I come from a family of talkers. We talk loud, and we talk fast.
Somehow, we manage to understand each other. But, the / effort / to / pace /
our / speech/ to / speak / in / public for humans, who speak and listen at
non-Fenster speeds, is a regular family goal.
That being said, when the songs at the end of the seder come
around, all bets are off. A lightning fast Chad Gadya is a badge of honor, and Ekhad
Mi Yodea, who knows one?, a year’s worth of bragging rights.
So, as I have been loosening my tongue and stretching out my jaw
for a yearly speed-singing battle with my brother,I took another look at my
favorite song: Ekhad Mi Yodea, who knows one.
Who knows 13?
I know 13.
13 are the ways that Godis Good
12 are the tribes of Yis-ra-el
11 are the stars in Joseph’s dream
10 are theeeee commandments
9 are the months before a baby’s born
8 are the days before a bris
7 are the days of the week (clap clap)…
6 are the books of the (clap) Mishnah
5 are the books of the (clap) Torah
And 4 are the mothers
And 3 are the fathers
And 2 are the tablets that Moses brought
And 1 is HaShem, one is HaShem, one is HaShem
In the heaven and the earth
La di da di da di da
Whether you sing it in Hebrew,
English, Yiddish, or Pig Latin, Ekhad Mi Yodea is a fun song that goes on a little journey through Jewish
learning and tradition.
It is surely an excellent list of 13. And I wonder, if you were to
create your own list of 13, what would be on it? Tonight, I want to
share the list I made.
But! Before we get started, you all have a job. When you see a
screen that looks like: THIS (Who Knows ONE?), I humbly request that you
all read it aloud together. Let’s practice…ready?
Who knows 1?
I know 1!
One is the Jewish People.
כָּלּ
יְִשְׂרָאֵל עֲרֵבִים זֶה בָּזֶה
All of Israel is responsible for one another. Whether in Hartsdale,
Hamburg, or Haifa, we are one people.
Who knows 2?
I know 2!
Two are the mentions of Moses in the Haggadah.
There is a myth that Moses’s name is completely absent from the
Haggadah. But, he actually shows up twice!
Still, the message behind the myth rings through. Moses was indeed
great, but he was משה עבדו “God’s servant, Moses.” Moses’ role is downplayed, lest we idolize
our leaders.
Who knows 3?
I know 3!
Three are the priorities of the URJ.
The Union for Reform Judaism, in thinking about its plan for the
next 5 years, identified three areas of focus:
- strong, networked congregations,
- commitment to tikkun olam,
- and audacious hospitality.
I know 4!
Four are the millions of immigrants who received deportation
relief.
Back in November President Obama issued an Executive Action that
grants 4 million undocumented immigrants protection from deportation. The
vast majority of those included are parents of US citizens.
Who knows 5?
I know 5!
Five are the women of the Exodus.
There are five women who play pivotal roles in the Exodus
narrative:
Yocheved, Moses’ mother
Miriam the prophet,
Shifra and Puah, the Hebrew midwives,
and Batya, Pharoah’s daughter.
Who knows 6?
I know 6!
Six are the items on the seder plate.
Our ceremonial centerpiece has spaces marked for the maror and chazeret, the charoset, shankbone, karpas, and egg. Each carries a symbolic meaning and tells a piece of the Passover narrative.
And, in the tradition of adding extra symbolic items to our seder plates, here is my alternative group of six:- An Orange for egalitarianism
- Olives for peace
- Cocoa beans for Fair Trade and environmentalism
- A tomato for labor rights
- A padlock for criminal justice reform
- A potato for Ethiopian Jews
Who knows seven?
I know seven!
Seven is the day of rest.
What a gift! A day set aside for relaxation to eat, sing, and
celebrate with family and community.
Who knows eight?
I know eight!
Eight are the daily victims of gun violence.
Alas, eight young people under the age of 20 are killed each day by
gun violence in our country.
Who knows nine?
I know nine!
Nine are the players on a baseball field.
I know they say it’s Spring already, but when they start swinging
bats in Queens and the Bronx, and when I can smell the grass and hear the pop of a fastball in
the catcher’s mitt, THAT is when I’ll know Spring has arrived.
Who knows 10?
I know 10!
Ten are the parties in the Knesset.
In the Israeli elections from this past month, 10 different parties
gained representation in the Israeli Knesset. They will have the opportunity to
set priorities and policies for Israel’s economy and civil society and the
future of the peace process.
Who knows 11?
I know 11!
Eleven are the years of marriage equality!
Eleven years ago Massachusetts became the first state to recognize same sex marriage. Today there are 37 states And counting!
Who knows 12?
I know 12!
Twelve are the moonwalkers.
On July 21, 1969 Neil Armstrong became the first person to walk on
the moon. And, after him, 11 more people have made that incredible journey.
And each time I see a picture of a human being on the moon, I just
have to say: WOW! It fills me with wonder and amazement and inspires me to
explore.
Who knows 13?
I know 13!
Thirteen is the amendment that ended slavery!
150 years ago, the United States formally ended the “peculiar
institution” of slavery. Abolitionist Rabbi David Einhorn wrote:
"It is the duty of Jews to fight bigotry since, for thousands of years, Jews have consciously or unconsciously fought for freedom of conscience."
Quite the reminder as we get ready to tell our own story of
redemption. Our seders are meant to be both meaningful and also full of
merriment. These nights, we get to be both silly and serious.
And, I hope, we get to do that other nights as well.
Shabbat Shalom.
Well said!
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