The Talmud (a collection of Jewish law and rabbinic teachings) records a debate from ancient times in which the foremost teachers and interpreters of the law debated how to eat the seder's required foods: meat from the Passover sacrifice, maror, and matzah. Rabbi Hillel advocated eating them all together, but other rabbis argued they should be eaten separately. They said each food has its own blessing and its own symbolism. Eating them together would be unnecessary and even confusing. Hillel, however, argued that by combining the symbol of slavery (maror), the symbol of redemption (matzah), and the symbol of God's hand in it (korban pesach), we remind ourselves that even the most bitter circumstances can end.

Because the Temple is not standing, there is nowhere to offer the Passover sacrifice, so the lamb is omitted from the sandwich today. Instead, maror and haroset are eaten together and included it in the sandwich.

Combine haroset and maror between two pieces of matzah and eat your Hillel Sandwich!


haggadah Section: Koreich