Editing Passover Seder (section)

===Focus on the children===
Since the retelling of the Exodus to one's child is the object of the Seder experience, much effort is made to arouse the interest and curiosity of the children and keep them awake during the meal. To that end, questions and answers are a central device in the Seder ritual. By encouraging children to ask questions, they will be more open to hearing the answers.

The most famous question which the youngest child asks at the Seder is the {{transliteration|he|"[[Ma Nishtana]]"}} – 'Why is this night different from all other nights?' After the asking of this questions, the main portion of the Seder, ''Magid'', discusses the answers in the form of a historical review. Also, at different points in the Seder, the leader of the Seder will cover the matzot and lift their cup of wine; then put down the cup of wine and uncover the matzot – all to elicit questions from the children.<ref name=manishtana>{{cite web |url=http://www.jewfaq.org/seder.htm |title=Judaism 101: Pesach Seder: How is This Night Different |access-date=2008-09-21}}</ref>

In some traditions, the questions are asked by the assembled company in chorus rather than by a child, and are put to the leader of the seder, who either answers the question or may direct the attention of the assembled company to someone who is acting out that particular part of the Exodus.  Physical re-enactment of the Exodus during the Passover seder is common in many families and communities.

Families will follow the Haggadah's lead by asking their own questions at various points in the Haggadah and offering prizes such as nuts and candies for correct answers. The ''[[afikoman]]'', which is hidden away for the "dessert" after the meal, is another device used to encourage children's participation. In most families, the leader of the Seder hides the ''afikoman'' and the children must find it, whereupon they receive a prize or reward. In other homes, the children hide the ''afikoman'' and a parent must look for it; when the parents give up, the children demand a prize (often money) for revealing its location.