What Makes This Night Unlike All Other Nights?
The Torah speaks of children asking questions on Pesach. From this, tradition inferred that the story of the exodus from Egypt must be told, wherever possible, in response to the questions asked by a child.
The Torah has two words for inheritance, yerushah and nachalah, and they represent the two different ways in which a heritage is passed on across the generations. The word nachalah comes from the root nachal, which also means "river." It represents an inheritance that is merely handed down without any work on the part of the recipient, as water flows in a river. Yerushah, by contrast, means active inheritance. Rabbi Samsom Rafael Hirsch pointed out that lareshet, the verbal form of yerushah, sometimes means "conquer" or "capture." It means actively taking hold of what one has been promised. An inheritance for which one has worked is always more secure than one for which one has not. That is why Judaism encourages children to ask questions. When a child asks, he or she has already begun the work of preparing to receive. Torah is a yerushah, not a nachalah. It needs work on behalf of the child if it is to be passed on across the generations.
Inspired to create
your own Haggadah?
Make your own Haggadah and share with other Seder lovers around the world
Have an idea
for a clip?
People like you bring their creativity to Haggadot.com when they share their ideas in a clip
Support Us
with your donation
Help us build moments of meaning and connection through
home-based Jewish rituals.
OUR TOP CONTRIBUTORS
Passover Guide
Hosting your first Passover Seder? Not sure what food to serve? Curious to
know more about the holiday? Explore our Passover 101 Guide for answers
to all of your questions.