Everywhere around the globe, writers have composed plentiful songs covering all the aspects of human life. Songs have been written on a wide variety of subjects - sometimes, they portray happiness and sometimes, the miseries of life. Passover songs are those songs that have been traditionally connected with the end of the seder, the festive meal associated with this Jewish festival. Playing these songs forms an essential part of the celebration. While most songs are played in the second half after dinner, "Ma Nishtanah" and "Dayenu" are sung during the main part of the seder, before the meal called the "Maggid" of the seder. It is a part of the custom of the seder, devoted to telling the story of the Exodus. We have given the lyrics of the important traditional Pesach songs, to help you learn and sing them during the celebration.
Traditional Passover Songs
The Four Questions ~ Ma Nishtana
Ma nishtana, ha'layla haze
Mikol ha'leylot, mikol ha'leylot
Shebechol ha'leylot anu ochlin,
Hametz u matzah, hametz u matzah
Ha'layla haze, ha'layla haze, kulo matzah
Ha'layla haze, ha'layla haze, kulo matzah
Shebechol ha'leylot anu ochlin,
Shear yerakot, shear yerakot
Ha'layla haze, ha'layla haze, marror, marror
Ha'layla haze, ha'layla haze, marror, marror
Shebechol ha'leylot ein anu matbilin
Afilu pa'am achat, afilu pa'am achat
Ha'layla haze, ha'layla haze, shetei pe'amim
Ha'layla haze, ha'layla haze, shetei pe'amim
Shebechol ha'leylot anu ochlin,
Bein yoshvin u'bein mesubin
Ha'layla haze, ha'layla haze, kulanu mesubin
Ha'layla haze, ha'layla haze, kulanu mesubin
Why is this night different than all other nights?
On all other nights, we eat bread or matzoh,
But on this night only matzoh.
On all other nights, we eat other greens,
But on this night a bitter vegetable
On all other nights, we do not dip even once,
But on this night we must dip two times.
On all other nights, we eat sitting or leaning,
But on this night we all lean.
Dayenu,
Ilu hotzi, hotzi anu
Hotzi anu mi mitzrayim
Mi mitzrayim, hotzi anu
Dayenu!
Refrain:
Da-dayenu, da-dayenu, da-dayenu
Dayenu, dayenu, dayenu
Da-dayenu, da-dayenu, da-dayenu
Dayenu, dayenu
Ilu natan, natan lanu
Natan lanu torah tovah
Torah tovah, natan lanu
Dayenu!
Ilu natan, natan lanu
Natan lanu et haShabbat
Et haShabbat, natan lanu
Dayenu!
Kadesh Urchatz
Kadesh, Urchatz, Karpas, Yachatz
Maggid, Rachtza, Motzi Matzah
Maror, Korech, Shulchan Orech
Tzafun, Barech, Hallel, Nirtzah
Kadesh ~ Kiddush
Urchatz ~ Washing hands
Karpas ~ Blessing and dipping the parsley
Yachatz ~ Breaking the middle matzah
Maggid ~ Telling the story of Pesach
Rachtza ~ Washing hands
Motzi Matzah ~ Blessing the matzah
Maror ~ Blessing the horseradish
Korech ~ Eating a Hillel sandwich
Shulchan Orech ~ Eating dinner
Tzafun ~ Looking for the afikomen
Barech ~ Saying the Birkat haMazon
(grace after meal)
Hallel ~ Psalms of praise
Nirtzah ~ Concluding the seder
