Why is this Night Different from all Other Nights

The Four Questions

It is said that the Seder is celebrated especially for the children. It is important for Jewish children to be and feel involved in the celebration of Passover. Much of the ceremony is based on the commandment in the Bible that says, "And thou shalt tell thy son"

At the Seder the Haggadah, the Book of Exodus, is read and the history celebrated with its stories, songs and prayers

Why? Why? Why?

Why is this night different?
Why do we eat such unusual foods as Matzoh, the unleavened bread, and Maror, the bitter herbs?
Why do we dip green herbs in salt water?
Why do we open doors?
Why do we hide and then eat the Afikomen?

At the Seder it is the youngest child at the table that answers the 4 questions asked at Passover.

On all other nights we eat all kinds of breads and crackers... Why do we eat only matzoh on Pesach?

Matzoh reminds us that when the Jews left the slavery of Egypt they had no time to bake their bread. They took the raw dough on their journey and baked it in the hot desert sun into hard crackers called matzoh.

On all other nights we eat many kinds of vegetables and herbs.... Why do we eat bitter herbs, maror, at our Seder?

Maror reminds us of the bitter and cruel way the Pharaoh treated the Jewish people when they were slaves in Egypt.

On all other nights we don't usually dip one food into another.... Why do we dip our foods twice tonight?

We dip bitter herbs into Charoset to remind us how hard the Jewish slaves worked in Egypt. The chopped apples and nuts look like the clay used to make the bricks used in building the Pharaoh's buildings.

We dip parsley into salt water. The parsley reminds us that spring is here and new life will grow. The salt water reminds us of the tears of the Jewish slaves.

On all other nights we eat sitting up straight.... Why do we lean on a pillow tonight?

We lean on a pillow to be comfortable and to remind us that once we were slaves, but now we are free

The Haggadah itself stresses the importance of the Seder as "a spectacle meant to excite the interest and the curiosity of the children." Everything in the Seder is meant to make the children curious and to ask questions

Related Articles:
Miriam's Cup
The Passover Seder
Passover Music
G-d ! What's up??
Kosher for Passover

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Comments

Ilovewowtoo-

20:52 05/08/2008

 

Hey man wow rocks

Ilovewow

20:32 05/08/2008

 

Thanks! This is useful

Arrambide

19:47 05/08/2008

 

This is awesome! Now I can finish my Judaism Worksheet in English!

Whittingslow

14:54 05/08/2008

 

Thanks this'll help on english HW!

Jim

19:02 04/30/2008

 

Thanks, as a gentile, this helps my understanding. Who knows? maybe now I'll get some of Jackie Mason's jokes.

Emily

08:31 04/27/2008

 

Thanks! That really helped on my Religious Studies Coursework!!

annette silton

07:15 04/25/2008

 

If there are 4 questions , why are there 5 on your website? Thanks

nanci

13:43 04/23/2008

 

Understand the first 2 nights, but why do we celebrate 8 days?

DEBORAH SIMMONS

19:16 04/20/2008

 

Thanks this helps to explaine alot to my gentil friends

Kristen

19:07 04/20/2008

 

" On all other nights we eat sitting up straight.... " Then how do you sit? And how does one LEAN on a pillow? Do you sleep upright against a wall with your head on a pillow? And is there meat on the shank bone? ...stupid questions from someone who isn't Jewish.