Laughter is a good teaching tool! We use this game in our house to make sure that the children hear (and understand!) both the key symbolism of Pesach, matzah, and maror (bitter herbs), as well as the other items on the Seder plate! Sample answers are given not only by our three- and four-year-old children, but by Tractate Pesachim and Midrash Sh'mot Rabbah. I make no promises on which set of answers you will find the most meaningful and which the most ridiculous!
Print these nine cards on jolly colored paper, cut them into squares, and hide them throughout the living room before the Seder. (Kids 5 and up are urged to color add illustrations to the family set of cards and color a big Seder plate for a gameboard.) While the big people read through magid at the Seder, the children can roam the front room looking for cards. Whenever a kid finds a card, that child may INTERRUPT the Seder to examine the newfound Q & A. Different grownups should take turns reading each answer on the card. The child who found the card choose the grownup whose answer they like best. In our house, the child gives the lucky grownup a prize, e.g. a sticker, for the cleverness of their answer!
Also, once the children have found Pesach, matzah, and maror, they have permission to cadge a bowl of matzah ball soup and a piece of chicken from the kitchen if it's past 8 p.m. and the grownups still haven't gotten to the dinner yet!
Source - The Pesach Bone (Z'roa)
וַיִּקְרָ֥א מֹשֶׁ֛ה לְכׇל־זִקְנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֲלֵהֶ֑ם מִֽשְׁכ֗וּ וּקְח֨וּ לָכֶ֥ם צֹ֛אן לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתֵיכֶ֖ם וְשַׁחֲט֥וּ הַפָּֽסַח׃
Moses then summoned all the elders of Israel and said to them, “Go, pick out lambs for your families, and slaughter the passover offering.
וְכָ֘כָה֮ תֹּאכְל֣וּ אֹתוֹ֒ מׇתְנֵיכֶ֣ם חֲגֻרִ֔ים נַֽעֲלֵיכֶם֙ בְּרַגְלֵיכֶ֔ם וּמַקֶּלְכֶ֖ם בְּיֶדְכֶ֑ם וַאֲכַלְתֶּ֤ם אֹתוֹ֙ בְּחִפָּז֔וֹן פֶּ֥סַח ה֖וּא לַיהֹוָֽה׃
This is how you shall eat it: your loins girded, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and you shall eat it hurriedly: it is a passover offering to יהוה.
וַאֲמַרְתֶּ֡ם זֶֽבַח־פֶּ֨סַח ה֜וּא לַֽיהֹוָ֗ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר פָּ֠סַ֠ח עַל־בָּתֵּ֤י בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ בְּמִצְרַ֔יִם בְּנׇגְפּ֥וֹ אֶת־מִצְרַ֖יִם וְאֶת־בָּתֵּ֣ינוּ הִצִּ֑יל וַיִּקֹּ֥ד הָעָ֖ם וַיִּֽשְׁתַּחֲוֽוּ׃
you shall say, ‘It is the passover sacrifice to יהוה, who passed over the houses of the Israelites in Egypt when smiting the Egyptians, but saved our houses.’ Those assembled then bowed low in homage.
Offering the Paschal lamb was a fearsomely complicated rite with strict rules about time, place, and purification of mind and body both by the Jewish family bringing the sacrifice and the priest performing it. There was no room for error in the solemnity of the commemoration.
