56 THE QUEENS COURIER • PASSOVER • MARCH 29, 2018 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM
PASSOVER
The makings of the Seder plate
Th e Seder plate is the focal point of the
proceedings on the fi rst night of Passover.
Whether it is an ornate silver dish or a
humble napkin, it bears the ceremonial
foods around which the Seder is based:
matzoh, the zeroa (shankbone), egg, bitter
herbs, charoset paste and karpas vegetable.
Preparing these items requires some
time. It is best to prepare all the Seder
foods before the onset of the holiday, in
order to avoid halachic questions.
Th e special foods eaten on Passover
are also food for thought. Every item on
the Seder plate abounds in meaning and
allusion.
Matzoh
Th ree matzot are placed on top of each
other on a plate or napkin, and then covered.
Some also have the custom to separate
the matzot from each other with
interleaved plates, napkins or the like.
Th e top matzah is referred to as Kohen,
as it takes precedence in all matters.
Th e middle matzah (Levi) is broken
into two at the beginning of the Seder.
Th e smaller piece is left on the plate and is
later eaten along with the Kohen matzah
to fulfi ll the matzah blessing; the larger
piece is put away for use as the afi koman.
Th e bottom matzah (Yisrael) is used for
korech, so that every one of the matzot is
used for the performance of a mitzvah.
It is ideal to use handmade shmurah
matzah, which has been zealously guarded
against moisture from the moment
of harvest. You can purchase shmurah
matzah on websites such as Amazon.
On a cloth or plate placed above the
three matzot, the following items are
placed:
The Zeroa (shankbone)
A piece of roasted meat represents the
lamb that was the special paschal sacrifi
ce on the eve of the exodus from Egypt,
and annually on the aft ernoon before
Passover in the Holy Temple.
Some use a forearm of a lamb, but many
communities use a roasted chicken neck.
Called the zeroa, it alludes to the verse
which states, “I will redeem you with an
outstretched arm (zeroa).”
Preparation: Roast the neck on all
sides over an open fi re on the stove.
Aft erwards, some have the custom to
remove the majority of the meat of the
neck (but not all of it).
Role in the Seder: Th e zeroa is not eaten
at the Seder. Aft er the meal it can be
refrigerated, and used again on the Seder
plate the following night.
Beitzah (egg)
A hard-boiled egg represents the
pre-holiday off ering (chagigah) that was
brought in the days of the Holy Temple.
Th e meat of this animal constituted the
main part of the Passover meal. Th e
Aramaic word for “egg” is bei’ah, which is
similar to the Aramaic word for “desire,”
expressing that this was the night when
God would redeem the Jewish people.
Preparation: Boil one egg per Seder
plate, and possibly more for use during
the meal.
Role in the Seder: Place one egg on the
plate. As soon as the actual meal is about
to begin, remove the egg from the Seder
plate and use during the meal.
A popular custom is to eat these eggs
together with the saltwater which was set
on the table.
Maror and chazeret
(bitter herbs)
Bitter herbs (maror) remind us of the
bitterness of the slavery of our forefathers
in Egypt. Fresh grated horseradish,
and romaine lettuce (or endives), are the
most common choices.
Th e leaves of romaine lettuce are not
bitter; but the stem, when left to grow in
the ground, turns hard and bitter. Th is
represents the Jewish people’s enslavement
in Egypt.
Preparation: Peel the raw horseradish
roots, rinse and dry well. Next, grate the
horseradish with a hand grater or food
processor. Th is must be done before the
holiday begins. Whoever will be grating
the horseradish may begin to shed
tears or cough. Shielding the mouth and
nose with a cloth may help. No beets or
other condiments should be added to the
horseradish.
Romaine lettuce is oft en very sandy.
Wash each of the leaves separately,
checking very carefully for insects. Take
care that they do not soak for 24 hours.
Th ose who are particular not to eat
matzah that becomes moist should pat
the lettuce gently with a towel and let it
sit until completely dry, so that there will
be no moisture to come in contact with
the matzah.
Place a few cleaned, dried leaves of
romaine lettuce on the Seder plate,
topped with the horseradish. Since this
will be used twice, it actually takes two
spots on the Seder plate. Th e top pile (in
the center of the plate) is called maror
(bitter herbs), while the pile that sits
beneath it is referred to as chazeret (lettuce).
Role in the Seder: Aft er the recital of
most of the Haggadah comes the ritual
hand-washing. Th en matzah is eaten,
followed by some maror (taken from the
maror pile), followed in turn by a sandwich
of matzah and maror (this time
taken from the chazeret pile).
Charoset (paste)
A mixture of apples, pears, nuts and
wine, which resembles the mortar and
brick made by the Jews when they toiled
for Pharaoh.
Preparation: Shell nuts and peel apples
and pears, and chop fi nely. Mix together
and add a small amount of wine.
Role in the Seder: Th is is used as a
type of relish, into which the maror is
dipped (and then shaken off ) before
eating.
Karpas (vegetable)
Many have the custom to use parsley,
called karpas in Hebrew. Th is vegetable
alludes to the backbreaking work of the
Jews as slaves.
Preparation: Prepare your vegetable, an
onion or (boiled) potato in many Eastern
European traditions. Cut off a slice and
place on Seder plate. On the table, next
to the Seder plate, place a small bowl of
saltwater.
Role in the Seder: Aft er recital of kiddush,
the family goes to the sink and ritually
washes their hands, but without saying
the usual blessing.
Everyone then takes a very small piece
of the vegetable and dips it in saltwater.
Aft er the appropriate blessing is said, the
karpas is eaten.
From Chabad.org; edited for format.