Dayenu

Dayenu (Hebrew:‫ ) ַדּיֵּ נוּ‬is a song that is part of the Jewish holiday of Passover. The word
"dayenu" means approximately "it would have been enough", "it would have been sufficient", or "it
would have sufficed" (day in Hebrew is "enough", and -enu the first person plural suffix, "to us").
This traditional up-beat Passover song is over one thousand years old. The earliest full text of
the song occurs in the first medieval haggadah, which is part of the ninth-century Seder Rav
Amram.[1] The song is about being grateful to God for all of the gifts he gave the Jewish people,
such as taking them out of slavery, giving them the Torah and Shabbat, and had God only given
one of the gifts, it would have still been enough. This is to show much greater appreciation for all
of them as a whole. The song appears in the haggadah after the telling of the story of the
exodus and just before the explanation of Passover, matzah, and the maror.

Dayenu page from Birds' Head Haggada

 Stanzas

Dayenu has 15 stanzas representing the 15 gifts God bestowed. The first five involve freeing the
Jews from slavery, the next describe the miracles He did for them, and the last five for the
closeness to God He gave them. Each of the stanzas is followed by the word "Dayenu" (it would
have been enough) sung repeatedly. The 15 stanzas are as follows:

Five stanzas of leaving slavery

1) If He had brought us out of Egypt.

2) If He had executed justice upon the Egyptians.
3) If He had executed justice upon their gods.
4) If He had slain their first-born.
5) If He had given to us their health and wealth.

Five stanzas of miracles

6) If He had split the sea for us.

7) If He had led us through on dry land.
8) If He had drowned our oppressors.
9) If He had provided for our needs in the wilderness for 40 years.
10) If He had fed us manna.

Five stanzas of being with God

11) If He had given us Shabbat.

12) If He had led us to Mount Sinai.
13) If He had given us the Torah.
14) If He had brought us into the Land of Israel.
15) If He built the Temple for us.

Text
Dayenu, with transliterated lyrics and melody
 English translation Transliteration Hebrew
Verse 1:
If He had brought us out from Egypt, Ilu hotzianu mimitzrayim, ‫הוֹציאָנוּ ִמ ִמּ ְצ ָריִם‬
ִ ‫ִאלּוּ‬
and had not carried out judgments v'lo asah bahem sh'fatim, ‫וְ א ָע ָשׂה ָבּ ֶהם ְשׁ ָפ ִטים‬
against them
— Dayenu, it would have sufficed! dayeinu! ‫ַדּיֵּ נוּ‬
Verse 2:
If He had carried out judgments against Ilu asah bahem sh'fatim ‫ִאלּוּ ָע ָשׂה ָבּ ֶהם ְשׁ ָפ ִטים‬
them,
and not against their idols v'lo asah beloheihem, ‫יהם‬
ֶ ‫וְ א ָע ָשׂה ֵבּא ֵה‬
— Dayenu, it would have sufficed! dayeinu! ‫ַדּיֵּ נוּ‬
Verse 3:
If He had destroyed their idols, Ilu asah beloheihem, ‫יהם‬
ֶ ‫ִאלּוּ ָע ָשׂה ֵבּא ֵה‬
and had not smitten their first-born v'lo harag et b'choreihem, ‫יהם‬
ֶ ‫כוֹר‬
ֵ ‫וְ א ָה ַרג ֶאת ְבּ‬
— Dayenu, it would have sufficed! dayeinu! ‫ַדּיֵּ נוּ‬
Verse 4:
If He had smitten their first-born, Ilu harag et b'choreihem, ‫יהם‬
ֶ ‫כוֹר‬
ֵ ‫ִאלּוּ ָה ַרג ֶאת ְבּ‬
and had not given us their wealth v'lo natan lanu et mamonam, ‫וְ א נָ ַתן ָלנוּ ֶאת ָממוֹנָ ם‬
— Dayenu, it would have sufficed! dayeinu! ‫ַדּיֵּ נוּ‬
Verse 5:
If He had given us their wealth, Ilu natan lanu et mamonam, ‫ִאלּוּ נָ ַתן ָלנוּ ֶאת ָממוֹנָ ם‬
and had not split the sea for us v'lo kara lanu et hayam, ‫וְ א ָק ַרע ָלנוּ ֶאת ַהיָּ ם‬
— Dayenu, it would have sufficed! dayeinu! ‫ַדּיֵּ נוּ‬
Verse 6:
If He had split the sea for us, Ilu kara lanu et hayam, ‫ִאלּוּ ָק ַרע ָלנוּ ֶאת ַהיָּ ם‬
and had not taken us through it on dry v'lo he'eviranu b'tocho ‫וְ א ֶה ֱע ִב ָירנוּ ְבּתוֹכוֹ‬
land becharavah, ‫ֶבּ ָח ָר ָבה‬
— Dayenu, it would have sufficed! dayeinu! ‫ַדּיֵּ נוּ‬
Verse 7:
If He had taken us through the sea on Ilu he'eviranu b'tocho ‫ִאלּוּ ֶה ֱע ִב ָירנוּ ְבּתוֹכוֹ‬
dry land, becharavah, ‫ֶבּ ָח ָר ָבה‬
and had not drowned our oppressors in v'lo shika tzareinu b'tocho, ‫וְ א ִשׁ ַקע ָצ ֵרינוּ ְבּתוֹכוֹ‬
it
— Dayenu, it would have sufficed! dayeinu! ‫ַדּיֵּ נוּ‬
Verse 8:
If He had drowned our oppressors in it, Ilu shika tzareinu b'tocho, ‫ִאלּוּ ִשׁ ַקע ָצ ֵרינוּ ְבּתוֹכוֹ‬
and had not supplied our needs in the v'lo sipeik tzorkeinu bamidbar ‫וְ א ִס ֵפּק ָצ ַר ֵכּנוּ ַבּ ִמּ ְד ָבּר‬
desert for forty years arba'im shana, ‫אַר ָבּ ִעים ָשׁנָ ה‬
ְ
— Dayenu, it would have sufficed! dayeinu! ‫ַדּיֵּ נוּ‬
Verse 9:
If He had supplied our needs in the Ilu sipeik tzorkeinu bamidbar ‫ִאלּוּ ִס ֵפּק ָצ ַר ֵכּנוּ ַבּ ִמּ ְד ָבּר‬
desert for forty years, arba'im shana, ‫אַר ָבּ ִעים ָשׁנָ ה‬
ְ
and had not fed us the manna v'lo he'echilanu et haman, ‫ילנוּ ֶאת ַה ָמּן‬
ָ ‫וְ א ֶה ֱא ִכ‬
— Dayenu, it would have sufficed! dayeinu! ‫ַדּיֵּ נוּ‬
Verse 10:
If He had fed us the manna, Ilu he'echilanu et haman, ‫ילנוּ ֶאת ַה ָמּן‬
ָ ‫ִאלּוּ ֶה ֱא ִכ‬
and had not given us the Shabbat v'lo natan lanu et hashabbat, ‫וְ א נָ ַתן ָלנוּ ֶאת ַה ַשּׁ ָבּת‬
— Dayenu, it would have sufficed! dayeinu! ‫ַדּיֵּ נוּ‬
Verse 11:

