Passover is one of the most important Jewish holidays, celebrating the exodus of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. Families gather together for a ritual meal called the seder, full of symbolic foods and customs. Riddles are often told at the seder, especially to keep children engaged. Here are 87 riddles about Passover to challenge your knowledge and get you in the holiday spirit.
Passover Riddles
Riddles about the Passover Story
1. I am a sea that parted to help the Israelites escape Egypt. What am I? The Red Sea
2. We are the ten calamities sent by God to punish Pharaoh. What are we? The Ten Plagues
3. I am the special lamb slaughtered by Israelites and placed over their doorposts so God would pass over their homes. What am I? The Paschal Lamb
4. We are the pillars of smoke and fire that led the Israelites through the wilderness. What are we? The Pillar of Cloud and the Pillar of Fire
5. I am the Egyptian Pharaoh who refused to let the Israelites go. Who am I? Pharaoh
6. I am Moses’s brother, who helped plead with Pharaoh to let our people go. Who am I? Aaron
7. We are the Israelite prophets who went to Pharaoh demanding he free the Israelites. Who are we? Moses and Aaron
8. I am Moses’s sister who watched over him in the Nile. Who am I? Miriam
9. I am the adopted Egyptian daughter of Pharaoh who rescued baby Moses. Who am I? Batya
10. We are Moses’s miraculous signs to Pharaoh, proving God’s power. What are we? Turning a staff into a snake, and his hand becoming leprous then healed
Riddles about the Passover Seder
11. I am a book that tells the story of the Exodus from Egypt. What am I? The Haggadah
12. I am a ritual plate containing symbolic Passover foods. What am I? The Seder Plate
13. We are the symbolic foods placed on the seder plate. What are we? A lamb shank, a roasted egg, bitter herbs, charoset, karpas, and salt water
14. I am a bitter herb eaten to remind us of the bitterness of slavery. What am I? Horseradish/Maror
15. I am a sweet apple and nut mixture representing the mortar used by Jewish slaves. What am I? Charoset
16. I am a green vegetable dipped in salt water to represent tears of slavery. What am I? Parsley/Karpas
17. We are the three pieces of matzah on the seder table. What do we symbolize? The bread of affliction, the bread of freedom, the bread of peace
18. I am the bag that contains the three pieces of matzah at the seder. What am I? The matzah tosh
19. I am the ceremonial washing of hands before eating the greens. What am I? Urchatz
20. I am the breaking of the middle matzah in two. What am I? Yachatz
21. I am the Four Questions traditionally asked by the youngest child. What am I? The Mah Nishtanah
22. I am the retelling of the Passover story. What am I? Maggid
23. I am eating the unleavened bread. What am I? Motzi Matzah
24. I am a game played with a piece of matzah hidden and found by children. What am I? The Afikoman
25. I am the cup that Elijah drinks from, left out for the prophet. What am I? Elijah’s Cup
26. I am the wish for next year’s Passover to be celebrated in Jerusalem. What am I? L’shanah haba’ah b’Yerushalayim
27. I am the concluding Passover songs praising God. What am I? Hallel
Riddles about Passover Symbols
28. I am a freak natural disaster that destroyed Egyptian crops. What am I? Hail/Barad
29. We are tiny insects that swarmed the land, sent by God. What are we? Locusts/Arbeh
30. I am skin boils and blisters that afflicted Egyptian livestock. What am I? Boils/Sh’chin
31. We are wild animals that attacked Egyptian farms and homes. What are we? Wild beasts/Arov
32. I turned the Nile’s water to blood, the first plague. What am I? Dam
33. We are frogs that jumped from the Nile onto dry land in Egypt. What are we? Tzfardaya
34. I am the epidemic that killed Egyptian livestock after the plagues. What am I? Pestilence/Deber
35. I am the three days of complete darkness in Egypt. What am I? Darkness/Choshech
36. We are the ten drops of wine spilled as the plagues are recalled. What are we? The Ten Plagues
37. I am the saltwater representing tears of slavery. What am I? Salt water/Muyam
38. I am the egg on the seder plate, symbolizing new life. What am I? Roasted egg/Beitzah
