“Mah nishtanah, ha-laylah ha-zeh, mi-kol ha-leylot—
(Phonetic pronunciation: “MAH Neesh-tah-NAH / hah-LIE-lah hah-ZEH / mee-KOL hah-lay-LOAT.” Translation: “Why is this night different from all other nights?”)
CALEB. You can’t ask the questions, Simon, that’s my job.
JOHN. I’m the youngest. I should ask.
SIMON. I’ll ask. I wanna see if you have any answers for me.
A child has questions. A man has answers.
On all other nights we eat either leavened or unleavened bread; why on this night are we eating this hardtack? Caleb?
CALEB. Because our ancestors left Egypt in such a hurry, there was no time for the dough to rise. The first Seder was improvised, like ours.
SIMON. Imagine that.
John, on all other nights we eat all kinds of herbs. Why, on this night, do we eat only bitter herbs?"
JOHN. To remind us of the bitterness of slavery. As if we needed reminding.
SIMON. Your children will. And their children will. We must not forget. Your children must be taught. Yours too, Caleb.
SIMON. On all other nights we do not dip any food in any other, even once. Why on this night do we dip twice: the celery in the salt water?
CALEB. To remind us of the tears of slavery.
SIMON. And if we had any Charoset?
JOHN. To remind us that sweetness can come from bitterness.
SIMON. On all other nights we eat sitting up at the table; why, on this night, do we recline?
JOHN. Because reclining, because rest, is the symbol of the free man.”

“SIMON. (sung)
GO DOWN, MOSES, 
WAY DOWN IN EGYPT’S LAND.”

Excerpt From: Matthew Lopez. “The Whipping Man.” iBooks. https://itun.es/us/ojekD.l

Excerpt From: Matthew Lopez. “The Whipping Man.” iBooks. https://itun.es/us/ojekD.l


haggadah Section: -- Four Questions