מַתְנִי׳ כֵּיצַד צוֹלִין אֶת הַפֶּסַח? מְבִיאִין שַׁפּוּד שֶׁל רִמּוֹן, וְתוֹחֲבוֹ לְתוֹךְ פִּיו עַד בֵּית נְקוּבָתוֹ, וְנוֹתֵן אֶת כְּרָעָיו וְאֶת בְּנֵי מֵעָיו לְתוֹכוֹ, דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי יוֹסֵי הַגְּלִילִי. רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא אוֹמֵר: כְּמִין בִּישּׁוּל הוּא זֶה, אֶלָּא תּוֹלִין חוּצָה לוֹ. אֵין צוֹלִין אֶת הַפֶּסַח לֹא עַל הַשַּׁפּוּד וְלֹא עַל הָאַסְכָּלָא. אָמַר רַבִּי צָדוֹק: מַעֲשֶׂה בְּרַבָּן גַּמְלִיאֵל שֶׁאָמַר לְטָבִי עַבְדּוֹ: צֵא וּצְלֵה לָנוּ אֶת הַפֶּסַח עַל הָאַסְכָּלָא.
MISHNA: How does one roast the Paschal lamb? One brings a spit [shappud] of pomegranate wood and thrusts it into the mouth of the lamb until it reaches its anus, and one then puts its legs and entrails inside it and roasts it all together; this is the statement of Rabbi Yosei HaGelili. Rabbi Akiva says: One does not insert its legs and entrails inside it, as this is a type of cooking. Anything placed inside the offering does not get roasted directly by the fire and is considered to have been cooked. Rather, one suspends the legs and entrails from the spit above the animal’s head outside it. One may not roast the Paschal lamb on the metal spit nor on a metal grill [askela]. However, Rabbi Tzadok said: There was an incident with Rabban Gamliel, who said to his slave Tavi: Go and roast the Paschal lamb for us on the grill.
אֶלָּא אָמַר רַב פָּפָּא: הָא מַנִּי? רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר הִיא, דְּאָמַר: וְכֵן הַשּׁוֹחֵט אֲחֵרִים לְשֵׁם פֶּסַח — פָּסוּל, דְּהָוֵה לֵיהּ פְּסוּלוֹ בְּגוּפוֹ.
...It is in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Eliezer, who said: And similarly, if one slaughtered another offering, such as a peace-offering, for the purpose of a Paschal lamb, it is disqualified. If so, its disqualification is in the body of the offering itself, and the meat should be burned immediately.
רַב הוּנָא אָמַר: אֵין תַּשְׁלוּמִין לְפֶסַח הַבָּא בְּטוּמְאָה, וְרַב אַדָּא בַּר אַהֲבָה אָמַר: יֵשׁ תַּשְׁלוּמִין לְפֶסַח הַבָּא בְּטוּמְאָה.
Rav Huna said: There is no redress for a Paschal lamb that is brought in ritual impurity. Rav Adda bar Ahava [disagrees].
Life in early Israel was plagued by religious instability, political upheaval, and the ever-present encroaching of pagan fertility rites into the rhythm of Jewish family life. Moshe's final speech in Sefer Devarim clearly points towards centralization of worship as a key factor in Jewish unity and religious resilience in the face of assimilation. Individual altars were discouraged, as such practices invited splinter groups and factions to break away from mainstream Judaism--as per the golden calves set up by King Yarov'am (Jereboam I) of Northern Israel as a supposedly acceptable northern alternative to Solomon's Temple in Jerusalem.
״לֹא תוּכַל לִזְבֹּחַ אֶת הַפָּסַח בְּאַחַד שְׁעָרֶיךָ״.
“You may not sacrifice the Paschal lamb in any one of your cities” (Deuteronomy 16:5). The Passover festival must bring the nation together in a unified procession of pilgrims to Jerusalem, with every Jew participating in Temple rites in solemn purity as equals.
וּמַאן תַּנָּא דְּחָיֵישׁ לְאֵיבָה — רַבִּי יוֹסֵי הִיא. דְּתַנְיָא, אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹסֵי: מִפְּנֵי מָה הַכֹּל נֶאֱמָנִין עַל טׇהֳרַת יַיִן וָשֶׁמֶן כׇּל יְמוֹת הַשָּׁנָה — כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יְהֵא כׇּל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד הוֹלֵךְ וּבוֹנֶה בָּמָה לְעַצְמוֹ, וְשׂוֹרֵף פָּרָה אֲדוּמָּה לְעַצְמוֹ.
