Holy Days Archive

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PESACH: TO ASK QUESTIONS

By David Kraemer

And when your children ask you, "What do you mean by this rite?'" you shall say, "It is the Passover sacrifice to the Lord, because He passed over the houses of the Israelites in Egypt when He smote the Egyptians, but saved our houses." (Exodus 12:26-27)

During the very first Passover, as the Israelites were about to leave Egypt, God commanded that certain symbolic rituals be performed year after year. The Torah imagines that these symbols - the matzah, bitter herbs, and Paschal offering - will pique the curiosity of children, who will ask about their meaning and provide occasion for the telling of the Jewish Master Story.

It would appear that, in the Torah's view, the child's questioning is secondary and the telling of the Exodus story is primary. But the Rabbis later elevated the questioning itself to a level of primary importance. Anyone who has attended a seder knows this. Consider: We begin the seder as we do all Jewish festive meals with Kiddush. We then wash our hands, again as traditional Jews commonly do. But next, instead of reciting Hamotzi and breaking bread, we dip greens (karpas), we break the matzah without a blessing and without eating, and we pour another cup of wine - as though we are about to recite Kiddush again! What's happening here? the child wonders. Why is everything out of its normal order? Why is this night different?

Giving the answer is not as crucial as asking the question. Why? Because slaves are not permitted to ask questions. Freedom is distinguished by one's ability to question. Without questions, what is called freedom would be meaningless. So, at the seder, we live our freedom by doing what free people must do - ask questions.

Indeed, the Jewish sense of the centrality of questioning to a free people extends far beyond its symbolic presence at the seder. The Talmud, the greatest of all classical rabbinic works, is distinguished, above all, by its commitment to questions and challenges. The Mishnah gives the law; the Talmud asks, "Why?" "For what reason?" "Maybe there is an alternative?" These questions challenge even God and God's law (the Torah). We are a people of questions. By continuing to ask questions, we guarantee our freedom.