Four Answers

Haggadah Section: -- Four Questions

Uncover the Matzoh.

I am glad you asked these questions, for the story of this night is just what I wanted you to know. Indeed, this night is different from all other nights, for this night we celebrate the going forth of the Hebrew people from slavery into freedom.

Why do we eat only matzoh tonight? When Pharaoh let our ancestors go from Egypt, they were forced to flee in great haste. They had no time to bake their bread. They could not wait for the yeast to rise. So the sun beating down on the dough as they carried it along baked into a flat unleavened bread called matzoh.

Why do we eat bitter herbs tonight? Because our ancestors were slaves in Egypt and their lives were made bitter.

Why do we dips herbs twice tonight? We dip the parsley into salt water because it reminds us of the greenery that comes to life in the springtime. We dip the bitter herbs into the sweet charoset as a sign of hope; our ancestors were able to withstand the bitterness of slavery because it was sweetened by the hope of freedom.

Why do we recline at the table? Because reclining at the table was a sign of a free person in olden times, and since our ancestors were freed on this night, we recline at the table.

Performing these rituals, we ourselves taste the bitterness of slavery and experience joy in freedom. We are reminded that the liberty to pursue happiness, to create beauty, to perform deeds of kindness, and to find fulfillment in life are the rights and privileges of all people. The task of achieving a society where these goals may be realized is our social responsibility.

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