Echad Mi Yodea
Echad Mi Yodea is a traditional cumulative song sung on Passover and found in the haggadah. It enumerates common Jewish motifs and teachings. It is meant to be fun and humorous, while still imparting important lessons to the children present.
Recitation varies from family to family. The song has versions in Hebrew, Yiddish, Arabic, and many other vernacular languages. Sometimes it is played as a memory game, recited without looking. Sometimes the goal is to recite the entire verse in one breath.
Names
The song is known in Yiddish as Ver ken zogn ver ken redn, in Ladino as Ken supyese i entendyese, in Judeo-Arabic, according to the Syrian Jews of Aleppo, as Min Ya3lam U Min Yidri, and in Bukhori as Yakumin ki medonad.Meaning
Although it can appear to be simply a juvenile children's song, an important message is being imparted to those present at the Passover table. The main theme of Passover, and particularly of the Seder, is not only the physical freedom of a nation of slaves. More importantly, it is the spiritual and mental freeing of this people, to become a nation unto God, His Chosen People. As His people, the Jewish Nation is expected to be wholly at one with God, and to relate everything in their lives to Him.It is sometimes thought that word association reveals the unconscious mind. Thus, it is at this point in the Seder that the Jews sing this cumulative song. After relating God's wonders and kindness, and the events of the Exodus, the song demonstrates how everything can and should relate to God: "If I say 'One', you think 'God!', if I say 'Five', you think 'Books of Moses!'"
History
According to the Encyclopaedia Judaica, this song is first found in Ashkenazi Haggadot of the 16th century. It is believed to have originated in Germany in the 15th century, possibly based on a German folk song "Guter freund ich frage dich", which means "Good friend, I ask you".Structure and text
"Echad Mi Yodea" is a cumulative song, meaning that each verse is built on top of the previous verses. There are thirteen verses.The first verse runs:
The second verse:
...and so forth. The last verse is:
Spanish">Spanish language">Spanish version
Showing the last complete paragraph, as an example.First and Last verses would be sung in Hebrew.
Shloshá Asar, Mi Yodea?
Shloshá Asar, Ani Yodea!
Trece años del Bar Mitzvá
Doce Tribus de Israel
Once Estrellas de Iaakov
Diez Mandamientos Son
Nueve Meses de la preñada
Ocho Días del Milá
Siete Días de la Semana
Seis Libros de la Mishná
Cinco Libros de la Torá
Cuatro Madres de Israel
Tres Nuestros Padres Son
Dos Tablas de La Ley
Uno es el Creador
Eloheinu, Eloheinu,
Eloheinu, Eloheinu,
She-bashamaim uva'aretz
Judaeo-Ladino">Judaeo-Spanish">Judaeo-Ladino version
Ken supyese y entendyese alavar al Dio kreyense?Kuale es el uno?
Uno es el Kriador, Baruch Hu Baruch shemo
Kuales son loz dos?
Dos Moshe y Aron
Kuales son los tres?
Trez padrez muestros son,
Kuales son los kuatro?
Kuatro madrez muestras son,
Kuales son los sinko?
Sinko livroz de la Ley
Kuales son los seish?
Seish diaz de la semana
Kuales son los syete?
Syete dias con Shabbat
Kuales son loz ocho?
Ocho diaz de la mila
Kuales son loz nueve?
Nueve mezes de la prenyada
Kuales son los diesh?
Diez mandamientoz de la Ley
Kuales son loz onze?
Onze trivoz in Yisrael
Kuales son loz doze?
Dosay trivos kon Yosef
[Judaeo-Arabic] version
According to the custom of Aram Soba, Aleppo:מן יִעלַם וּמן יִדרִי
אַללַה רַבּ אִל מִדגַ'ללִי
הֵדַה הִנֵּן אִל תלַתַּעִשׁ
תלַתַּעִשׁ לֵבֵס תֵפִילִין
תנַעִשׁ שׁבטֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל
חדַעִשׁ כּוֹכַּב בִּשַּׂמַה
עַשִׁר קִלְמַת אִתּוֹרָה
תִּשׁעַת אִשׁהוֹר אִל חִבּלֵה
תִמִן-ת-אִיַּים אִל מִילָה
שַׂבעת-אִיַּים אִל חוּפָּה
סִתֵּי סְדַאדִיר אִל מִשׁנָה
כַמשֵׂה מְסַאחַף אִתּוֹרָה
אַרבַּעַה אִמַּתנַה
וּתלַתֵה אַבַּתנַה
וּתנֵן מוּסַה וּאַהַרן
וַאחַד יאַלִי-כַלַאְנַה
אַללַהוּ אַללַהוּ לַא אִלַהּ אִללַה הוּא
וַאחִִיד
Min ya'elam wumin yidri
Allah rab el mijalli
heda hinen il tleta'ash
tleta'ash Libs Tfilin
tna'ash shibte Yisrael
hda'ash kokab bisama
'asher qilmat itorah
tisa'at ishhor il hible
tmint-iyyam il mila
sab'at-iyyam il hupa
site sdadir il Mishna
khamse msahaf itorah.
Arba'a imatna
wutlate abatna
wutnen Musa waAharon
wahid yali khalana,
Allahu Allahu la ilahh illa hu Allah hu wahid)
Translation
Who knows, and who understands?
God is the master of the revealed universe
God is the one and the only Creator.
God, God, there is no God but God.
