The Seder Plate

April 06, 2006

Made of clay, metal, glass, wood or even plastic, the seder plate is a fixture on every Passover table. The seder plate holds five special foods. As we work our way around the seder plate, we harken back to the story of our enslavement and journey to freedom.

Maror (bitter herbs) - This can be romaine lettuce or fresh horseradish root. The sharp, bitter taste of maror is meant to remind us of the bitterness and brutality of slavery.

Roasted Shank Bone (from a chicken neck bone or, more traditionally, a real lamb shank bone) - The shank bone is not eaten, but serves to remind us of the Pascal lamb sacrifice that was eaten by our ancestors before they left Egypt. The lamb was an object of worship for the Egyptians, so this was a great and heroic act of independence on the part of each Hebrew household.

Roasted Egg (boiled first) - A reminder that a special sacrifice was offered at the Holy Temple on Passover and other festivals. The egg is also a symbol of spring, fertility, rebirth and the never-ending cycle of life.

Karpas (parsley or another green vegetable symbolic of springtime) - Karpas is dipped in salt water (lemon juice or vinegar), which represents the tears shed by our ancestors. While the karpas is symbolically dipped, children should be encouraged to ask questions at the seder table so that the story of Passover can be retold.

Charoset (a sweet dish usually made of chopped fruits and nuts) - Charoset represents the mortar that the Jews used to make bricks while they were slaves under Pharaoh. The sweetness of charoset takes the sting out of the maror, which is dipped in it as part of the seder ritual.