A special award
Maurice had worked most of his life helping his community and he was therefore thrilled one day to hear that his unselfish work had been recognized by the queen. She had decided to bestow on Maurice a knighthood.
But his elation soon turned to dismay when he realized that his ceremony would take place on the first night of Pesach. “What on earth should I do,” thought Maurice. “Should I attend seder night with my loving family or should I accept one of the highest honors in the land?”
His family soon talked him into going to the palace. “The award is too special to turn down and you would always live to regret it,” they told him.
His next worry was what to say to the queen. He just couldn’t think of anything that would be of interest to her. He hoped that he would just come up with something on the spot.
Come the special day, there was Maurice, on his knees, being knighted, with the queen touching his shoulders with her sword and Maurice shaking with excitement. All of a sudden, he burst out with “Mah nishtanah ha-laylah ha-zeh.”
The queen looked at the prince with a surprised expression on her face and said to him, “Why is this knight different from all other knights?”
© david minkoff
Four other questions
Q: What kind of cheese do we eat on Pesach? A: Matzah-rella.
Q: Why do we use a Haggadah? A: So we can seder right words.
Q: What do you call someone who derives pleasure from the bread of affliction? A: A matzah-chist.
Q: Why did Moses lead the Israelites all over the place for 40 years? A: a) He was being tested; b) He wanted them to really appreciate the Promised Land when they finally got there; or c) He refused to ask directions.
Passover haiku
Lacking fins or tail,
the gefilte fish swims with
great difficulty.
Her lips near my ear,
Aunt Sadie whispers the name
of her friend’s disease.
On Passover we
opened the door for Elijah.
Now our cat is gone.