Haggadot

Haggadot are Jewish liturgical texts used at the Passover seder. The term Haggadah (singular) or Haggadot (plural) comes from the Hebrew root h-g-d, meaning to tell or recount. The Haggadah shel Pesach, the standard text recited at the Seder, provides the framework for the evening: prayers, readings, and a narrative of the Exodus from Egypt, interwoven with songs, blessings, and ritual instructions. The central portion is the Magid, the telling of the Exodus, which is typically punctuated by the Four Questions, the Ten Plagues, and the liberation. Traditional editions incorporate songs such as Dayenu and passages that connect the ancient redemption to present freedom.

Haggadot exist in a wide range of editions and languages, from medieval illuminated manuscripts to modern bilingual and annotated versions. Historical exemplars include the Golden Haggadah and the Szyk Haggadah, noted for their lavish artwork. In the modern era, many editions include commentary from rabbinic authorities and scholars, as well as translations into English, Ladino, Yiddish, and other languages. Contemporary Haggadot often reflect specific themes or viewpoints, with variants that emphasize feminism, inclusivity, or particular cultural perspectives.

In use, the Haggadah functions as more than a text of prayers; it is a vehicle for education and memory. Through the retelling of the Exodus, participants engage with questions of freedom, responsibility, and identity, while performing the ritual steps of the Seder. The plural form Haggadot can also refer to the broader textual tradition and its diverse editions used by Ashkenazi, Sephardi, and Mizrahi communities around the world.