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ברוך אתה ה׳, אלהינו מלך העולם, בורא פרי האדמה

Baruch Atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech HaOlam, Borei P'ri HaAdamah.

Blessed art Thou, Ruler of the universe, who has created the fruit of the earth.


In the step of Karpas, we dip a green herb (usually parsley or celery, though some Eastern European Jews use potatoes) into salt water and eat it. The word Karpas comes from the Ancient Greek "Karpos", meaning "fruit" or "produce". The parsley/celery represents spring, as that is the season that the Israelites left Egypt, and it also represents life, as now that we are free, life is worth living for. The salt water represents our tears from when we were slaves. This Passover, we think about people who are still not fully free (the Salt Water), and the life and vitality (the Karpas) that we can give them by helping them to become free.


haggadah Section: Karpas