By choosing to depict Miriam and the women’s song rather than the song of Moses and the men as the visual expression of praise after crossing the Red Sea, the creators of this late medieval Yahuda Haggadah spotlight Miriam as a central figure in the drama of the Exodus.
Their choice, echoing rich midrashic traditions that elevate her role, is echoed as well in other scenes in the manuscript that highlight the actions of biblical women.
In doing so, the Haggadah underscores how prominently female figures were understood within the biblical story then as they continue to be today.
Miriam leads a group of dancing women
This Haggadah is illustrated throughout with depictions of Passover rites and biblical episodes related to the the Exodus, the patriarchs, and other figures. The numerous scenes, which are mostly based on midrashic sources, are accompanied by rhymed inscriptions, usually set within scrolls.
The same artist, whose identity has not yet been discovered, decorated another similar Haggadah, and both are filled with outstanding illustrations.
In this page, Miriam the prophetess holds her drum and leads a group of dancing women, while another woman accompanies them on a mandolin. The scene is complemented by inscriptions that paraphrase the biblical passages describing this celebratory moment.
The writer is an associate curator at the Wing for Jewish Art and Life, The Israel Museum, Jerusalem.