What's on the Table? 1) The Seder Plate

The Seder Plate holds most of the symbols we'll talk about during the Seder. 

Maror  – The bitter herb or horseradidsh embodies the bitterness of slavery.

Charoset  –  This is the fruit-based mixture that represents the mortar of the bricks we laid as slaves in Egypt. It's also sweet, like freedom. 

Karpas –  A green vegetable, usually parsley, is a reminder of both the bitterness of slavery and the possibility for growth and renewal.

Zeroah – A roasted lamb or shank bone symbolizing the blood we used to mark the doorposts of our houses so that the angel of death would pass over our houses and protect our loved ones.

Beitzah – The egg symbolizes rebirth and springtime. 

Orange - The orange on the seder plate has come to symbolize full inclusion in modern day Judaism: not only for women, but also for people with disabilities, intermarried couples, and the LGBTQIA Community.

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'll need three pieces of matzah covered by a cloth which we'll eat at specific points during the seder.

Elijah’s Cup - 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. Toward the end of the Seder, it's traditional to open the door to welcome in the Prophet Elijah. In this way the Seder dinner not only commemorates the historical redemption from Egyptian bondage of the Jewish people but also calls to mind their future redemption when Elijah and the Messiah shall appear.


haggadah Section: Introduction