Echad Mi Yodea

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:

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.

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 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, [Avram, Itzhak y Yaakov]

Kuales son los kuatro?
Kuatro madrez muestras son, [Sara, Rivka, Leah, Rahel]

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-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.