Rabbi Yosei said: For what reason are all trusted with regard to the purity (nowadays, kashrut) of their sacrificial wine and oil throughout the year? So that each and every individual should not take offense at the insult to his religiosity and go off and build a private altar for himself and burn a red heifer for himself. Were the Sages to reject sacrificial items from uneducated or non-rabbinic Jews, they would become alienated and go off and create schisms, going so far as to build their own separate temples and bring their own private offerings.
Passover was a particularly splendid pilgrimage festival in Jerusalem: every able-bodied Jew in a state of medical and physical purity within a nine hour radius was encouraged to attend. Each person had to register with a group to bring a lamb: the lambs were brought to the Temple and sacrificed with pomp and ceremony by qualified and mindful priests, who sang Hallel in the courtyards and took their appointed portions before the family carried the meat back to their courtyard or hostel to feast and celebrate. Here too there was no room for error, neither for medical impurity on behalf of the celebrants or errors in registration for either the group members or the goat/lamb being reserved for the Passover feast. Rav lays the groundwork for the eventual decision that one cannot properly offer a Paschal lamb without a Temple in Jerusalem rebuilt in a Messianic age of Peace.
גְּמָ׳ תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: מִנַּיִן שֶׁאֵין שׁוֹחֲטִין אֶת הַפֶּסַח עַל הַיָּחִיד, תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: ״לֹא תוּכַל לִזְבֹּחַ אֶת הַפָּסַח בְּאַחַד״, דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי יְהוּדָה. וְרַבִּי יוֹסֵי אוֹמֵר: יָחִיד וְיָכוֹל לְאׇכְלוֹ — שׁוֹחֲטִין עָלָיו, עֲשָׂרָה וְאֵין יְכוֹלִין לְאׇכְלוֹ — אֵין שׁוֹחֲטִין עֲלֵיהֶן.
The Sages taught : From where is it derived that we do not slaughter a Paschal lamb on behalf on an individual? The verse states: “You may not sacrifice the Paschal lamb in any one of your gates, which the Lord your God has given you” (Deuteronomy 16:5). The phrase “in any one” is expounded to mean: For any one person, which indicates that the Paschal lamb is not slaughtered on behalf of an individual; this is the statement of Rabbi Yehuda. And Rabbi Yosei says: If there is an individual and he is able to eat a minimum serving of the Paschal lamb, one slaughters it on his behalf; whereas if there are ten people and they are unable to eat together an olive-bulk of the Paschal lamb, we do not slaughter it on their behalf.
וְלֹא־תוֹתִ֥ירוּ מִמֶּ֖נּוּ עַד־בֹּ֑קֶר וְהַנֹּתָ֥ר מִמֶּ֛נּוּ עַד־בֹּ֖קֶר בָּאֵ֥שׁ תִּשְׂרֹֽפוּ׃
You shall not leave any of [the Paschal lamb] over until morning; if [your group is so small that you could not finish the entire roast yourselves], but left scraps of meat until morning, you shall burn the leftovers.
מַתְנִי׳ לְעוֹלָם נִמְנִין עָלָיו עַד שֶׁיִּהְיֶה בּוֹ כְּזַיִת לְכׇל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד. נִמְנִין וּמוֹשְׁכִין אֶת יְדֵיהֶן מִמֶּנּוּ עַד שֶׁיִּשָּׁחֵט. רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אוֹמֵר: עַד שֶׁיִּזָּרֵק אֶת הַדָּם.
MISHNA: Additional people can always be registered for a Paschal lamb, as long as there will be at least an olive-bulk of the lamb’s meat for each and every person registered. People can be registered and withdraw themselves from the group for a particular Paschal lamb until it is slaughtered. Rabbi Shimon says: Even until the lamb is already slaughtered and priest sprinkles the blood on the altar.