39. I am the green vegetable representing renewal of spring. What am I? Parsley/Karpas
40. I am the bitter herbs eaten to recall bitterness of slavery. What am I? Horseradish/Maror
Riddles about Passover Traditions
41. I am the springtime pilgrimage festival celebrated by Jews. What am I? Passover/Pesach
42. I am the week-long holiday commemorating the Exodus from Egypt. What am I? Passover/Pesach
43. I am the special Passover seder plate. What am I? Ke’arah
44. I am the matzah eaten instead of bread during Passover. What am I? Matzah
45. I am the soup with matzah balls eaten during Passover. What am I? Matzah ball soup
46. I am the ritual for removing leavened bread from the home before Passover. What am I? Bedikat chametz
47. I am the name of the seder ritual guidebook. What am I? Haggadah
48. I am the cup set out for the prophet Elijah at the seder. What am I? Elijah’s cup
49. I am the hiding of the afikoman for children to find. What am I? Afikoman
50. I am the four questions traditionally asked by the youngest child. What am I? Mah nishtanah
51. I am the wish concluded at the end of the seder. What am I? Next year in Jerusalem
52. I am the Passover meal eaten on the first two nights. What am I? Seder
53. I am the lamb shank symbolizing the Paschal lamb. What am I? Zeroa
54. I am the prohibition against leavened bread during Passover. What am I? Chametz
55. I am the name of the special Passover dishes. What am I? Pesachdik
Riddles about the Passover Story
56. I am the sea that parted for the Israelites to cross. What am I? Red Sea
57. I am the place where the Israelites were enslaved. What am I? Egypt
58. I am the man who led the Israelites to freedom. Who am I? Moses
59. I am Moses’s brother who helped free the Israelites. Who am I? Aaron
60. We are Moses and Aaron’s siblings. Who are we? Miriam and Moses
61. I am the adopted daughter of Pharaoh who saved baby Moses. Who am I? Batya
62. I am the river where Moses was left as a baby. What am I? Nile River
63. I am the basket Moses floated down the Nile in. What am I? Tevat
64. I am the Egyptian princess who found baby Moses. Who am I? Batya
65. I am Moses’s wife. Who am I? Tzipporah
66. I am Moses’s father-in-law. Who am I? Jethro
67. I am the site where God first spoke to Moses. What am I? Burning Bush
68. I am the number of plagues sent upon Egypt. What am I? Ten
69. I am the final plague that caused Pharaoh to free the slaves. What am I? Death of the Firstborn
Riddles about Passover Symbols
70. I am the lamb sacrificed on the eve of the Exodus. What am I? Paschal lamb
71. I am the unleavened bread eaten on Passover. What am I? Matzah
72. I am the bitter herb representing bitterness of slavery. What am I? Maror
73. I am the sweet apple and nut mixture on the seder plate. What am I? Charoset
74. I am the green vegetable dipped in salt water. What am I? Karpas
75. I am the hard-boiled egg on the seder plate. What am I? Beitzah
76. I am the bag holding three matzah. What am I? Matzah tosh
77. I am the plate holding Passover symbolic foods. What am I? Seder plate
78. I am the salt water representing tears of slavery. What am I? Muyam
79. I am the wine spilled as the plagues are recalled. What am I? Dam
Riddles about the Passover Meal
80. I am the Passover storytelling guide. What am I? Haggadah
81. I am the Four Questions asked by the youngest child. What am I? Mah nishtanah
82. I am the hidden matzah piece found by children. What am I? Afikoman
83. I am the wish to celebrate next Passover in Jerusalem. What am I? L’shanah haba’ah b’Yerushalayim
84. I am the celebratory Passover songs. What am I? Hallel
85. I am the first Passover seder ritual – washing of the hands. What am I? Urchatz
86. I am the breaking of the middle matzah at the seder. What am I? Yachatz
87. I am the retelling of the Passover story at the seder. What am I? Maggid
Conclusion
These Passover riddles cover the holiday’s story, symbols, traditions and seder customs. They are a fun way to engage everyone at the ritual meal and test their knowledge about this significant Jewish festival. Whether told at the seder or used as a Passover quiz, these riddles will get you excited for the celebrations and connected to thousands of years of history. Have a meaningful and joyous holiday!
