JUDS 4937: Haggadah Insights

Abstract

COURSE DESCRIPTION: This course focuses primarily on the interpretations of a diverse group of scholars who have written on the Haggadah, a text we are familiar with from the Pesach Seder. We will learn about these individuals and their lives, and begin to see how they uniquely respond to the questions and texts of the Haggadah. Each week we will approach another section of the Haggadah and learn through the Hebrew texts of these commentaries to trace trends and ideas that appear in their individual works. In addition, we will have the opportunity to compare and contrast the different authors with each other, and allow them to converse (so to speak) with each other across time and place. An additional goal of the course is to prepare for the Pesach Seder, allowing us to become more informed with the ways many before us have understood their Pesach experiences. The course involves a heavy emphasis on primary sources to give a glimpse into the lives and ideas of authors who drafted these masterful works. ¶ COURSE REQUIREMENTS: Students are expected to attend class regularly and to have prepared the required learning for each session. We will spend much of our time analyzing primary texts together, so please come prepared for discussion. Your readiness to participate is crucial, and a key element of your semester grade.