מַתְנִי׳ הַפֶּסַח נִשְׁחַט בְּשָׁלֹשׁ כִּתּוֹת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וְשָׁחֲטוּ אוֹתוֹ כֹּל קְהַל עֲדַת יִשְׂרָאֵל״, קָהָל, וְעֵדָה, וְיִשְׂרָאֵל. נִכְנְסָה כַּת הָרִאשׁוֹנָה, נִתְמַלְּאָה הָעֲזָרָה, נָעֲלוּ דַּלְתוֹת הָעֲזָרָה, תָּקְעוּ הֵרִיעוּ וְתָקְעוּ,
MISHNA: The Paschal lamb was slaughtered in three groups, meaning those bringing the offering were divided into three separate sets, as it is stated: “And the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall slaughter it in the afternoon” (Exodus 12:6). The verse is interpreted as referring to three shifts: Assembly, congregation, and Israel. The procedure for sacrificing the offering was as follows: The first group of people sacrificing the offering entered, and when the Temple courtyard became filled with them they closed the doors of the Temple courtyard. They sounded uninterrupted, broken, and uninterrupted trumpet blasts, as was done while sacrificing any offering.
הַכֹּהֲנִים עוֹמְדִים שׁוּרוֹת שׁוּרוֹת, וּבִידֵיהֶם בְּזִיכִי כֶסֶף וּבְזִיכֵי זָהָב. שׁוּרָה שֶׁכּוּלָּהּ כֶּסֶף כֶּסֶף, וְשׁוּרָה שֶׁכּוּלָּהּ זָהָב זָהָב, לֹא הָיוּ מְעוֹרָבִין. וְלֹא הָיוּ לַבָּזִיכִין שׁוּלַיִים, שֶׁמָּא יַנִּיחוּם וְיִקָּרֵשׁ הַדָּם.
The priests stood in rows from the place of slaughter to the altar, and in their hands they held bowls [bezikhin] of silver and bowls of gold in order to receive the blood of the offerings. ...The bowls did not have flat bases that would allow them to be put down, out of concern that perhaps the priests would set them down and forget about them and in the meantime the blood would congeal and become disqualified for sprinkling on the altar.
שָׁחַט יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְקִבֵּל הַכֹּהֵן. נוֹתְנוֹ לַחֲבֵירוֹ, וַחֲבֵירוֹ לַחֲבֵירוֹ. וּמְקַבֵּל אֶת הַמָּלֵא, וּמַחֲזִיר אֶת הָרֵיקָן. כֹּהֵן הַקָּרוֹב אֵצֶל הַמִּזְבֵּחַ זוֹרְקוֹ זְרִיקָה אַחַת כְּנֶגֶד הַיְּסוֹד.
An Israelite would slaughter the sacrifice, and a priest would receive the blood and immediately hand it to another priest standing next to him, and the other priest would pass it to another. ...The priest who was closest to the altar would sprinkle a single sprinkling of blood against the base of the altar.
יָצְתָה כַּת רִאשׁוֹנָה, וְנִכְנְסָה כַּת שְׁנִיָּה. יָצְתָה שְׁנִיָּה, נִכְנְסָה שְׁלִישִׁית. כְּמַעֲשֵׂה הָרִאשׁוֹנָה כָּךְ מַעֲשֵׂה הַשְּׁנִיָּה וְהַשְּׁלִישִׁית. קָרְאוּ אֶת הַהַלֵּל. אִם גָּמְרוּ — שָׁנוּ, וְאִם שָׁנוּ — שִׁלֵּשׁוּ, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁלֹּא שִׁלְּשׁוּ מִימֵיהֶם. רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר: מִימֵיהֶם שֶׁל כַּת שְׁלִישִׁית לֹא הִגִּיעוּ לְ״אָהַבְתִּי כִּי יִשְׁמַע ה׳״, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁעַמָּהּ מוּעָטִין.
