Who Asks the Four Questions?
Who Asks The Four Questions?
תנו רבנן: חכם בנו שואלו, ואם אינו חכם אשתו שואלתו. ואם לאו הוא שואל לעצמו. ואפילו
שני תלמידי חכמים שיודעין בהלכות הפסח שואלין זה לזה
The rabbis teach that if a son is wise enough, then he asks, but if he is not wise enough, then the man’s wife asks. But if he has no wife, then he asks himself. And even if there are only two wise sage, and both of them know all the laws of Passover, then each must ask each other
Pesachim 116a
Rabbi Josh Franklin:
Who asks the four questions? The tradition has emerged that the youngest child at the table should ask four perscribed questions. The talmudic sages placed the emphasis simply on the act of questioning. Children should always be allowed to ask questions, but it also becomes the responsibility of the seder participants to take part in the tradition, even if they might already know the answer. Jewish tradition values a thoughtful question more than a good answer. On Passover, as we celebrate our freedom, we are also reminded that slaves lack the ability to ask questions. In simply posing questions, we show that we are free!
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