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I heard a few different opinions of who authored הא לחמא עניא. Does anyone have any REAL historic proof of the author?

Hasidim say its the Ari Zal, while Sfardim says its not

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    Here is a Haggada from 1350 with the text. Clearly the Ari didn't write it (not that I think anyone actually claims that)...
    – Double AA ♦
    Commented Apr 13, 2014 at 3:05
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    See Wikipdia in Hebrew that it seems to date to the Geonim. No proof of it being there before - and the Seder Rav Amrom Gaon has it [already]. URL: (you may have to copy it) he.wikipedia.org/wiki/הא_לחמא_עניא
    – Danny Schoemann
    Commented Apr 13, 2014 at 7:52
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    Correct URL for @DannySchoemann's comment: he.wikipedia.org/wiki/…
    – msh210 ♦
    Commented Apr 13, 2014 at 8:37
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    HAtam Sofer attributes it to someone who lived right after the temple's destruction, citing the uncharacteristic aramaic, and the strange offering for anyone to come and eat, when Jewish Law commands that one only eat of the Pascal Offering to which he committed. Nothing historical there, but interesting, so I thought I'd mention.
    – Baby Seal
    Commented Apr 14, 2014 at 0:59
  • Baby seal - GREAT comment :)
    – AvnerMil
    Commented Apr 14, 2014 at 12:54

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To summarize the comments, NO, no one has any "real" historical proof of the author. The Wikipedia page for Ha Lachma Anya gives a whole wide range of time frames that it might have been written:

According to Rabbi Yaakov Lorberbaum's Ma'aseh Nissim, Ha Lachma Anya was first recited after the destruction of the Second Temple in Jerusalem; according to Maimonides, Ha Lachma Anya was not recited before the Temple was destroyed.[6] Shibbolei ha-Leket states that Ha Lachma Anya was instituted in Israel, while the Malbim and Ra'avyah trace the origins to Babylon.[7] David Arnow notes that some sources state that Ha Lachma Anya originated during the Gaonic period (circa 750-1038 CE), while others trace it back as far as the first or second century CE.[8]

The only conclusion that can be made is DoubleAA's that it was not written by the Arizal (or anyone post-Geonic) as the earliest versions of Ha Lachma Anya are found in works of the Geonim.

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