As the second Passover pandemic nears the end, and the last box of matzo is whittled down to crumbs, I’ wrote a year-in-review parody of  “Dayneu”, the Hebrew name of a popular Passover song that means, “It was enough for us”.  While we have experienced tremendous loss, some of us way more than others, we gained a lot as well, a new appreciation for living, breathing, taking care of each other, and Zoom. Dayenu reminds us to recognize that what we have is enough and to not take the miracles for granted.

So, here goes, it helps if you know the original lyrics, which can be found HERE.

PANDEMIC PASSOVER DAYENU

If He gave us Netflix

and not season three of Shtisel to binge on

Dayenu, it would have been enough

 

If He provided food on the table

and not offered us carryout from our favorite Thai restaurant

Dayenu, it would have been enough

 

If He temporarily shut down roads, airways, waters, to prevent the virus from spreading

and not rewarded us bluer skies, cleaner air, less noise and pollution, and a better environment for nature and animals

Dayenu, it would have been enough

 

If He filled the grocery stores with plenty of food

and not given us Shipt delivery service

Dayenu, it would have been enough

 

If He supplied pleated disposable masks

and not showed us how to make washable face coverings with Hanukkah menorah patterns

Dayenu, it would have been enough

 

If He gave us Shabbat and the Jewish holidays

and not invented the technology to join fellow congregants and community virtually, while wearing our pajamas

Dayenu, it would have been enough

 

If He built us temples

and not offered drive thru Shofar blowing

Dayenu, it would have been enough

 

If He educated our rabbis, clergy, leaders, and community organizations

and not created Zoom to keep us connected and inspired

Dayenu, it would have been enough

 

If He gave us rituals to guide us through life cycle events, from birth to death and every simcha in between

and not invented computers to attend a wedding, bris and shiva all on the same day

Dayenu, it would have been enough

 

If He provided us soap to constantly wash our hands

and not the liquid moisturizing kind in a pump that smells like jasmine

Dayenu, it would have been enough

 

If He gave us bleach to sterilize the door knobs, kitchen counters, and mailbox every time we touched it

and not the convenient disinfectant wipes that pull out of a canister

Dayenu, it would have been enough

 

If He gave us shelter

and not heat, air conditioning, and essential oil diffusers

 Dayenu, it would have been enough

 

If He trained doctors, nurses, and hospital workers to heal us

and not asked them to risk their own lives to save ours

Dayenu, it would have been enough

 

If He watched over front line heroes and first responders

and not opened our hearts to bring them pizza and show our support

Dayenu, it would have been enough

 

If He cried with us when we were in pain, lost, or confused

and not shown us how to do His work with compassion, empathy, and generosity

Dayneu, it would have been enough

 

If He made wise the scientists and pharmacists to research and development new medicines, treatments and vaccines

and not administered shots in arms around the world in record time

Dayenu, it would have been enough

 

If He brought forth teachers to care about their students

and not provided virtual classrooms

Dayenu, it would have been enough

 

If He empowered parents to juggle their careers and homeschooling

And not reopened schools before summer

Dayenu, it would have been enough

 

If he showed me the unconditional love of a dog

and not given me a second toy poodle to pick up poop after

Dayneu, it would have been enough

 

If He taught us skills to earn an income

and not shown us how to work from home

Dayenu, it would have been enough

 

If He gave us the hibernation of winter and the resurgence of spring

and not rainbows, yellow daffodils, purple crocus, and white blossoming pear trees

Dayenu, it would have been enough

 

If He blessed us with loved ones, family, friends, neighbors, community far and wide

and not kept us connected through social media while physically apart

Dayenu, it would have been enough

 

If He showed us generosity and kindness to strangers

and not returned the favor ten-fold

 Dayenu, it would have been enough

 

If He watched over people who had to close their doors during the economic shutdown

and not rallied us to support small local businesses.

 Dayenu, it would have been enough

 

If He believed in us

and not given us hope and miracles

Dayenu, it would have been enough

 

If He vaccinated me when it was my turn

And not on January 20, 2021, the day the first woman vice president was sworn in

Dayenu, it would have been enough

 

If He had a sense of humor

And not brought me a Shipt shopped named Moshe on Passover

Dayenyu, it would have been enough

 

And if you made it all the way to the bottom of this blog, thank you, here’s your afikomen (“dessert”)!