Thirteen is tefillin
twelve tribes of Israel
eleven stars in the sky
ten commandments
nine months of pregnancy
eight days for circumcision
seven days for huppa
six orders of the Mishna
five books of the Torah
four mothers
three fathers
two are Moses and Aaron
God is the one and the only Creator.
God, God, there is no God but God.
Judaeo-Tajik">Judaeo-Iranian languages">Judaeo-Tajik or Bokharian version
Yakumin kie medonad? Yakumin man’ medonam! Yakumin: Khudoyi pabun olamin.Duyumin kie medonad? Duyumin man’ medonam! Duyumin: du’u lavchie gavkhar. Yakumin: Khudoyi pabun olamin.
Seyumin kie medonad? Seyumin man’ medonam! Seyumin: se’e padaron. Duyumin: du’u lavchie gavkhar. Yakumin: Khudoyi pabun olamin.
Chorumin kie medonad? Chorumin man’ medonam! Chorumin: chor’ modaron. Seyumin: se’e padaron. Duyumin: du’u lavchie gavkhar. Yakumin: Khudoyi pabun olamin.
Panjumin kie medonad? Panjumin man’ medonam! Panjumin: panj sifrey Toro. Chorumin: chor’ modaron. Seyumin: se’e padaron. Duyumin: du’u lavchie gavkhar. Yakumin: Khudoyi pabun olamin.
Shashtumin kie medonad? Shashtumin man’ medonam! Shishtumin: shash sidrey mishno. Panjumin: panj sifrey Toro. Chorumin: chor’ modaron. Seyumin: se’e padaron. Duyumin: du’u lavchie gavkhar. Yakumin: Khudoyi pabun olamin.
Khaftumin kie medonad? Khaftumin man’ medonam! Khaftumin: khaft rouzi khafta. Shishtumin: shash sidrey mishno. Panjumin: panj sifrey Toro. Chorumin: chor’ modaron. Seyumin: se’e padaron. Duyumin: du’u lavchie gavkhar. Yakumin: Khudoyi pabun olamin.
Khashtumin kie medonad? Khashtumin man’ medonam! Khashtumin: khasht rouzi millo. Khaftumin: khaft rouzi khafta. Shishtumin: shash sidrey mishno. Panjumin: panj sifrey Toro. Chorumin: chor’ modaron. Seyumin: se’e padaron. Duyumin: du’u lavchie gavkhar. Yakumin: Khudoyi pabun olamin.
Nokhumin kie medonad? Nokhumin man’ medonam! Nokhumin: noch mochie zanon. Khashtumin: khasht rouzi millo. Khaftumin: khaft rouzi khafta. Shishtumin: shash sidrey mishno. Panjumin: panj sifrey Toro. Chorumin: chor’ modaron. Seyumin: se’e padaron. Duyumin: du’u lavchie gavkhar. Yakumin: Khudoyi pabun olamin.
Dakhumin kie medonad? Dakhumin man’ medonam! Dakhumin: dakh sukhanon. Nokhumin: noch mochie zanon. Khashtumin: khasht rouzi millo. Khaftumin: khaft rouzi khafta. Shishtumin: shash sidrey mishno. Panjumin: panj sifrey Toro. Chorumin: chor’ modaron. Seyumin: se’e padaron. Duyumin: du’u lavchie gavkhar. Yakumin: Khudoyi pabun olamin.
Yozdakhum kie medonad? Yozdakhum man’ medonam! Yozdakhum: yozdah sitoracho. Dakhumin: dakh sukhanon. Nokhumin: noch mochie zanon. Khashtumin: khasht rouzi millo. Khaftumin: khaft rouzi khafta. Shishtumin: shash sidrey mishno. Panjumin: panj sifrey Toro. Chorumin: chor’ modaron. Seyumin: se’e padaron. Duyumin: du’u lavchie gavkhar. Yakumin: Khudoyi pabun olamin.
Duvozdakhum kie medonad? Duvozdakhum man medonam! Duvozdakhum: duvozdah shivtocho. Yozdakhum: yozdah sitoracho. Dakhumin: dakh sukhanon. Nokhumin: noch mochie zanon. Khashtumin: khasht rouzi millo. Khaftumin: khaft rouzi khafta. Shishtumin: shash sidrey mishno. Panjumin: panj sifrey Toro. Chorumin: chor’ modaron. Seyumin: se’e padaron. Duyumin: du’u lavchie gavkhar. Yakumin: Khudoyi pabun olamin.
Sezdakhum kie medonad? Sezdakhum man’ medonam! Sezdakhum: sezdah khislatcho. Duvozdakhum: duvozdah shivtocho. Yozdakhum: yozdah sitoracho. Dakhumin: dakh sukhanon. Nokhumin: noch mochie zanon. Khashtumin: khasht rouzi millo. Khaftumin: khaft rouzi khafta. Shishtumin: shash sidrey mishno. Panjumin: panj sifrey Toro. Chorumin: chor’ modaron. Seyumin: se’e padaron. Duyumin: du’u lavchie gavkhar. Yakumin: Khudoyi pabun olamin.
Popular culture
The Judaism section of the Stack Exchange Network of question-and-answer websites is named Mi Yodeya after this song.Entebbe, a 2018 crime thriller film directed by José Padilha and written by Gregory Burke, features a dance on the tunes of the Echad Mi Yodea song, choreographed by Ohad Naharin of the Batsheva dance company.
During an episode of the interactive cartoon "Charlie Gets Fired", the user has the chance for Charlie to sing the whole song. This much chagrin to his boss.