Antisemitism is a serious problem in many societies and a tremendous threat for the Jewish  people. We need to consider that not only younger generations had to deal with that hardship. It has been an issue throughout all of Jewish history.

Vehi Sheamda is a very famous song, which describes the tragic stories of the Jewish people. How we had so many enemies, and that many nations have existed, who have tried to kill us.

Why would we sing this sorrowful song and remember the tragic history of the Jewish nation if Pessah is the festival of freedom and release?  

Indeed, Vehi Sheamda is a very happy and beautiful song. The idea of this song is not to remember all our enemies. In the end of Vehi Sheamda we chant, even though we had many enemies, Hashem has always stood with us and has realeased us from all those enemies.  

When Mark Twain, a famous American author, wrote about the Jewish people he asked about the Secret of Immorality: The Jews have faced and have been threatened by all the powerful nations, with huge empires, a strong military intelligence and many other advantages, just like the Romans, the Greeks, Babylonians, Persians and many others.

It is an absoulute miracle that the Jews, who have always been a minority and who have never had a strong military power still exist while all of their enemies have faded away.

(Susi Fadlalla)


haggadah Section: -- Exodus Story