{"id":404385,"date":"2022-04-14T00:00:52","date_gmt":"2022-04-14T04:00:52","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.tasteofhome.com\/?p=404385"},"modified":"2025-02-02T14:15:23","modified_gmt":"2025-02-02T20:15:23","slug":"passover-seder","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tasteofhome.com\/article\/passover-seder\/","title":{"rendered":"Passover Seder: The Ultimate Guide"},"content":{"rendered":"If you've never been to a Passover Seder before, it can be hard to know how to prepare. This ritual meal is the centerpiece of the Jewish holiday of Passover, which marks the Jewish people's exodus from Egypt in ancient times.\r\n\r\nWhether you're attending a Passover Seder as a guest or hosting your inaugural Seder, this guide will help orient you to the Jewish foods<\/a>, symbols and rituals that are part of the spring holiday.\r\n

What is a Passover Seder?<\/h2>\r\nThe Hebrew word Seder<\/em> means \"order.\" The ceremony takes place at a table and involves traditions that represent different aspects of the Passover story. A typical Seder includes songs, readings in Hebrew and English, and rituals relating to the Seder plate. Then there's a traditional Seder dinner, followed by more prayers and other activities.\r\n\r\nHowever, not all Seders are alike. Some are more formal and organized, while others are laid-back. Every family's Passover traditions<\/a> vary, especially in different countries around the world. The dress code will also depend on the type of Seder you're attending. If you'll be a guest, check with your host to see if you should dress up.\r\n\r\nIn 2025, Passover starts on April 12 and runs through April 20. The Seder is generally held on the first night, but some families hold Seders on both the first and second nights.\r\n\r\nThe traditional Hebrew Passover greeting is chag sameach,<\/em> which means \"happy holiday!\"\r\n

The Passover Seder Plate<\/h2>\r\n\"A\r\n\r\nThe Seder plate is a key component of the Passover celebration. It has five or six (depending on the host's custom) ceremonial foods that represent different themes in the Passover story.\r\n\r\nSome families have one decorative Seder plate<\/a> in the center of the table as well as individual Seder plates at each place setting. This is especially helpful for large Seders because it allows each participant to partake in the Seder plate items without having to pass the large plate around.\r\n

1. Zeroa (shankbone)<\/h3>\r\nThe shankbone represents the lamb that ancient Jews sacrificed at the temple in ancient Jerusalem.\r\n

2. Beitzah (egg)<\/h3>\r\nThe egg represents the pre-holiday offering (the festival sacrifice) traditionally brought into the temple. Many families use a hard-boiled egg<\/a> that you can eat during the Seder. Some people also say the roundness of the egg represents the circle of life.\r\n

3. Charoset (fruit and nut paste)<\/h3>\r\n\"Your\r\n\r\nThis sweet mixture represents the bricks and mortar that the Jews used to build structures for the pharaoh when they were slaves in Egypt. There are many variations of charoset<\/em> around the word. Our charoset recipe<\/a> contains apples, nuts, wine and cinnamon.\r\n

4. Maror (bitter herbs)<\/h3>\r\nMaror<\/a><\/em>, or bitter herbs, is a reminder of the bitterness of slavery. You can use various vegetables as maror, but many people use horseradish or romaine lettuce. Some families use both.\r\n\r\nAt a certain point in the Seder, you dip the maror in the charoset and eat it. Later, you eat maror sandwiched between two small pieces of matzo.\r\n

5. Karpas (vegetable)<\/h3>\r\nThe karpas<\/em> is a green vegetable that represents hope and rebirth. Many people use parsley, but you can use other greens.\r\n\r\nIt's customary to serve the karpas alongside a small bowl of salt water. During the Seder, you dip the karpas into the salt water to remember the Jewish people's tears when they were slaves in Egypt.\r\n\r\nIn addition to these traditional items, some families place an orange on the Seder plate<\/a> to represent gender equality or an olive (calling to mind an olive branch) to symbolize peace.\r\n

The 15 Steps of a Passover Seder<\/h2>\r\nAvoid showing up to a Seder with a completely empty stomach. There will be a big meal later on, but the before-dinner rituals can take some time (and a few of them involve drinking wine!).\r\n\r\nEach step of a Passover Seder has a Hebrew name. People spend varying amounts of time on each step, depending on their traditions.\r\n\r\nRisa Lichtman, a Jewish chef and writer, shares the steps of the Passover Seder as followed by her family:\r\n

