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HOLIDAYS
Intriguing Haggadahs
A unique kind of history book that tells the story of the Exodus
from Egypt, the Haggadah has taken many forms over the years
CAROL COTT GROSS
Special to The Jewish News
0
ne of the staples of
Passover, along with
the seder plate, mat-
zah and ceremonial wine, is
an unusual history book call-
ed the Haggadah. Telling the
story of the Exodus from Egy-
pt in English and Hebrew, it
is read aloud at the Passover
dinner table on the first and
second seder nights, and pro-
vides the text for the Passover
ceremony.
For more than 1000 years,
the story of Passover was
handed down orally. Then the
Haggadah began to acquire
the form we recognize today
— an anthology that weaves
together folklore and legend,
celebration of the rites of
spring and biblical commen-
taries, songs and nursery
jingles.
In the early Middle Ages,
before the invention of print-
ing, wealthy Jews com-
missioned illuminated and
llustrated manuscript Hagga-
dahs. These beautiful texts
gave Jewish artists and
scribes the opportunity to ex-
press their aesthetic impulses
without violating the biblical
prohibition against creating
""graven images." For exam-
ple, so careful was a 13th
century German artist who
executed what has become
known as the 'Bird's Head
Haggadah" that he distorted
the faces of his human fig-
ures, lest he violate Jewish
law.
After the printing press was
invented, Haggadahs were
easily reproduced and
distributed. Next to the Bib-
le, the Haggadah is the most
popular book among Jews,
and has been translated into
almost as many languages as
the Bible itself.
The word 'Haggadah"
comes from the Hebrew ex-
pression for 'telling." The
Haggadah is a fluid text, sub-
ject to evolution, re-evalua-
tion and revitalization. In
fact, about 3000 different edi-
tions have been published in
the past 500 years. Since the
1960s, American Jews have
seen some dramatic depar-
tures from the Haggadahs of
Passovers past. A number of
publishers have been turning
out beautifully produced Hag-
gadahs with larger type and
lavish color illustrations by
famous artists.
Newer Haggadahs address
religious, social, political and
aesthetic concerns of Ameri-
The Sarajevo Haggadah.
can Jews. Some reflect the
feelings of American Jews
toward Soviet Jews and the
State of Israel. Others, writ-
ten in the '60s and '70s, re-
flect Jewish involvement in
the civil rights movement.
The women's liberation
movement also has influ-
enced contemporary Hag-
gadahs. One of the most
popular is An Egalitarian
Hagada by Aviva Cantor,
editor of Lilith, a Jewish
feminist magazine. Cantor
not only changes masculine
references to non-sexist nouns
and pronouns, she stresses
the important role played by
Jewish women in the struggle
for freedom throughout the
centuries. (The Haggadah
may be ordered by writing to
Lilith Publications, 250 W.
54th Street, N.Y. 10019.
In 1982, the Reform and
Conservative branches of
Judaism published their own
Haggadahs. While traditional
Passover rituals, symbols and
events remain constant, new
interpretations, readings
from contemporary sources,
and the addition of modern
artwork revitalize both texts.
The Reform movement's Pass-
over Haggadah was compiled
by Herbert Bronstein; the
Conservative movement's
Passover Haggadah: The
Feast of Freedom, was
published by The Rabbinical
Assembly.
In 1983, RP influential mod-
ern Orthodox theologian,
Rabbi Shlomo Riskin, pub-
lished his Passover Hag-
gadah: With Traditional and
Contemporary Commentary.
Based on .lectures he de-
livered at Manhattan's Lin-
coln Square Synagogue, the
text represents an oral tradi-
tion of teaching. It does not
include secular sources of art-
work, although the Orthodox
tradition permits decorating
and beautifying the Hag-
gadah.
The Yeshiva University
Haggada, published in 1985,
is an Orthodox, traditional
text representing the joint ef-
forts of the student organiza-
tion (in New York City) and
faculty members. The 176-
page, hardcover text includes
complete instructions in
English, Hebrew translation,
and articles by noted scholars
Dr. Norman Lamm, president
of Yeshiva University, and
Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik,
Distinguished Professor of
Talmud and Jewish Philo-
sophy. (For a copy, contact The
Student Organization,
Yeshiva University, 2540
Amsterdam Avenue, New
York, 1.0:.40033).
The Reconstructionist
movement has not produced a