Why is this night different from all other nights?

On all other nights, we eat either leavened bread or matzoh; why, on this night, do we eat only matzoh?

We eat matzoh because when our ancestors were told by Pharaoh that they could leave Egypt, they had no time to allow their bread to rise, so they baked hurriedly, without leavening. 

On all other nights, we eat all kinds of herbs; why, on this night, do we especially eat bitter herbs?

At the Seder, we eat bitter herbs to remind us of the bitterness our ancestors experienced when they were oppressed as slaves.

On all other nights, we do not dip herbs at all; why, on this night, do we dip twice?

At the Seder table, we dip food twice; once in salt water to remind us of the tears shed in slavery and again in haroset, to remind us that there is sweetness even in bitter times. 

On all other nights, we eat in an ordinary manner; why, tonight, do we recline and dine with a special ceremony?

In ancient times, slaves ate hurriedly, standing or squatting on the ground. Symbolically, as a sign of freedom, we lean and relax as we partake of wine and symbolic food


haggadah Section: -- Four Questions