DAYEINU!

by Rabbi Bryan Wexler

One of my favorite parts of the seder is when we sing Dayeinu. Yes, the tune is catchy and fun, but even more, I am drawn to Dayeinu because of its message. When we sing Dayeinu at the seder, we embark on a walk-through of Biblical history -- retracing our steps from the Exodus from Egypt to entering into the Promised Land and building the Temple. Yet, it is not merely a historical review. At its core, Dayeinu is a practice in gratitude. It helps us to see the interconnectedness of our blessings. It invites us to break each gift into its multiple components, then put them back together, and finally, stare in disbelief at our good fortune. In doing so, we are left with a feeling of gratitude for God’s kindness and love.

Author Melody Beattie beautifully depicts this sense of deep gratitude when she writes: “Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more.” In this way, Dayeinu is more than just a reflection on Passover. It is also a template for genuine gratitude. As Dr. Erica Brown writes:

“Dayeinu is our detailed thank-you note to God — not only for saving us from the terrors of Egypt, but for giving us the instruments and experiences to form a life of Jewish meaning.”

If is our detailed thank-you note to God, what words of gratitude would you add this year? As we quickly approach Israel’s 75th birthday, I am feeling particularly grateful this year for our Jewish homeland. Our Jewish calendar, during this time of the year, mirrors the long and often treacherous journey of the Israelites from Egypt to Israel; from slavery to freedom. Soon we will celebrate Passover and then later this Spring will be Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Memorial Day) followed by Yom HaZikaron (Israel Memorial Day), and finally, Yom Ha’atzmaut (Israel Independence Day).

We have had a lengthy and difficult journey throughout Jewish history. Out of Egypt; through the Land of Israel; out again into exile; living, for centuries in often inhospitable communities in Europe, North Africa, and Asia; repeatedly being maligned, targeted and condemned -- culminating in the horror of the Holocaust; but in the end, returning to the Land of Israel and establishing, against all odds, a modern state. We don’t have to ask ourselves whether we would have been grateful had we survived only some and not all of those stages. We can now say, “Dayeinu,” because, improbably, we have managed to endure them all. Dayeinu. How grateful we are. We are grateful for our ancestors, for our tradition, and for our important history of fortitude and perseverance. And we are especially thankful for the state of Israel as we prepare to celebrate Israel 75.

Each seder night we recite: “if God had given us the Torah and not brought us into the land of Israel, Dayeinu. It would have been enough for us.” However, the fact is, today we do have the Land of Israel. And for that, we are eternally grateful.