Haggadah:Mah Nishtanah/2

Mah Nishtanah

Exegetical Approaches

Mah Nishtanah is a Statement

Sources:Ritz GiatHilkhot Pesachim, RambamMishneh Torah Chametz UMatzah 8:2-3About R. Moshe b. Maimon

Mah Nishtanah is a Question

Mah Nishtanah is asked by the Child

Sources:R. Saadia GaonSiddur R. Saadia Gaon Haggadah Shel Pesach (p. 137), R. Yosef Tuv ElemSeder Leil Pesach, Orchot ChayyimSeder HaHaggadah

How does the child know to ask?

Mah Nishtanah is asked by the Seder Leader

Sources:Rid cited by Shibbolei HaLeketSeder Pesach 218, commentary attributed to RidHaggadah Attributed to Rid, RitvaHaggadah Shel PesachAbout R. Yom Tov b. Ashbel

לכתחילה? According to the Rid, Mah Nishtanah is only said if no child is available to ask questions of his own. Similarly, the Ritva says that Mah Nishtanah (and the rest of Maggid) is just the default text, but preferably one should tell the story of יציאת מצרים in one's own words.