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HAGGADAH*
Method of Jewish interpretation that is homiletical in character. Haggadah is usually defined negatively, that is, as that part of rabbinic teaching that is not Halakah. Haggadah and Halakah complement each other; the latter is interpretation that gives the rule, statute, or religious law Jews are to follow, while Haggadah aims at edification, inspiration, inner piety, and religious devotion, covering the entire field of religion and ethics. Halakah states the fact; Haggadah stirs one to action. “Halakah” means literally “walking,” thus showing the devout Jew how to walk in the way of the Lord. “Haggadah” means literally “narrative” or “storytelling,” which includes proverbs, parables, and sermons. Within these artistic forms of instruction are contained moral and ethical principles intended to show one how to live correctly. Among the two types of interpretation, Haggadah is the more “popular,” having a wider appeal. Its way of storytelling is designed to touch the human heart “so that one should recognize him who created the world, and so cling to his ways” (Sifrei-Deuteronomy 49). As one Jewish scholar has said, its purpose is “to bring Heaven down to earth and to elevate man to Heaven.” Because Haggadah is not Halakah, but rather interpretation, it also contains other material, such as metaphysical speculations, historical and legendary tales of Israel’s past, visions of its future, and remarks on scientific subjects, such as astronomy and medicine.