Chad Gadya (One Kid)

One Kid, One Kid:  These represent the two kid goats that Rivkah told Yaakov to bring to her so she can cook them as a meal for her husband Itzchak on Pesach night. Because of these two goats, Yaakov accepted both Itzchak’s blessing and the birthright of Esav. Therefore, the two goats initiated Mitzvot for all the generations- the Pesach offering and the Chagigah offering. As a result of this, Yaakov gave up his birthright and the blessing of Yitzchak to Yosef.

Then came a cat:  This represents the jealousy that the brothers had towards Yosef. Their jealousy caused them to sell Yosef as a slave on their way to Mitzraim. They did all this just to try to take the birthright and the blessing away from him.

Then came fire: This is the fire of the evil inclination (Yetzer Hara). Bnei Israel’s Yetzer Hara towards idol worshiping is what caused the destruction of the first Beit Hamikdash. Bnei Israel brought in pictures of Avodah Zarah into the Beit Hamikdash and this nullified the power of Moshe’s staff (which is represented by the stick in Chad Gadya).

Then came the Shochet: This is the Mashiach ben Yosef, who will make a war with Edom (who destroyed the first Beit HaMikdash and tried to destroy Torah learning among the Jews and is represented by the bull) and destroy them.

Happy Pesach and Shabbat Shalom,

Simcha Peretz