The first shift exited upon completion of the rite, and the second shift entered; the second shift left upon completion of its rite, and the third shift entered. ...All the people standing in the Temple courtyard while the Paschal lambs were being slaughtered would recite hallel. If they finished reciting it before all the offerings were slaughtered, they recited it a second time, and if they finished reciting it a second time, they recited it a third time, although in practice they never recited it a third time, as the priests worked efficiently and finished the rite before this became necessary.
אֲמַר לְהוּ שְׁמוּאֵל, זִילוּ אֱמַרוּ לֵיהּ לְאַבָּא: ״וְיַעֲשׂוּ בְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת הַפָּסַח בְּמוֹעֲדוֹ״ מַאי עָבְדַתְּ לֵיהּ? אֲמַר לְהוּ, זִילוּ אֱמַרוּ לֵיהּ: כִּי הֲווֹ כּוּלְּהוּ זָבִין מַאי עָבְדַתְּ לֵיהּ? אֶלָּא כֵּיוָן דְּלָא אֶפְשָׁר — לָא אֶפְשָׁר. הָכָא נָמֵי, לָא אֶפְשָׁר.
Shmuel said to them: Go and say to my colleague Abba: What do you do with the following verse: “Let the children of Israel offer the Paschal lamb in its appointed time” (Numbers 9:2)? Rav said to those who transmitted Shmuel’s objection: Go and say to him: When they are all seeping, oozing quarantined zavim, what do you do? Rather, you are forced to say that since it is impossible for those under such conditions to go one pilgrimage and fulfill the mitzva in the proper manner, it is impossible for them to participate at that time. Here, too, it is simply impossible for our community to correctly participate in the Temple in ritual purity, as of old.
Sources - Matzah
וַיִּשָּׂ֥א הָעָ֛ם אֶת־בְּצֵק֖וֹ טֶ֣רֶם יֶחְמָ֑ץ מִשְׁאֲרֹתָ֛ם צְרֻרֹ֥ת בְּשִׂמְלֹתָ֖ם עַל־שִׁכְמָֽם׃
So the people took their dough before it was leavened, their kneading bowls wrapped in their cloaks upon their shoulders.
וַיֹּאפ֨וּ אֶת־הַבָּצֵ֜ק אֲשֶׁ֨ר הוֹצִ֧יאוּ מִמִּצְרַ֛יִם עֻגֹ֥ת מַצּ֖וֹת כִּ֣י לֹ֣א חָמֵ֑ץ כִּֽי־גֹרְשׁ֣וּ מִמִּצְרַ֗יִם וְלֹ֤א יָֽכְלוּ֙ לְהִתְמַהְמֵ֔הַּ וְגַם־צֵדָ֖ה לֹא־עָשׂ֥וּ לָהֶֽם׃
And they baked unleavened cakes of the dough that they had taken out of Egypt, for it was not leavened, since they had been driven out of Egypt and could not delay; nor had they prepared any provisions for themselves.
וּשְׁמַרְתֶּם֮ אֶת־הַמַּצּוֹת֒ כִּ֗י בְּעֶ֙צֶם֙ הַיּ֣וֹם הַזֶּ֔ה הוֹצֵ֥אתִי אֶת־צִבְאוֹתֵיכֶ֖ם מֵאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרָ֑יִם וּשְׁמַרְתֶּ֞ם אֶת־הַיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּ֛ה לְדֹרֹתֵיכֶ֖ם חֻקַּ֥ת עוֹלָֽם׃
You shall observe the [Feast of] Unleavened Bread, for on this very day I brought your ranks out of the land of Egypt; you shall observe this day throughout the ages as an institution for all time.
