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The Seder Plate

Ingredients and Order of Placement

Preparing the Seder plate requires several hours of work. It is advisable to get other members of the house to help so that the work will be completed before the Seder begins. It is best to prepare all the seder foods before the onset of the Holiday in order to avoid halachic questions.

The special foods we eat on Passover are also food for thought. Every item on the Seder plate abounds in meaning and allusion. The Seder plate has six items on it, arranged in a special order. The plate is placed on top of the covering of the three matzot and is placed in front of the head of the household.

The foods of the Seder plate are listed below, with the reason each is included, the method of preparing it, and its role in the Seder meal.
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The Shank Bone
The Shank Bone
A piece of roasted meat represents the lamb that was the special Paschal sacrifice on the eve of the exodus from Egypt, and annually, on the afternoon before Passover, in the Holy Temple . . .
The Egg
The Egg
A hard-boiled egg represents the holiday offering brought in the days of the Holy Temple. The meat of this animal constituted the main part of the Passover meal . . .
The Bitter Herbs
The Bitter Herbs
Bitter herbs (maror) remind us of the bitterness of the slavery of our forefathers in Egypt. Fresh grated horseradish, romaine lettuce, and endive are the most common choices . . .
The Paste
The Paste
A mixture of apples, nuts and wine which resembles the mortar and brick made by the Jews when they toiled for Pharaoh . . .
The Vegetable
The Vegetable
A non-bitter root vegetable alludes to the backbreaking work of the Jews as slaves. The Hebrew letters of the word karpas can be arranged to spell “perech samech” . . .
The Lettuce
The Lettuce
The lettuce symbolizes the bitter enslavement of our fathers in Egypt. The leaves of romaine lettuce are not bitter, but the stem, when left to grow in the ground, turns hard and bitter . . .

13 Comments Posted  |  Post A Comment
Reader Comments
Latest Comments:
Posted: Apr 15, 2011
Oh how I love passover
This is my first Passover and I am blessed to know the truth about all things concerning G-d and I want to thank Chabad for helping me .They have taught me alot and want to learn more
Posted By Shashonna (Susan) Ganter, Waterloo, il

Posted: Apr 13, 2011
Words
Read the Haggadah for passover.
Posted By Miss Yael Switz

Posted: Apr 9, 2011
Words
I needs the words that one must read and speack so that it becomes part of your mind set and keep you on the right track
Posted By Karene, Pretoria, South Africa

Posted: Jan 6, 2011
???
I need some of the jewish names of this stuff ! ! !
Posted By A bit confused

Posted: Apr 2, 2009
how do i make the bitter herbs
please get back to me i grated the horseradish and it is not strong.
Posted By Anonymous, scottsdale, az

Posted: Mar 27, 2008
RE: Seder Meal
Opening the door while reciting the verses immediately following Grace after Meals is indeed a customary part of the celebration.

It is said that at that moment we open the door for Elijah himself.

It is also customary that a special cup of wine is prepared in his honor as well.
Posted By Menachem Posner, Chabad.org

Posted: Mar 22, 2008
seder meal
we used to celebrate passover and have the seder meal with neighbors. we have since moved., but plan on having seder meal this passover.
we used to leave a place with a plate and the door a little ajar for Elijah, is that part of the celebration?
Thank you so much,
Posted By Bob and Patty, rock creek, mn

Posted: Apr 6, 2007
Seder Wizard
This has been a fantastic website. I have learnt so much. I especially like the Body & Soul comments for each part of the seder.
May we all celebrate Pesach in Jerusalem next year!
Posted By Glenys Page, Brisbane, Australia

Posted: Apr 1, 2007
I have wanted to do a Passover meal for two years now. This website has given me the info I needed. I will be doing one for friends this coming week. Thanks you so much.
Posted By Betty Greene, Hickory, NC

Posted: Apr 1, 2007
great
i couldn't get enough this is the best site. keep it up. May you be richly blessed.
Posted By maggie, westfield, wi



 


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