Posted by Steven Benjamin on April 7, 2009, 10:01 pm, in reply to " Peshach (cont'd) 2"
25 And it shall come to pass, when ye be come to the land which the LORD will give you, according as he hath promised, that ye shall keep this service.
26 And it shall come to pass, when your children shall say unto you, What mean ye by this service?
27 That ye shall say, It is the sacrifice of the LORD's passover, who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt, when he smote the Egyptians, and delivered our houses. And the people bowed the head and worshipped.
On this nite, the first of TWO seder Feasts, the Jew's at some point will ask 4 questions of the youngest child in the room. These questions will come at the end of a re-telling of the passover story and the questions are aimed at illustrating the life lessons from that story to the 4 different types of people,
This rite is called the MAGGID. I am uncertain at this point where they derive this practice, but it most likely comes in observance to the two verses above from Exodus 12.
Maggid: The Story
A retelling of the story of the
Exodus from Egypt and the first
Passover. This begins with the
youngest person asking The Four
Questions, a set of questions
about the proceedings designed
to encourage participation in the
seder. The Four Questions are
also known as Mah Nishtanah
(Why is it different?), which are
the first words of the Four
Questions.
At the end of the maggid, a
blessing is recited over the
second cup of wine and it is
drunk.
NOW The above paragraph was copied from a website on this subject. Note that it says the YOUNGEST CHILD asks the 4 questions,
This website says the YOUNGEST CHILD IS ASKED
the 4 questions...
"One of the most important rituals to be followed at Seder is those of four questions that are to be answered by the youngest child at the table. The concept originated to make the children feel involved in the Passover celebration and arouse curiosity in them. The ceremony is based mainly on the commandment in the Bible that reads - "And thou shalt tell thy son". The Haggadah, the Book of Exodus also stresses the importance of the Seder to excite the interest of the children. At the Seder, the Haggadah is read and stories narrating the history of the Hebrew slaves of Egypt are told who walked away to freedom and established their own kingdom as Israelites under the guidance of God and Prophet Moses are told. Songs and sung and prayers are told to thank the Lord for the liberation from slavery.
The four questions that are asked are given here along with their answers:
1. Why do we eat only Matzoh on Pesach and not all kinds of breads and crackers like other nights?
When Pharaoh finally ordered Jews to get out of Egypt after the tenth plague, they were in such a hurry to get away from slavery that they hadn't time to let their dough rise and bake their bread. Thus, they took the raw dough with them on their journey and baked it into hard crackers in the hot desert called Matzoh. Thus, we eat only Matzoh on this day to remind us of their struggles.
2. Why do we eat bitter herbs or Maror at our Seder?
Maror or the bitter herbs are eaten to remind us of the bitterness of slavery and harsh and cruel ways in which Jewish people were treated as slaves under the Pharaoh in Egypt.
3. At our Seder, why do we dip the parsley in salt water and the bitter herbs in Charoset?
Parsley represents new life and Spring while salt water represents tears of Hebrew slaves. Parsley dipped in salt water thus represents new life that emerged from the tears and hardship of the Jewish slaves. Bitter herbs dipped into Charoset represent the bitter days of slavery. Charoset has a coarse texture like clay used to make bricks for the Pharaoh's buildings.
4. Why do we lean on a pillow while eating tonight and do not sit straight like other nights?
Leaning on a pillow signifies the comforts of freedom. As slaves, our ancestors had little comforts. Thus, we lean on a pillow to assert that we are free now and can sit straight or lean on a pillow as much as we like."
http://www.happypassover.net/4-questions.html
Another Website concurrs that the 4 questions are to be ANSWERED by the youngest Child...and to illustrate 4 aspects of the 4 different types of people involved in the story of Passover and the MORALISTIC implications to each
1. Those who heed God's Law
2. Those who do not heed God's Law or think
themselves beyond it
3. Those who need to learn more about PASSOVER
4. THOSE WHO NOT ONLY NEED TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THE PASSOVER, BUT DO NOT EVEN KNOW WHY THEY NEED TO KNOW MORE
What is is clear is that 4 questions are asked,and this part of the seder feast geared to gaining participation of the children.
I think the last set of questions genders a LEARNING EXPERIENCE TO ALL, but the Jews dispute amongst themselves as to how to properly keep the timeframe, so, what is clear, is accountability was given to teach the event to the younger generations then, and to come.
28 And the children of Israel went away, and did as the LORD had commanded Moses and Aaron, so did they.
29 And it came to pass, that at midnight the LORD smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sat on his throne unto the firstborn of the captive that was in the dungeon; and all the firstborn of cattle.
30 And Pharaoh rose up in the night, he, and all his servants, and all the Egyptians; and there was a great cry in Egypt; for there was not a house where there was not one dead.
31 And he called for Moses and Aaron by night, and said, Rise up, and get you forth from among my people, both ye and the children of Israel; and go, serve the LORD, as ye have said.
32 Also take your flocks and your herds, as ye have said, and be gone; and bless me also.
interesting that Now PHAROE seeks a blessing of the Lord, or at least his servant. NOTE the ecomnomic impact this would play on the Nation of Egypt, by some accounts, the Hebrew's were 600,000 strong, this would account for about HALF of the entire population of Egypt at that time, and likewise most of thier LABOR force.
33 And the Egyptians were urgent upon the people, that they might send them out of the land in haste; for they said, We be all dead men.
34 And the people took their dough before it was leavened, their kneadingtroughs being bound up in their clothes upon their shoulders.
35 And the children of Israel did according to the word of Moses; and they borrowed of the Egyptians jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment:
36 And the LORD gave the people favour in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they lent unto them such things as they required. And they spoiled the Egyptians.
37 And the children of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand on foot that were men, beside children.
38 And a mixed multitude went up also with them; and flocks, and herds, even very much cattle.
39 And they baked unleavened cakes of the dough which they brought forth out of Egypt, for it was not leavened; because they were thrust out of Egypt, and could not tarry, neither had they prepared for themselves any victual.
40 Now the sojourning of the children of Israel, who dwelt in Egypt, was four hundred and thirty years.
41 And it came to pass at the end of the four hundred and thirty years, even the selfsame day it came to pass, that all the hosts of the LORD went out from the land of Egypt.
42 It is a night to be much observed unto the LORD for bringing them out from the land of Egypt: this is that night of the LORD to be observed of all the children of Israel in their generations.
43 And the LORD said unto Moses and Aaron, This is the ordinance of the passover: There shall no stranger eat thereof:
44 But every man's servant that is bought for money, when thou hast circumcised him, then shall he eat thereof.
45 A foreigner and an hired servant shall not eat thereof.
46 In one house shall it be eaten; thou shalt not carry forth ought of the flesh abroad out of the house; neither shall ye break a bone thereof.
47 All the congregation of Israel shall keep it.
48 And when a stranger shall sojourn with thee, and will keep the passover to the LORD, let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come near and keep it; and he shall be as one that is born in the land: for no uncircumcised person shall eat thereof.
49 One law shall be to him that is homeborn, and unto the stranger that sojourneth among you.
50 Thus did all the children of Israel; as the LORD commanded Moses and Aaron, so did they.
51 And it came to pass the selfsame day, that the LORD did bring the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt by their armies.
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