One of the highlights of the Pesach Seder in many homes occurs when one or more of the youngsters present recites the Mah Nishtanah. It is a moment which provides "Nachas" to parents, grandparents, and relatives. But the asking of these four questions is not mere "child's play". The questions in fact form the basis of the Haggadah and are found, though with certain variations, in the Mishnah in the tenth Perek of Masseches Pesachim. It is clear from the Gemara there that even adults, even great Talmidei Chachomim, are required to ask these questions if no children are at the Seder. Obviously, then, there is a significant point which these questions make that helps set the tone for the entire Seder.

In truth, it must be noted that these four questions are not really questions at all, but exclamations. The true definition of the phrase "Mah Nishtanah HaLayla HaZeh" is not "WHY is this night different?" but "HOW different this night is!". The activities focused upon these four exclamations are by themselves insignificant. What difference does it make whether one eats chometz and matzah or only matzah? Who cares what types of vegetables one eats or how many times those vegetables are dipped into something? Why is it important what posture one is in when eating? Indeed, all year long, none of these things are especially important. But on Pesach night, everything we do, even the seemingly trivial, becomes very important. And so we exclaim: How different this night is!! Every little detail is significant; every act is done with care and exacting attention. Precisely what we do and what we do not do is of importance and must be carefully considered.

Why is this the case? Rav Shimon Schwab zt'l once explained that it is because Hashem Himself is a guest at every Seder table. Pesach night is His night, as the Torah tells us, "Hu LaShem Layl Shimurim", it is a night of watching FOR HASHEM. And when one is in Hashem's presence, one is, and must be, very exacting and very careful about what he does. Just as, lehavdil, one is nervous and careful to behave properly in the presence of someone he truly respects or fears, so too must one be careful and precise with his behavior in the presence of Hashem. And so, on this night, everything we do, even the seemingly insignificant things, we do with precision and care. How different this night is! And yet, we perhaps ought to consider learning from this night how to serve Hashem with precision and care all the time. We have the opportunity to be in Hashem's presence on a daily basis; perhaps the Pesach Seder should remind us of what it means to be an ev'ed to Hashem (instead of to Pharaoh) at all times.