Questions to Inspire Discussion at the Seder Table
Some people find that going through the Haggadah leaves all the talking to the leader. Print this out and get your friends, children, and relatives talking about Torah with these questions.
None of these have only one answer. Some answers have been provided at the end.
8 Haggadah Questions
- G-d punishes the Egyptians and Pharaoh in particular for his choices, despite having “hardened Pharaoh’s heart.” G-d is just, so how is this possible?
- There is an uninterrupted strip of land connecting Egypt to the rest of Asia, meaning G-d would not have had to split the Sea of Reeds, and they would have been even closer to the Land of Israel. Why did they not take this route?
- In general, we know that Passover is all about freedom, yet in terms of cleaning, cooking, and so on, it is one of the most restrictive times of the year. How do we make sense of this?
- Passover is not the only time that the Jewish nation has been rescued from peril, both in terms of physical harm and assimilation. Why has Passover been made a holiday and not the rest?
- The generation who left Egypt were the worst generation in Jewish history. They were ungrateful, wished to do idolatry and to return to Egypt, and did not merit entering the Land of Israel. Why did they get to leave Egypt and receive the Torah?
- Moshe, the leader of the Jewish people and the greatest prophet of all time, was also the most humble person of all time. What makes humility, as opposed to oratory, such an important quality for a leader, especially given that he had a speech impediment?
- Compared to all other holidays, Passover is the most widely observed, even when people aren’t observing all or even most of Passover. What makes Passover stand out like this?
- We know the Egyptians gave gifts of gold to the individual Israelites as they left, yet we celebrate the matzah, also known as “lechem oni” (bread of the poor). Why might this imbalance be?
Some answers below
Some answers
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G-d does harden Pharaoh’s heart, but not all the time. We see in the early plagues that he did not yield, after which G-d hardens his heart. After the 7th plague, Pharaoh was again free and willing to make a deal, but went against his word. G-d gave him a chance.
It is also not certain that political leaders would have complete free will in ordinary circumstances, since they affect change on such a large scale.
Ultimately, some of the “big questions” like free will and the afterlife are not discussed in the Torah, so they are clearly not the foundation of Jewish spirituality.
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There are a few significant reasons the splitting of the sea was necessary. Even considering the plagues, this was the clearest sign that the Israelites would be the Chosen People, rescued from Egypt. Other nations were able to see this, as we learn from Yitro.
That land was also populated with nations hostile to the Jews. While they were eventually attacked by Amalek, an immediate confrontation could have discouraged the people even more.
Moreover, the people already expressed a desire to return. If there had been an obvious route back, they might have tried to run back into Egypt.
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Freedom does not exist in a vacuum. A child must go to school to gain an education, and an adult works to earn money to spend. The freedom gained at Passover is the freedom to observe Torah without oppression.
Only a free person can take time to stop working and observe Passover. We are also asked to remember those in Jewish history who were not free, or who lacked materially, to deepen our sense of national freedom.
At the same time, the many restrictions remind us that free will is still guided by G-d’s will. A free person can choose right or wrong, unlike an animal that acts only on instinct.
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Consider that Hanukkah shares similar themes: preserving Jewish identity and autonomy. However, it is not a biblical holiday, so work is permitted.
Pesach stands apart because it marks the moment G-d took the Israelites out of Egypt in order to give them the Torah and bring them toward the Land of Israel. Nothing compares to the giving of the Torah, which formed the Jewish nation.
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The generation that left Egypt needed to leave for at least two reasons. They would not have lasted much longer without assimilating completely. Although they were meant to remain for 400 years, they left after 210, and only one-fifth actually departed.
This shows it was less about merit and more about a final opportunity.
At the same time, it demonstrates that no one is too far removed to accept the Torah. This generation was given a second chance. They did not fully succeed, but their children did. Everyone is given a chance and the freedom to choose.
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Moshe had the greatest reason to be humble, given his unique connection to G-d and the Torah. Leaders with greater power also face greater temptation toward pride.
Rather than letting this go to his head, Moshe accepted the responsibility and even suggested that his brother Aaron might be more suitable. He often delegated authority instead of holding onto it.
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A simple explanation is that Passover has many laws and customs, so even partial observance still counts as participation.
It is also primarily observed at home, similar to a family gathering like Thanksgiving. The Haggadah is less formal and more accessible, with clear themes of gratitude, freedom, and connection to the Torah.
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This is really two questions: why is the gold not emphasized at the Seder, and why is there such a strong focus on matzah?
The gold was later used for both sacred and problematic purposes, including the Golden Calf, which affected its legacy. It did not fundamentally define the experience of leaving Egypt.
The matzah represents both haste and equality. It was intentionally made quickly, in a simple form associated with the poor. In that moment, all Israelites shared the same experience, regardless of wealth.
