The Torah has two words for inheritance, yerusha and naḥala, and they represent the two different ways in which a heritage is passed on across the generations. The word naḥala comes from the root naḥal, which also means “river.” It represents an inheritance that is merely handed down, without any work on the part of the recipient, as water flows in a river. Yerusha, by contrast, means active inheritance. Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch pointed out that lareshet, the verbal form of yerusha, sometimes means “to conquer” or “to capture.” It means actively taking hold of what one has been promised. An inheritance for which one has worked is always more secure than one for which one has not. That is why Judaism encourages children to ask questions. When a child asks, they have already begun the work of preparing to receive. Torah is a yerusha, not a naḥala. It needs work on behalf of the child if it is to be passed on across the generations.

Commentary on Ma Nishtana, The Jonathan Sacks Haggada

☛ REFLECT How does Ma Nishtanaand the role of children asking questions affect your experience of the Seder?