COMMUNITY MAGAZINE March 2021

34 COMMUNITY MAGAZINE Each year on Passover, Jews around the world sit down to the Passover seder to remember the difficult years their ancestors spent as slaves in Egypt and their miraculous deliverance. At the seder , we read the story, eat certain foods, and pass on the story to our children and grandchildren. When preparing the Passover seder, it is important to understand the importance and symbolism of each of the traditional foods. The word “ seder ” itself means “order,” and we call the seder by this name because we must do things in a certain sequence. That order reflects priority, as indicated by Rabbi Avraham Dayan, a”h , of Aleppo. The Seder Plate When setting the table for the Passover seder , we prepare a special seder plate, which sits in the center of the table. The plate can be a fancy silver platter, or a simple child’s plate made in school. What’s important is not the plate, but the items on the plate. Six foods are placed on the plate, each of which is symbolic, reminding us of the bitterness of bondage of our ancestors. The seder plate is topped with three matzot and covered. The six foods on the seder plate are: 1. a roasted lamb shank 2. karpas , usually a celery heart 3. maror (romaine or endive heart) 4. haroset 5. hard boiled or roasted egg 6. salt or vinegar water The word “ karpas ” contains the word kaper (“atone”) and the letter “ samekh ” (“60”), referring to the atonement for the sins of the 60 ten-thousand (or 600,000) Jews who left Egypt. After kiddush , and the drinking of the first cup of wine, we wash our hands, and the blessing is recited on the karpas (celery), which is dipped in either salt water (according to Ashkenazic custom) or vinegar water (Sephardic custom) to remind us of the bitter tears of bondage. The karpas represents hope and redemption. The Three Questions Then the person leading the seder takes the three matzot and breaks the middle one into two pieces, designating one as the afikomen and wrapping it in a sack. At this point, the tray is removed from the table, usually by the eldest unwed girl. It is customary among Syrian Jews for the sack to go around the table, and for each person to take it in their left hand and place it on the right shoulder. They are asked three questions – “Where are you coming from?” Symbolic Foods of Passover SARINA ROFFÉ