One kid, one kid
That my father bought for two coins
One kid, one kid!
Then came a cat
And ate the kid
That my father bought for two coins
One kid, one kid!
Then came a dog
And bit the cat
That ate the kid
That my father bought for two coins
One kid, one kid!
Then came a stick
And beat the dog
That bit the cat
That ate the kid
That my father bought for two coins
One kid, one kid!
Then came a fire
And burned the stick
That beat the dog
That bit the cat
That ate the kid
That my father bought for two coins
One kid, one kid!
Then came water
And quenched the fire
That burned the stick
That beat the dog
That bit the cat
That ate the kid
That my father bought for two coins
One kid, one kid!
Then came an ox
And drank the water
That quenched the fire
That burned the stick
That beat the dog
That bit the cat
That ate the kid
That my father bought for two coins
One kid, one kid!
Then came a slaughterer
And slaughtered the ox
That drank the water
That quenched the fire
That burned the stick
That beat the dog
That bit the cat
That ate the kid
That my father bought for two coins
One kid, one kid!
Then came the angel of death
And killed the slaughterer
That slaughtered the ox
That drank the water
That quenched the fire
That burned the stick
That beat the dog
That bit the cat
That ate the kid
That my father bought for two coins
One kid, one kid!
Then the Holy One, Blessed be He
Came and killed the angel of death
That killed the slaughterer
That slaughtered the ox
That drank the water
That quenched the fire
That burned the stick
That beat the dog
That bit the cat
That ate the kid
That my father bought for two coins
One kid, one kid!
The first verse:
Who knows one? I know one. One is our God, in heaven and on earth.
The second verse:
Who knows two? I know two. Two are the tablets of the covenant;
One is our God, in heaven and on earth.
The third verse:
Who knows three? I know three. Three are the Fathers
Two are the tablets of the covenant;
One is our God, in the heavens and the earth.
The fourth verse:
Who knows four? I know four. Four are the Mothers
Three are the Fathers;
Two are the tablets of the covenant;
One is our God, in the heavens and the earth.
The fifth verse:
Who knows five? I know five. Five are the books of the Torah;
Four are the Mothers;
Three are the Fathers;
Two are the tablets of the covenant;
One is our God, in the heavens and the earth.
The sixth verse:
Who knows six? I know six. Six are the books of the Mishnah;
Five are the books of the Torah;
Four are the Mothers;
Three are the Fathers;
Two are the tablets of the covenant;
One is our God, in the heavens and the earth.
The seventh verse:
Who knows seven? I know seven. Seven are the days of the week;
Six are the books of the Mishnah;
Five are the books of the Torah;
Four are the Mothers;
Three are the Fathers;
Two are the tablets of the covenant;
One is our God, in the heavens and the earth.
The eighth verse:
Who knows eight? I know eight. Eight are the days of circumcision;
Seven are the days of the week;
Six are the books of the Mishnah;
Five are the books of the Torah;
Four are the Mothers;
Three are the Fathers;
Two are the tablets of the covenant;
One is our God, in the heavens and the earth.
The ninth verse:
Who knows nine? I know nine. Nine are the months of pregnancy;
Eight are the days of circumcision;
Seven are the days of the week;
Six are the books of the Mishnah;
Five are the books of the Torah;
Four are the Mothers;
Three are the Fathers;
Two are the tablets of the covenant;
One is our God, in the heavens and the earth.
The tenth verse:
Who knows ten? I know ten. Ten are the Ten Commandments; (Exodus 20)
Nine are the months of pregnancy;
Eight are the days of circumcision;
Seven are the days of the week;
Six are the books of the Mishnah;
Five are the books of the Torah;
Four are the Mothers;
Three are the Fathers;
Two are the tablets of the covenant;
One is our God, in the heavens and the earth.
The eleventh verse:
Who knows eleven? I know eleven. Eleven are the stars of Joseph's dream;
Ten are the Ten Commandments;
Nine are the months of pregnancy;
Eight are the days of circumcision;
Seven are the days of the week;
Six are the books of the Mishnah;
Five are the books of the Torah;
Four are the Mothers;
Three are the Fathers;
Two are the tablets of the covenant;
One is our God, in the heavens and the earth.
The twelfth verse:
Who knows twelve? I know twelve. Twelve are the tribes of Israel;
Eleven are the stars of Joseph's dream;
Ten are the Ten Commandments;
Nine are the months of pregnancy;
Eight are the days of circumcision;
Seven are the days of the week;
Six are the books of the Mishnah;
Five are the books of the Torah;
Four are the Mothers;
Three are the Fathers;
Two are the tablets of the covenant;
One is our God, in the heavens and the earth.
The thirteenth verse:
Who knows thirteen? I know thirteen. Thirteen are the attributes of divinity;
Twelve are the tribes of Israel;
Eleven are the stars of Joseph's dream;
Ten are the Ten Commandments;
Nine are the months of pregnancy;
Eight are the days of circumcision;
Seven are the days of the week;
Six are the books of the Mishnah; (Seeds, Appointments, Women, Moral laws, Civil Laws, and Purity)
Five are the books of the Torah; (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy)
Four are the Mothers; (Rachel, Leah, Bilhah, and Zilpah)
Three are the Fathers; (Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob)
Two are the tablets of the covenant;
One is our God, in the heaven and the earth.
[Twelve tribes: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Issachar, Zebulun, Joseph, and Benjamin. Joseph is split into the half-tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh.]
[Thirteen attributes: 1) Eternal, 2) Merciful to grant resistance to temptations, 3) Merciful to preserve the righteous, 4) Merciful in lessening temptation, 5) Compassionate, 6) Slow to anger, 7) Abundant in kindness, 8) Truth - fulfills promises, 9) Preserver of kindness for thousands of generations, 10) Forgiver of iniquity (due to lust or desire), 11) Forgiver of transgression (defying God), 12) Forgiver of sin (unintentional), 13) He who erases and does not erase (penitent / impenitent) - Exodus 34:6-7]
Said the father to his children,
"At the Seder you will dine,
You will eat your fill of Matza,
You will drink four cups of wine."
Now this father had no daughters,
But his sons, they numbered four.
One was wise and one was wicked.
One was simple and a bore.
But the fourth was sweet and winsome.
He was young and he was small.
While his brothers asked the questions
He could scarcely speak at all.
Said the wise son to his father,
"Will you please explain the laws
Of the customs of the Seder?
Will you please explain the cause?"
And the father proudly answered,
"Cause our forefathers ate in speed,
Ate the Paschal lamb ere midnight
And from slavery they were freed."
Then did sneer the son so wicked,
"What does all this mean to YOU?"
And the father's voice was bitter
As his grief and anger grew.
"If yourself you don't consider
As a son of Is-ra-el,
Then for you this has no meaning;
You could be a slave as well."
Then the simple son said softly,
"What is this?" And quietly,
The good father told his offspring,
"We were freed from slavery."
But the youngest son was silent,
For he could not ask at all,
And his eyes were bright with wonder
As he sat and heard it all.
So dear children, heed the lesson,
And remember evermore,
What the father told his children,
Told his sons that numbered four.