"Why is this night different from all other nights?" It is the question asked by the youngest sentient child at the seder, which gives the other attendants the opportunity to recount the story of the Exodus from Egypt. This is the point of the seder, to ensure that the Jews never forget the trials of their ancestors and the gifts given to them by the Almighty.
This question is followed by four more specific ones (note: recent, liberal additions to the Passover celebration are in [square brackets]:
- On all other nights, we can eat either leavened or unleavened bread, as we choose. Why on this night do we eat only unleavened bread? The answer is to tell about the matzo, the bread of affliction.
- On other nights we don't force ourselves to eat bitter herbs. Why on this night must we eat the maror? To remember the bitterness of our ancestors' slavery[, and the suffering of all oppressed people past and present].
- On other nights, we don't dip our food, or we dip it in whatever we like. Why on this night do we dip certain foods twice? We dip the parsley in salt water to remind us of our people's tears, mingled with the renewed hope of Spring. We dip the bitter herbs in to the charoset to remind us of the bitterness we felt as we mixed mortar for the pharoah's buildings.)
- On other nights, we can sit as we please. Why on this night do we recline, like wealthy people? To remind us of our freedom, of the mercy of the lord who freed us from slavery [and gave us the inner freedom to grow in wisdom and love, and spread our blessings to others].