Passover Symbols
There are still some symbols on our seder plate we haven’t talked about yet.
A shank bone represents the Pesach, the special lamb sacrifice made in the days of the Temple for the Passover holiday. It is called the pesach, from the Hebrew word meaning “to pass over,” because God passed over the houses of our ancestors in Egypt when visiting plagues upon our oppressors. Tonight we are using roasted beet in place of shank bone to make our seder plate vegetarian.
The matzah reminds us that when our ancestors were finally free to leave Egypt, there was no time to pack or prepare. Our ancestors grabbed whatever dough was made and set out on their journey, letting their dough bake into matzah as they fled.
The bitter herbs, maror, provide a visceral reminder of the bitterness of slavery, the life of hard labor our ancestors experienced in Egypt.
The roasted egg is a symbol of the spring season and the cycle of life.
The charoset, a mixture of sweet things, represents the mortar we used to build when we were slaves.
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Passover Guide
Hosting your first Passover Seder? Not sure what food to serve? Curious to
know more about the holiday? Explore our Passover 101 Guide for answers
to all of your questions.