | sh’chin | שְׁחִין

Hailstorm of Bombs | barad | בָּרָד

Skyrocketing cost of goods | arbeh | אַרְבֶּה

Darkness because there was no gas and no power | choshech | חֹֽשֶׁךְ

Mortality of Youth | makat b’chorot | מַכַּת בְּכוֹרוֹת

LEADER: And, they concluded with these words:

TOGETHER: "While the residents of Turkey suffered 10 plagues, those who were in the army, suffered 50 plagues”

LEADER: 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? What are the plagues in our world today? What are the plagues in your life? What behaviors do we need to change to fix them?


haggadah Section: -- Ten Plagues
Source: CP