“RABBI’S MUSINGS (& AMUSINGS)”
Erev Shabbos Kodesh Parshas Tzav/ Shabbos HaGadol/ Pesach
13 Nissan 5785/ April 11, 2025
WHY QUESTIONS?
On January 19, 1988, the New York Times posted the following letter to the editor:
“Isidor I. Rabi, the Nobel laureate in physics who died Jan. 11, was once asked, ”Why did you become a scientist, rather than a doctor or lawyer or businessman, like the other immigrant kids in your neighborhood?”
“His answer has served as an inspiration for me as an educator, as a credo for my son during his schooling and should be framed on the walls of all the pedagogues, power brokers and politicians who purport to run our society…
“Dr. Rabi’s answer, as reported by Dr. Sackler, was profound: ”My mother made me a scientist without ever intending it. Every other Jewish mother in Brooklyn would ask her child after school: ‘So? Did you learn anything today?’ But not my mother. She always asked me a different question. ‘Izzy,’ she would say, ‘Did you ask a good question today?’ That difference – asking good questions -made me become a scientist!”
“This world of ”Ready, Fire, Aim” would be a far better place if all the world’s leaders… hearkened to this wisdom. It’s time to stop giving answers before we understand the questions.”
One of the requirements of Seder night is that the story of the exile and redemption must be conveyed in question-answer form.
Why all the questions? (See what I did there?…)
When a newcomer joins an already established group, especially if he has a leadership position, it challenges the routine that was in place until then.
The virtue of a newcomer is that he views everything from a fresh perspective. It is for that very reason, however, that newcomers are often unappreciated. By nature, we like rote. Doing things out of habit requires far less mental energy. We settle into a predictable routine and become comfortable. The newcomer’s fresh perspective and ideas likely means things will be changing.
Anyone in business knows that becoming too seeped in routine will eventually destroy the business. The key to success is by always staying at the top of your game. That means constantly evaluating and reevaluating your product to assess and ensure that it is being marketed and produced in a way that appeals to the modern consumer.
Experience is very valuable, but it’s not enough to ensure that a product remains competitive.
Companies and products that were essential yesterday are defunct today, though that was unimaginable then. When I grew up Kodak was a multimillion-dollar corporation. Today, my children think it’s a type of bear spelled incorrectly. The same holds true for AOL email, Blockbuster, Toys-R-Us, PanAm airlines, Enron, and many others.
One of the greatest ways to challenge the status quo is by asking questions. The new director or CEO who isn’t blinded by the routines that have been in place until then will question why certain things have been done in certain ways. Such questioning leads to innovation and fresh ideas that ensure the product remains relevant.
The night of the exodus is the night of the birth of our nationhood. Every year we commemorate and celebrate that birth and re-experience it. The Haggadah tells us that we are obligated to view ourselves as if we personally left Egypt.
A slave is not allowed to question. He must unequivocally obey what he is told. But a free person can ponder and question. In fact, a free person must think for himself. If he doesn’t, he will not have what he needs.
Liberation is granted, but true freedom must be earned.
When survivors were liberated from the Concentration Camps, they had a daunting task ahead of them in order to earn back their freedom. When they heroically made the choice to rebuild their lives and start new families, that was when they became truly free.
The ability to question, challenge, ponder and make decisions is the mark of true freedom. The only requirement is to ask questions with curiosity and not with malice or arrogance. When the wicked son asks, he isn’t really asking. His objective is to undermine and negate. Such questions do not warrant an answer because the questioner doesn’t want an answer. He wants to have his question. But when one asks with a true desire to know, it is a challenge that may cause some discomfort but ultimately can lead to growth.
Periodically, someone will ask me how many Haggados I use at the Seder. I reply that years ago I would come to the Seder with a few Haggados. But in recent years I have come to the Seder with one Haggadah that has little more than the text, halachos and a basic very brief commentary. Before Pesach I try to learn new ideas and insights from a variety of Haggados. But at the Seder itself I want to think about the words and concepts with a fresh perspective. I want to be able to question the ancient words anew and not be blinded by my understanding of previous years.
After all, the ability to challenge and question is itself an integral part of the freedom we celebrate.
Shabbat Shalom & Good Shabbos
Chag Kasher V’sameiach & Freilichen Yom Tov,
R’ Dani and Chani Staum
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