Daily April poem: for #blogExodus

ASK


Why is this night different from all other nights?
    Don't we know the answer to that already?
    
Why are they called "the four questions"
    when it's really one question with four answers?

Do you believe we were slaves to a Pharaoh in Egypt?
    That we cried out to God and God heard us?

That the Holy Blessed One lifted us out of there
    with that mighty hand and outstretched arm?
    
Does the archaeological record support any of this?
    Wouldn't we know if Hebrews had built the pyramids?
    
If the Angel of Death passed over the bloody lintels
    why didn't the Egyptians just imitate the Hebrews?

Does it matter if the Exodus actually happened?
    Does it matter to whom? Who's asking?
    
Is the story untrue if it isn't history?
    If I say I love you, is that true or false?
    
Why do we keep repeating this narrative?
    What does that say about who we think we are?
    

Today's #blogExodus prompt is "Ask." So today's daily poem takes the form of a series of questions. Some of them are questions I've actually been asked -- including a few by Hebrew school students this very week.

This post is part of #blogExodus, a daily carnival of posts / tweets / status updates relating to themes of Passover and Exodus, created by ImaBima. Find other posts via the #blogExodus hashtag.