Step 1: Kadesh (blessing the wine)<\/h3>\r\n

As with many Jewish rituals, the first step to the Seder is saying a blessing over the wine. This is the first of four glasses of wine in the Passover Seder.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

Step 2: Urchatz (washing the hands)<\/h3>\r\n

This initial ritual washing of the hands is almost a pre-washing, and is done without the usual blessing.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

Step 3: Karpas (eating the green vegetable)<\/h3>\r\n

Here we say a blessing over the vegetables, then eat a green vegetable\u2014such as parsley or leafy greens\u2014dipped in salt water. The salt water represents the tears of the Jewish people during their years of enslavement in Egypt.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

Step 4: Yachatz (breaking the middle matzo)<\/h3>\r\n\"A\r\n

Matzo<\/a>, a type of unleavened bread, is one of the central Passover foods. According to the traditional Passover story, it's flat and unleavened because the Jewish people didn't have enough time to let their bread rise before escaping from Egypt.<\/p>\r\n

The three covered pieces of matzo on the Passover table represent the three groups of Jews: Israelites, Levites and Priests. The leader of the Seder takes the middle of three matzos from the table and breaks it in into two pieces. The larger piece is wrapped in a cloth and set aside for the leader to later hide as the afikomen<\/em>.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

Step 5: Maggid (telling the story)<\/h3>\r\n

This long section includes telling the Passover story, drinking the second glass of wine, asking the Four Questions<\/a>, talking about the 10 plagues and singing everyone's favorite Passover song, \"Dayenu.\"<\/p>\r\n\r\n

Step 6: Rachtzah (washing the hands)<\/h3>\r\n

This second ritual hand-washing is the more official washing, in preparation for the main meal. For this hand-washing, the traditional blessing is recited.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

Step 7: Motzi (blessing the bread)<\/h3>\r\n

The traditional blessing over bread is said, as well as a second blessing specific to matzo.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

Step 8: Matzah (eating the matzo)<\/h3>\r\n\"Man\r\n

Then you have a bite of matzo, the first Passover Seder food!<\/p>\r\n\r\n

Step 9: Maror (eating the bitter herbs)<\/h3>\r\n

We eat bitter herbs as a reminder of the harsh and bitter years of enslavement we endured in Egypt. Usually the bitter herb is a\u00a0horseradish<\/a>\u00a0spread that you eat on a piece of matzo.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

Step 10: Korech (making the Hillel sandwich)<\/h3>\r\n

Add\u00a0charoset<\/a>\u00a0to your horseradish and matzo sandwich, and you'll get the Hillel sandwich. The sweet of the charoset balances out the bitter of the horseradish.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

Step 11: Shulchan orech (eating dinner)<\/h3>\r\n

Finally, it's time for dinner. My family generally starts with a hard-boiled egg dipped in salt water, followed by traditional Passover recipes<\/a>\u00a0like matzo ball soup<\/a> and brisket.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

Step 12: Tzafun (eating the afikomen)<\/h3>\r\n

This is a favorite part of the Seder, when the children look for the hidden piece of matzo, called the afikomen. Whoever finds it wins a prize, then everyone eats a bite of the afikomen as the very last bite of the meal.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

Step 13: Barech (saying a blessing after the meal)<\/h3>\r\n\"Woman\r\n

The traditional grace after meals is said and the third glass of wine is consumed. This is also where we open the door for Elijah, leaving a glass of wine for him and a glass of water for Miriam.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

Step 14: Hallel (singing songs of praise)<\/h3>\r\n

The door is closed and the Passover songs are sung.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

Step 15: Nirtzah (concluding the Seder)<\/h3>\r\n

This is the conclusion of the Seder. Some families end the Seder by saying \"Next year in Jerusalem.\"<\/p>\r\n\r\n

Other Seder Traditions<\/h2>\r\n\"Man\r\n\r\nWhile the Seder plate and matzo are two of the most well-known Passover traditions, there are other elements of a traditional Seder:\r\n