If the Pesaḥ seder invites participants to relive the experience of being freed from Egypt, the seder plate (ke‘arah) offers a visual representation of the essential symbols of this transformation. Traditionally, there are five or six classic symbolic items placed on the seder plate:
- maror (bitter herbs),
- ḥazeret (bitter vegetables),
- ḥaroset (sweet paste),
- karpas (leafy green),
- zeroa (shank bone), and
- beitzah (egg).
Contemporary Jewish have added further items to represent the evolving conversations we have about freedom.
The seder plate we are familiar with today first appears in medieval Jewish sources. However, the command to eat special foods on Passover night is already anchored in the biblical Exodus (Exodus 12:8): “They shall eat the [Passover offering] that same night; they shall eat it roasted over the fire, with [matzah] and with [maror].”
As a whole, the seder plate represents the journey from slavery to freedom, while each of its parts has a distinct meaning.
The Items on the Seder Plate
Maror (bitter herbs)
Maror literally means “bitter” in Hebrew. It was commanded to be eaten with the original Passover sacrifice. Today, we commonly use horseradish as a reminder of the bitterness of slavery. We taste its bitterness in order to embody the barest hint of the pain of oppression.
In addition, many communities also include a second leafy green on the seder plate, called
Ḥazeret
Often, ḥazeret is romaine lettuce, or a similar leafy green. It is also used in the korekh (matzah sandwich) section of the seder. Even though romaine lettuce is not very bitter, some sages explained that it will become bitter if left in the ground too long.
Ḥaroset
A sweet mixture of ingredients representing the mortar used in the bricks built by Hebrew slaves. While everyone has their own recipe, Ashkenazi communities tend to mix apples, nuts, and wine, while some Sephardi communities use a date-paste base. During the seder, we dip maror in ḥaroset to recall that even in times of sadness, there is sweetness to be found.
Karpas
A leafy green (often celery). We dip karpas in salt water (for Ashkenazim) or vinegar (for Sephardim) to represent the tears shed by the Jewish people during slavery. The karpas itself does not clearly correspond to a particular element of the Exodus story. But because of its green color, karpas it represents the spring season in which Passover falls, and Israel’s initial period of flourishing in Egypt at the time of Joseph.
The two remaining items on the seder plate, zeroa (shank bone) and beitzah (egg), were traditionally products of animals. Today, some choose to substitute them with vegan-friendly versions for a vegan ke’arah.
Zeroa (shank bone)
Roasted shank bones remind us of the Passover sacrifice once offered at the Jerusalem Temple, which was the climax of the Jewish year. Like today’s seder, that sacrifice provided an opportunity for families to come together, as, unlike other types of sacrifices, it was eaten in groups.
Zeroa also indicates redemption through wordplay: the word zeroa also means “arm.” It represents the divine “outstretched arm” that is said to have freed the Israelites from slavery (Deuteronomy 5:15).
For a vegan version, some substitute roasted vegetables such as beets.
Beitzah (egg)
Originally, a boiled egg stood in for the second animal sacrifice of Pesaḥ—the korban hagiga. We cooked these foods in Jerusalem to make the holiday especially festive, so we cook this egg in honor of the sacrifice we offered to God (Babylonian TalmudReferring to one of two collections, the Jerusalem and Babylonian Talmuds, edited in the 6th century, that contains hundreds of years of commentary, discussion, and exploration of the ideas in the Mishnah. One could describe it as Mishnah + Gemara = Talmud Read more, Pesaḥim 114b; Shulḥan Arukh, Oraḥ Ḥaim 473:4). Eggs also traditionally evoke mourning (for example, we eat them before the fast of Tisha B’Av), so they remind us of the destruction of the Temple and the losses under slavery.
Today, an egg also calls to mind our spiritual rebirth and renewal as a free people. Some substitute an avocado seed, or a similar round object, for a similar effect.
Modern Evolution of the Seder Plate
Some place additional symbols on the seder plate to reflect contemporary challenges in Jewish life. Susannah Heschel added an orange in the 1980s to advocate for LGBTQ+ Jews, women, and others underrepresented in the Jewish community.
The symbols on the seder plate take us from memory to meaning: from the bitterness of the past to the possibility of renewal, and from ritual to the ongoing work of shaping a more just and compassionate world.
What would you add to your seder plate to make it more meaningful?
