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The Four Children - Traditional and Modern take.
Contributed by Jane & Michael Zeitz

  • TOP HAGGADAHS FOR 2023

As we tell the story, we think about it from all angles.  Our tradition speaks of four different types of children who might 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?

You must teach this child the rules of observing the holiday of Passover.

The wicked child asks,  what does this service mean to you?

To you and not to himself! Because he takes himself out of the community and misses the point, set this child’s teeth on edge and say to him: “It is because of what God did for me in taking me out of Egypt.” Me, not him. Had that child been there, he would have been left behind.

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.”

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

Help this child ask.

Start telling the story:

“It is because of what God did for me in taking me out of Egypt.”

You can also look at the four children as four generations of Jews in America today.

The first generation of eastern European Jewry who emigrated to America at the turn of the century are represented by The Wise Child.  This is the Jew who grew up with a strong connection to the Jewish way of life. His commitment to Judaism is unshakable.

His child, the second generation, is represented in the Wicked Child. This is the rebel who wants to succeed in his new life and take on Western values. Although he has grown up in a home full of Jewish values and an integrated Jewish life, he rejects this in favor of integrating into Western society and becoming accepted as the new American.

His child, the third generation, is represented by the Simple Child. This child has spent Seder nights at his grandparents' table and has seen his grandmother light the Shabbat candles. He has a spattering of knowledge picked up at Hebrew school, but he doesn't know the meaning behind any of the symbols and is not very motivated to go beyond what he sees.

His child, the fourth generation, is represented in the "One who doesn't know how to ask." This child does not have memories of his great grandparents. He celebrates the American holidays and other than knowing that he is a Jew, has no connection whatsoever to Judaism. He sits at a traditional Seder night and does not even know what to ask because it is all so foreign to him.

Today there is a fifth child, who is out at the movies on Seder night, not even aware that Passover exists. Anyone sitting at the Seder table is still connected to the Jewish people and heritage just by being there. We just need to get him interested enough to ask a question so a door can be opened for him.
haggadah Section: -- Four Children

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