Passover song
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Passover songs are songs traditionally associated with the end of the seder, the festive meal associated with the Jewish festival of Passover.
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[edit] Songs of the main part of the Seder
The following are sung in the first parts of the seder, devoted to telling the story of the Exodus.
[edit] Ma Nishtanah
"How different this night is..", also known as the "four questions", the youngest person at the table sings the Ma Nishtanah as a symbolic request for information about why Passover is celebrated.
[edit] Dayenu
Over 20 verses, sequentially recounting each divine intervention in the story of the Exodus. After each divine act, the chorus "(if God had done only this) it would have been enough for us" is sung.
[edit] Songs of the Nirtzah
The following are traditionally sung in the Nirtzah, the last of the 12 subdivisions of the feast, devoted exclusively to singing.
[edit] "Adir Hu"
In Hebrew, a plea to the creator to rebuild the temple soon in Jerusalem. Each line begins with a consecutive letter of the Hebrew alphabet.
[edit] "Had Gadia"
"Had Gadia" ("One Kid" [i.e., baby goat]) is an Aramaic song describing the food chain from a goat, through a dog, an ox, fire, water, and the angel of death, all the way up to God.
[edit] "Echad Mi Yodeia"
"Who knows 1?", a Hebrew song. Starting at 1 and going up to 14, each verse describes a different religious or worldly concept associated with its number. For example, the 5th verse is about the 5 books of Moses whereas the 9th verse describes the 9 months of pregnancy. After singing each new verse, all the preceding verses are repeated in decreasing order back down to 1. The pattern is similar to the Christian songs Green grow the rushes (which was originally written in Hebrew) or Twelve days of Christmas.
[edit] "Eliyahu Hanavi"
A Hebrew song entreating the prophet Elijah, an invited guest at the Passover meal, to return soon with the Messiah.
[edit] "Hatikva"
"Hatikva" ("The Hope"), the Israeli national anthem, is often sung at the seder.
