A Night To be Awake

Haggadah Section: -- Four Questions

The Passover telling kicks off with the famous four questions marking how this night is different. The youngest child traditionally poses the questions which, in fact, are not really questions but a four part statement.  “How different this night is!” the child proclaims and then names some of these special foods and traditions.  

The mah nishtana is part of a multipronged approach to keeping the children awake and alert for the story to come.  In talmudic times there would also be nuts and parched kernels (think popcorn) to pique interest. At our seder we use marshmallows judiciously pelting anyone who “interrupts” to ask another question.  Why make such a big deal to keep even the youngest child up late?

Rebbe Aryeh, the Zeide of Shpole taught that these customs are not only aimed at the children at the table but also the children within each of us, the children of Israel.  We must stay awake as the night goes on, as the dark times continue and we are in danger of falling into despair. So on this night we do things to pay attention, we notice things and feed the part of us that can still wonder. That is still awake to possibilities.

The word nishtana - to be different - resembles the word for repeat and the word for learn.  The Four Questions are an invitation to be aware of and to learn from everything, what is different on this night and what we expect to be part of every seder.

Especially this particular night when the differences are so great - maybe we have stayed inside for weeks and maybe we are not all around the same table and maybe theres a computer sitting next to the seder plate! But still on this night we are eating matza, having a bitter herb dipped in charoset, a vegetable dipped in salt water and, when we remember to, leaning over and somewhat awkwardly reminding ourselves that we eat in particular luxury.  In every generation and every household there are things that are different, but what makes this night different from all other nights is how deeply we connect to what makes this night so special. And how this night reminds us not to sleep on the possibility that before long the night will give way to a new day.

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Hosting your first Passover Seder? Not sure what food to serve? Curious to
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