Seforimchatter SmallTalk: The Rhyme and Reason Haggadah (with Rabbi Reuven Lowy)
Mar 17, 2026
Rabbi Reuven Lowy, rabbi and author who turned the Haggadah into memorable rhymed English, discusses his poetic approach. He explains how rhyme aids memory and engagement. He reads samples, reveals tricky sections like the plague-count math, and talks design choices and plans for future rhymed zemiros.
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How The Rhyme And Reason Haggadah Began
- Rabbi Reuven Lowy discovered rhymes accidentally while reading a standard English Haggadah one Pesach and decided to write a full rhymed edition.
- He treated it as a hobby turned project, aiming to give readers a fresh poetic experience of the Seder.
Making The Plagues Vivid For The Whole Family
- Lowy turned the Ten Plagues into a family-friendly rhymed narrative, adding vivid details like frogs invading beds, stew, mouths, and hair.
- He bolded plague names in the text to preserve clarity while expanding imagery for listeners of all ages.
Why The Haggadah Has No Interior Pictures
- Lowy intentionally omitted interior illustrations to keep focus on the words and avoid distracting from the poetic pairing with Haggadah concepts.
- He also cited printing cost as a secondary reason but emphasized the primacy of concentrating attention on text.
