The Meaning of Dayenu
Dayenu is a song of praise referencing different historical contexts we experienced, from slavery in Egypt to the building of the Temple in Israel. After each verse, we sing the chorus, stating that if this was the total of God’s miraculous intervention into our lives, it would have been sufficient.
One of the primary purposes of the Passover Seder is to make us feel as if we personally experienced the exodus from Egypt and the redemption from slavery to freedom. This is no less true for the way we understand the Dayenu song. Dayenu provides a powerful contemporary hashkafah (outlook on life), a call to mindfulness about the way we currently lead our lives.
As a way of engaging with the story,one Sephardic tradition is to stand during Dayenu and hit each other with green onions during the chorus. This tradition makes a mockery of our Egyptian task masters, by mimicking their cruelty in a playful way.
Discussion topic:
What can we be greatfull for in our lives and say "Dayenu" "it is enough?"
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