An Open-Ended Question
Why is this night different from all other nights? (Haggadah of Pesach)
Why do questions play such a major role at the Pesach Seder? What does a question do? One anonymous philosopher said, “There is nothing more irrelevant than the answer to a question that was never asked?” A question creates a vessel. It’s an invitation to receive. The more sincere the quest the greater the receptacle. My first Principal told me, “The question is more important than the answer!” To the extent a question is felt the answer becomes meaningful? Questions are the answer!
It’s not enough to lecture our children about leaving Egypt. Rather we must pique their curiosity about our history and destiny? How did we get here? Where are we going from here? What is it going to take for us to survive as a family culture? How do we tap into those blessings and promises that were granted to Avraham’s children? What do we need to do to be worthy? I saw an interesting quote, “You didn’t come this far to only come this far.” What does this statement mean to you?
Rabbi Yaakov Emden wrote in the early 1800’s (Consider, now, how much has transpired since then!): Many have tried to injure us but they were not able to destroy or wipe us out. While all the great ancient civilizations have disappeared and been forgotten-The Nation of Israel who clings to HASHEM is alive today! What will the wise historian answer when he examines this phenomenon without prejudice? Was all this purely by chance?! By my soul, when I contemplated these great wonders of our continued existence, they took on greater significance than all the miracles and wonders that HASHEM, Blessed be He, performed for our fathers in Egypt, in the desert and when they entered the Land of Israel. And the longer this exile extends, the miracle of Jewish existence becomes more obvious to make known G-d’s mastery and supervision over Nature and History.
Rabbi Yaakov Emden asks so many important questions that are begging for good answers! And, how much gratitude do we owe HASHEM?
There are many different types of questions. We get used to asking and answering only certain types of questions in school. “Don’t let school get in the way of a good education!” Questions do not always have one right answer. The teacher doesn’t have to “know it all”. Open-ended questions prime the mind and promote creative thinking.
We have been asking every Friday Night at the Shabbos table for years, “What did you do this week that gave you the greatest feeling of accomplishment?” People can hardly wait for their turn. It is usually something that they struggled to do, something that edged them out of their comfort zone or something that they did for someone else. It’s always unique and revealing. If you could meet anyone in history, who would you choose and why? What would you ask them?
If you had one minute to speak to the entire world, and everybody would be listening, what would you say? If you knew that you had one week to prepare for that event, who would you consult with? What does freedom mean? What does freedom mean to you? If you were briefly granted the power of blessing, who would you bless and what would bless them with? Who do you admire most and why?
My youngest son introduced me to a song from the band “8th Day” entitled, “Avraham”. The refrain there knocked me out. The first time I heard it I started to cry. The words are, “Avraham, are we the children that you dreamed of? Are we that shining star that you saw at night?” How do we measure up? What a beautiful way to picture ourselves, reflected through the eyes of Avraham Avinu. We sing it every year now at the Pesach Seder. That giant question persists in its asking. How many answers are there to an opened-ended question?
Go to Torah.org
Date: April 11, 2025
