Journey to Freedom and Hope and a Fun Reading For Passover
Dear Friends,
As part of your Seder experience this year, please consider asking your guests a question (after all, it is the night for questions)
What food would they want to add to the seder if they were providing a new symbol for today's world?
I tried this recently with a group of college students and one shared that they would include burnt cake to show that we are still around no matter what has happened or happens to us.
One student suggested an onion since the taste doesn't go away and the Jewish people continue to not disappear.
Another student included a strong pepper to remind us to keep the taste of Judaism vibrant in our lives.
I hope that we all are liberated from the despair that threatens to overwhelm us in the world of gun violence and that we will listen to the cries of those who have died. They are urging us to DO SOMETHING to create a safer world, address the issue of guns in society and provide resources and support to improve mental health.
My addition wasn't food for the seder. I suggested adding a hearing aid to encourage us to listen to voices of reason and to listen to each other in order to find creative ways to compromise and make our world safer.
Chag Pesach Sameach, Happy Passover!
Who’s The Wise Son
Jonathan Greene
With apologies to Abbott and Costello
Abbott: Well Costello, the seder is sure going great tonight.
Costello: Oh yes, Abbott, it certainly is with the great company and everything.
Abbott: You know, at our seder last night we had a great time with the four children. We gave them all names.
Costello: You gave the children names? That sounds like fun. Can you tell me the names?
Abbott: Oh, I’ll tell you their names, but you know strange as it may seem, we gave these children some interesting names.
Costello: You mean funny names?
Abbott: Strange names, pet names. Well let’s see, we have Who’s the wise child, What’s the wicked child,
and I Don’t Know is the simple child.
Costello: That’s what I want to find out.
Abbott: I say, Who’s the wise, What’s the wicked, and I Don’t Know’s the simple.
Costello: Was it your seder?
Abbott: Yes.
Costello: And this was with your family?
Abbott: Yes.
Costello: And you don’t know the children’s names?
Abbott: Well I should.
Costello: Well then who is wise?
Abbott: Yes.
Costello: I mean the child’s name.
Abbott: Who.
Costello: The wise child.
Abbott: Who.
Costello: The wise child.
Abbott: Who!
Costello: The child that is the wise one.
Abbott: Who is the wise child.
Costello: I’m asking you who’s wise!
Abbott: That’s the child’s name.
Costello: That’s whose name?
Abbott: Yes.
Costello: Well go ahead and tell me.
Abbott: That’s it.
Costello: That’s who?
Abbott: Yes.
(Pause) Costello: Look, you got a wise child.
Abbott: Certainly.
Costello: Who’s the wise child?
Abbott: That’s right.
Costello: When you start the four children you talk about who?
Abbott: Talk about him right out of the book.
Costello: All I’m trying to find out is the child’s name that is the wise one.
Abbott: Who.
Costello: The child you read about first.
Abbott: That’s it.
Costello: Who gets read about?
Abbott: He does!
(Pause) Costello: All I’m trying to find out is what’s the name of the wise child.
Abbott: No, what’s the wicked child.
Costello: I’m not asking who’s the wicked child.
Abbott: Who is the wise child!
Costello: One child at a time!
Abbott: Well don’t change the children around!
Costello: I’m not changing nobody!
Abbott: Take it easy, buddy.
Costello: All I’m asking you, who’s the wise child?!
Abbott: That’s right.
Costello: Okay.
Abbott: Alright.
(Pause) Costello: What’s the name of the wise child?!
Abbott: No, What is the wicked child!
Costello: I’m not asking you who’s wicked child!
Abbott: Who’s the wise child.
Costello: I don’t know.
Abbott: Oh, that’s the simple child. We’re not talking about him. Now let’s get back to the wise child.
Costello: Now how did I get to the simple child?
Abbott: Well you mentioned his name.
Costello: If I mentioned the simple child’s name, who did I say’s the simple child?
Abbott: No, Who’s the wise child.
Costello: What’s wise?
Abbott: What’s wicked.
Costello: I don’t know.
Abbott: He’s simple.
Costello: There I go, back to simple again! Will you stay on the simple child and don’t go off him?
Abbott: Alright, what do you want to know?
Costello: Now who’s the simple child?!
Abbott: Why do you insist on making Who the simple child?
Costello: What am I putting as the simple child?!
Abbott: No, What is the wicked child.
Costello: You don’t want who to be the wicked child?!
Abbott: No, Who is the wise child.
Costello: I don’t know!
Both: Simple child!
(Pause) Costello: You know, I know how to read the haggadah too.
Abbott: So they tell me.
Costello: So let’s say it’s the seder at your house.
Abbott: Yes.
Costello: So now I’m reading the haggadahh and we get to the part about the four children. So I start reading about the wise child and I read about who?
Abbott: Now that’s the first thing that you’ve said right.
Costello: I don’t even know what I’m talking about!
Abbott: Well that’s all you have to do!
Costello: Is read about the wise child?
Abbott: Yes.
Costello: And I read about who?
Abbott: Naturally.
(Pause) Costello: Look, if I read about the wise child I got to read about someone. Now who gets read about?
Abbott: Naturally.
Costello: Who?
Abbott: Naturally.
Costello: Naturally?
Abbott: Naturally.
Costello: So I read about Naturally?
Abbott: No you don’t! You read about Who!
Costello: Naturally.
Abbott: That’s different.
Costello: That’s what I said.
Abbott: You’re not saying that.
Costello: I read about Naturally?
Abbott: You read about Who.
Costello: Naturally.
Abbott: That’s it.
Costello: That’s what I said!
Abbott: Listen, you ask me.
Costello: I read about who?
Abbott: Naturally.
Costello: Now you ask me.
Abbott: You read about Who?
Costello: Naturally.
Abbott: That’s it.
Costello: Same as you!
Abbott: You just changed them around.
Costello: Same as you! I read about who. Whoever it is gets read about & we move on to what and I don’t know!
Abbott: Yes.
Costello: Why? I don’t know, he’s the simple child, and I don’t give a darn!
Abbott: Oh…What?
Costello: I said, I don’t give a darn!
Abbott: Oh, that’s the name of the child that does not know how to ask.
Costello: (Fumbles words loudly)
Comments
Post a Comment