Post by Messenger on Mar 8, 2008 11:15:44 GMT -5
www.messianictimes.com/200803_haggadah.shtml
Bill
Haggadah: A History of the Telling
Creating beauty through the retelling of the Passover story
By Fern Batchelor
Picture this: It's Passover, and you have gathered with family and friends to celebrate the seder. You sit at a table that has been beautifully set with the best dishes and all of the special ceremonial items. Sensational smells waft from the kitchen. As the seder begins, you pick up your haggadah-the book that provides the outline for the service-and prepare to participate in an experience shared by Jewish people all over the world for centuries. But wait … that little book you're holding in your hand…have you ever wondered exactly where it came from? Everywhere there are Jewish people, there are haggadot printed in both Hebrew and the language of the land and culture. They can range dramatically in style, from the exquisitely illustrated and illuminated manuscripts created centuries ago for wealthy Jewish families in Europe, to the hand-typed carbon copies used by my own family at Aunt Sophie's house decades ago. No matter what form they take, the purpose remains the same: to tell the story of how God set us free from the bondage of slavery to Pharaoh in Egypt, and for those of us who know Messiah, to celebrate the hope that one day He will permanently set us free from the bondage of slavery to sin and death. There are literally thousands of different editions of the haggadah, translated into numerous languages. They are produced to cater to the needs of every variety of Judaism (Orthodox, Conservative, Reform, Reconstructionist) as well as a whole list of other "ists," including Feminist, Humanist… even Atheist. Within the last few decades, we have also seen the development of the Messianic haggadah.
The foundation of the haggadah is located in Exodus 13:8, with God's command to Moses and the Hebrews: "You shall teach your son on that day: it is because of what the Lord did for me when I came forth from Egypt." In several places throughout Exodus and Deuteronomy, the Lord reiterates this command for fathers to tell the story of Passover to their children.
So the haggadah (literally "the telling") began as an oral tradition, passed down throughout the generations. But how did it come to be a written instruction on the order of the service? Many scholars agree that the modern seder (meaning "order") was adapted from the Hellenistic Symposium, a day of feasting when people sat around a table and had philosophical discussions while eating a special meal. Wine was served, and classical verses were recited. Over time, questions and answers were added to the festivities, along with reclining at the table rather than sitting. The Jewish people of the Diaspora have always incorporated into their daily living and celebrations some elements from the surrounding cultures. In this case, the Jews of ancient Rome took the Symposium, using the form but changing the content, and developed from it the order of service we now know as the seder.
The beloved song "Dayenu," which began as part of the oral tradition and was transcribed and carried forward into the haggadah, can be traced back to 300 bce. Early forms of a haggadah exist in both the Mishnah and the Tosefta, and may have origins as far back as 100 bce. The first mention of a seder service is found in the Mishnah, where it is written that Rabbi Gamaliel, president of the Sanhedrin in 90 ce, said, "Whoever has not discussed these three things at Pesach has not fulfilled his obligation: the Pesach, matzah, and maror." It is believed that the haggadah containing many of the present-day elements of the service was arranged after the closure of the Talmud, in the eighth century ce, and that it took its present form in the tenth century.
Now that we know its earliest origins, let's take a brief tour of some haggadah "firsts." The first known complete haggadah was written by Rabbi Saadia Ga'on in tenth century Babel. In the thirteenth century, the first haggadah in book form was written, and it became one of the most popular among the Jewish population. The earliest illuminated Ashkenazi haggadah was the Bird's Head Haggadah from Germany (c. 1300 ce), so called because of the practice of substituting birds' heads and other non-human depictions where human heads would normally appear, in order to comply with the second commandment not to make graven images. The earliest illuminated Sephardic Passover Haggadah is the magnificent Golden Haggadah from Barcelona, Spain (c. 1320). The first printed haggadah (text only) was published in Guadalajara, Spain in 1482. The oldest surviving illustrated Passover haggadah is an edition printed by Gershom Cohen in 1526 in Prague, now the capital of the Czech Republic.
Throughout the ages, people also introduced poems into the haggadot. Wellknown chants, such as "Adir Hu" and "Chad Gadya," were composed in the Middle Ages and included to decorate the haggadah. These books were written by numerous, mostly anonymous authors, over a span of centuries. The Jewish people are scattered throughout the world, yet haggadot remain basically the same throughout all cultures. In keeping with the tradition of our forefathers, we Jews of the last quartercentury who have come to know Messiah Yeshua have also created haggadot thatspecifically meet our needs, express our beliefs, and reflect our culture. When was the earliest Messianic haggadah written? Well, to quote my rabbi, "Perhaps it was Yeshua Himself who actually provided the first instruction for the Messianic seder when He said, 'Do this in remembrance of Me.'" As for the Messianic haggadah in book form, among the first were Passover Haggadah-A Messianic Celebration, written in 1986 by Eric Lipson, and Messianic Jewish Haggadah, written in the late 1980s by Manny Brotman. These were followed by many others, and today we have a wide variety of Messianic haggadot from which to choose.
A Messianic haggadah will certainly contain the traditional elements of the seder, but there is also much more. We explain how the beautiful story of Passover has its fulfillment in the coming of the Perfect Lamb who was sacrificed to make final atonement for all who would receive Him. We delight to share how the different parts of the seder itself are symbols, all fulfilled in Messiah Yeshua. Each element has a deep meaning, and the Messianic seder is a service that is both rich and profound. Be sure to check with your local Messianic synagogue to see if they're hosting one that you may attend. You'll find it to be a very meaningful way to celebrate this year-and maybe "Next year, in Jerusalem!" To view some beautiful photos of haggadot through the ages, go to www.library.yale.edu/judaica/exhibits/haggadah/exhibit1.html.
