When they ask about…Ma Nishtana

Before preparing to sing the Ma Nishtana, the four ritual questions of the seder night, the youngest child of a Jewish family often has preliminary questions: Do I have to? Why?

It would be somewhat ironic if we were to shut down our children’s questions on why they have to sing the Ma Nishtana or if they must. In fact, it would be plain wrong given that Pesach places questioning front and centre.    

The Ma Nishtana is itself a question: ‘Why is this night different from all other nights?’ It ritualises the process of inquiring about the meaning of four key rituals: eating matzah, eating maror (bitter herbs), dipping our food twice and reclining, rather than sitting up straight.      

So, it is fitting that children might ask about the ritual of asking.

We want to make clear that yes, it is the role of the youngest at the table (who is capable in terms of age and stage) to sing this iconic song but we also want to ensure that our answer gives the ritual meaning for our children.

The Ma Nishtana is among the most beloved of rituals and experiences in the seder, which is itself the most tightly held on to and observed of all Jewish rituals. When the youngest at the table begins - timidly, tentatively, awkwardly or with gusto and exuberance, depending on personality - it is a peak moment in the evening. And the seder has only just begun.

Why is the Ma Nishtana so important and how did it fall on the shoulders of the youngest at the table? To understand its significance, we must understand the meaning of Pesach itself. At its most basic level, the festival celebrates the exodus of the people of Israel from slavery in Egypt to liberation and redemption