Hag Pesach Sameach!
The first day of Passover is celebrated with a special feast meal – the Seder. The Seder is the most important holiday ritual, in which, in addition to matzah (unleavened bread) and red wine, a special place is occupied by the keara – a special dish on which six more necessary symbolic elements of the Passover meal must be placed: an egg, charoset (a mixture of apples, cinnamon and nuts), zeroa (meat on the bone) and several types of greens. The symbolism of this food has several levels: the divine will, the temple sacrifice, and the biblical events preceding the Exodus of the Jews from Egypt. Furthermore, each of the elements has its own purpose and interpretation.
We do not know what came first – the chicken or the egg, but we will start... with the egg.
The egg for the Seder is boiled, then baked, then peeled before being placed on the dish. First of all, the egg symbolizes the festive offering of food that was practiced during the times of the Jerusalem Temple. Additionally, in many cultures, the egg signifies birth and new life. In this case, the rebirth and new life of the Jewish people after their release from captivity and enslavement, compared to liberation from the shell. Passover eggs are also associated with the spring awakening of nature.
Passover is a holiday where the traditions of Judaism and Christianity intersect: for example, in some Sephardic communities, there is a custom of dyeing eggs using onion skins or coffee beans.
