Children Are Very Important in the Passover Seder

The Table is Set for a Passover Seder

When I was a child I was lucky to enjoy both a Passover Seder with family as well as Easter. Passover Seder was my favorite Jewish holiday as a child.

Children have a very important role in the Passover Seder. Traditionally the youngest child is prompted to ask questions about the Passover Seder, beginning with the words, Mah Nishtana HaLeila HaZeh (Why is this night different from all other nights?). The questions encourage the gathering to discuss the significance of the symbols in the meal. The questions asked by the child are:

1. Why is this night different from all other nights?
2. On all other nights, we eat either unleavened or leavened bread, but tonight why do we eat only unleavened bread?
3. On all other nights, we eat all kinds of vegetables, but tonight why do we eat only bitter herbs?
4. On all other nights, we do not dip [our food] even once, but tonight why do we dip twice?

Many readings, prayers, and stories are used to recount the story of the Exodus. Many households add their own commentary and interpretation and often the story of the Jews is related to the theme of liberation and its implications worldwide.

It is traditional for Jewish families to gather on the first night of Passover for a special dinner called a Seder. During this meal, the story of the Exodus from Egypt is retold using a special text called the Haggadah. Four cups of wine are consumed at various stages in the narrative. The Haggadah divides the night's procedure into 15 parts:

Kadeish

קדש – recital of Kiddush blessing and drinking of the first cup of wine

Urchatz

ורחץ – the washing of the hands – without blessing

Karpas

כרפס – dipping of the karpas in salt water

Yachatz

יחץ – breaking the middle matzo; the larger piece becomes the afikoman which is eaten later during the ritual of Tzafun

Maggid

מגיד – retelling the Passover story, including the recital of "the four questions" and drinking of the second cup of wine

Rachtzah

רחצה – second washing of the hands – with blessing

Motzi

מוציא – traditional blessing before eating bread products

Matzo

מצה – blessing before eating matzo

Maror

מרור – eating of the maror

Koreich

כורך – eating of a sandwich made of matzo and maror

Shulchan oreich

שולחן עורך – lit. "set table"—the serving of the holiday meal

Tzafun

צפון – eating of the afikoman

Bareich

ברך – blessing after the meal and drinking of the third cup of wine

Hallel הלל – recital of the Hallel, traditionally recited on festivals; drinking of the fourth cup of wine

Nirtzah

נירצה – conclusion