Think of the Seder Plate as a “combination plate” dinner that formed the meal in ancient days. The foods were not merely symbolic, they were eaten—from the plate. As the Seder menu changed, the foods on the Seder Plate required explanation.
(clockwise from the upper-right-of-center)
Zeroa זרוע
(shankbone), represents the Passover offering made in Temple times. It will be explained during the Seder. At vegetarian Seders it has become customary to use a red beet instead. No classic prooftext exists for the use of a beet. Some people refer to Talmud Bavli Pesachim 114b. However, this comment actually deals with rice (!) and beets as additional foods at the meal itself—not a symbolic food on the Seder Plate. Nonetheless, the blood-red color of the beet serves as a metaphoric stand-in for the blood of the lamb shank. I suggest scoring and roasting a beet with its greens.
Beitzah ביצה
(boiled or roasted egg), represents the holiday offering made in the days of the Temple. It plays no role in the Seder. It will be explained during the Seder.
Maror מרור
(bitter herbs), though possibly horehound, it is usually a piece of unground horseradish, represents the bitterness of slavery in Egypt.1 It will be explained during the Seder.
Charoset חרוסת
a mixture of chopped nuts, apples and wine (and other wonderful ingredients) represents the clay the Jews used to make bricks for the Egyptians.2 It will be explained during the Seder.
Chazeret חזרת
another bitter herb, usually ground horseradish, or a bitter lettuce such as endive. It plays no role in the Seder, and will not be explained.
Karpas כרפס
any green vegetable (parsley, celery—some traditions suggest a boiled potato), represents the new life of spring.3 The plant from the seeds you may have sowed last year still produces leaves after the winter. Perhaps this is why it is chosen for dipping: Parsley is available in early spring with little effort. It will be explained during the Seder.
Also on or near the table are the following items:
Kiddush Cup
One cup for everyone at the Seder. We will drink at least four times. Sufficient bottles of wine and/or grape juice for refilling should be available. These will be explained throughout the Seder.
Candles
At least two. These will be lit and explained as the Seder begins.
Yahrtzeit (Memorial) Candle
This will be lit and explained during the Seder. In homes where it is customary not to light fires after the holiday begins, the candle can be lit early and moved to the table at the appointed time.
Elijah’s Cup
Stands empty; it will be filled and explained during the Seder.
Salt Water
Or a dressing of wine vinegar and/or apple vinegar, will be used and explained during the Seder.
Matzot
Three pieces, covered on a plate will be eaten and explained during the Seder. (Extra Matzot should be available to assure enough for everyone.)
Bowl of Tap Water
which the facilitator will use for washing hands, is placed beside the table at the appropriate spot. You might want to use “handi-wipes” which were unknown during the early rabbinic period at the time the Seder first developed.
Pillows
for reclining during the meal are available for all.
A large pitcher of fresh, tasty drinking water from which all will drink at the end of the Seder (also a bowl(s) to empty the remainder of wine in the cups before drinking from Miriam’s Well) It will be explained at the end of the Seder. (I like to slice an orange and pile ice on top then fill the remaining space with cold water.)
Spring flowers
for decoration.
Things for kids to use
Consider using a large white paper table cloth and putting out fresh play-dough, colored pencils and/or crayons.
A pair of shoes
These will be used & explained in the section “Getting Beyond the Straits and Narrow”.
Since the early 1980s when an orange was added,4 a variety of other items have been placed on the Seder plate to represent one or another cause. These have included5 (in alphabetical order):
• chocolate (and coffee) beans8
• fig9
• strawberry15
With all these additions, there’s no room for the “original” items. Consider having a “secondary plate”. This year we will place an empty plate on the table to spark conversation.
Previous: Preparations for Pesach
Next: How to Use this Haggadah
To explore the structure of the Seder and this Haggadah, check the Table of Contents
Footnotes
1 Instructions for preparing Maror appear in the Appendix, page .
2 A recipe for Charoset appears in the Appendix, .
3 An alternate explanation of karpas and how to serve it appears on page .
4 en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passover_Seder_Plate#Variants
5 jta.org/2011/04/12/life-religion/from-oranges-to-artichokes-chocolate-and-olives-using-seder-plate-as-a-call-to-action
6 interfaithfamily.com/holidays/passover_and_easter/Five_Interfaith_Passover_Readings_You_Can_Add_to_Your_Hagaddah.shtml
8 fairtradejudaica.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/HaggadahSupplement2012.pdf
9 Private correspondence with R. Paula Goldberg February 26, 2015: “In our community, at the women’s seder (celebrated with an original haggadah written by Rabbi Shira Joseph and me), we include a fig on the seder plate. It has multi-level symbolism -- as a symbol of the spring, as a symbol of Torah (in midrash), and as a symbol of peace - everyone sitting under the “vine and fig tree” -- the “vine” is represented at the table - we included the fig.”
10 forward.com/articles/172963/put-olive-on-seder-plate-for-palestinians-and-all/
11 http://jewishcurrents.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Haggadah-Supplement-final.pdf
12 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_agFe0moqxc
13 jta.org/2011/04/12/life-religion/from-oranges-to-artichokes-chocolate-and-olives-using-seder-plate-as-a-call-to-action
14 suggestion of Rabbi David Leipziger Teva as representing the experience of 92,607 migrants and refugees who in March of 2019 alone were detained after crossing the US Mexico border
15 The developmentally disabled… strawberries have seeds on the outside. Most fruits have seeds on the inside. In addition, while we do not eat the seeds of most fruits, the entire strawberry (aside from the stem) is edible. Therefore, while the developmentally disabled are different than the general population they none the less possess special values that are not found elsewhere. (correspondence with R. Matt Friedman).
16 thejewishweek.com/special_sections/special_holiday_issues/tomato_finds_its_place_seder_plate