Creating beauty through the retelling of the Passover story
By Fern Batchelor
Picture this: It's Passover, and you have gathered with family and friends to celebrate the seder. You sit at a table that has been beautifully set with the best dishes and all of the special ceremonial items. Sensational smells waft from the kitchen. As the seder begins, you pick up your haggadah-the book that provides the outline for the service-and prepare to participate in an experience shared by Jewish people all over the world for centuries. But wait … that little book you're holding in your hand…have you ever wondered exactly where it came from? Everywhere there are Jewish people, there are haggadot printed in both Hebrew and the language of the land and culture. They can range dramatically in style, from the exquisitely illustrated and illuminated manuscripts created centuries ago for wealthy Jewish families in Europe, to the hand-typed carbon copies used by my own family at Aunt Sophie's house decades ago. No matter what form they take, the purpose remains the same: to tell the story of how God set us free from the bondage of slavery to Pharaoh in Egypt, and for those of us who know Messiah, to celebrate the hope that one day He will permanently set us free from the bondage of slavery to sin and death. There are literally thousands of different editions of the haggadah, translated into numerous languages. They are produced to cater to the needs of every variety of Judaism (Orthodox, Conservative, Reform, Reconstructionist) as well as a whole list of other "ists," including Feminist, Humanist… even Atheist. Within the last few decades, we have also seen the development of the Messianic haggadah.
The foundation of the haggadah is located in Exodus 13:8, with God's command to Moses and the Hebrews: "You shall teach your son on that day: it is because of what the Lord did for me when I came forth from Egypt." In several places throughout Exodus and Deuteronomy, the Lord reiterates this command for fathers to tell the story of Passover to their children.
So the haggadah (literally "the telling") began as an oral tradition, passed down throughout the generations. But how did it come to be a written instruction on the order of the service? Many scholars agree that the modern seder (meaning "order") was adapted from the Hellenistic Symposium, a day of feasting when people sat around a table and had philosophical discussions while eating a special meal. Wine was served, and classical verses were recited. Over time, questions and answers were added to the festivities, along with reclining at the table rather than sitting. The Jewish people of the Diaspora have always incorporated into their daily living and celebrations some elements from the surrounding cultures. In this case, the Jews of ancient Rome took the Symposium, using the form but changing the content, and developed from it the order of service we now know as the seder.
The beloved song "Dayenu," which began as part of the oral tradition and was transcribed and carried forward into the haggadah, can be traced back to 300 bce. Early forms of a haggadah exist in both the Mishnah and the Tosefta, and may have origins as far back as 100 bce. The first mention of a seder service is found in the Mishnah, where it is written that Rabbi Gamaliel, president of the Sanhedrin in 90 ce, said, "Whoever has not discussed these three things at Pesach has not fulfilled his obligation: the Pesach, matzah, and maror." It is believed that the haggadah containing many of the present-day elements of the service was arranged after the closure of the Talmud, in the eighth century ce, and that it took its present form in the tenth century.
Now that we know its earliest origins, let's take a brief tour of some haggadah "firsts." The first known complete haggadah was written by Rabbi Saadia Ga'on in tenth century Babel. In the thirteenth century, the first haggadah in book form was written, and it became one of the most popular among the Jewish population. The earliest illuminated Ashkenazi haggadah was the Bird's Head Haggadah from Germany (c. 1300 ce), so called because of the practice of substituting birds' heads and other non-human depictions where human heads would normally appear, in order to comply with the second commandment not to make graven images. The earliest illuminated Sephardic Passover Haggadah is the magnificent Golden Haggadah from Barcelona, Spain (c. 1320). The first printed haggadah (text only) was published in Guadalajara, Spain in 1482. The oldest surviving illustrated Passover haggadah is an edition printed by Gershom Cohen in 1526 in Prague, now the capital of the Czech Republic.
Throughout the ages, people also introduced poems into the haggadot. Wellknown chants, such as "Adir Hu" and "Chad Gadya," were composed in the Middle Ages and included to decorate the haggadah. These books were written by numerous, mostly anonymous authors, over a span of centuries. The Jewish people are scattered throughout the world, yet haggadot remain basically the same throughout all cultures. In keeping with the tradition of our forefathers, we Jews of the last quartercentury who have come to know Messiah Yeshua have also created haggadot thatspecifically meet our needs, express our beliefs, and reflect our culture. When was the earliest Messianic haggadah written? Well, to quote my rabbi, "Perhaps it was Yeshua Himself who actually provided the first instruction for the Messianic seder when He said, 'Do this in remembrance of Me.'" As for the Messianic haggadah in book form, among the first were Passover Haggadah-A Messianic Celebration, written in 1986 by Eric Lipson, and Messianic Jewish Haggadah, written in the late 1980s by Manny Brotman. These were followed by many others, and today we have a wide variety of Messianic haggadot from which to choose.
A Messianic haggadah will certainly contain the traditional elements of the seder, but there is also much more. We explain how the beautiful story of Passover has its fulfillment in the coming of the Perfect Lamb who was sacrificed to make final atonement for all who would receive Him. We delight to share how the different parts of the seder itself are symbols, all fulfilled in Messiah Yeshua. Each element has a deep meaning, and the Messianic seder is a service that is both rich and profound. Be sure to check with your local Messianic synagogue to see if they're hosting one that you may attend. You'll find it to be a very meaningful way to celebrate this year-and maybe "Next year, in Jerusalem!" To view some beautiful photos of haggadot through the ages, go to www.library.yale.edu/judaica/exhibits/haggadah/exhibit1.html.
Bill
