Maror | Karpas | Egg | Haroset | Z’ro’a

Maror
Maror, or bitter herbs, remind us of the bitterness of slavery in Egypt. Most people use lettuce or horseradish (hazeret).









Karpas
Right after kiddush, we take a piece of green vegetable, dip it in salt water, and eat it. The green vegetable is to remind us that Pesach marks the beginning of spring. The salt water tastes like the tears shed by our ancestors when they were slaves.







Egg
The egg on the seder plate reminds us of the Hagigah, or additional holiday sacrifice that was offered in the Temple on Pesach. A hard boiled egg is also a symbol of mourning for the Temple. Even in happy times, we must always remember the sad events of the past.







Haroset
A mixture of chopped apples or dates, nuts, cinnamon, and wine, which reminds us of the mortar that the Jews used to build when they were slaves. We often sweeten the bitter maror by dipping it in haroset.






Z’ro’a
The shank bone - this is the only item on the seder plate that we do not eat. It reminds us of the korban Pesach that was offered in the Temple during the holiday.