Aggadah

American  

[ah-gah-dah, uh-gah-duh] / ɑ gɑˈdɑ, əˈgɑ də /

Or Aggada,

noun

1. the nonlegal or narrative material, as parables, maxims, or anecdotes, in the Talmud and other rabbinical literature, serving either to illustrate the meaning or purpose of the law, custom, or Biblical passage being discussed or to introduce a different, unrelated topic.

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Aggadah British  

/ əɡəˈda /

noun

1. 1. a homiletic passage of the Talmud

   2. collectively, the homiletic part of traditional Jewish literature, as contrasted with Halacha, consisting of elaborations on the biblical narratives or tales from the lives of the ancient Rabbis

2. any traditional homiletic interpretation of scripture

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Other Word Forms

• Aggadic adjective
• aggadic adjective

Etymology

Origin of Aggadah

< Hebrew haggādhāh, derivative of higgīdh to narrate; Haggadah

Example Sentences

Once Rabbi Shimon ben Yehozedek addressed Rabbi Sh'muel ben Nachman and said, "I hear that thou art a Baal Aggadah; canst thou therefore tell me whence the light was created?"

From Hebraic Literature; Translations from the Talmud, Midrashim and Kabbala by Various