The Story of Passover - Maggid

Haggadah Section: Maggid - Beginning

The story of Passover begins with Joseph, son of our patriarch, Jacob.   Joseph was held in high esteem by the Pharoah after having advised that Egypt should store grain, preventing a widespread famine.

After Joseph and his brothers died, the Pharaoh forgot all that Joseph had done for Egypt, and fearing the increasing numbers of the Israelites, he enslaved the Israelites to prevent them from becoming too powerful.

Pharaoh put heavy taxes on them and recruited the men into forced labor battalions under the supervision of harsh taskmasters.

But the more the Egyptians oppressed them, the more the children multiplied. Finally, when Pharaoh saw that forcing the Hebrews to do hard labor did not succeed in suppressing their growing numbers, he decreed that all their newly born male children be thrown into the Nile River.

Rather than slaughter her newborn son, an Israelite named Yocheved placed him in a basket which she hid amongst the reeds at the edge of the Nile River.

When Pharaoh's daughter came to bathe in the Nile, she discovered the baby and decided to raise him as her own in the palace.  She named him Moshe (Moses), meaning "drawn from water".  Yocheved bravely asked if the princess needed a nurse for her baby.  The princess did, and thus Yocheved was able to care for her own son and teach him about his Jewish heritage.

One day, Moshe saw an Egyptian taskmaster savagely beating an enslaved Israelite.  Moshe could not control his rage and killed the Eygptian.  Realizing his life would be in danger when news of his deed spread, Moshe fled to the land of Midian and became a sheep herder.

When the children of Israel could no longer endure their terrible suffering at the hands of their cruel overlords, their cries for help coming from the very bottom of their hearts pierced the heavens.

G-d remembered His covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and decided to deliver their descendants from bondage.

One day while Moshe was tending his flock of sheep, he witnessed a bush that appeared to be on fire, but did not burn up.  From it he heard the Voice of G-d, who instructed him to free His people from the Egyptian Pharaoh.

Moshe returned to the Egyptian palace to deliver G-d's message: "The G-d of Israel said, 'Let My people go, that they may serve me.'" Pharaoh refused, saying that he had never heard of the G-d of the Israelites.

Moshe warned him that G-d would punish both him and his people.

First, the waters of the land of Egypt were to be turned into blood.

Then, frogs covered the entire land.

Third, lice crawled forth from the dust to cover all of Egypt.

The fourth plague consisted of hordes of wild animals roving all over the country destroying everything in their path.

As he had before, Pharaoh promised faithfully to let the Jews go on the condition that they would not go too far. Moshe prayed to G-d and the wild animals disappeared. But as soon as they had gone, Pharaoh withdrew his promise and refused Moshe's demand.

Then G-d sent a fatal pestilence that killed most of the domestic animals of the Egyptians.

In the sixth plague, boils burst forth upon man and beast throughout the land of Egypt.

The seventh plague brought violent hail.

The eighth plague ushered in swarms of locusts, covering the sun and devouring everything green that had escaped the hail and previous plagues.

The ninth plague enveloped Egypt in a thick and impenetrable veil of darkness, which extinguished all lights kindled.

Finally, all firstborn in the land of Egypt began dying, from the firstborn of King Pharaoh unto the firstborn of the cattle, exactly as Moshe had warned.

At last the pride of the stubborn king was broken and he realized that there indeed was a G-d.  Pharaoh called for Moshe and granted the Israelites freedom.

Not trusting the Pharoah, as he had gone back on his word several times before, the Israelites fled in haste with unrisen dough to bake on their backs.

After three days, Pharaoh regretted that he had permitted the Israelites to leave. He mobilized his army in hot pursuit of his former slaves. He reached them near the banks of the Red Sea and pressed them close to the water, in an effort to cut off their escape.

Moshe led the Israelites onwards until they came to the very borders of the Red Sea.  Then G-d spoke to Moshe: "Lift up your rod, stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it; and the children shall go into the midst of the sea on dry ground." Moshe did as G-d ordered and a strong east wind rose and the waters of the Red Sea were divided and gathered into a wall on either side, leaving a dry passage in the midst. The Israelites thus reached the opposite side in safety.

The Egyptians continued their pursuit, but Moshe stretched forth his staff again, and the waters resumed their usual course, closing over the whole army of Pharaoh.

Thus, G-d saved the children of Israel from the Egyptians and Israel saw His great power; they recognized G-d and believed in Him and in His servant Moshe -- the first redeemer of Israel.

Source:  
Jewishcontent.org

Inspired to create
your own Haggadah?

Make your own Haggadah and share with other Seder lovers around the world

Have an idea
for a clip?

People like you bring their creativity to Haggadot.com when they share their ideas in a clip

Support Us
with your donation

Help us build moments of meaning and connection through
home-based Jewish rituals.

OUR TOP CONTRIBUTORS

contributor image
Esther Kustanowitz
4 Haggadahs38 Clips
contributor image
JQ International
1 Haggadah40 Clips
contributor image
MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger
5 Haggadahs109 Clips
contributor image
18Doors
1 Haggadah13 Clips
contributor image
JewishBoston
1 Haggadah78 Clips
contributor image
Truah: The Rabbinic Call for Human Rights
1 Haggadah36 Clips
contributor image
American Jewish World Service
1 Haggadah44 Clips
contributor image
JewBelong
3 Haggadahs57 Clips
contributor image
Repair the World
12 Clips
contributor image
HIAS
5 Haggadahs48 Clips
contributor image
Be'chol Lashon
2 Haggadahs27 Clips
contributor image
PJ Library
1 Haggadah17 Clips
contributor image
Jewish World Watch
3 Haggadahs42 Clips
contributor image
Secular Synagogue
10 Clips
contributor image
SVIVAH
1 Haggadah9 Clips
contributor image
The Blue Dove Foundation
12 Clips
contributor image
ReformJudaism.org
24 Clips
contributor image
Jewish Emergent Network
1 Haggadah22 Clips

Passover Guide

Hosting your first Passover Seder? Not sure what food to serve? Curious to
know more about the holiday? Explore our Passover 101 Guide for answers
to all of your questions.

Haggadot

Haggadot.com by Recustom, is a free resource for all backgrounds and experiences. Consider making a donation to help support the continuation of this free platform.

Copyright © 2024 Custom and Craft Jewish Rituals Inc, dba Recustom, dba Haggadot.com.
All Rights Reserved. 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization. EIN: 82-4765805.