This wonderful Jewish prayer has been rolling around in my spirit these days. It came up during a group discussion in CPE. I want to do my own version of the Dayenu someday soon … what are all the blessings I have received for which any one of them would have been enough?
How many levels of favors has the Omnipresent One bestowed upon us:
If He had brought us out from Egypt, and had not carried out judgments against them–Dayenu, it would have been enough!
If He had carried out judgments against them, and not against their idols–Dayenu, it would have been enough!
If He had destroyed their idols, and had not smitten their firstborn–Dayenu, it would have been enough!
If He had smitten their firstborn, and had not given us their wealth–Dayenu, it would have been enough!
If He had given us their wealth, and had not split the sea for us–Dayenu, it would have been enough!
If He had split the sea for us, and had not taken us through it on dry land–Dayenu, it would have been enough!
If He had taken us through the sea on dry land, and had not drowned our oppressors in it–Dayenu, it would have been enough!
If He had drowned our oppressors in it, and had not supplied our needs in the desert for 40 years–Dayenu, it would have been enough!
If He had supplied our needs in the desert for 40 years, and had not fed us the manna–Dayenu, it would have been enough!
If He had fed us the manna, and had not given us the Shabbat–Dayenu, it would have been enough!
If He had given us the Shabbat, and had not brought us before Mount Sinai–Dayenu, it would have been enough!
If He had brought us before Mount Sinai, and had not given us the Torah–Dayenu, it would have been enough!
If He had given us the Torah, and had not brought us into the land of Israel–Dayenu, it would have been enough!
If He had brought us into the land of Israel, and had not built for us the Beit Habechirah (Chosen House; the Beit Hamikdash)–Dayenu, it would have been enough!