Rabban Gamliel used to say: Usually such a statement should be written “Rabban Gamliel says…” Here the statement is “Rabban Gamliel used to say…” Why does the Maggid use this particular language? Rabbi Ashkenazi in Ma’asei Hashem suggests that Rabban Gamliel did not simply make this statement, but that this was his practice. He used to ask himself these three questions each time he sat down at the Seder table even if there was no one else to ask the questions. We are obligated, therefore not only to follow his law but to emulate his example.