(Each person places some Moror and Charoses between two pieces of Matzo.)

The bitter horseradish reminds us of the bitterness of slavery.  It may bring tears to our eyes as we eat it.  These tears are like the tears which our fathers shed when they were slaves.  The charoses is a mixture of chopped nuts, apples, cinnamon and wine.  It is the color of clay.  It reminds us of the clay, bricks and mortar with which the Jewish people built cities when they were slaves of Pharaoh in the land of Egypt.


We do now as did Hillel at the time when the great Temple still stood in Jerusalem.  He placed the bitter herbs between two pieces of Matzoh and ate them together with the Charoses. 

ברוּךְ אַתָּה יְיַָ אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָֽׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו וְצִוָּֽנוּ עַל אֲכִילַת מרוֹר:

Baruch Atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech ha-olam, asher kid’shanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu al achilat maror.

We praise God, Ruler of Everything, who made us holy through obligations, commanding us to eat bitter herbs.


haggadah Section: Maggid - Beginning