If He had given us the Shabbat, Ilu natan lanu et hashabbat, ‫ִאלּוּ נָ ַתן ָלנוּ ֶאת ַה ַשּׁ ָבּת‬

and had not brought us before Mount v'lo keirvanu lifnei har sinai, ‫וְ א ֵק ְר ָבנוּ ִל ְפנֵ י ַהר ִסינַ י‬
Sinai
— Dayenu, it would have sufficed! dayeinu! ‫ַדּיֵּ נוּ‬
Verse 12:
If He had brought us before Mount Ilu keirvanu lifnei har sinai, ‫ִאלּוּ ֵק ְר ָבנוּ ִל ְפנֵ י ַהר ִסינַ י‬
Sinai,
and had not given us the Torah v'lo natan lanu et hatorah, ‫תּוֹרה‬
ָ ‫וְ א נָ ַתן ָלנוּ ֶאת ַה‬
— Dayenu, it would have sufficed! dayeinu! ‫ַדּיֵּ נוּ‬
Verse 13:
If He had given us the Torah, Ilu natan lanu et hatorah, ‫תּוֹרה‬
ָ ‫ִאלּוּ נָ ַתן ָלנוּ ֶאת ַה‬
and had not brought us into the land of v'lo hichnisanu l'eretz yisra'eil, ‫יסנוּ ְל ֶא ֶרץ‬
ָ ִ‫וְ א ִה ְכנ‬
Israel ‫יִשׂ ָר ֵאל‬
ְ
— Dayenu, it would have sufficed! dayeinu! ‫ַדּיֵּ נוּ‬
Verse 14:
If He had brought us into the land of Ilu hichnisanu l'eretz yisra'eil, ‫יסנוּ ְל ֶא ֶרץ‬
ָ ִ‫ִאלּוּ ִה ְכנ‬
Israel, ‫יִשׂ ָר ֵאל‬
ְ

and not built for us the Holy Temple v'lo vanah lanu et beit ‫וְ א ָבּנָ ה ָלנוּ ֶאת ֵבּית‬
hamikdash, ‫ַה ִמּ ְק ָדּשׁ‬
— Dayenu, it would have sufficed! dayeinu! ‫ַדּיֵּ נוּ‬

