Ma Nishtana
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Ma Nishtana (Hebrew: מה נשתנה, "What has changed?," from the first line of the song) are the four questions sung during the Passover Seder. Often referred to as The Four Questions in English, the Four Questions are traditionally asked by the youngest child at the table who is able. The questions are included in the haggadah as part of the Maggid (מגיד) section.
Origins
The questions originate in the Mishna, Pesachim 10:4, but are quoted differently in the Jerusalem and Babylonian Talmuds. The Jerusalem Talmud only records three questions; why foods are dipped twice as opposed to once, why matzah is eaten, and why the meat sacrifice is eaten exclusively roasted. (The last question is a reference to the paschal sacrifice which was fire-roasted).[1] The Babylonian Talmud quotes four questions; why matza is eaten, why maror is eaten, why meat is eaten exclusively roasted, and why food is dipped twice.[2] The version in the Jerusalem Talmud is also the one most commonly found in manuscripts.[3] As the paschal sacrifice was not eaten after the destruction of the temple, the question about the meat was dropped.[4] The Rambam and Saadia Gaon both add a new question to the liturgy to replace it: "why do we recline on this night?"[3] Ultimately, the question of reclining was maintained, in part to create a parallelism between the number of questions and the other occurrences of the number four in the hagaddah.[3]
Contemporary tunes
One of the current tunes widely used for the Ma Nishtana was written by Ephraim Abileah in 1936 as part of his oratorio "Chag Ha-Cherut".[5]
Current text
| English | Transliteration | Hebrew |
|---|---|---|
| What has changed, this night, from all the other nights? |
Mah nishtanah, ha-laylah ha-zeh, mi-kol ha-leylot? |
מה נשתנה, הלילה הזה מכל הלילות |
| That in all other nights we eat both chametz and matzah, on this night, we eat only matzah? |
She-b'khol ha-leylot 'anu 'okhlin chameytz u-matzah, ha-laylah ha-zeh, kulo matzah? |
שבכל הלילות אנו אוכלין חמץ ומצה הלילה הזה, כלו מצה |
| That in all other nights we eat many vegetables, on this night, maror? |
She-b'khol ha-leylot 'anu 'okhlin sh'ar y'raqot, ha-laylah ha-zeh, maror? |
שבכל הלילות אנו אוכלין שאר ירקות הלילה הזה, מרור |
| That in all other nights we do not dip vegetables even once, on this night, we dip twice? |
She-b'khol ha-leylot 'eyn 'anu matbilin 'afilu pa`am 'achat, ha-laylah ha-zeh, shtey fe`amim? |
שבכל הלילות אין אנו מטבילין אפילו פעם אחת הלילה הזה, שתי פעמים |
| That in all other nights some eat sitting and others reclining, on this night, we are all reclining? |
She-b'khol ha-leylot 'anu 'okhlin beyn yoshvin u-veyn m'subin, ha-laylah ha-zeh, kulanu m'subin? |
שבכל הלילות אנו אוכלין בין יושבין ובין מסובין הלילה הזה, כולנו מסובין |
Alternate texts
The custom of the Hasidic Chabad-Lubavitch community places the order of the four questions as follows: 1. Dipping the food 2. Eating matzah 3. Eating bitter herbs 4. Reclining.[6]
Contemporary use
The four questions are traditionally asked by the youngest person at the table that is able to do so.[7] Much of the seder is designed to fulfill the biblical obligation to tell the story to one's children,[8] and many of the customs that have developed around the Four Questions are designed to pique a child's curiosity about what is happening in order to hold their attention.[7]
Idiomatic usage
The phrase "ma nishtanah" is sometimes used colloquially by some Jewish families in an ironic sense, to express the opinion that some behavior or situation under discussion is not unusual. For example:
- Child: "Dad's in a bad mood today."
- Mother: "Ma nishtanah?"
See also
References
- ↑ Jerusalem Talmud, Pesachim, 60b
- ↑ Talmud bavli, Pesachim, 116a
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Kasher, Menachem Mendel. הגדה שלמה (in Hebrew). Jerusalem: תורה שלמה.
- ↑ Rambam, Mishnah Torah, hilchot chumetz u matza, 8:3
- ↑ Weiss, Sam. "Chazzanut - Mah Nishtanah". Retrieved 2008-09-21.
- ↑ [http://www.chabad.org/holidays/passover/pesach_cdo/aid/666079/jewish/Why-Is-Chabads-Four-Questions-Different-Than-All-Others.htm. Cotler, Yisroel. Why Is Chabad’s Four Questions Different Than All Others’? Chabad.org.]
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 "Judaism 101: Pesach Seder: How is This Night Different". Retrieved 2008-09-21.
- ↑ Exodus, 13:8
External links
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