Friday, April 18, 2014
Questions are generally superior to answers because they open discussion up; potential responses radiate in many directions. Answers have their virtues: they let you get on with it, whatever it is. But they close discussion down and make life less interesting. So, at Passover seders -- the ritual meal Jews held this week to mark Passover, the anniversary of liberation from slavery in ancient Egypt -- things begin with the youngest child asking four questions: Why is this night different from all others? Etc. The rest of the night is a verbose, rambling response that never answers the questions but raises many fascinating issues.
The Israeli government is trying to close the question of who is a Jew with a simple answer. It won't work.
