The Four Questions

On all other nights we eat leavened bread.  Why on this night do we eat only unleavened bread?

Once we were slaves in Egypt.  In our escape from slavery we had no time to let the dough rise.  Matzah symbolizes the natural human impulse to rush to freedom.

On all other nights we eat all kinds of vegetables.  Why on this night do we eat bitter ones?

Once we were slaves in Egypt.  The bitter taste helps us to feel the pain of our ancestors under slavery and the pain of so many people who are still not free today.

On all other nights we don’t dip our herbs at all.  Why on this night do we dip our herbs twice?

Once we were slaves in Egypt.  We dip once to taste the bitterness of slavery and again to remind ourselves that holding on to bitterness is not good for us.

On all other nights we eat sitting up.  Why on this night must we all recline?

Once we were slaves in Egypt.  We lean back to symbolize our release from slavery as if we were being released from chains that strapped us upright in our chair.


haggadah Section: -- Four Questions