The story of the Exodus from Egypt has been told at great length. We have read how God brought the Israelites out from slavery and made them free. The story leads right into the following paragraph:
לְפִיכָךְ אֲנַחְנוּ חַיָּבִים לְהוֹדוֹת, לְהַלֵּל, לְשַׁבֵּחַ, לְפָאֵר, לְרוֹמֵם, לְהַדֵּר, לְבָרֵךְ, לְעַלֵּה וּלְקַלֵּס לְמִי שֶׁעָשָׂה לַאֲבוֹתֵינוּ וְלָנוּ אֶת־כָּל־הַנִסִּים הָאֵלּוּ: הוֹצִיאָנוּ מֵעַבְדוּת לְחֵרוּת מִיָּגוֹן לְשִׂמְחָה, וּמֵאֵבֶל לְיוֹם טוֹב, וּמֵאֲפֵלָה לְאוֹר גָּדוֹל, וּמִשִּׁעְבּוּד לִגְאֻלָּה. וְנֹאמַר לְפָנָיו שִׁירָה חֲדָשָׁה: הַלְלוּיָהּ.
Therefore we are obligated to thank, praise, laud, glorify, exalt, lavish, bless, raise high, and acclaim He who made all these miracles for our ancestors and for us: He brought us out from slavery to freedom, from sorrow to joy, from mourning to [celebration of] a festival, from darkness to great light, and from servitude to redemption. And let us say a new song before Him, Halleluyah!
What would you include in your "new song" of thanks and gratitude? Brainstorm topics that you might want to include in the song. (You don't have to write the song or poem yet)
What follows in the seder is the Hallel prayer, which is made up of Psalms or poems of praise. The second poem begins like this:
בְּצֵאת יִשְׂרָאֵל מִמִצְרַיִם, בֵּית יַעֲקֹב מֵעַם לֹעֵז, הָיְתָה יְהוּדָה לְקָדְשׁוֹ, יִשְׂרָאֵל מַמְשְׁלוֹתָיו. הַיָּם רָאָה וַיַּנֹס, הַיַּרְדֵּן יִסֹּב לְאָחוֹר...
In Israel's going out from Egypt, the house of Ya'akov from a people of foreign speech. The Sea saw and fled, the Jordan turned to the rear... (Psalms 114)
Is this poem general or specific? What event is it speaking about?
Let's look at a modern song of gratitude. Listen to the song.
- Is the song specific or general about its thanks?
- From the words of the song itself, who is thanking and who is being thanked?
- How did the person who made the video interpret the song?
- Do you like the song better in its general or more specific form?
You have now seen an example of a poem that expresses thanks for a specific event (the Hallel paragraph) and a song that gives general thanks without saying who it is thanking and for what (Kind and Generous).
- Write a poem or song of thanks in honor of a Jewish holiday.
- Record the song or a reading of the poem. Draw a picture or find images to accompany the poem.
- Add your work to this sheet. Wherever there is a +, add your work using the media or comment options.