ABSTRACT
A high point of what can happen educationally in the Jewish home is the evening of the Passover Seder, during and around the family reading, singing and study of the Passover Haggadah, which is a liturgically ordered teaching—a conversation between parents and children. The way the Passover Haggadah gives liturgical shape to the Seder as a conversation between generations is by tracing the children who ask the questions, or who respond or remain silent at the Seder table, back to Scripture itself. Many people will consider the information conveyed by the former plausible, acceptable, and comprehensible but will not accept teaching that makes demands. Franz Rosenzweig remarks that the Seder evening is introduced by the child’s questions and the parent’s answers. But once the frontal learning of the parent’s teaching has been concluded, all sing songs of praise together. Finally, those who began the Seder with questions take the lead, with children’s songs.
