DAYEINU revisited & applied

"Had He split the Sea for us, and not led us through it on dry land, tt would have been enough (for us) - DAYEINU. Old question - what do we mean by "enough"? Had He done the first thing and not the second thing, the first alone would have been enough if we wouldn't get the second thing? Definitely not. Doesn't make sense that way. Had He split the sea and not led us through, or and not drown the Egyptians, we would have still been in a lot of trouble. Egypt was in hot pursuit. We needed for G-d to slit the sea and lead us through and drown the Egyptians. It wouldn't have been enough just to split the sea.

It also wouldn't have been enough to bring us to Har Sinai and not give us the Torah. Our purpose of going to Sinai was to receive the Torah. What do we mean, enough?

Had G-d given us the Torah and not brought us to Eretz Yisrael, it would have been enough for us? Definitely not. That was the Sin of the Spies. They "suggested" that we stay in the Midbar. Others wanted to go back to Egypt. Perhaps they thought that had G-d given us the Torah and not taken us into Eretz Yisrael, it would be enough? It wouldn't be enough. G-d made that very clear to the generation of the Wilderness.

So what does DAYEINU mean?

It means that had G-d done this thing (whatever item on the list you point to), and nothing else, there would be sufficient cause to thanks Him.

For different items on the Dayeinu list, there are different ways to understand this idea. Sometimes it is a subtle point; other times, there is a major concept at play.

Had G-d split the Sea and not taken us through it on dry land - but rather on a muddy seabed, there would be sufficient cause to thank Him - implying that the added miracle of our having dry land to ease our passage through the sea is yet another thing to thank G-d for.

Had he sustain us in the Midbar by any natural means, we would have ample cause to acknowledge Him, thank Him, praise Him. But He sustained us in an overtly miraculous way - the manna, and for this too we thank Him separately, so to speak.

The experience of coming to Sinai as a unified people - as one person with one heart, is cause in and of itself to thank G-d. Of course it would not have been enough had we not received the Torah there. But there was sufficient cause to thank and praise G-d for the awe-inspiring experience of Sinai.

That is our "revisit" of Dayeinu.

Now for the "application". Now for the lesson we must learn from the Seder experience and from Dayeinu.

Thanking G-d for the Torah He gave us, and considering that to be Dayeinu, does not mean that we didn't and don't want to go into Eretz Yisrael. Nor does thanking G-d for Eretz Yisrael imply any less of a longing for the Beit HaMikdash. It just acknowledges the greatness of the gift of Eretz Yisrael as something in and of itself for us to appreciate.

Had G-d given us a State in 5708 (1948), and not rebuilt the Beit HaMikdash and brought Moshiach - Dayeinu. Not, the State is enough. It isn't, by a long shot. But there would be - and is - sufficient reason to acknowledge, the praise, and to thank G-d for this as yet imperfect state - as Yaffa Ganz poetically put it. For the first time in almost 2000 years, Jews have a home. Jews need not be the unwanted - or even wanted - guests of other nations. Jews may come to Eretz Yisrael to live without being subject to quotas or other restrictions of foreign rule.

Is Medinat Yisrael perfect? No. Would a muddy seabed have been the best way across the sea? No. But we would still have sufficient cause to thank G-d for splitting the sea. And we have sufficient cause to thank G-d for a Jewish State. A state in which more Torah is learned than in any place and than any time in Jewish History. Shabbat and Chagim are part of national life. Our own army helps G-d protect us. An army that requires Shabbat observance and adherence to Kashrut laws.

Are there ignorant, foolish, or misguided Jews who say that the modern State of Israel is the realization of the age-old dream and that DAYEINU, it is enough?

Sadly, the answer is YES. These Jews have to be taught that Eretz Yisrael needs Am Yisrael and Torat Yisrael to be complete. There is still good reason to say Dayeinu, that with the establishment of the State of Israel there is sufficient cause to thank G-d for this great gift. For this great opportunity. For this great challenge. But the State is not enough. We, the Jewish people want and need more. The Exodus from Egypt was not the goal - it was the opportunity to develop into a great and holy nation, guided by the Torah and dwelling in the Land G-d promised us.

The State of Israel is not the goal. It too is the opportunity and challenge that was denied many generations of our People in the last many centuries.

Are there ignorant, foolish, or misguided Jews who feel that they can live a complete Jewish life in Monsey or Boro Park or Teaneck or Flatbush or...? Jews who say Dayeinu, it is enough that we have a great Jewish life where we are, who needs Israel with its problems?

Sadly, the answer to this question is also YES. They too seem to have misunderstood what Dayeinu means.

Living without Torah is not enough. Living without Eretz Yisrael is not enough. Living without a Sanhedrin, without a Beit HaMikdash is not enough. But we have many reasons to be thankful to G-d - even though we hope and pray for more.

This is the beauty of the passage that follows Dayeinu in the Hagada. AL ACHAT KAMA V'CHAMA... How much more so are we required to thank and praise G-d because He took us out of Egypt and He led us across the sea and protected and fed us in the Midbar and He gave us Shabbat and all of Torah and took us into Eretz Yisrael and built the Beit HaMikdash.

At different times in our history, the whole Dayeinu list was behind us. Then things happened. Our leaving Egypt and the other events of the early years are still done deals. But the gifts of Shabbat and Torah and Eretz Yisrael and Beit HaMikdash all or in part, allude many Jews today.

We have to do our share in helping our fellow Jews see and come to the beauty of Torah, see and come to the beauty of life in Israel. See the beauty in not only longing for but in working towards the time when we will have Eretz Yisrael L'Am Yisrael al pi Torat Yisrael. Then we will be able to say all the Dayeinus and the whole Al Achat Kama V'Chama, having been ZOCHEH to the coming of Mashiach and the building of the Beit HaMikdash, BIMHEIRA B'YAMEINU AMEN.

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