Friday, April 18, 2008

Dayenu 2008

(The Hebrew word dayenu means "it would have been enough for us." This is a variation on the classic song from the Passover Seder. Enjoy! And feel free to add your own agreeable dayenus in the comments. -TCM)

If our world were filled with plants and animals, but we had never evolved as a species, dayenu.

If we had evolved as a species, but lacked the senses that make life so precious, dayenu.

If we had the senses that make life so precious, but lacked the intellect to appreciate our experiences, dayenu.

If we had the intellect to appreciate our experiences, but lacked the means to feed our poor, dayenu.

If we had the means to feed our poor, but never developed modern medicine, dayenu.

If we had developed modern medicine, but never learned to love our neighbors, dayenu.

If we had learned to love our neighbors, but never learned to love the foreigner, dayenu.

If we had learned to love the foreigner, but never realized that all were equal, dayenu.

If we had realized that all were equal, but never declared freedom of religion, assembly, and speech, dayenu.

If we had declared freedom of religion, assembly, and speech, but had not been taught the power of love and non-violence, dayenu.

If we had been taught the power of love and non-violence, but never achieved full civil rights for all minorities, dayenu.

If we had achieved full civil rights for all minorities, but were denied the privilege of marrying whom we choose, dayenu.

If we were privileged to marry whom we choose, but were denied the privilege of an education, dayenu.

If we were privileged to have an education, but were denied the privilege of choosing our occupations, dayenu.

If we were privileged to choose our occupations, but lacked homelands and countries for different nations, dayenu.

If we had homelands and countries for different nations, but lacked the technology to communicate and make peace between peoples, dayenu.

If we had the technology to communicate and make peace between peoples, but lacked the technology and foresight to save our planet, dayenu.

Day dayenu, day dayenu, day dayenu, dayenu dayenu!
And a happy Earth Day to all.

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