The Women's Haggadah, 1977

The Women's Haggadah, 1977

Post-Holocaust American Judaism Collections

2015

Moshe Kornfield, Scott Meyer, Elias Sacks, Stephanie Yuhas, Andrew Violet, Jane Thaler

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Traditional Haggadah The Women’s Haggadah “Why is this night different from all other nights? 1) On all other nights we eat either leavened bread or (matzah) unleavened; on this night why only unleavened bread? 2) On all other nights we eat herbs of any kind; on this night why only bitter herbs? 3) On all other nights we do not dip our herbs even once; on this night why do we dip them twice? 4) On all other nights we eat our meals in any manner; on this night why do we sit around the table together in a reclining position?” “The Four Questions of women: 1) Why is this Haggadah different from traditional Haggadot? Because this Haggadah deals with the Exodus of women. 2) Why have our Mothers on this night been bitter? Because they did the preparation but not the ritual. They did the serving but not the conducting. They read of their fathers but not of their mothers. 3) Why on this night do we dip twice?
Because of the natural and unnatural cycles of blood: our monthly bleedings; the blood spilled by war. 4) Why on this night do we recline? We recline on this night for the unhurried telling of the legacy of Miriam.” The traditional seder imagines four questions that participants might ask during Passover. Jewish feminists have rewritten the traditional Haggadah text in order to advocate for the equality of women in the Jewish tradition. The Women’s Haggadah (1977)