Chad Gadya: A Lesson in Jewish History

Nadav Lowell (’25) Very soon Pesach will be here, and we will enjoy a week of eating cardboard as we celebrate the story of the Exodus, when God took the Jewish people out of the land of Egypt and began their journey to the promised land of Israel.

states that each verse of the song can relate to important events in Jewish history.

Last Week’s Solution

One of the fundamental parts of the Pesach holiday is the seder. This allnight-long feast, in which many Jews read the Haggadah, commemorates the entire Exodus story. Toward the end of the feast, we say the final section of the Haggadah called Nirtzah, in which we sing a multitude of meaningful songs, one which is Chad Gadya, a favorite to many. The song portrays an amusing series of events in which the narrator relates the story of his father's goat. The goat gets eaten by a cat, who then gets bit by a dog, which is then beaten by a stick, which is burned by fire. The fire is then put out by water that is drunk by an ox. The ox then gets slaughtered by a butcher, who then gets killed by the angel of death, who is then banished by God.

Although the story seems silly it has long been part of Jewish tradition and has been part of the printed Haggadah as far back as the 1500s. Many rabbis and analysts have interpretations of the song's odd verses and their possible meanings.

There is one opinion shared by Rabbi Dr. Raphael Zarum, who

The song starts with the line, “One little goat, one little goat that my father bought for two zuzim.” This alludes to the ten brothers him out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver. The ten brothers split these 20 silver coins and each received two silver shekels.” Just as the father bought the kid for two silver coins (zuzim) so too the brother also received the same payment each for the sale of Joseph.

Move on two lines and we see “A dog came and bit the cat that ate the goat that my father bought for two zuzim.” The cat relates to Egypt as one of their main gods, Bast, who took the form of a cat. The dog who bit the cat represents the Assyrian and Babylonian empires that conquered Egypt.

Following this is the line “A fire came and burned the stick that bit the dog that bit the cat that ate the goat that my father bought for two zuzim.” This line shows the Persian empire destroying the Babylonians, as referenced by the stick which alludes to the Persian golden scepter featured in the Purim story. But they too are conquered, this time by the Greeks which are portrayed by fire. The same fire that the Greeks used against Israel as they waged war against the Jews. After this, the next lines show an ox coming and drinking the water that put out the fire that burned the stick. This line shows the transition for the Jewish people from the Romans, the water as referenced by their extensive aqueduct and bath systems, destroying the Greeks and then the Jews building the Beit Hamikdash. The Ox is showing spiritual ascension through the Karbonat that they could bring once more under the completed construction of the Temple.

The final three lines show the butcher slaughtering the ox and then getting killed by the angel of death. The angel is then banished by God. These three lines are connected as it shows a familiar pattern that can be seen through both the Chumash and Navi. The Jewish people first follow all the commandments and mitzvot, as shown by the ox. Then, they begin to see a challenge such as the plishtim or a plague rising, expressed through the angel of death. Finally, they are saved by God after they do teshuva and they continue in their service to Hashem.

The song shows that throughout Jewish history there will be many challenges and struggles. There will be many who wish to conquer and destroy the Jewish people, but as long as we wait it out and stay true to Hashem and follow his commandments he will preserve us.

Of course, many of these interpretations are just speculation and many different rabbis have formed opinions about them through the years. For instance, the fire that burned the stick could

To (Shel)by or Not to (Shel)by

Avi Becker (’24)

As spring rapidly approaches and the weather grows warmer here in Memphis, we need to find something to do outside. This being the first totally Covid free spring in a while brings exciting new and old opportunities for us to explore. One of these is Shelby Farms. Located right here in Shelby County, Tennessee, United States, Shelby Farms is a public park just east of the city of Memphis. It is also one of the largest urban parks in the US and the world, at a size of 4,500 acres; it covers more than five times the area of Central Park in New York City which has a measly 843 acres. This brings a myriad of activities available there.

They have rentable scooters and gorgeous paths for people to walk or scooter down. It is a chance to embrace the wildlife that G-d has bestowed upon us. Beyond that, there is also a gorgeous lake with a path that extends the circumference. This is a beautiful place to go for a run or just to sit on a bench and think. You can choose to walk through their cleared paths or do a little exploring of your own. Gathering sticks and building a small teepee could be a fun activity for the kids, as well as just running around

Cooper Clicks

through nature. Just make sure you don’t trip on all the hidden branches and roots.

However, Shelby Farms comes with its downsides. It is very allude to the burning bush, or the cat and dog could try and show a comparison between the Jews and Gentiles through history. I would encourage everyone to read through the verses and perhaps talk over what they could mean at your own seder table dependent on the weather and in order to find the ideal day you might have to wait some time. This makes it hard to plan ahead for such an activity. Unexpected bad weather can quickly kill a fun planned day at the park.

Shelby Farms also comes with some attractions. There is no fee to get into and explore around the park; however, you can rent a bike or a canoe which will be about $20. If you want to hang out with a large group there, they have a myriad of outdoor pavilions that you could host events at.

For those who are looking to work there, they offer a considerable amount of full time and part time jobs. A crew member, for example, will be paid $10-14 an hour. You would need to have:

• Consistent availability for shifts on weekends and holidays (including school breaks).

• Physical ability to perform required tasks outdoors in various conditions (extreme heat, cold, and/or inclement weather).

• Must be able to lift 50 lbs.

• Compensation and Schedule.

Season: weekends in April & May; daily Memorial DayLabor Day; weekends in September; optional weekends throughout the year.

• Opening shifts may begin at 7:00 am. Closing shifts may end at 7:00 pm or later if special events are happening in the Park.

• With a Minimum of 15 hrs per week; up to 40 hrs.

They are responsible for all things you would expect a crew member to need to do. This is just one of the jobs.

If you’re looking to get active you could take a stroll or bike on their 40+ miles of trails. Within the park there is The First Horizon Foundation Visitor Center in Heart of the Park. It is the one-stop shop for park essentials + gifts + snacks. And all proceeds benefit Shelby Farms Park and Shelby Farms Greenline.