Echad Mi Yodea

Jewish and Israeli music
Religious
Contemporary Piyyut Zemirot Nigun Pizmonim Baqashot
Secular
Israeli Klezmer Sephardic Mizrahi Secular music Mainstream and jazz Classical Jewish art music
Dance
Israeli folk dancing Ballet Horah Hava Nagila Yemenite dancing
Israel
Hatikvah Jerusalem of Gold
Piyyutim
Adon Olam Geshem Lekhah Dodi Ma'oz Tzur Yedid Nefesh Yigdal
Music for Holidays
Shabbat Hanukkah Blessings Oh Chanukah Dreidel song Al Hanisim Mi Y'malel Ner Li Passover (Haggadah) Ma Nishtana Dayenu Adir Hu Chad Gadya Echad Mi Yodea
v t e

Echad Mi Yodea, recorded in Tel Aviv in 1966

Echad Mi Yodea (Yiddish: ווער קענ זאָגן ווער קענ רעדן ver ken zogn ver ken redn) (Ladino: "ken supyese i entendyese") (Hebrew: אחד מי יודע ekhád mi yodeá) (Bukhori: Yakumin ki medonad?) (Who Knows One?) is a traditional cumulative song sung on Passover and found in the haggadah. It enumerates common Jewish motifs and teachings. It is meant to be fun and humorous, while still imparting important lessons to the children present.

Recitation varies from family to family. The song, first has versions in Yiddish and Hebrew, and many other vernacular languages. Sometimes it is played as a memory game, recited without looking. Sometimes the goal is to recite the entire verse in one breath.^[1]

Meaning

Although it can appear to be simply a juvenile children's song, an important message is being imparted to those present at the Passover table. The main theme of Passover, and particularly of the Seder, is not only the physical freedom of a nation of slaves. More importantly, it is the spiritual and mental freeing of this people, to become a nation unto God, His "Chosen People". As His people, the Jewish Nation is expected to be wholly at one with God, and to relate everything in their lives to Him. It is well known that psychologists use word association to reveal the subconscious. Thus, it is at this point in the Seder that the Jews sing this cumulative song. After relating God's wonders and kindness, and the events of the Exodus, the song demonstrates how everything can and should relate to God: "If I say 'One', you think 'God!', if I say 'Five', you think 'Books of Moses!'"

History

According to the Encyclopaedia Judaica, this song is first found in Ashkenazi Haggadot of the 16th century. It is believed to have originated in Germany in the 15th century, possibly based on a German folk song "Guter freund ich frage dich", which means "Good friend which I ask".

Structure and text

"Echad Mi Yodea" is a cumulative song, meaning that each verse is built on top of the previous verses. There are thirteen verses.

The first verse runs:

Who knows one?

I know one.

One is our God, in heaven and on earth.

The second verse:

Who knows two?

I know two.

Two are the tablets of the covenant;

One is our God, in heaven and on earth.

...and so forth. The last verse is:

Who knows thirteen?

I know thirteen.

Thirteen are the temperaments of God;

Twelve are the tribes of Israel;

Eleven are the stars of Joseph's dream;

Ten are the [Ten] Commandments;

Nine are the festivals;

Eight are the Lights of Hanukah;

Seven are the days of the week;

Six are the days of creation;

Five are the books of the Moses;

Four are the mothers of Israel;

Three are the Patriarchs;

Two are the tablets of the covenant;

One is our God, in heaven and on earth.

There are variations of this song. This includes where the sixth verse pertains to either the six books of the Mishnah or the six days of creation . Also, the eighth verse can either pertain to the eight days before a circumcision, or the eight candles of a Chanukah menorah. The ninth verse can either pertain to the nine months it takes to make a baby or the number of festivals in Judaism. The thirteenth verse can refer to Divine attributes or the age of bar mitzvah.

Spanish version

Showing the last complete paragraph, as an example. First and Last verses would be sung in Hebrew.

 Shloshá Asar, Mi Yodea?
 Shloshá Asar, Ani Yodea!

 Trece años del Bar Mitzvá
 Doce Tribus de Israel
 Once Estrellas del Firmamento
 Diez Mandamientos Son
 Nueve Meses del Embarazo
 Ocho Días del Milá
 Siete Días de la Semana
 Seis Libros de la Mishná
 Cinco Libros de la Torá
 Cuatro Madres de Israel
 Tres Nuestros Padres Son
 Dos Tablas de La Ley
 Uno es el Creador

 Eloheinu, Eloheinu, 
 Eloheinu, Eloheinu,
 She-bashamaim uva'aretz

Judaeo-Ladino version

Ken supyese y entendyese alavar al Dio kreyense?

Kuale es el uno?
Uno es el Kriador, Baruch Hu Baruch shemo

Kuales son loz dos?
Dos Moshe y Aron

Kuales son los tres?
Trez padrez muestros son, [Avram, Itzhak y Yaakov]

Kuales son los kuatro?
Kuatro madrez muestras son, [Sara, Rivka, Leah, Rahel]

Kuales son los sinko?
Sinko livroz de la Ley

Kuales son los seish?
Seish diaz de la semana

Kuales son los syete?
Syete dias con Shabbat

Kuales son loz ocho?
Ocho diaz de la mila

Kuales son loz mueve?
Mueve mezes de la prenyada

Kuales son los diesh?
Diez mandamientoz de la Ley

Kuales son loz onze?
Onze trivoz in Yisrael

Kuales son loz doze?
Dosay trivos kon Yosef

Judaeo-Tajik or Bokharian version

Yakumin kie medonad? Yakumin man’ medonam! Yakumin: Khudoyi pabun olamin.

