What Is Chad Gadya?

Chad Gadya is a cumulative song which many sing after the Seder. It begins with a tale of a little goat that gets eaten by a cat, and then lists off a series of forces, each more potent than the next, each attacking the next, until, in the end, G‑d Himself kills the last power: the angel of death. The seemingly playful children's song teaches the lesson that our actions have consequences and that G‑d runs the world.

Written in Aramaic, this song is appended to the end of the Seder, along with the Hebrew Echad Mi Yodea (Who Knows One), sometime in the early middle ages, partially to keep the children alert and engaged through the long evening. While the original tune and style are quite similar to some period German and French folk songs, Chad Gadya has deep meaning and has been retained through the generations and spread across the Ashkenazic and Sephardic worlds as a popular and prominent piyut, generating versions in Yiddish, Ladino, and Judeo-Arabic.

The Meaning of Chad Gadya

There are many interpretations for this song, ranging from on-the-surface commentary to deep esoteric Kabbalistic elucidations. The most common explanation is that the "kid" refers to the Jewish nation, who have been exiled and tormented through the generations, while the various cats, dogs, and sticks denote the many nations that have risen against us until G‑d ultimately rescues his people and avenges their suffering, bringing them full Redemption (symbolized by the killing the angel of death).

Other interpretations include the pesach lamb and the sacrificial process, the Jewish people's exodus, and the soul's journey on this earth.

Chad Gadya Lyrics in English and Hebrew

One little goat, one little goat Which father bought for two zuzim. One little goat, one little goat. חַד גַּדְיָא. חַד גַּדְיָא. דְּזַבִּין אַבָּא בִּתְרֵי זוּזֵי. חַד גַּדְיָא. חַד גַּדְיָאּ
The cat came, and ate the goat, Which my father bought for two zuzim. One little goat, one little goat. וְאָתָא שׁוּנְרָא וְאָכְלָה לְגַדְיָא. דְּזַבִּין אַבָּא בִּתְרֵי זוּזֵי. חַד גַּדְיָא. חַד גַּדְיָא
The dog came and bit the cat, that ate the goat, Which my father bought for two zuzim. One little goat, one little goat. וְאָתָא כַלְבָּא וְנָשַׁךְ לְשׁוּנְרָא. דְאָכְלָה לְגַדְיָא. דְּזַבִּין אַבָּא בִּתְרֵי זוּזֵי. חַד גַּדְיָא. חַד גַּדְיָא
The stick came, and beat the dog, that bit the cat, that ate the goat, Which my father bought for two zuzim. One little goat, one little goat. וְאָתָא חוּטְרָא וְהִכָּה לְכַלְבָּא. דְנָשַׁךְ לְשׁוּנְרָא. דְאָכְלָה לְגַדְיָא. דְּזַבִּין אַבָּא בִּתְרֵי זוּזֵי. חַד גַּדְיָא. חַד גַּדְיָא
The fire came, and burned the stick, that beat the dog, that bit the cat, that ate the goat, Which my father bought for two zuzim. One little goat, one little goat וְאָתָא נוּרָא וְשָׂרַף לְחוּטְרָא. דְהִכָּה לְכַלְבָּא. דְנָשַׁךְ לְשׁוּנְרָא. דְאָכְלָה לְגַדְיָא. דְּזַבִּין אַבָּא בִּתְרֵי זוּזֵי. חַד גַּדְיָא. חַד גַּדְיָא
The water came, and put out the fire, that burned the stick, that beat the dog, that bit the cat, that ate the goat, Which my father bought for two zuzim. One little goat, one little goat וְאָתָא מַיָּא וְכָבָה לְנוּרָא. דְשָׂרַף לְחוּטְרָא. דְהִכָּה לְכַלְבָּא. דְנָשַׁךְ לְשׁוּנְרָא. דְאָכְלָה לְגַדְיָא. דְּזַבִּין אַבָּא בִּתְרֵי זוּזֵי. חַד גַּדְיָא. חַד גַּדְיָא
The ox came, and drank the water, that put out the fire, that burned the stick, that beat the dog, that bit the cat, that ate the goat, Which my father bought for two zuzim. One little goat, one little goat. וְאָתָא תוֹרָא וְשָׁתָה לְמַיָּא. דְכָבָה לְנוּרָא. דְשָׂרַף לְחוּטְרָא. דְהִכָּה לְכַלְבָּא. דְנָשַׁךְ לְשׁוּנְרָא. דְאָכְלָה לְגַדְיָא. דְּזַבִּין אַבָּא בִּתְרֵי זוּזֵי. חַד גַּדְיָא. חַד גַּדְיָא
The slaughterer (Shochet) came, and killed the ox, that drank the water, that put out the fire, that burned the stick, that beat the dog, that bit the cat, that ate the goat, Which my father bought for two zuzim. One little goat, one little goat וְאָתָא הַשּׁוֹחֵט וְשָׁחַט לְתוֹרָא. דְשָׁתָה לְמַיָּא. דְכָבָה לְנוּרָא. דְשָׂרַף לְחוּטְרָא. דְהִכָּה לְכַלְבָּא. דְנָשַׁךְ לְשׁוּנְרָא. דְאָכְלָה לְגַדְיָא. דְּזַבִּין אַבָּא בִּתְרֵי זוּזֵי. חַד גַּדְיָא. חַד גַּדְיָא
The angel of death came, and slew the slaughterer, who killed the ox, that drank the water, that put out the fire, that burned the stick, that beat the dog, that bit the cat, that ate the goat, Which my father bought for two zuzim. One little goat, one little goat וְאָתָא מַלְאַךְ הַמָּוֶת וְשָׁחַט לְשּׁוֹחֵט. דְשָׁחַט לְתוֹרָא. דְשָׁתָה לְמַיָּא. דְכָבָה לְנוּרָא. דְשָׂרַף לְחוּטְרָא. דְהִכָּה לְכַלְבָּא. דְנָשַׁךְ לְשׁוּנְרָא. דְאָכְלָה לְגַדְיָא. דְּזַבִּין אַבָּא בִּתְרֵי זוּזֵי. חַד גַּדְיָא. חַד גַּדְיָא
Then came The Holy One, Blessed be He, and smote the angel of death, who slew the slaughterer, who killed the ox, that drank the water, that put out the fire, that burned the stick, that beat the dog, that bit the cat, that ate the goat, Which my father bought for two zuzim. One little goat, one little goat. וְאָתָא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא וְשָׁחַט לְמַלְאַךְ הַמָּוֶת. דְשָׁחַט לְשּׁוֹחֵט. דְשָׁחַט לְתוֹרָא. דְשָׁתָה לְמַיָּא. דְכָבָה לְנוּרָא. דְשָׂרַף לְחוּטְרָא. דְהִכָּה לְכַלְבָּא. דְנָשַׁךְ לְשׁוּנְרָא. דְאָכְלָה לְגַדְיָא. דְּזַבִּין אַבָּא בִּתְרֵי זוּזֵי. חַד גַּדְיָא. חַד גַּדְיָא