The Seder Plate is the centerpiece of the Passover meal. Part of the Seder itself is reviewing what is on the plate and why it is there. Often times, the symbolism of the items escapes us and a quick review before the Seder can help add meaning to the experience – not to mention encourage questions, which is an essential component of the Seder.

Shank bone – a piece of roasted meat. The shank bone represents the lamb that was the Paschal sacrifice the night before the Exodus from Egypt. It also symbolizes the sacrifice made before Passover in the Holy Temple. The lamb was the last item to be consumed at the Seder meal.

Hard Boiled Egg - The egg reminds us of the festival offering brought to the Holy Temple. This offering – Chagigah – was eaten as a main course in the Seder meal. Traditionally, the egg is a symbol of mourning and takes us back to the destruction of the Temple. Today, we eat the egg right before the Seder meal begins.

Bitter Herbs – prompt us to recall the bitterness of the slavery our forefathers endured in Mitzrayim (Egypt). Maror and Chazeret each have their place on our Seder plate. Horseradish is most typically found in the maror section and romaine lettuce in the Chazeret section of the plate. Bitter herbs are eaten twice during the Seder. While we dwell on the suffering of our ancestors, it is important to note that there are people suffering in today’s world as well.

Charoset –is typically a combination of apples, nuts and wine. It symbolizes the mortar and brick the Jews made when slaves in Egypt. The name – charoset – comes from the Hebrew word Cheres, meaning clay. While it is quite tasty, dipping the charoset into the maror before we eat it is a bitter reminder of the hard work the Jews were forced to do in Egypt.

Karpas – Also on our Seder plate, we will find a non-bitter vegetable (typically celery, parsley or a boiled potato) alluding to the terrible conditions of the Jews when we were slaves in Egypt. This item on our plate is a symbol of rebirth and rejuvenation. During Passover, we celebrate the birth of our nation – a byproduct of our Exodus from Egypt and wandering in the desert. We eat the Karpas before retelling the story of the Exodus, dipping it into salt water. The salt water represents our tears, and the act of dipping the Karpas into salt water is done to evoke questions from the children.

The Seder is all about order, questions and retelling history. The Seder plate is an essential part of the storytelling. Some people have added other symbols onto their Seder plates, but the traditional items are the ones mentioned above. What a great tool to use during the Seder to inspire questions, spark conversation and recall moments from Jewish history.