A diverse and exciting collection of commentaries on the traditional Haggadah with a fresh translation. Introductions explain historical roots and development of the Haggadah to make sense out of texts and customs that evolved from ancient times.

9. A LONG ANSWER: A MIDRASH ON "MY FATHER WAS A WANDERING ARAMEAN ..." 10. THE ROLE OF GOD A. "GOD BROUGHT US OUT OF EGYPT-NOT BY AN ANGEL ..." B. GOD'S PUNISHING MIGHT: THE PLAGUES IN EGYPT AND AT THE SEA C. GOD'S SAVING MIGHT: DAYYENU 11. SUMMING IT ALL UP ... A. SYMBOLS OF THE NIGHT: PASSOVER, MATZAH, BITTER HERBS B. THE ESSENCE OF THE NIGHT: "IN EACH AND EVERY GENERATION ..." C. ... TO PRAISE AND REDEMPTION 12. "PRAISE"-HALLEL, PART ONE, PSALMS 113-114 A. AN INTRODUCTION TO HALLEL B. PSALM 113 C. PSALM 114 13. REDEMPTION: BLESSING AND MEAL A. THE BLESSING OF REDEMPTION AND THE SECOND CUP B. BLESSINGS OVER THE MEAL: THE SECOND WASHING (ROCHTSAH); MOTSI; MATZAH; MAROR; AND HILLEL'S SANDWICH (KOREKH). C. THE MEAL D. CODA TO THE MEAL: THE "HIDDEN" AFIKOMAN (TSAFUN); GRACE AFTER MEALS (BAREKH); AND THE THIRD CUP D. YEARNINGS AND HOPES 14. MEDIEVAL ADDITIONS A. WELCOMING ELIJAH. B. GOD'S TRIUMPH OVER EVIL: "POUR OUT YOUR WRATH ...". 15. "PRAISE"-HALLEL, PART TWO, PSALMS 115-118, 136 A. PSALMS 115-118 AND CONCLUSION B. PSALM 136 (THE GREAT HALLEL) AND CONCLUSION 16. FORMAL CONCLUSION A. THE FOURTH CUP AND FINAL BLESSING B. PRAYER FOR "ACCEPTANCE" OF THE SEDER (NIRTSAH) C. A MESSIANIC HOPE: "NEXT YEAR IN JERUSALEM!" 17. FOUR SEDER SONGS A. KI LO NA'EH, KI LO YA'EH ("FOR IT FITS AND BEFITS HIM") B. ADIR HU ("HE IS MIGHTY") C. ECHAD MI YODE'A ("WHO KNOWS ONE?") D. CHAD GADYA ("ONE KID") APPENDIX I Two Early Seders: Mishnah and Tosefta APPENDIX II A Haggadah from the Cairo Genizah Notes List of Abbreviations Glossary Annotated Select Bibliography About the Contributors Index