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How did Haggadah use stories and parables to teach ethical and theological ideas?

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Jerusalem: Western Wall, Temple Mount — Judaism The Western Wall, in the Old City of Jerusalem, all that remains of the retaining wall surrounding the Temple Mount.

In Judaism, the term Haggada (or Aggada) refers to the non-legal portions of rabbinical literature, which utilize diverse narrative forms to convey religious and moral lessons.1

To teach ethical and theological ideas, the rabbis employed several methods:

Homiletic Storytelling: They used homilies, maxims, and witticisms to provide ethical guidance, making complex religious concepts accessible to the broader community.1
Parables and Fables: The rabbis adopted popular folklore, fables, and animal tales—often shared by neighboring cultures—but transformed them by replacing foreign elements with biblical themes. For example, animals in these stories were depicted quoting and discussing scripture, effectively turning secular entertainment into a vehicle for religious education.12
Theological Reinterpretation: To combat polytheistic influences, the rabbis reworked ancient myths into dramatic narratives. By retaining the suspense of these stories while subordinating all forces to the command of God, they used these tales as evidence against polytheism and to reinforce monotheistic theology.2

This approach allowed the Haggada to serve as a vital educational tool, particularly for those less versed in the technical legal literature known as Halakha.1