The entire story of the Haggadah is contained in the Seder plate (קערה ke'ara); everything on it symbolizes an aspect of Exodus:

  • Zeroa (זרוֹע)a roasted bone, evokes the offering made at the Temple in ancient times.
  • Beitza (ביצה‎), a boiled egg, symbolizes the circle of life and death.
  • Maror (מָרוֹר), a bitter herb, reminds us of the bitterness of enslavement.
  • Charoset (חֲרֽוֹסֶת), a mixture of fruit, nuts, wine and spices, represents the mortar our ancestors used to build the structures of Mitzrayim
  • Karpas (כַּרְפַּס), a green vegetable, symbolizes hope and renewal.
  • Chazeret (חזרת), 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: Introduction