Hagadah de Hitler (parody)

(HAGADAH)

after June

Rabat, Morocco

1943

Text in Judeo-Arabic

“One of the most exotic of Haggadah parodies...Reflecting the joy of Moroccan Jewry at their liberation from an oppresive [Vichy] regime, the parody is exuberant to the point of allowing every possible license with the traditional text. The cast of characters runs riot. Of the Four Sons, the Wise Son is - “the English.” The Wicked Son is, of course, Hitler. The Simple Son (with no pejorative implications intended) is interpreted as “the Americans.” And “he who knows not what to ask” is Mussolini. Rabbi Eleazar is Roosevelt, Rabbi Yosi the Galilean is Stalin, and Rabbi Akiba is General Montgomery. The verse “And the Lord brought us forth out of Egypt” is reserved for General de Gaulle himself!” (Yerushalmi 167)