Duyumin kie medonad? Duyumin man’ medonam! Duyumin: du’u lavchie gavkhar. Yakumin: Khudoyi pabun olamin.

Seyumin kie medonad? Seyumin man’ medonam! Seyumin: se’e padaron. Duyumin: du’u lavchie gavkhar. Yakumin: Khudoyi pabun olamin.

Chorumin kie medonad? Chorumin man’ medonam! Chorumin: chor’ modaron. Seyumin: se’e padaron. Duyumin: du’u lavchie gavkhar. Yakumin: Khudoyi pabun olamin.

Panjumin kie medonad? Panjumin man’ medonam! Panjumin: panj sifrey Toro. Chorumin: chor’ modaron. Seyumin: se’e padaron. Duyumin: du’u lavchie gavkhar. Yakumin: Khudoyi pabun olamin.

Shashtumin kie medonad? Shashtumin man’ medonam! Shishtumin: shash sidrey mishno. Panjumin: panj sifrey Toro. Chorumin: chor’ modaron. Seyumin: se’e padaron. Duyumin: du’u lavchie gavkhar. Yakumin: Khudoyi pabun olamin.

Khaftumin kie medonad? Khaftumin man’ medonam! Khaftumin: khaft rouzi khafta. Shishtumin: shash sidrey mishno. Panjumin: panj sifrey Toro. Chorumin: chor’ modaron. Seyumin: se’e padaron. Duyumin: du’u lavchie gavkhar. Yakumin: Khudoyi pabun olamin.

Khashtumin kie medonad? Khashtumin man’ medonam! Khashtumin: khasht rouzi millo. Khaftumin: khaft rouzi khafta. Shishtumin: shash sidrey mishno. Panjumin: panj sifrey Toro. Chorumin: chor’ modaron. Seyumin: se’e padaron. Duyumin: du’u lavchie gavkhar. Yakumin: Khudoyi pabun olamin.

Nokhumin kie medonad? Nokhumin man’ medonam! Nokhumin: noch mochie zanon. Khashtumin: khasht rouzi millo. Khaftumin: khaft rouzi khafta. Shishtumin: shash sidrey mishno. Panjumin: panj sifrey Toro. Chorumin: chor’ modaron. Seyumin: se’e padaron. Duyumin: du’u lavchie gavkhar. Yakumin: Khudoyi pabun olamin.

Dakhumin kie medonad? Dakhumin man’ medonam! Dakhumin: dakh sukhanon. Nokhumin: noch mochie zanon. Khashtumin: khasht rouzi millo. Khaftumin: khaft rouzi khafta. Shishtumin: shash sidrey mishno. Panjumin: panj sifrey Toro. Chorumin: chor’ modaron. Seyumin: se’e padaron. Duyumin: du’u lavchie gavkhar. Yakumin: Khudoyi pabun olamin.

Yozdakhum kie medonad? Yozdakhum man’ medonam! Yozdakhum: yozdah sitoracho. Dakhumin: dakh sukhanon. Nokhumin: noch mochie zanon. Khashtumin: khasht rouzi millo. Khaftumin: khaft rouzi khafta. Shishtumin: shash sidrey mishno. Panjumin: panj sifrey Toro. Chorumin: chor’ modaron. Seyumin: se’e padaron. Duyumin: du’u lavchie gavkhar. Yakumin: Khudoyi pabun olamin.

Duvozdakhum kie medonad? Duvozdakhum man medonam! Duvozdakhum: duvozdah shivtocho. Yozdakhum: yozdah sitoracho. Dakhumin: dakh sukhanon. Nokhumin: noch mochie zanon. Khashtumin: khasht rouzi millo. Khaftumin: khaft rouzi khafta. Shishtumin: shash sidrey mishno. Panjumin: panj sifrey Toro. Chorumin: chor’ modaron. Seyumin: se’e padaron. Duyumin: du’u lavchie gavkhar. Yakumin: Khudoyi pabun olamin.

Sezdakhum kie medonad? Sezdakhum man’ medonam! Sezdakhum: sezdah khislatcho. Duvozdakhum: duvozdah shivtocho. Yozdakhum: yozdah sitoracho. Dakhumin: dakh sukhanon. Nokhumin: noch mochie zanon. Khashtumin: khasht rouzi millo. Khaftumin: khaft rouzi khafta. Shishtumin: shash sidrey mishno. Panjumin: panj sifrey Toro. Chorumin: chor’ modaron. Seyumin: se’e padaron. Duyumin: du’u lavchie gavkhar. Yakumin: Khudoyi pabun olamin.

Popular culture

The Judaism section of the Stack Exchange Network of question-and-answer websites is named Mi Yodeya after this song.^[2]

References

External links

• Listen to Echad Mi Yodea online
• Listen & watch Echad Mi Yodea video with Hebrew lyrics and English translation