HAGFISH. 442 HAGGARD. weeds, etc. Myxine is hermaphroditic ; the young animal produces sperms, and, later in life, ova. By means of the mouth the hags bore their way into the body of fishes, especially halibut and flounders, consuming them, leaving only the en- trails, skeleton, and skin; hence another common name is 'borer.' The hag on the west coast of America (Poll- stotrema Stoiiti) is hated by the fishermen, be- cause of its destruction of fishes caught in nets, and its ugly appearance. It is about fourteen inches long. See Plate of Lampbeys and Dog- fish. HAGGADA, hag-ga'da (Heb., narration, from higyUl, to narrate). The fi'ee rabbinical inter- pretation of Scripture, chiefly for homiletical purposes. Haggada is thus contrasted to Hahiclui (q.v. ), 'rule,' which represents the authoritative interpretation of biblical laws for practical pur- poses. The Haggada developed side by side with the Halacha, and the two tendencies are found combined in the great compilation of rabbinical theology known as the Talmud (q.v.). But while the Ilaggadic sections in the Talmud are consider- able, the great bulk of the Haggadic interpreta- tion of the Old Testament is to be found in a number of separate compilations known as Mid- rashim. (See MiDRASir.) The oldest of these collections, adapted to the order of the biblical books, and in which the interpretations run parallel with the text, are: (1) The Mcchilta, a <rollection of Haggadic interpretations to the Book of Exodus; (2) the Siphra to Leviticus; (3) Siphre to Numbers and Deuteronomy. Far more extensive, however, is the collection known as the Midrash Rabhah, or 'Great Midrash,' comprising the Haggada to the entire Pentateuch and to the five scrolls (read on the various festivals of the year), Esther, Ruth, Lamentations, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Songs. By the side of the compila- tion (concluded C.900 A.D.) may be mentioned the Pesikta to various sections of the Old Testament and the Tanchuma to the Pentateuch. On the basis of this Rlidrasliic literature, a large num- ber of works were produced through the Sliddle Ages to our own days, containing selections from the earlier compilations as well as additions and amplifications. Among these may be mentioned the Midrash Eapadol, 'the Great Midrash,' a Yemenitic compilation now being published by Dr. S. Schechter for the Cambridge University Pres.s. Bof/fiada shel Pesacli is the name of a ritual, partly in Hebrew, partly in Aramaic, used on the first two evenings of the Pass- over, which contains, besides a brief descrip- tion of the Exodus, extracts from the Scripture, the Jlishna, Tosephta. Mcchilta, Siphra, and the two Talnnids, and some liturgical pieces, all bearing more or less directly on the oppression in Egypt and the deliverance. Originally within very small compass, it has been extended to its present larger size by subsequent centuries. Two Piutim, or religious poems, were added in the eleventh century, and four more Hebrew and Aramaic songs (the last originally a German Yolkslied) as late as the fourteenth century. Consult: Winter and Wiinsche, Die jiidische Lit- terafur (Trier. 1894); Karpeles, Geschichte der jiidisrhen Litterafur (Berlin, 1886) ; Stein- scbneider, Jeu-ish Literature {Tins, trans. London, 1S57); Chenery, "Legends from the Midrash," in. Loewy, Miscellanies of Hebrew Literature (London, 1877) ; Bacher, Die Aggada der Tan- naiten (2 vols., Strassburg, 1884-90). HAGGAI, hag'ga-i (probably 'born on a feast day," though Haggai may also be an abbreviation of Hagiah, 'feast of Yabwehj' or for Haguriah, 'Yahweh hath girded'). A llebrew prophet of the post-exilic period, and contemporary with the Prophet Zechariah, with whom he was associated (Ezra v. 1; I. Esdras vi. 1; vii. 3). He prophesied in Jerusalem after the re- turn of the Israelites from the Babylonian cap- tivity. The date of his work is fixed by his own wtiting (ch. i. 1, 15; ii. 1, 10) in the second year of Darius Hj'staspes, B.C. 520. Concerning his own history nothing is known. The inference drawn from his work ( ii. .3 ) , that he had in his youth seen the former temple in its glory, may be correct, in which case the prophecies that we have from him would represent compositions pro- duced in his old age. The Book of Haggai con- sists of four discourses, the delay in the rebuild- ing of the sanctuary furnishing the general motive. The prophet is represented as appearing before Zerubbabel and Joshua, the high priest, and strongly urging the reestablisliment of the sanctuary, pointing at the same time to the famine in the land as the divine pimishment for the culpable neglect of the people, who only thought of their own houses, and not of that of God. His words made a deep impression, and the building was recommenced (ch. i.). The second discourse, about a month later, predicts a still greater glory for the new temple than Inid belonged to the former (ii. 3-0). Two months later he had to renew his reproaches against their inertness, and his promises of a blessed future (ii. 10-19). The fourth discourse (ii. 20-23), de- livered on the same day, is directed to Zerub- babel, and, while foretelling great revolutions and political changes, promises that Zerubbabel shall remain a 'signet' in the hands of God — an im- plication apparently that Zerubbabel is to become the Messianic King. The style of Haggai is prosaic, and labors under an uncommon tamenesg and poverty of expression, principally apparent in the frequent repetition, within the short space of two chapters, of certain words and phrases, which could not well have been purposely re- tained for the sake of ornamentation. There is hardly any parallelism ; but the prophet has endeavored to impart a certain vivacity to his writing by means of interrogation. The diction itself is, generally speaking, pure and clear. The contrast between Haggai and Zechariah. who have much in common, and the older prophets of the type of .Jeremiah and Isaiah, is striking. Whereas the latter are concerned chiefly with ethical problems, the interest of the former is largely centred in the temple and the cult. They reflect in this respect the tendencies of the post- exilic period. Consult the general commentaries on the Minor Prophets (q.v.) ; Perowne. "Haggai and Zechariah." in the Camhridge Bihlr for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge. 1886). HAG'GAKD, Henrt Rider (1856—). An English novelist, born at Bradenham Hall, Nor- folk, and educated at the Ipswich Grammar School. He spent some time in South Africa (1875-79i, where he became Master of the High Court in the Transvaal. On his return to Ensj- land he practiced law. After two moderately suc- cessful experiment-s in fiction, he produced King
