This week our 3-5th graders are practicing their question asking in preparation for Pesach! We had them look through a section of the Hagaddah, list 3 questions, say what page of the Hagaddah their question came from, and then pass their page of questions to a friend. Then the friend looked in the Hagaddah on those pages to find an answer. Here are their questions and answers!
Q: Why did they want to kill the first born?
A: They killed the first born to hurt Pharaoh so he’d let the Hebrews go.
Q: Why did the people get separated from their husbands and wives?
A: To make them miserable, and so they couldn’t have children that would overthrow Pharaoh.
Q: Was Pharaoh afraid of the plagues?
A: He became afraid after a while. Look at how his face changes on from page 66 to page 70.
Q: If Pharaoh hadn’t been so stubborn, could something have been worked out so the Hebrews could have stayed?
A: They probably would have been able to stay.
Q: What’s a seraph?
A: It looks like a kind of angel.
Q: Why is Pharaoh’s logic so off that he thought the only way to stop the Hebrews from turning against Egypt in the event of war was the enslave them?
A: His logic is off because he is not thinking and stubborn.
Q: Did Pharaoh have them build stuff for him because they needed it or wanted it?
A: I honestly think he just did it to torture the Hebrews.
Q: Why did they do the death of the first born?
A: Probably because it got so out of hand that God had to do something horrible in the end.
Q: Why does Pharaoh say to throw baby boys in the river and not girls?
A: He was afraid of a Hebrew growing up and wanting to be Pharaoh. And only boys could do that job.
Q: Why did Pharaoh sit in his throne during all the plagues?
A: I think because he really didn’t care until the Death of the Firstborn.
Q: Why didn’t the Egyptians stop the plagues?
A: First they can’t do anything because God is making them and second they don’t know when they will come anyway.
Q: How do people come up with what the verses mean?
A: They practiced with their teachers.
Q: Does God truly have arms, limbs, etc.?
A: No! It’s to show that God is powerful.
Q: Why did they split the plagues into three parts?
A: To help people remember them and to talk about them more.
Q: Why did God only do the Death of the Firstborn last?
A: Because God wanted them to suffer the most at the end of the plagues.
Q: What did the Egyptians think about slavery?
A: They thought it was cool.
Q: Why does Pharaoh just put them to work?
A: He thinks they will overthrow him.
Q: Why did Pharaoh give up after the 10th plague?
A: Because he couldn’t take it any more after his son died.
Q: Why did God choose the plagues that he did?
A: Because God probably knew those plagues would be the ones to help them.
Q: Why did Moses turn his staff into a snake?
A: To perform marvels and impress Pharaoh.
Your curious kiddos are so full of brilliant and thoughtful questions and answers. Get ready for an inquisitive Seder! Stay tuned next week for some Purim Shenanigans!!
