In regards to the April 10th issue, on page 18, that deals with the mystery of why, in olden Haggdahs, rabbits in the opening pages, were always shown as though someone (or something) was chasing them.
Of course, one of the reasons is thematic in that Jews were always chased or being hunted like rabbits — especially when pogroms were in fashion. Even today, on college campuses — and still in the Mid-East we are being chased.
There is a more Talmudic reason that deals with the Sedar and order, but the reasoning is like touring an intellectual-roundabout, and while it’s hard to follow and so doesn’t make much sense to me, it is Talmudic — so of course, I respect it.
However there is also a third reason, I believe. When I was young the picture of scampering rabbits was in the Haggadah my family used. I would ask my Dad why were there rabbits? What did they mean — especially in this Jewish Holiday just years after Israel had been born (1948)?
Of course he gave me the first reason above, about Jews always being chased. But I was inquisitive even back then — so then he gave me the final reason (and the one I always remembered) for the rabbit figures. And here is what he said:
Many Jews asked the German artist why oh why did you pick rabbits to portray the image of the Jew being chased where ever he went? After all, many animals are chased. Why pick rabbits? They are not even kosher.
The artist calmly and professorially replied in his guttural German: “Because,” he paused twice before answering, “this is the easiest animal for me to draw.”
I hope everyone had a satisfying and meaningful Pesach.
Bryan Taplits
Blue Ash