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DISCOVER

FOUR QUESTIONS

Goal: This target will show your proficiency in chanting the אַרְבַּע קֻשְׁיוֹת.

Chant the אַרְבַּע קֻשְׁיוֹת with proficiency (5 or fewer mistakes). You can listen to the four questions to brush up on your skills below.

?מַה נִּשְׁתַּנָּה הַלַּֽיְלָה הַזֶּה מִכָּל הַלֵּילוֹת
.שֶׁבְּכָל הַלֵּילוֹת אָֽנוּ אוֹכְלִין חָמֵץ וּמַצָּה. הַלַּֽיְלָה הַזֶּה כֻּלּוֹ מַצָּה
.שֶׁבְּכָל הַלֵּילוֹת אָֽנוּ אוֹכְלִין שְׁאָר יְרָקוֹת הַלַּֽיְלָה הַזֶּה מָרוֹר
.שֶׁבְּכָל הַלֵּילוֹת אֵין אָֽנוּ מַטְבִּילִין אֲפִילוּ פַּֽעַם אֶחָת. הַלַּֽיְלָה הַזֶּה שְׁתֵּי פְעָמִים
.שֶׁבְּכָל הַלֵּילוֹת אָֽנוּ אוֹכְלִין בֵּין יוֹשְׁבִין וּבֵין מְסֻבִּין. הַלַּֽיְלָה הַזֶּה כֻּלָּֽנוּ מְסֻבִּין

Questions 2

Goal: This target will enable you to identify the key words in the אַרְבַּע קֻשְׁיוֹת and grow your פֶּסַח vocabulary.

Identify the key words that distinguish one question from another. If you look closely at the אַרְבַּע קֻשְׁיוֹת you'll see that each verse shares a common structure and similar phrasing. Each verse also has its own unique vocabulary that sets it apart from the others.

Take a closer look at the words of the אַרְבַּע קֻשְׁיוֹת and pick out the key words that distinguish one question from another. 

.שֶׁבְּכָל הַלֵּילוֹת אָנוּ אוֹכְלִין חָמֵץ וּמַצָּה, הַלַּיְלָה הַזֶּה - כֻּלּוֹ מַצָּה

 

What are the key words (in Hebrew) for the first question and what do they mean?

 

.שֶׁבְּכָל הַלֵּילוֹת אָנוּ אוֹכְלִין שְׁאָר יְרָקוֹת, - הַלַּיְלָה הַזֶּה מָרוֹר

 

What are the key words (in Hebrew) for the second question and what do they mean? 

.שֶׁבְּכָל הַלֵּילוֹת אֵין אָנוּ מַטְבִּילִין אֲפִילוּ פַּעַם אֶחָת, - הַלַּיְלָה הַזֶּה שְׁתֵּי פְעָמִים

 

What are the key words (in Hebrew) for the third question and what do they mean? 

.שֶׁבְּכָל הַלֵּילוֹת אָנוּ אוֹכְלִין בֵּין יוֹשְׁבִין וּבֵין מְסֻבִּין, - הַלַּיְלָה הַזֶּה כֻּלָּנוּ מְסֻבִּין

 

What are the key words (in Hebrew) for the fourth question and what do they mean? 

DISCOVER

Questions 3

DISCOVER

Goal: This target will enable you to compare different versions of the Four Questions.

Compare different versions of the אַרְבַּע קֻשְׁיוֹת. One comes from the תַּלְמוּד יְרוּשַׁלְמִי (Jerusalem Talmud) and the other comes from our הַגָּדָה. The bolded words should help you compare the two versions.

