DAYENU – IT WOULD BE SUFFICIENT

“You will bring them in and plant them, on the mountain of your inheritance- the place, O LORD, you made for your dwelling, the sanctuary, O LORD, your hands established”
Exodus 15:17

As a part of the Jewish holiday of Passover, the song “Dayenu” is sung. Dayenu ( דַּיֵּנוּ) is translated as “it would have been sufficient”, and is normally a traditional upbeat song that reflects on the awesome hand of Adonai and the way He worked in the exodus of His people. Additionally, the song is about being grateful of Adonai for all the gifts He gave the Jewish people which include the Torah and Shabbat. If Adonai had only brought the people out of slavery, that would have been enough. If Adonai had only given the Torah, that would have been enough. Although this song reflects on the times then, it has just as much significance now as we reflect on the Passover Lamb we know as Yeshua HaMashiach. Let us look at the words of this song as we too stand grateful for the Lamb.

“If [Adonai] had brought us forth from Egypt, and had not inflicted judgement upon the Egyptians, it would have been sufficient.
“If He had inflicted justice on them, and had not executed judgment upon their gods, it would have been sufficient.
“If He had executed judgment upon their gods, and had not slain their first-born, it would have been sufficient.
“If He had slain their first-born, and had not bestowed their wealth on us, it would have been sufficient.
“If He had given us their wealth and had not divided the sea for us, it would have been sufficient.
“If He had divided the sea for us, and had not made us pass through on dry land, it would have been sufficient.
“If He had made us pass through its midst on dry land, and had not drowned our oppressors in the sea, it would have been sufficient.
“If He had drowned our oppressors in it, and had not supplied our necessities in the wilderness during forty years, it would have been sufficient.
“If He had supplied our necessities in the wilderness during forty years and had not fed us with manna, it would have been sufficient.
“If He had fed us with manna, and had not given us the Sabbath, it would have been sufficient.
“If He had given us the Sabbath, and had not brought us to Mount Sinai, it would have been sufficient.
“If He had brought us near to Mount Sinai, and had not given us the Law, it would have been sufficient.
“If He had given us the Law, and had not led us into the land of Israel, it would have been sufficient.
“If He had led us into the land of Israel and had not built the Temple, it would have been sufficient.

How much we are indebted to Adonai for what He has done for his people. And how many more verses of this song we could still sing. Adonai preserved His people in the time of Esther. Adonai preserved and cared for His people during the captivities, during the time of the Maccabees, and even more recently in the 1940s during the days of Hitler. To save even once in these times, it would have been sufficient. Yet He continues to preserve His people. We are indebted.