Sources - Factory-made Matzah
How Matzah Became Square - Video, by Jonathan Sarna
How Matzah Became Square - Handout, by Jonathan Sarna
Full PDF - The History of Manischewitz, by Jonathan Sarna
Sources - "Rugrats Chanukah" and "Rugrats Passover"
Sources - Maror
וַיְמָרְר֨וּ אֶת־חַיֵּיהֶ֜ם בַּעֲבֹדָ֣ה קָשָׁ֗ה בְּחֹ֙מֶר֙ וּבִלְבֵנִ֔ים וּבְכׇל־עֲבֹדָ֖ה בַּשָּׂדֶ֑ה אֵ֚ת כׇּל־עֲבֹ֣דָתָ֔ם אֲשֶׁר־עָבְד֥וּ בָהֶ֖ם בְּפָֽרֶךְ׃
the various labors that they made them perform. Ruthlessly they made life bitter for them with harsh labor at mortar and bricks and with all sorts of tasks in the field.
Sources - Horseradish and Romaine Lettuce (Maror and Chazeret)
מַתְנִי׳ וְאֵלּוּ יְרָקוֹת שֶׁאָדָם יוֹצֵא בָּהֶן יְדֵי חוֹבָתוֹ בַּפֶּסַח: בַּחֲזֶרֶת, בְּתַמְכָא, וּבְחַרְחֲבִינָא וּבְעוּלְשִׁין וּבְמָרוֹר. יוֹצְאִין בָּהֶן בֵּין לַחִין בֵּין יְבֵשִׁין, אֲבָל לֹא כְּבוּשִׁין וְלֹא שְׁלוּקִין וְלֹא מְבוּשָּׁלִין.
MISHNA: And these are the vegetables with which a person can fulfill his obligation to eat bitter herbs on Passover: One can fulfill his obligation with ḥazeret, with chervil [tamkha], and with field eryngo [ḥarḥavina], and with endives [olashin], and with maror. One fulfills his obligation with them whether they are fresh or whether they are dry. However, one does not fulfill his obligation if they are pickled in water or vinegar, nor if they are over-boiled [shaluk] in hot water, nor if they are boiled [mevushal].
גְּמָ׳ חֲזֶרֶת — חַסָּא. עוּלְשִׁין — הִינְדְּבִי. תַּמְכָא, אָמַר רַבָּה בַּר בַּר חָנָה: תְּמַכְתָּא שְׁמָהּ. חַרְחֲבִינָא, אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן לָקִישׁ: אַצְווֹתָא דְּדִיקְלָא. וּבְמָרוֹר — מְרִירָתָא.
GEMARA: The Gemara identifies the plants mentioned by the mishna by their Aramaic names. Ḥazeret is lettuce. Olashin is called hindevi. With regard to tamkha, Rabba bar bar Ḥana said: It is called temakhta in Aramaic. As for ḥarḥavina, Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said: This is the plant that grows around the palm tree. The mishna taught: And with maror. The Gemara explains: This is a plant called merirata.
עוּלְשֵׁי גִינָּה וַחֲזֶרֶת? הָא תְּנָא לַהּ רֵישָׁא! הָכִי קָאָמַר: אַף עוּלְשֵׁי שָׂדֶה כְּעוּלְשֵׁי גִינָּה וַחֲזֶרֶת. רַבִּי מֵאִיר אוֹמֵר: אַף עַסְווֹס וְטוּרָא וּמָר יְרוֹאָר. אֲמַר לֵיהּ רַבִּי יוֹסֵי: עַסְווֹס וְטוּרָא אֶחָד הוּא. וּמָר — זֶה הוּא יְרוֹאָר.
The Gemara asks: Why does Rav Yehuda mention garden endives and ḥazeret? These were already taught in the first clause. The Gemara explains that this is what Rav Yehuda is saying: Even wild endives are equivalent to garden endives and ḥazeret and may be used as bitter herbs on Passover. Rabbi Meir says: The plants asvas, and tura, and sweet myrrh [mar yero’ar] can also be used to fulfill this obligation. Rabbi Yosei said to him: Asvas and tura are two names for one plant, and mar is the same plant as yero’ar.
