Dayeinu

I was always puzzled how, in the Haggadah, we essentially recite the dayeinu passage twice in which we thank God for a list of different things He did for us in the extended Exodus story. We say it once with dayeinu separating each thing for which we are thankful and then again as one long paragraph without the dayeinu. What is the reason for this redundancy?

R. Yehiel Mikhel Epstein, the author of the Arukh Ha-Shulhan, explains in his commentary to the Haggadah that, just like when pieces are put together the whole is greater than the sum of all the pieces, the first recitation is a thanks to God for each individual matter while the second recitation is a thanks for the confluence of good things. Not only did He do all those individual acts for us, but He did all of them which combined to create a world-changing event.

One of the dayeinus in particular is somewhat puzzling (here is a list of them): "If He would've brought us to Mount Sinai, and not given us the Torah, it would've been enough for us."

Why would we be thankful for being brought to Mt. Sinai if nothing happened there and we were not given the Torah? What good is there in merely going to the mountain?

I think the answer can be found in Rashi's commentary to Shemos 19:2. The verse states, "And Israel camped there in front of the mountain." Rashi comments (based on the Mekhilta, "As one person with one heart (mind). But all the other encampments were with resentment and dissention."

While encamped at Mt. Sinai, the Jewish people experienced a fundamental unity as a people that was unequalled throughout the Desert experience, and probably throughout history. That moment in time, while encamped at Mt. Sinai, serves as the archetype for Jewish unity to which we strive. Even if we had not received the Torah, the experience and example of unity would have been dayeinu.

Alternatively, verses 10-11 of that chapter tell us: "The Lord said to Moses: 'Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow. Have them wash their clothes and prepare for the third day, because on the third day the Lord will come down upon Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people...'"

The giving of the Torah was God acting upon Israel. It was Him sanctifying us through his terrifying presence that forces holiness onto people unable to disobey such an overwhelming force. Prior to the giving of the Torah, the period of encampment at Mt. Sinai, was the time for our own preparation. We made ourselves holy in order to receive the Torah. Thus, the encampment at Mt. Sinai was our changing ourselves through our own initiative while the subsequent giving of the Torah was God changing us through external means.

Even if we had only encamped at Mt. Sinai and been given the opportunity to change ourselves and make ourselves holy, dayeinu.