The seder plate shows the symbols talked about in the story of Passover as told in the Hagaddah.
Some families have a central seder plate on the table, while others make many so that every participant can see the symbols in front of them as the story unfolds. They include…
Maror: A bitter herb, often horseradish, or bitter greens like chicory or endive. It’s supposed to be uncomfortably hot! It represents the bitterness of slavery.
Chazeret: A bitter vegetable or green, often Romaine lettuce. It’s also a symbol of the bitterness of slavery, but it gets used in a different part of the seder than the maror.
Karpas: A leafy green, very often parsley. Represents the rebirth of spring.
Bay-tzah: A roasted egg. Also represents the rebirth of spring and the national birth, or rebirth, of the Jewish people from out of the constraints of bondage. The roasting recalls the Passover sacrifice brought to the Temple in Jerusalem in ancient times.
… and more! Learn about all the foods on the seder plate, including more modern additions like an orange, olives and chocolate, and what they symbolize at IFF’s How to do a Seder Plate page HERE.
You can also watch our fun 90-second video. Happy Passover!
This post has been contributed by a third party. The opinions, facts and any media content are presented solely by the author, and JewishBoston assumes no responsibility for them. Want to add your voice to the conversation? Publish your own post here. MORE