All Pesach Seders follow the Haggadah, a book which has developed over thousands of years and guides us in telling the Pesach story. The word 'Haggadah' means 'the telling'; it is the 'order of service' for the Seder. A Haggadah contains the traditional text of the Seder in Hebrew and also the traditional text in another language - such as English, French, German or Spanish. The rabbis say that it is most important for everyone at the Seder to understand and appreciate the Seder. Therefore, it is actually preferable to read through the Seder in our own native language if we are not fluent Hebrew speakers. In our case, we read the Haggadah in Hebrew and English.

As well as the traditional text, a Haggadah will contain commentaries and stories to illuminate various parts of Seder. Some of the commentaries and stories may be those of famous rabbis, others may be those of learned-but-unknown rabbis. The commentaries and stories are almost always interesting and add to our understanding of Pesach in general and the Seder in particular. At many traditional Seders, everyone at the Seder is encouraged to read aloud the commentaries and stories that interest them. The discussions that follow are always as diverse as the people at the Seder and the things that interest them!

The Haggadah has not always been a book. For many hundreds of years the Pesach story was re-told at Pesach Seders from memory. Then the story and the traditions that had grown up around it were written down. Since then, the Haggadah has continued to grow and develop. Today, each Haggadah is different - focusing on the past or the present, concentrating on different themes, containing different commentaries and stories. Although the basic text of the Haggadah is the same, almost everything else varies. There is really no such thing as the 'right' Haggadah ...

There are thought to be over three thousand different styles of Haggadah. A casual look at the websites of Jewish publishers can reveal as many as eighty-eight different kinds of Haggadah! Some are classical - presented very traditionally, with commentaries and stories by the greatest rabbis in Jewish history. Others are very modern - a Haggadah that claims to answer questions. Some are familiar - a children's Haggadah, a heritage Haggadah. Others are potentially challenging - a holocaust Haggadah, a survivors Haggadah. There is a Haggadah for anyone!

At traditional Seders, everyone is encouraged to bring along their own favourite Haggadah. This way, everyone has a chance of adding something from their Haggadah to the Seder. Ideas and thoughts are compared - the ideas of a feminist Haggadah meet those of a chasidic Haggadah - everyone is involved and everyone takes part in sharing a beautiful part of our heritage!

Copyright J. E. Allen - MET