Ma Nishtanah
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Ma Nishtanah (Hebrew: מה נשתנה) are the four questions sung during the Passover seder. Called "Ma Nishtanah" in Hebrew, meaning "Why is it different?", is taken from the first line of the song. In English, it is referred to as, "The Four Questions." Traditionally, the Four Questions are asked by the youngest child at the table who is able. The questions are asked as part of the haggadah, after the Yachatz (יחץ), as part of the Maggid (מגיד).
[edit] Text
| Hebrew | Transliteration | English Translation | |
|---|---|---|---|
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Mah nishtanah ha-lahylah ha-zeh mi-kol ha-layloht, mi-kol ha-layloht? |
Why is this night different from all other nights, from all other nights? |
[edit] The answers
After the child is finished singing Ma Nishtanah, the table as a whole answers the four questions. Note, this part is not sung, rather read.
| “ | This night is different from all other nights: because we were slaves to Pharoh in Egypt. Because we were brought forth from there by God with a mighty hand and outstretched arm. Because we are thankful and because it is our duty to keep the commitment to freedom ever present in our memories and in our lives. So that we will always remember and never forget. We eat Matzoh only on this night to remember that in our haste to escape from Egypt, we could not wait for the bread to rise and so removed it from the ovens while it was still flat. We eat Maror on this night so that the bitter taste of these herbs will remind us of the bitterness of slavery. We dip, twice, on this night - greens in salt water and Maror in Charoses - the first to replace tears with joy and gratitude, the second to sweeten the bitterness of suffering and loss. We recline on this night because, at the time of the exodus, slaves consumed their meals standing, or, at best, sitting upright: the right to recline at mealtimes was the privilege and a symbol of a free man Had we not escaped the tyranny of the despot Pharoh, we and our children might still be enslaved, deprived of freedom and dignity. Through these special foods and rituals and by the recounting of the exodus story, we hope to refresh our understanding and teach the significance of the freedom we so dearly cherish. |
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