Aggadah

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A genre within Jewish literature that encompasses stories, parables, and teachings which provide insights and moral guidance A body of traditional narratives within Judaism that elaborates on biblical texts, including ethical lessons and folklore A collection of interpretive stories and teachings in Jewish tradition that aims to educate, often highlighting moral and ethical values
2. A form of Jewish literature comprising various narratives, folklore, and ethical teachings that enhance religious understanding
3. A compilation of non-legalistic Jewish texts that include stories, moral lessons, and interpretations supplementing scripture

Etymology: The Hebrew word "haggadah" means "telling" or "narration," and it gave rise to the Aramaic "aggadah," meaning "tale" or "lore." Within Judaism, the term came to name the vast body of rabbinic storytelling, parable, ethical teaching, and scriptural interpretation that sits alongside the strictly legal material of the Talmud. Where halakha tells you what you must do, aggadah tells you who you were, what God is like, and why the commandments matter. The Hebrew root behind the word is the same one that appears in the Passover "Haggadah," the text read at the seder meal. That shared root is why the seder book and this broader category of Jewish lore carry overlapping names: both are, at heart, acts of telling. The Aramaic form reflects the language spoken widely in the Jewish communities of Babylon and Palestine, where much of this material was composed and transmitted.