מַה נִּשְׁתַּנָּה הַלַּיְלָה הַזֶּה מִכָּל הַלֵּילוֹת? שֶׁבְּכָל הַלֵּילוֹת אָנוּ אוֹכְלִין חָמֵץ וּמַצָּה, הַלַּיְלָה הַזֶּה – כֻּלּוֹ מַצָּה. שֶׁבְּכָל הַלֵּילוֹת אָנוּ אוֹכְלִין שְׁאָר יְרָקוֹת – הַלַּיְלָה הַזֶּה (כֻּלּוֹ) מָרוֹר. שֶׁבְּכָל הַלֵּילוֹת אֵין אָנוּ מַטְבִּילִין אֲפִילוּ פַּעַם אֶחָת – הַלַּיְלָה הַזֶּה שְׁתֵּי פְעָמִים. שֶׁבְּכָל הַלֵּילוֹת אָנוּ אוֹכְלִין בֵּין יוֹשְׁבִין וּבֵין מְסֻבִּין – הַלַּיְלָה הַזֶּה כֻּלָּנוּ מְסֻבִּין.
What differentiates this night from all other nights? On all other nights we eat leavened and unleavened bread; this night, only unleavened? On all other nights we eat other vegetables; tonight only bitter herbs. On all other nights we don't dip our food even one time; tonight we dip it twice. On all other nights we eat either sitting or reclining; tonight we all recline.
(ד) מָזְגוּ לוֹ כוֹס שֵׁנִי, וְכָאן הַבֵּן שׁוֹאֵל אָבִיו, וְאִם אֵין דַּעַת בַּבֵּן, אָבִיו מְלַמְּדוֹ, מַה נִּשְׁתַּנָּה הַלַּיְלָה הַזֶּה מִכָּל הַלֵּילוֹת, שֶׁבְּכָל הַלֵּילוֹת אָנוּ אוֹכְלִין חָמֵץ וּמַצָּה, הַלַּיְלָה הַזֶּה כֻלּוֹ מַצָּה. שֶׁבְּכָל הַלֵּילוֹת אָנוּ אוֹכְלִין שְׁאָר יְרָקוֹת, הַלַּיְלָה הַזֶּה מָרוֹר. שֶׁבְּכָל הַלֵּילוֹת אָנוּ אוֹכְלִין בָּשָׂר צָלִי, שָׁלוּק, וּמְבֻשָּׁל, הַלַּיְלָה הַזֶּה כֻלּוֹ צָלִי. שֶׁבְּכָל הַלֵּילוֹת אָנוּ מַטְבִּילִין פַּעַם אַחַת, הַלַּיְלָה הַזֶּה שְׁתֵּי פְעָמִים.
They pour a second cup of wine for him. And here the son questions his father. And if the son has insufficient understanding to question, his father teaches him to ask: Why is this night different from all other nights? On all other nights we eat leavened and unleavened bread, but on this night, we eat only unleavened bread. On all other nights we eat all kinds of vegetables, but on this night, we eat only bitter herbs. On all other nights, we eat meat roasted, stewed or boiled, but on this night, we eat only roasted meat. On all other nights, we dip vegetables once, but on this night, we dip vegetables twice.
למה עוקרין את השולחן אמרי ר' ינאי כדי שיכירו תינוקות וישאלו אבה' הוה יתיב קמיה דרבה חזא דקא מדלי תכא מקמיה אמר להו עדיין לא קא אכלינן אתו קא מעקרי תכא מיקמן אמר ליה רבה פטרתן מלומר מה נשתנה
from BT Pesachim 115b
And why do we uproot the table?
Rabbi Yannai said: So that the children should see and ask. Abaye was sitting before Rabba. He saw that he saw that they removed the tray [too quickly]. He said: Have we already eaten that you are removing the tray?! Rabba said: You have exempted us from saying "Mah Nishtana."
1.מה נשתנה הלילה הזה מכל הלילות
2.שבכל הלילות אין אנו מטבילין פעם אחת והלילה הזה שתי פעמים
3.שבכל הלילות אנו אוכלים חמץ ומצה הלילה הזה כלו מצה
4.שבכל הלילות אנו אוכלים בשר צלי שלוק ומבשל הלילה הזה כלי צלי
from the "Dropsie Haggadah"
1. Why is this night different from all other nights?
2. On all other nights we don't dip things one time; this night, two times.
3. On all other nights we eat leaven and matzah; this night, only matzah.
4. On all other nights we eat meat roasted, grilled, and boiled; this night, only roasted.
(ב)...ומוזגין הכוס השני וכאן הבן שואל. ואומר הקורא מה נשתנה הלילה הזה מכל הלילות...שבכל הלילות אנו אוכלין בשר צלי שלוק ומבושל והלילה הזה כולו צלי. ...(ג) בזמן הזה אינו אומר והלילה הזה כולו צלי שאין לנו קרבן.
(2)...Mix the second cup, and here the son asks. Why is this night different from all other night?...On all other nights we eat meat roasted, boiled, or cooked, tonight only roasted... In today's times we don't say "tonight only roasted" because we don't have a [pascal] sacrifice.
(ב) הלילה הזה כולו צלי. בזמן שבית המקדש קיים היה הבן שואל כך:
This night, we only eat roasted meat. While the Second Temple stood, this is how the son was instructed to ask.
Zevach Pesach, Don Isaac Abravanel
In the Four Questions, which mentions some of the things that are 'different' on this night, we mention eating matzah, bitter herbs, dipping twice, and leaning. We don't mention the Passover offering which our ancestors ate on this night, nor do we mention the four cups of wine, nor the numerous times we wash our hands. Why do we ask specifically about matzah, maror, dipping, and leaning?
We make mention of those things that remind us that we are free, like royalty and the King's advisors and we make mention of other things that are the exact opposite, that remind us that we were slaves, humiliated and ashamed. "On all other nights we are not obligated to dip even once but tonight we dip twice." We do this because tonight we are treated like free people and people of the upper class, as is exemplified by the fact that we eat our food with all types of appetizers. Dipping is the practice of royalty. On the other hand, we can eat any type of bread or matzah we want but tonight we must eat matzah, the bread of affliction, which is the food of slaves and laborers as has been mentioned. Similarly, on all other nights we can eat whatever vegetables we want but tonight we must eat bitter herbs, and it must be raw so as to be a sign of slavery and great poverty. And yet we also lean, a sign of leisure and freedom. Eating while leaning and in a leisurely manner is a sign of honor. Matzah and maror are symbols of slavery, while dipping and leaning are symbols of freedom and leisure. We mention them all at the seder to draw attention to the contradictory nature of this evening. There are two symbols of each because of the principle that two witnesses are needed to testify in any manner. The Passover offering and the wine do not testify to these matters.