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Items on the Seder Plate
Contributed by Shayne Cytrynbaum

  • TOP HAGGADAHS FOR 2023

The Seder Plate

Maror  – The bitter herb. This symbolizes the harshness of lives of the Jews in Egypt. Most families use horseradish for the Maror, although some use lettuce.

Charoset  – A delicious mix of sweet wine, apples, cinnamon and nuts that resembles the mortar used as bricks of the many buildings the Jewish slaves built in Egypt

Karpas  – A green vegetable, usually parsley, is a reminder of the green sprouting up all around us during spring and is used to dip into the saltwater

Zeroah  – A roasted lamb or shank bone symbolizing the sacrifice made at the great temple on Passover (The Paschal Lamb)

Beitzah  – The egg symbolizes a different holiday offering that was brought to the temple. Since eggs are the first item offered to a mourner after a funeral, some say it also evokes a sense of mourning for the destruction of the temple.

Chazeret  - The lettuce also represents spring. Some families do not make the distinction between Maror and Chazeret, with both being lettuce or some other leafy green vegetable, but nowadays most families use horseradish for Maror and lettuce for Chazeret.

Matzah

Matzah is the unleavened bread we eat to remember that when the jews fled Egypt, they didn’t even have time to let the dough rise on their bread. We commemorate this by removing all bread and bread products from our home during Passover.

The Cup of Elijah

The fifth ceremonial cup of wine poured during the Seder. It is left untouched in honor of Elijah, who, according to tradition, will arrive one day as an unknown guest to herald the advent of the Messiah. Towards the end of the Seder, we open the door for Elijah to come in, to not only remind us of the redemption in Egypt but also of our future redemption as well.

New Traditions

The Cup of Miriam  - One relatively new Passover tradition is that of the Cup of Miriam. The cup is filled with water and placed next to Elijah’s cup. Miriam was the sister of Moses and a prophetess in her own right. After the exodus when the Israelites are wandering through the desert, just as Hashem gave them Manna to eat, legend says that a well of water followed Miriam and it was called ‘Miriam’s Well’. The tradition of Miriam’s cup is meant to honor Miriam’s role in the story of the Jewish people and the spirit of all women, who nurture their families just as Miriam helped sustain the Israelites.

The Orange  - The orange on the seder plate is another new tradition for Pesach, representating the inclusion of the LGBTQ+ community in the Passover Seder. 

The Cup of Ruth  - This newer tradition represents including Jews from all backgrounds, including converts, Jews of Color, Ethiopian Jews, multiracial Jews, and other Jews from different backgrounds. This cup also honors Ruth, who was history's first Jew-by-choice. 
haggadah Section: Introduction

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