Mah Nishtanah! The four questions that your kids ask at the seder are supposed to engage them and spark their curiosity. The night is different from a normal night. How can we help them realize this and start asking questions to prepare them for the holiday?
Here are our four questions (and two for good luck) that YOU can ask and discuss with your family:
- “When Israel was in Egypt’s land… Let my people GO!” What do you think it was like to be a slave in Egypt? What would it be like if we were slaves today?
- God took us out of Egypt so that we could be free people. What does it mean to be free?
- Moshe, Miriam, Aaron… Who are the characters in the Passover story? Who are your heroes?
- Matzah, bitter herbs and tzimis... Oh my! What is all this weird food about? What are your favourite holiday foods? What are you most excited to eat at the seder?
- “Eliyahu HaNavi”… If you open the door for Elijah, who would you like to see?
- “L’Shanah Habah B’Yerushalayim” (If you have never been to Jerusalem...) What do you think Jerusalem looks like? (If you have been..) Would you want to live in Jerusalem, and why or why not?
See if your kids have any more questions that they want to ask you about Passover. Indulging their curiosity and getting them excited will help make for a more enjoyable and meaningful holiday for the whole family! Grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins will really shep nachas when they see how impressive your little ones are!
Bonus: Have each child in your family bring four questions to the seder table. They could be questions they researched and know the answer to, or open-ended questions for discussion.
