In our home we have a custom of evoking Jewish comedians of the 20th century. We call it the 'Shrug, Upturned Palm' gesture. Dayeinu is one of those moments to enlist this. (Someone from the Clermont house can demonstrate.) Had we experienced even just one moment of kindness described in the Exodus story, it would have been enough – dayeinu! (Shrug, upturned palm.) Let's sing together:
אִלּוּ הוֹצִיאָֽנוּ מִמִּצְרַֽיִם, דַּיֵּנוּ
Ilu hotzi- hotzianu, Hotzianu mi-mitzrayim Hotzianu mi-mitzrayim, Dayeinu
If the Divine had only taken us out of Egypt, that would have been enough!
אִלּוּ נָתַן לָֽנוּ אֶת־הַתּוֹרָה, דַּיֵּנוּ
Ilu natan natan lanu, natan lanu et ha-Torah, Natan lanu et ha-Torah , Dayeinu
If the Divine had only given us the Torah, that would have been enough.
The complete lyrics to Dayeinu tell the entire story of the Exodus from Egypt as a series of gifts we received to be able to live in freedom. Dayeinu reminds us that each of our lives is the cumulative result of many blessings, small and large.
