Asking Questions at the Seder

As I wrote in the d'var above, the seder is an opportunity to ask questions in a more informal setting. Here are a few that our students came up with. We invite you to do the same. You can even ask some of your questions over dinner, so that no one gets too hungry!

Why is this a mitzvah? A few extra thoughtful questions can lead to greater understanding among those gathered around the table, which is never a small thing. You can start off with the following questions from our Hebrew School students (in no particular order, our children range in age):

• Why does Passover last for several days?
• Why do we get presents on Passover?
• How did we become slaves in the first place, were we captured?
• Why do we sing so much? Or at least, why do we sing the same thing over and over?
• Why is Moses chosen to free the Israelites?
• Why does the Angel of Death pass over the Jewish houses?
• Why do we dip our vegetables in salt water?
• Why do we hide the afikomen?
• What happens to all of the people running from oppression when they fail to make it out?
• Why don’t we tell the story of others running?