A Woman's Prayer for Passover
By Esther Blaustein 1971
L-rd, let not the line at the supermarket be too long
Let the produce be fresh and crisp and let there be just one more jar of Kosher-for-Passover mayonnaise left.
You see, Lord, I forgot that there is school next week
And tuna fish falls off matzoh sandwiches so easily
When it is not held together with enough mayonnaise.
G-d, please let everyone be well for the two Seder nights
And while You are at it, could you please make it the rest of the year too?
And if you do not make me spend so many hours
Swabbing chickenpox with calamine lotion
I promise that I will devote my leisure
To ecology, UJA, JHA and things like that.
Almighty G-d, let the children behave at the seder table
For I have labored so long to make everything right and lovely.
Suffer not their little fingers to spill wine on the tablecloth and carpeting.
It never seems to come out.
And let them pipe the Mah Nishtanah and the Chad Gadya
In such abundant glee and wisdom
As to make the car pool to Hebrew School worth it.
Ruler of the Universe, it seems that I will never get all these dishes changed
And Everyone’s clothes ready, and all the chametz out of the house in time.
So remember, Dear Lord,
To please make sure that the cleaning woman shows up.
Creator of the World, let each year have our table be fuller
Not only with Your bounty, but with people.
All our loved ones, dear friends, new babies,
And young lovers shyly brought home for approval.
And let this year begin, and next year see
Our banquet seats overflowing
With our long-lost Jews who crouch in fear in countries other than ours.
G-d of Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebecca, Jacob, Rachel and Leah
Let me not,
In the hustle and rush of preparation,
Forget what the Passover really means.