Interpretations of the Aggadah in the Commentaries of the Maharal of Prague, the Gaon of Vilna and R. Nachman of Bratslav

Abstract

This article examines three commentaries on the Aggadah story of the Talmudic sage Rabbah bar bar Hana’s incredible journeys: by the Maharal of Prague (16th cent.), the Gaon of Vilna (18th cent.) and Rabbi Nachman of Bratslav (end 18th – 19th cent.) While all three authors see the story in an allegorical vein, each one has their own focus and seems to wander away from the text proper and interpret it through the lens of their own set of ideas, be it philosophy, metaphysics, ethics, asceticism or mysticism. So Maharal of Prague sees the Haggadah as kind of philosophical and mystical treatise. He hints to the reader that this Haggadah contains the secrets of metaphysics and Kabbalah. For the Vilna Gaon the story has an ethical message. He sees the crow as talmid haham whose face is black from malnutrition and studying the Torah at night. Rabbi Nachman is the most exalted and ecstatic scholar of all three. He uses the interpretation of Haggadah as part of his mystical lessons. The topic of his lesson is Messianic Deliverance.