What is the significance of passover food

MENU: Fruit Salad chopped apples, figs, dates, with walnuts or almonds Parsley dipped in salt water Egg Matzah tortilla-sized, crispy, unleavened bread Horseradish or Bitter Herbs dipped in Charoset Lettuce Roasted lamb Red wine The temperate climate and soil made for excellent growing conditions for many fruits such as pomegranates, figs, dates and apricots.

Date honey, which we might today recognize better as date syrup, was made by boiling dates, straining them through a cloth, and further reducing the remaining liquid. Fiber and antioxidants from fruits like this would have been protective against diseases such as heart disease, cancer, diverticulitis and diabetes.

The green of the parsley symbolized spring or youth, a reminder that God saved the Israelites by parting the salty waters of the Red Sea to allow them to escape from Pharaoh when they were still a young nation.

Parsley is rich in vitamin K and antioxidants such as vitamin C and luetolin which prevent damage to cells in the body that often lead to heart disease, cancer, diabetes and asthma. The egg is symbolic of life and resurrection, and of the sacrifice that was offered in the Temple on the first morning of Passover.

Eggs have very high quality protein which aids in muscle strength, and nutrients such as choline beneficial for brain functions and lutein helpful for preventing macular degeneration and blindness. In remembrance of the Israelite slaves leaving Egypt in such a hurry after being freed from Pharaoh that they did not even take time for the bread to rise Exodus , they removed all leavened bread products from their homes during this special feast, a tradition that continues today among Jews.

Unleavened bread similar to the taste of a cracker , or matzah, is a good carbohydrate source, providing fuel for the body that gives you energy. Bitter herbs symbolized the bitterness of slavery in Egypt Exodus Horseradish, chicory and radishes were used for this. These herbs were dipped into a sweet, fermented paste made from fruits and nuts called Charoset often made from apples, grapes, dates, figs, cinnamon and almonds.

On Passover seder tables, you may see a partitioned plate containing small amounts of specific food. This is the seder plate, and each food is symbolic for an aspect of Passover: A roasted shank bone represents the Pescah sacrifice, an egg represents spring and the circle of life, bitter herbs represent the bitterness of slavery, haroset an applesauce-like mixture with wine, nuts, apples, etc.

Also placed on the table are three pieces of matzah — a cracker-like unleavened bread — that represent the bread the Israelites took with them when they fled Egypt, and salt water to represent the tears of the slaves.

At your seat, you may see a specific wine glass or kiddish cup. The Torah commands that at least four symbolic cups of wine be consumed during the Passover seder. There may also be one or two extra kiddish cups at your table: One is a cup of wine for the prophet Elijah whose spirit visits on passover. On the chairs, you may see pillows. This is because on Passover you are supposed to recline at the table as a symbol of being free. There is even a specific section of the seder called the four questions, where the youngest person at the table asks about the different Passover symbols and the elders explain.

In addition to eating the foods represented on the seder plate with the exception of lamb, which is not eaten a Passover meal — that breaks up the two halves of the seder — is served. Traditional dishes include matzo ball soup , gefilte fish, beef brisket, chicken and potatoes. More traditional Jews will completely clean out any foods containing chametz from their home.

This has to do with the story of Passover: After the killing of the first born, the Pharaoh agreed to let the Israelites go. But in their haste to leave Egypt, the Israelites could not let their bread rise and so they brought unleavened bread. To commemorate this, Jews do not eat leavened bread for eight days. Any bread-like substance cakes, dumplings, etc. God then proceeded to "pass over" the houses that had been daubed with the blood when inflicting the plague, hence where the name for the festival comes from.

Eggs are a symbol of mourning in Judaism because, as an object with a round shape, it represents the symbol of life, a component of which is death. For some Jewish families, it's tradition to eat a hard-boiled egg dipped in salt water, a symbol of the Jewish slaves' tears, for the first course of their Seder meal.

At a certain point when reading the story of the festival from the Haggadah, the 10 plagues inflicted on Egypt by God are read out. It's widely believed that is done in recognition of the fact that while the Jewish people were liberated, the Egyptians suffered. Throughout the Seder meal, four cups of wine are drunk, as a symbol of the Jewish people's freedom.

It is custom to lean to the left while drinking these cups of wine, as only those who are free are able to recline while drinking wine. For everything you need to know about Passover, click here. Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies. Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today. Recommended Everything you need to know about the Jewish festival Passover.

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