תלמוד ירושלמי, פסחים י

  1. שבכל הלילות אנו מטבילין פעם אחת והלילה הזה שתי פעמים

  2. שבכל הלילות אנו אוכלין חמץ ומצה והלילה הזה כולו מצה

  3. שבכל הלילות אוכלין בשר צלי שלוק ומבושל והלילה הזה כולו צלי

מטבילין - dip

בשר צלי שלוק ומבושל - meat that is roasted or boiled meat

צלי - roasted

 

הגדה

  1. שבכל הלילות אנו אוכלין חמץ ומצה הלילה הזה, כלו מצה

  2. שבכל הלילות אנו אוכלין שאר ירקות הלילה הזה, מרור

  3. שבכל הלילות אין אנו מטבילין אפילו פעם אחת הלילה הזה, שתי פעמים

  4. שבכל הלילות אנו אוכלין בין יושבין ובין מסובין הלילה הזה, כולנו מסובין

שאר ירקות - green vegetables

מטבילין - dip

מסובין - recline

 

What are some of the similarities?

What are some of the differences?

Questions 4

Goal: This target will show your ability to artistically interpret a version of the אַרְבַּע קֻשְׁיוֹת. 

Illustrate Dr. Suess' version of the אַרְבַּע קֻשְׁיוֹת. Take a look at Dr. Suess' version of the אַרְבַּע קֻשְׁיוֹת below and create an illustration to go along with these questions. Your illustration should capture all four of the questions through Dr. Suess' eyes.

Dr. Seuss' Four Questions 
Source: www.acs.ucalgary.ca/~elsegal/Uncle_Eli/Eli.html

Why is it only on Passover night,

we never know how to do anything right?
We don't eat our meals in the regular ways,

the ways that we do on all other days.

 

'Cause on all other nights we may eat

all kinds of wonderful good bready treats,
like big purple pizza that tastes like a pickle,

crumbly crackers and pink pumpernickel,
sassafras sandwich and tiger on rye,

fifty felafels in pita, fresh-fried,
with peanut-butter and tangerine sauce

spread onto each side up-and-down, then across,
and toasted whole-wheat bread with liver and ducks,

and crumpets and dumplings, and bagels and lox,

and doughnuts with one hole and doughnuts with four,
and cake with six layers and windows and doors.

Yes--on all other nights we eat all kinds of bread,
but tonight of all nights we munch matzo instead.

 

And on all other nights we devour
vegetables, green things, and bushes and flowers,
lettuce that's leafy and candy-striped spinach,
fresh silly celery (Have more when you're finished!)
cabbage that's flown from the jungles of Glome
by a polka-dot bird who can't find his way home,
daisies and roses and inside-out grass
and artichoke hearts that are simply first class!
Sixty asparagus tips served in glasses
with anchovy sauce and some sticky molasses--
But on Passover night you would never consider
eating an herb that wasn't all bitter.

 

And on all other nights you would probably flip
if anyone asked you how often you dip.
On some days I only dip one Bup-Bup egg
in a teaspoon of vinegar mixed with nutmeg,
but sometimes we take more than ten thousand tails
of the Yakkity-birds that are hunted in Wales,
and dip them in vats full of Mumbegum juice.
Then we feed them to Harold, our six-legged moose.
Or we don't dip at all! We don't ask your advice.
So why on this night do we have to dip twice?

 

And on all other nights we can sit as we please,
on our heads, on our elbows, our backs or our knees,
or hang by our toes from the tail of a Glump,
or on top of a camel with one or two humps,
with our foot on the table, our nose on the floor,
with one ear in the window and one out the door,
doing somersaults over the greasy k'nishes
or dancing a jig without breaking the dishes.

Yes--on all other nights you sit nicely when dining--
So why on this night must it all be reclining?

PLAY

Questions 5

CREATE

Goal: This target will show your understanding of the structure of the אַרְבַּע קֻשְׁיוֹת and your ability to identify aspects of סֵדֶר night that are unique to פֶּסַח.

Create your own אַרְבַּע קֻשְׁיוֹת. The questions asked on פֶּסַח aren't just random questions, they follow a literary pattern (...שֶׁבְּכָל הַלֵּילוֹת אָנוּ), have key words (מַצָּה, מָרוֹר, etc.) and compare our experience on פֶּסַח night to every other night. 

Understanding this, craft your own four questions. Make sure your questions follow a literary pattern, have key words and compare or contrast פֶּסַח night to all other nights.

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