Symbols New & Old

The entire story of the Haggadah is contained in the Seder plate; everything on it symbolizes an aspect of Exodus:

Zeroa, a roasted bone or beet - evokes the offering made at the Temple in ancient times

Beitza, a boiled egg, symbolizes the circle of life and death

Maror, a bitter herb, reminds us of the bitterness of enslavement

Charoset, a mixture of fruit, nuts, wine and spices, represents the mortar our ancestors used to build the structures of Mitzrayim Karpas, a green vegetable, symbolizes hope and renewal.

Chazeret, the bitter herb for the “sandwich” we eat later, following the custom established by Hillel the Elder, as a reminder that our ancestors “ate matzah and bitter herbs together”


haggadah Section: Maggid - Beginning
Source: Whole Foods