Maggid: The 4 Questions

Before you complete the challenge, read the text below. This is the way. 

 

עֲבָדִים הָיִינוּ לְפַרְעֹה בְּמִצְרָיִם וַיּוֹצִיאֵנוּ ה' אֱלֹהֵינוּ מִשָּׁם בְּיָד חֲזָקָה וּבִזְרֹעַ נְטוּיָה וְאִלּוּ לֹא הוֹצִיא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אֶת אֲבוֹתֵינוּ מִמִּצְרָיִם הֲרֵי אָנוּ וּבָנֵינוּ וּבְנֵי בָנֵינוּ מְשֻׁעְבָּדִים הָיִינוּ לְפַרְעֹה בְּמִצְרָיִם וַאֲפִילוּ כֻּלָּנוּ חֲכָמִים כֻּלָּנוּ נְבוֹנִים כֻּלָּנוּ זְקֵנִים כֻּלָּנוּ יוֹדְעִים אֶת הַתּוֹרָה מִצְוָה עָלֵינוּ לְסַפֵּר בִּיצִיאַת מִצְרָיִם וְכָל הַמַּרְבֶּה לְסַפֵּר בִּיצִיאַת מִצְרַיִם הֲרֵי זֶה מְשֻׁבָּח

 
 

We were slaves to Pharaoh in the land of Egypt. And Adonai, our God, took us out from there with a strong hand and an outstretched forearm. And if the Holy Blessed One had not taken our ancestors from Egypt, then we and our children and our children's children would all still be enslaved to Pharaoh in Egypt.

Even if we were all full of wisdom, all intelligent, all elders, all knowledgeable about the Torah, it would still be a commandment upon us to tell the story of the exodus from Egypt. And! Anyone who embellishes the story of the exodus from Egypt, the more they deserve praise.
 - From the Haggadah

 

Jews from Sephardi communities such as Iraq, Morocco, Yemen, and Libya have a custom of asking each other four additional personal questions at the seder as a way of embodying the idea from the Haggadah of spending extra time embellishing and enhancing the story of the Exodus. These questions include:

  • Where are you from?

  • Did you go out to freedom from Egypt?

  • Where are you going?

  • Why are you doing this?

Activity: Go ahead, ask!

First, set a timer for 30 seconds.

For 4 points: Put together a list of the four questions you would most want to have answered by people close to you. These questions - like those from the Sephardi seders - should be short, fun, and easy to answer, but also “big” questions about how people understand themselves. Think, “What does home mean to you?” or “What is a dream goal of yours?”

For 4 additional points: Send four text messages with one or all of your questions to four friends who aren’t at the table with you. (You don’t have to do this part on the timer.)

Collect an additional 3 points for each reply message you receive! Stop adding points once you cross the finish line - if they haven’t replied by then, it doesn’t count!