מַתְנִי׳ הֵבִיאוּ לְפָנָיו, מְטַבֵּל בַּחֲזֶרֶת עַד שֶׁמַּגִּיעַ לְפַרְפֶּרֶת הַפַּת. הֵבִיאוּ לְפָנָיו מַצָּה וַחֲזֶרֶת וַחֲרוֹסֶת וּשְׁנֵי תַבְשִׁילִין, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֵין חֲרוֹסֶת מִצְוָה. רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר (בֶּן) צָדוֹק אוֹמֵר: מִצְוָה. וּבְמִקְדָּשׁ הָיוּ מְבִיאִין לְפָנָיו גּוּפוֹ שֶׁל פֶּסַח.
MISHNA: The attendants brought vegetables before the leader of the seder prior to the meal, if there were no other vegetables on the table. He dips the ḥazeret into water or vinegar, to taste some food before he reaches the dessert of the bread, i.e., the bitter herbs, which were eaten after the matza. They brought before him matza and ḥazeret and ḥaroset, and at least two cooked dishes in honor of the Festival. The tanna comments that this was the practice, although eating ḥaroset is not a mitzva but merely a custom. Rabbi Eliezer ben Tzadok says: Actually, it is a mitzva to eat ḥaroset. And in the period when the Temple stood and they offered the Paschal lamb, they brought before him the body of the Paschal lamb.
גְּמָ׳ אָמַר רֵישׁ לָקִישׁ: זֹאת אוֹמֶרֶת מִצְוֹת צְרִיכוֹת כַּוּוֹנָה. כֵּיוָן דְּלָא בְּעִידָּן חִיּוּבָא דְּמָרוֹר הוּא דְּאָכֵיל לֵיהּ, בְּ״בוֹרֵא פְּרִי הָאֲדָמָה״ הוּא דְּאָכֵיל לֵיהּ. וְדִילְמָא לָא אִיכַּוַּון לְמָרוֹר, הִלְכָּךְ בָּעֵי לְמֶהְדַּר לְאַטְבּוֹלֵי לְשֵׁם מָרוֹר. דְּאִי סָלְקָא דַעְתָּךְ מִצְוָה לָא בָּעֲיָא כַּוּוֹנָה, לְמָה לָךְ תְּרֵי טִיבּוּלֵי? וְהָא טַבֵּיל לֵיהּ חֲדָא זִימְנָא!
GEMARA: Reish Lakish said: That is to say that mitzvot require intent. One who performs a mitzva must do so with the intent to fulfill his obligation. The proof of this from the mishna is that since one does not eat the lettuce at the time of his obligation to eat bitter herbs, he eats it after reciting only one blessing: Who creates fruit of the ground. And clearly the reason is that perhaps he did not intend to fulfill his obligation to eat bitter herbs, and therefore he needs to dip it again for the purpose of bitter herbs. For if it could enter your mind that mitzvot do not require intent, why do you need two dippings? But he has already dipped the lettuce once.
Sources - Shank Bone (Z'roa) and Egg (Beitzah)
א֣וֹ ׀ הֲנִסָּ֣ה אֱלֹהִ֗ים לָ֠ב֠וֹא לָקַ֨חַת ל֣וֹ גוֹי֮ מִקֶּ֣רֶב גּוֹי֒ בְּמַסֹּת֩ בְּאֹתֹ֨ת וּבְמוֹפְתִ֜ים וּבְמִלְחָמָ֗ה וּבְיָ֤ד חֲזָקָה֙ וּבִזְר֣וֹעַ נְטוּיָ֔ה וּבְמוֹרָאִ֖ים גְּדֹלִ֑ים כְּ֠כֹ֠ל אֲשֶׁר־עָשָׂ֨ה לָכֶ֜ם יְהֹוָ֧ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֛ם בְּמִצְרַ֖יִם לְעֵינֶֽיךָ׃
Or has any deity ventured to go and take one nation from the midst of another by prodigious acts, by signs and portents, by war, by a mighty hand and an outstretched arm and awesome power, as your God יהוה did for you in Egypt before your very eyes?
