Chad Gadya

To explain why Chad Gadya was written in Aramaic we may want to look at a Midrash Rabba at the end of Parshat Noach that is also recorded in Aramaic. After Avraham destroyed his idol store, Terach sent him to Nimrod. Nimrod presses Avraham to give up on this monotheism nonsense and to serve something physical- anything. Nimrod suggests fire- fire is pretty, it’s powerful, it can be inspiring. Serve Fire!” Avraham says, “But water puts out fire.” Nimrod says, “So serve water.” Avraham says, “But clouds absorb water.” “So serve clouds!” “But wind blows clouds away.” “So serve clouds!” “But human beings can stand up to winds.” Nimrod loses patience and says, “Enough! I’m throwing you into the furnace and let’s see your God save you now.” And we know the rest of the story.

Perhaps Chad Gadya ensures that we don’t end the Seder thinking only about God’s role in big monumental events like Yetziat Mitzrayim. But Hashem can and must be found in the seemingly routine events of daily life; Events like the ones recalled in Chad Gadya: mundane, ordinary, even a little absurd event.  Because the song/story ends with Hakadosh Baruch Hu, teaching us that Hashem was/ is there the whole time. Pesach is the holiday of Emunah. We must leave the Seder invigorated in our ability to see God not just in the Exodus long ago. But also in our lives today.

When we sing in Chad Gadya that a cat ate a goat, what do we think? Cute story? Highly unlikely; what kind of cat eats a goat? Or do we immediately think of Hashem’s role in this seemingly silly story, and by extension Hashem’s role in our lives, every moment? We should think about the song Echad Mi Yodeai in the same way. When we hear the number 1, what do w immediately think of? One is Hashem! When we hear the number 7: do we think Mickey Mantle, or seven days of the week, which itself testifies to the Torah’s account of creation? Do we attribute coincidences to Hashgacha Pratit? Do we attribute luck to Siyata Dishmaya? Do we talk about God with our children and grandchildren outside of the Seder songs?

Chaim Topol died a few weeks ago. He is better known as Tevya from the film Fiddler on the Roof. While there are many memorable themes and moments in that movie, what has always stuck with me is the way Tevya speaks to God the way we talk to a friend or loved one. The shtetls are gone, no more goats and cows running around in our homes (though many of us have dogs and cats), but we still need to tap into that familiarity in our relationship with Hakadosh Baruch Hu.

At the beginning of the Seder we are focused on inserting ourselves into the incredible story that is Yetziat Mitzrayim. By the end of the Seder we are called upon to insert Hashem into the incredible story that is every day of our lives.