There are four places in the Torah where it speaks of children asking questions about Pesaḥ – and each of these four verses are the sources for the four children’s questions (see below). This inspired a tradition that the story of the Exodus from Egypt must be told, wherever possible, in response to the questions asked by children, and this is where the idea for the four questions in Ma Nishtana comes from. The origin of the text is the Mishna (Pesaḥim 10:4), although the words have changed slightly over time to reflect our changing practices (for instance, since the destruction of the Temple, we can no longer bring the korban, so the fifth question, on serving roast meat, is no longer included in Ma Nishtana).