RAMAT GAN, Israel โ A new Passover Haggada authored by Rabbi Dr. Joshua Berman of Bar-Ilan University aims to reframe the story of the Exodus by placing it within the cultural and historical context of ancient Egypt, combining traditional Seder text with visual and academic analysis.
Published by Koren Publishers, Echoes of Egypt: A Haggada presents what its author describes as a first-of-its-kind approach, pairing Seder-ready commentary with large-format, museum-quality photographs drawn from Egyptian archaeological sites.
Rabbi Dr. Berman, a professor of Bible at Bar-Ilan University, said the project was inspired by a 2021 visit to Egypt during a brief window of pandemic travel.
โIt was in the airport in Istanbul, staring at a gate that read simply โCairo,โ that it truly struck me. I was on my way to Exodus,โ Berman said. โIn the Valley of the Kings, inside the tomb of Ramesses III, I saw an Egyptian incense censer depicted on the wall, and suddenly a passage in Numbers I had known for years came alive.โ
He added that the experience revealed how visual context could deepen understanding of biblical text. โIt was as if the Torah had been waiting for a picture,โ he said. โIn that moment I realized these visual keys to the biblical text needed to be shared.โ
Reframing the Exodus Narrative
The Haggada seeks to situate the Exodus story within the worldview of ancient Egypt, offering readers a comparative lens between biblical teachings and the dominant cultural norms of the time.
One central theme explored in the work is the contrast between Egyptian and biblical concepts of authority. In ancient Egypt, Pharaoh was widely regarded as divine, with power concentrated at the top of the social hierarchy. According to Berman, the Torah presents a fundamentally different framework.
โIn the Torah, even a king is subject to the law,โ Berman has written in his academic work. โThis reflects a radical departure from ancient political structures and introduces the idea of inherent human dignity.โ
The Haggada also examines how Egyptian monuments were designed to immortalize rulers and assert control over history. In contrast, the Exodus narrative emphasizes divine intervention and the liberation of the oppressed, shifting the source of power away from human rulers.
Time, Memory, and Identity
Another key theme highlighted in Echoes of Egypt is the concept of time. Egyptian civilization invested heavily in permanence through monumental architecture. The Torah, by contrast, sanctifies time through rituals, memory, and the observance of holidays such as Passover.
The Haggada underscores how the Jewish calendar, beginning with the Exodus, reflects a lived experience of history rather than a static one. This distinction, Berman argues, continues to shape Jewish identity and practice.
โUnderstanding the backdrop of ancient Egypt does not limit the Torahโs meaning,โ Berman said. โIt highlights how bold and enduring its message has always been.โ
Bridging Scholarship and Practice
The publication is designed to be accessible for use during the Passover Seder while also incorporating scholarly insights. The integration of archaeological imagery is intended to provide readers with a tangible connection to the ancient world.
Berman, a graduate of Princeton University and Yeshivat Har Etzion, has authored several works on biblical thought, including Created Equal: How the Bible Broke with Ancient Political Thought and Ani Maamin: Biblical Criticism, Historical Truth and the Thirteen Principles of Faith.
He has also served on the International Advisory Board of the Museum of the Bible in Washington, D.C., and is affiliated with the Shamir Department of Bible at Bar-Ilan University.
Expanding Engagement with Tradition
The release of Echoes of Egypt comes ahead of Passover, a period when Jewish families gather to retell the story of the Exodus. The Haggadaโs combination of visual and textual elements is intended to enhance engagement with the narrative, particularly for readers seeking a deeper historical perspective.
Koren Publishers, known for producing Jewish texts and educational materials, described the work as part of a broader effort to make traditional content accessible to contemporary audiences.
As Jewish communities around the world prepare for Passover, Echoes of Egypt offers a new interpretive framework that connects ancient history with enduring religious themes, reinforcing the central message of freedom and redemption that defines the holiday.
