The Seder Plate

The items on the Seder Plate remind us of certain aspects of the Passover story. Each item has its own special significance.

Maror – The bitter herb. This symbolizes the harshness of lives of the Jews in Egypt.

Charoset – A delicious mix of sweet wine, apples, cinnamon and nuts that resembles the mortar used as bricks of the many buildings the Jewish slaves built in Egypt.

Karpas – A green vegetable, usually parsley, is a reminder of the green sprouting up all around us during spring and is used to dip into the saltwater.

Zeroah – A roasted lamb or shank bone symbolizing the sacrifice made at the great temple on Passover (The Pascal Lamb).

Beitzah – The egg symbolizes a different holiday offering that was brought to the temple. Since eggs are the first item offered to a mourner after a funeral, some say it also evokes a sense of mourning for the destruction of the temple.

Orange - The orange on the seder plate has come to symbolize full inclusion in modern day Judaism: for women, people with disabilities, intermarried couples, the LGBT Community, and others.

Matzah - Matzah is the unleavened bread we eat to remember that when the Israelites fled Egypt, they didn’t even have time to let the dough rise on their bread. We commemorate this by removing all bread and bread products from our home during Passover.


haggadah Section: Introduction
Source: From Geoff Chesman