Associated customs

Jews in Afghanistan and Iran hit each other over the head with green onions during the refrain
beginning with the ninth stanza (Even if you had supplied our needs in the desert for 40 years
but not provided us with manna). This may be due to a passage in Numbers 11:5–6, where the
Israelites see manna and recall Egypt. "We remember the fish that we used to eat in Egypt, the
cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions and the garlic. Now our gullets are shriveled. There
is nothing at all. Nothing but this manna to look at." It is thought that by beating each other with
the onions they taught themselves not to yearn for Egypt or to forget Egyptian slavery.[2]

In popular culture

Independent Israeli guitarist and singer Udi Davidi recorded a modern rendition of "Dayenu" on
his 2006 album entitled "Back To You" (‫)חוזר אליך‬.[3]

Pianist Richard Dworsky does a rendition of the song "Dayenu" every year during Passover on
the public radio program A Prairie Home Companion.[4]

In Israeli screenings of The Rocky Horror Picture Show, after the line "if only we hadn't made
this journey... if only the car hadn't broken down... oh, if only we were amongst friends... Or
sane persons," the audience sings the chorus of "Dayenu".

In the episode "Free to Be You and Me" of Supernatural, Dean tells the angel Castiel "Dayenu"
as if the situation they are in is destined to be.[5]

Near the beginning of the 2013 videogame BioShock Infinite, a preacher recites a spoken
sermon in a form identical to the song ("If he had done this, but not this, it would have been
enough"), but in praise of the game's major antagonist rather than of God.[6]
In 2015, The Maccabeats, an a cappella group at Yeshiva University, released a Passover
music video featuring a mashup of "Dayenu" which incorporated eight different musical
motifs, including doo-wop, polka, heavy metal, funk, hip-hop, "island", dubstep, and barbershop
quartet.[7][8][9]

"Dayenu" was used to explain the final game of the 2016 World Series that gave the Chicago
Cubs a win after 108 years of drought.[10]

Kiko Arguello, the founder of the Neocatechumenal Way, composed a song (resuming Jewish
melodies) called "Dayenu" in which the Jewish and the Christian Passover complement each
other.[11]

See also

Music of Israel

Jewish prayer

References

1. Ben-Amos, Dan; Noy, Dov, eds. (2006). Folktales of the Jews: Tales from Eastern Europe. II. Jewish
Publication Society of America. p. 383. ISBN 9780827608306.

2. "Dayeinu — Is It Ever Enough?" (https://www.haggadahsrus.com/PC14.dayeinu.htm) . Haggadahs-R-Us.

Retrieved April 24, 2019.

3. "Back to you" (https://www.amazon.com/Back-you-Udi-Davidi/dp/B0059R3U10) . Amazon.com.

Retrieved April 24, 2019.

4. "Music Information: A Perfectly Good Wilderness" (https://www.prairiehome.org/story/2015/04/11/musi

c-april-11-2015.html) . April 11, 2015. Retrieved April 24, 2019.

5. "Supernatural s05e03 Episode Script" (https://www.springfieldspringfield.co.uk/view_episode_scripts.ph

p?tv-show=supernatural&episode=s05e03) . Retrieved April 24, 2019.

. Bioshock Infinite: Preacher's Sermon and Terrifying Baptism (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6pVTB

bkm4VU) . Retrieved May 15, 2020 - via Youtube

7. Rosenblum, Jonah L. (April 20, 2016). "Passover songs to please the soul – and get a chuckle" (https://w
ww.clevelandjewishnews.com/features/passover-songs-to-please-the-soul-and-get-a-chuckle/article_17a
6f100-0734-11e6-86c0-03bece1e3eb5.html) . Cleveland Jewish News. Retrieved April 24, 2019.

. Waxman, Olivia B. (March 30, 2015). "Watch an A Cappella Group Perform 'Dayenu' in 8 Totally Different
Musical Styles" (http://time.com/3757088/passover-maccabeats-dayenu/) . Time. Retrieved April 24,
2019.
 9. Wiener, Julie (March 30, 2015). "Maccabeats don lederhosen for Passover" (https://www.jta.org/2015/0
3/30/culture/maccabeats-don-lederhosen-for-passover) . JTA. Retrieved April 24, 2019.

10. Keri, Jonah (November 3, 2016). "Absurd Cubs-Indians World Series Game 7 was everything we love
about baseball" (https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/absurd-cubs-indians-world-series-game-7-was-e
verything-we-love-about-baseball/) . CBS Sports. Retrieved April 24, 2019.

11. Dayenú - Kiko Argüello (https://web.archive.org/web/20200509035651/https://www.youtube.com/watc

h?v=S2nOo8BeBNg&gl=US&hl=en) . Apr 23, 2017. Archived from the original (https://www.youtube.co
m/watch?v=S2nOo8BeBNg) on May 9, 2020. Retrieved April 24, 2019 – via YouTube.

External links

Listen to Dayenu online (https://www.chabad.org/multimedia/media_cdo/aid/255530/jewish/

Dayenu.htm)

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title=Dayenu&oldid=1034639735"

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