Four Questions (2021) | Passover haggadah by Sophia + Jacob

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The formal telling of the story of Passover is framed as a discussion with lots of questions and answers.

The tradition that the youngest person asks the questions reflects the centrality of involving everyone in the seder.

מַה נִּשְׁתַּנָּה הַלַּֽיְלָה הַזֶּה מִכָּל הַלֵּילות

Ma nishtana halaila hazeh mikol haleilot?

Why is this night different from all other nights?

שֶׁבְּכָל הַלֵּילוֹת אָֽנוּ אוֹכלין חָמֵץ וּמַצָּה הַלַּֽיְלָה הַזֶּה כֻּלּוֹ מצה

Shebichol haleilot anu ochlin chameitz u-matzah. Halaila hazeh kulo matzah.

On all other nights we eat both leavened bread and matzah.
Tonight we only eat matzah.

We eat matzah as a symbol of the urgency of redemption. The Israelites did not have time to wait for their bread to rise—the moment to act was upon them. What is the urgency in addressing the United States’ struggle with racial and other injustice?

שֶׁבְּכָל הַלֵּילוֹת אָֽנוּ אוֹכְלִין שְׁאָר יְרָקוֹת הַלַּֽיְלָה הַזֶּה מָרוֹר

Shebichol haleilot anu ochlin shi’ar yirakot haleila hazeh maror.

On all other nights we eat all kinds of vegetables,
but tonight we eat bitter herbs.

We eat maror to remember the bitterness of oppression. In our day, the U.S. criminal justice system has become broken, disproportionately impacting people of color. How can the taste of bitter herbs inspire action to repair this broken system?

שֶׁבְּכָל הַלֵּילוֹת אֵין אָֽנוּ מַטְבִּילִין אֲפִילוּ פַּֽעַם אחָת הַלַּֽיְלָה הַזֶּה שְׁתֵּי פְעמים

Shebichol haleilot ain anu matbilin afilu pa-am echat. Halaila hazeh shtei fi-amim.

On all other nights we aren’t expected to dip our vegetables one time.
Tonight we do it twice.

We dip twice to celebrate abundance. After the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, we thought the ability to vote was finally abundant for all Americans. But when we look twice, we see that ability still being impeded. Most recently, in Georgia, it is now illegal to "let all who are hungry" in line at polling places "come and eat," as the distribution of water and food to voters has been banned. How are we called to act to guarantee access to this fundamental right for every person? How are we to deal with the nationalism that surrounds us?

שֶׁבְּכָל הַלֵּילוֹת אָֽנוּ אוֹכְלִין בֵּין יוֹשְׁבִין וּבֵין מְסֻבִּין. :הַלַּֽיְלָה הַזֶּה כֻּלָּֽנוּ מְסֻבין

Shebichol haleilot anu ochlin bein yoshvin uvein m’subin. Halaila hazeh kulanu m’subin.

On all other nights we eat either sitting normally or reclining.
Tonight we recline.

We recline to experience the ease of privilege. For millennia, we adopted this pose on seder night most often in contrast to Jews’ daily experience of oppression. In our own day, many of us feel largely at ease because of our assimilation into white culture. As we recline tonight, what are the limitations and responsibilities of those of us who carry white privilege to end systemic racial injustice in our congregations, communities and country? How should the Jewish community deal with rising anti-semitism while acknowledging the other privileges we may hold?

A fifth question for today:

How is this night not different from all other nights?

What are the problems in our society that have remained as we shelter in place? What are the good parts of our society that remain, even as we speak online?

Please discuss any and all of the above that draw your interest.

haggadah Section: -- Four Questions

Source: Adapted from Jewish Boston and Eric Gurvis