by Marina Stein

Created on: June 12, 2009

Seder in Hebrew means "order" and it is a prescribed ritual of conducting the first Passover evening meal. The description of the ritual is written in the book called Haggadah and the ritual consists of 15 steps. During this first meal Jewish children are taught the meaning of Passover by reciting the history of Exodus from Egypt.

The center of the Seder meal is a Seder plate. The contents of that plate are also determined by Haggadah and each of them has a distinctive meaning in connection with the story told at the table. Let's see what should be on the Seder plate and what each ingredient means.

*Karpas (vegetable).

The vegetable (usually parsley or celery, sometimes boiled potato) is the first thing to eat. It should be dipped in salt water (sometimes in vinegar or lime juice), then the excess of water is shaken off and the vegetable itself is eaten. Karpas represents the humble beginnings of Jewish people and the food they ate in Egypt as slaves. Salt water is perceived as tears their Jewish ancestors shed because of hardships of slavery.

*Maror (bitter vegetable).

Maror traditionally represented by horseradish, either grated or as a whole root. This vegetable symbolizes the bitter harsh living of Jewish people in Egypt.

*Chazeret (second bitter vegetable).

Romaine or endive lettuce is often used as the second bitter vegetable. Both bitter vegetables are eaten with Charoset: the first one is dipped in it and the second is used to make a "sandwich" with Matza and Charoset. Not all Jewish communities use the second bitter vegetable during Seder.

*Charoset.

Charoset is a paste made from tart apples, dates, nuts, honey, wine or grape juice and spices such as cinnamon and ginger. The mixture looks like clay and represents the mortar which Jewish people used to build cities for Pharaoh.

*Beitzah.

Beitzah is a boiled or roasted egg. Egg represents the reminder about festive sacrifice brought to the Temple in Jerusalem and then eaten. Since Temple was destroyed egg serves as a reminder about this loss. It also symbolizes the eternal life.

*Zeroah.

Zeroah is a piece of roasted shank bone of a lamb (sometimes chicken wing) and represents the helping hand of God and the traditional sacrifice of a lamb before Exodus from Egypt as well as following sacrifices at the Temple until it was destroyed. Zeroah is usually not eaten but serves as a reminder of the Passover miracle and liberation from slavery.

There are two more traditional ingredients at the Seder: Matza and wine. Matza (three pieces) is put on the separate plate covered with napkins and is used during the meal. Wine is drunk four times according tradition and with the third cup the cup of Elijah is filled as well.

Sources:

http://www.chabad.org/holidays/passover

http://www.angelfire.com/pa2/passover

http://www.jewfaq.org

Learn more about this author, Marina Stein.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.