For an abridged video version of these thoughts on the Haggadah: https://youtu.be/U0iy8rIjs34

In Judaism, we generally recognize two primary categories of sacred texts. The first is the Torah—whether in its original scroll form or in printed editions—which embodies God’s communication to us. The second is the Siddur, the Jewish prayer book, which gives voice to our attempts to communicate with God. This raises an intriguing question: where does the Passover Haggadah belong within this framework? Is it a text to be recited, like the Siddur, or one to be studied and analyzed, like the Torah?

On the one hand, the widespread custom is for the leader of the Seder—or even each participant—to read the Haggadah word for word, much as one recites from a prayer book. On the other hand, the remarkable proliferation of Haggadot published each year—often accompanied by rich and varied commentaries—suggests that it is a text meant for study and reflection, akin to the Torah itself. So which is it?

The answer, it would seem, is neither—and both, only in part.

Certain sections of the Haggadah—such as Kiddush, the blessings over Matzah and Maror, and the recitation of Hallel—are clearly intended to be said as formal liturgy. Yet the greater portion of the Haggadah is neither a prayer text to be recited nor a classical text to be studied in the abstract. Its function lies elsewhere.

The very name Haggadah (הַגָּדָה)........

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