We now think about the story from all angles. Our tradition speaks of four different types of children react differently to the Passover seder. It is our job to make our story accessible to all the members of our community, so we think about how we might best reach each type of child:

The wise child asks,  What are the testimonies and laws which God commanded you?

We should read this child the entire book of Exodus, reciting every single statute and law, such as "Do not cook a young goat in its mother's milk". When we are finally done, everybody will be tired, and getting ready to drive back to Calabasas. 

The wicked child asks,  So it is okay to cook an older goat in its mother's milk? What good have all your pious prayers done you?! To hell with your ritual, and to hell with you!"

The wicked child stays far removed from suffering, and thus has lost the essence of the teachings. You might ask this child: “If you had been in Egypt, would you have been redeemed?" Then give the child a very fatty slice of brisket. 

The simple child asks,  What is this?

To this child, answer plainly: “With a strong hand God took us out of Egypt, where we were slaves.” Then the simple child might then say, "No, I meant what is this crawling on the Seder plate?". This is an opportunity to have a group discussion about the importance of thoroughly washing the shank bone.

What about the child who doesn’t know how to ask a question?

We explain to this child that the secret is to take a declarative sentence, then simply reverse the order of the subject and verb.

I am chopped liver.

What am I, chopped liver?

The start telling the story:

“The story tells us that our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate; our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most fightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and favulous? Actually, who are you not to be? As we let our own light shine, we give others permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence liberates others."


haggadah Section: -- Four Children