Echad Mi Yodea

File:The National Library of Israel - Echad Me Yodea 931086 341025 yc-00034-rel a 01.ogg

Echad Mi Yodea, recorded in Tel Aviv in 1966 (nusach Corfu)

"Echad Mi Yodea" (Template:Langx) 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 is varied 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 several languages.

• Yiddish as ()
• Ladino as
• Judeo-Arabic, according to the Syrian Jews of Aleppo, as
• Judeo-Arabic, according to the Tunisian Jews of Djerba, as
• Bukhori as
• Lishan Didan as (מַנִי כיֵל חָא)

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 and this song did not appear in non-Ashkenazi Haggadot until the 19th century. It is believed to have originated in Germany in the 15th century, possibly based on a German folk song "", which means "Good friend, I ask you".

In a handwritten siddur from the year 1406, it is written that the piyyut was found in the synagogue of Rabbi Elazar of Vurmiza, author of Sefer HaRokeach. The piyyut was first printed in Ashkenazi Haggadot in 1590 (Prague printing).

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:

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.

...and so forth. The last verse is:

Who knows thirteen?

I know thirteen.

Thirteen are God's principles;

Twelve are the tribes of Israel;

Eleven are the stars of Joseph's dream;

Ten are the Commandments;

Nine are the months of childbirth;

Eight are the days before circumcision;

Seven are the days of the week;

Six are the sections of the Mishnah;

Five are the books of the Torah;

Four are the Matriarchs;

Three are the Patriarchs;

Two are the tablets of the covenant;

One is our God, in heaven and on earth.

Popular version
English		Hebrew		Yiddish
1.	One is our God, in heaven and on earth
2.	Two are the tablets of the covenant;
3.	Three are the Fathers
4.	Four are the Mothers
5.	Five are the books of the Torah
6.	Six are the books of the Mishnah
7.	Seven are the days of the week
8.	Eight are the days of the circumcision
9.	Nine are the months of the pregnant
10.	Ten are the Commandments
11.	Eleven are the stars of the Joseph's dream
12.	Twelve are the tribes of Israel
13.	Thirteen are the attributes of God

Rhyming version
English		Hebrew
1.	One is Hashem, one is Hashem, one is Hashem! In the Heaven and the Earth
2.	Two are the tablets that Moshe brought;
3.	Three are the Fathers
4.	Four are the Mothers
5.	Five are the books of the Torah
6.	Six are the books of the Mishnah
7.	Seven are the days of the week ooh-ah
8.	Eight are the days til the Brit Milah
9.	Nine are the months til the baby's born
10.	Ten are the ten Commandments
11.	Eleven are the stars in Joseph's dream
12.	Twelve are the tribes of Israel
13.	Thirteen are the attributes of Hashem

Yiddish version

Yiddish singing version (sometimes known as Mu Asapru)
English		Yiddish transliteration	Yiddish
Chorus:	Hebrew What can I say? What can I tell? back to Yiddish Hey! Hey! Ya da da da da! Who can say, who can tell, what is the meaning of ___?
1.	One is God, and God is one, and there is no other.
2.	Two are the tablets
3.	Three are the Fathers
4.	Four are the Mothers
5.	Five are the fifths of the Torah
6.	Six are the books of the Mishnah
7.	Seven are the weekdays
8.	Eight days till the bris
9.	Nine months you're carried (in the womb)
10.	Ten are the Commandments
11.	Eleven are the stars (in Joseph's dream)
12.	Twelve are the tribes (of Israel)
13.	Thirteen is a bar mitzvah
Complete verse.	Thirteen is a bar mitzvah, twelve are the tribes, eleven are the stars, ten are the Commandments, nine months you're carried, eight days till the bris, seven are the weekdays, six are the books of the Mishnah, five are the fifths of the Torah, four are the Mothers, three are the Fathers, two are the tablets, and one is God, and God is one, and there is no other. Hey!

Spanish version

Showing the last complete paragraph, as an example. First and Last verses would be sung in Hebrew.

Judaeo-Arabic version

According to the custom of Aram Soba, Aleppo:

Transliteration

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.
(some say: Blessed be He and Blessed be His Name)
(some say: God is one)
Thirteen is bar mitzvah
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.

Lishan Didan version

...

Popular culture

The song appears in The Garden of the Finzi-Continis (film) 1970 movie, sung amidst the rise of Mussolini's racial laws and alignment with Nazi Germany.

The Judaism section of the Stack Exchange Network of question-and-answer websites is named Mi Yodeya after this song.

Entebbe (titled 7 Days in Entebbe in the U.S.), 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.

See also

• Green Grow the Rushes, O

External links

• Listen to Echad Mi Yodea online
• Listen & watch Echad Mi Yodea video with Hebrew lyrics and English translationTemplate:Category handler