Every year brings new printings of the Haggadah from every sector of the Jewish world, with a focus that spans the spectrum of religious thought. Here are 4 new Haggadahs I came across that may be of interest to readers. Each of these four Haggadahs brings something distinct, ensuring there is an option suited for every type of Seder participant.

In the Departing Egypt Passover Haggadah: Insights and Commentary (Urim Publishing), Rabbi Dr. Aryeh Frimer writes that there have been about 5,000 editions of the Passover Haggadah published. In this extremely broad, deep, and meaningful commentary, it seems like Frimer quotes from all 5,000.

Frimer is one of those super geniuses who can be both a significant Talmud chacham and excel in the professional sphere. He was a pulpit rabbi and later a professor of active oxygen chemistry (whatever that is) at Bar Ilan University.

He writes that throughout his adult life, he has devoured the writings of many different commentators on the Haggadah. What comes out is a labor of love in this over 400-page, densely packed Haggadah.

Frimer focuses on the structure and wording of the Haggadah, and it is filled with countless fascinating insights. Similar to those that analyze not just the contents, but also the structure of Mishna Torah, he analyzes the arrangement of the Hagaddah, and nothing gets by him.

In this amazing work, he analyzes the Hagaddah at the macro and micro levels. At the micro level, he focuses on word choice and sentence structure. At the macro level, he examines how the Haggadah is organized, its logical structure, its goals, and more.

For those looking for an extraordinary, deep, and broad look at pretty much everything related to the Haggadah, Frimer’s work is your go-to guide.

Every year brings new printings of Haggadah from every sector of the Jewish world, with a focus that encompasses every spectrum of religious thought.

Within this vast sea of choices, the most logical Haggadah that seemingly should have been published long ago is the Koren Tanakh of the Land of Israel: Echoes of Egypt: A Haggada by Rabbi Dr. Joshua Berman.

I’ve reviewed several titles in The Koren Tanakh of the Land of Israel series, and the Haggadah is their latest addition. The series focuses on archaeology, Egyptology, and more to connect the ancient world with modern scholarship. This gives the reader a much deeper understanding of the text and stories.

In this amazing and utterly unique Haggadah, Berman uses Egypt as the milieu for his commentary. The Haggah famously states that “In every generation, a person must see himself as if he himself came out of Egypt”. There’s no better way to do that than with a Haggadah that focuses on what Egypt was like, its culture, and the archaeological evidence that provides context for the Jewish exile in Egypt.

Berman opens with a few essays that introduce what transpired in Egypt in the book of Exodus. He writes that the Torah’s approach, in general and in its relationship with the Jewish people, was a radical departure from the other religions of the ancient Near East.

He has done a remarkable job showing how Egypt and the philosophy of ancient Egypt are inextricably linked to the Egyptian exile and Pesach story. It’s quite easy to miss those things if they are not attuned to those facts, which Berman brings here.

For example, in Genesis 41:42, when Joseph is elevated to viceroy of Egypt, Pharaoh “placed a gold chain around his neck”. At first glance, it is an easily overlooked detail. But in the world of ancient Egypt, this was no mere ornament.

Berman writes that the highest mark of royal favor in the Egyptian court was the golden chain of honor. In the tombs of high-ranking Egyptian officials who served the pharaoh with distinction, there are images of gold chains draped around their necks.

Some Haggadot include pictures, and this one does too. The difference is that these images are stunning, directly connected to the story, and depict what actually occurred in Egypt. You won’t find this in any other Haggadah.

For those seeking a Haggadah that is both unique and utterly central to the story, Echoes of Egypt is unlike any other.

Echoing the sentiment that a person must see themselves as if they had come out of Egypt, the Az Nashir Haggadah: On the Path to Redemption (The Layers Press) contains insights and commentary from leading Israeli female scholars.

Rabbi Joseph Soloveitchik said that if he were to add to Maimonides’ 13 Principles of Faith, his 14th principle would be that the values and legal constructs of the Torah are timeless and have absolute relevance to every generation and location. Throughout this unique and original Haggadah, the authors show how relevant and timely Pesach and the Haggadah are.

Editor Shira Lankin Sheps writes that “On Seder night, we step into the sea of our story. We bring our questions, our grief, our wonder, our stubborn hope. We look back at the narrow places we’ve endured, and forward towards horizons of freedom.” That approach here makes the Haggadah much more personal and timely, as the writers share their personal, touching stories of hope, struggle, redemption, and more.

Though not a running commentary, this unique Haggadah shows that the journey from Egypt continues even after 3,330 years. The contributors share stories, poems, and personal insights to bring this to life.

While the Four Questions are perhaps the most famous part of the Seder, this Haggadah has numerous penetrating questions spaced throughout the seder that one can ask themselves. Questions such as what keeps your faith alive in dark times, have you perceived divine intervention in the last few years, what is the power of a shared meal, and more.

This Haggadah includes essays from some of Matan Institute’s thought leaders, including Rabbanit Shani Taragin, Dr. Yael Leibowitz, Dr. Yael Ziegler, and others.

The Az Nashir Haggadah calls itself a Seder companion, intended as a supportive resource throughout the seder.  And like a close confidante, keep this one close to the seder table.

While there are four sons, they might in fact be a fifth son, one who needs a completely different type of Haggadah. For that son, Mordechai Bodek has written a few Haggadahs, including The Shakespeare Haggadah, The Emoji Haggadah, The Festivus Haggadah, and more.

Imagine if Shlock Rock wrote a Haggadah, and you get Bodek’s latest in

Haggadahpalooza: The Unofficial Weirdly Perfect Passover Pop Parody Panoply. He adopts a playful, contemporary approach to the traditional Haggadah.

Frimer’s Departing Egypt Passover Haggadah, for example, has incredible scholarship and depth, but won’t meet the needs of that fifth son or daughter. As King Solomon wisely observed in Mishlei 22:6, “Train children in the way they each ought to go”.

For those who need a Haggadah with pop references, Haggadahpalooza may not help them see themselves as leaving Egypt, but it will certainly keep them at the table. Which is no small feat.

© The Times of Israel (Blogs)