חִזְקִיָּה אָמַר: אֲפִילּוּ דָּג וּבֵיצָה שֶׁעָלָיו. רַב יוֹסֵף אָמַר: צָרִיךְ שְׁנֵי מִינֵי בָשָׂר, אֶחָד זֵכֶר לַפֶּסַח, וְאֶחָד זֵכֶר לַחֲגִיגָה. רָבִינָא אָמַר: אֲפִילּוּ גַּרְמָא וּבִישּׁוּלָא.
Ḥizkiya said: The two cooked foods can even be fish and the egg that that was fried on it. Rav Yosef said: One requires two types of meat on Passover night, one in remembrance of the Paschal lamb and the other one in remembrance of the Festival peace-offering, which was also eaten on Passover night. Ravina said: For the two cooked foods one may use even the meat on the bone and the gravy in which it was cooked.
מַאי שְׁנֵי תַבְשִׁילִין? אָמַר רַב הוּנָא: סִילְקָא וְאָרוֹזָא. רָבָא הֲוָה מְיהַדַּר אַסִּילְקָא וְאָרוֹזָא הוֹאִיל וְנָפֵיק מִפּוּמֵּיהּ דְּרַב הוּנָא.
The Gemara asks: What are these two cooked foods mentioned in the mishna? Must they be meat? Rav Huna said: Beets and rice are fine. The Gemara relates that Rava would specially shop for beets and rice for his Passover dinner, since he respected anything which came from came from the wise Rav Huna’s mouth.
Sources - Veggies With Dip, Usually a Platter of Greens (Karpas) with Apple Chutney (Charoset)
פְּשִׁיטָא, הֵיכָא דְּאִיכָּא שְׁאָר יְרָקוֹת, מְבָרֵךְ אַשְּׁאָר יְרָקוֹת ״בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הָאֲדָמָה״ וְאָכֵיל, וַהֲדַר מְבָרֵךְ ״עַל אֲכִילַת מָרוֹר״ וְאָכֵיל.
With regard to the halakha of eating vegetables, the Gemara clarifies: It is obvious that where there are other vegetables available besides bitter herbs, at the first dipping one recites over the other vegetables the blessing: Who creates fruit of the ground, and eats, with the intention of including in this blessing the bitter herbs he will eat later. And then, at the second dipping, he recites the blessing: Commanded us over eating bitter herbs, on the lettuce and eats it.
תַּנְיָא כְּווֹתֵיהּ דְּרַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: תַּבְלִין זֵכֶר לַתֶּבֶן, חֲרוֹסֶת זֵכֶר לַטִּיט. אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בְּרַבִּי צָדוֹק, כָּךְ הָיוּ אוֹמְרִים תַּגָּרֵי חָרָךְ שֶׁבִּירוּשָׁלַיִם: בּוֹאוּ וּטְלוּ לָכֶם תַּבְלִין לְמִצְוָה.
It was taught in accordance with Rabbi Yoḥanan: The ginger shreds and other spices used in the ḥaroset are to remember the straw, and the ḥaroset itself is in remembrance of the mortar our ancestors used in the brickmaking process. Rabbi Elazar, son of Rabbi Tzadok, said: When selling ḥaroset, the small shopkeepers in Jerusalem would say as follows: Come and take spices for yourselves for the mitzva.
אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר אָמַר רַב אוֹשַׁעְיָא: כׇּל שֶׁטִּיבּוּלוֹ בְּמַשְׁקֶה — צָרִיךְ נְטִילַת יָדַיִם. אָמַר רַב פָּפָּא: שְׁמַע מִינַּהּ, הַאי חַסָּאצְרִיךְ לְשַׁקּוֹעֵיהּ בַּחֲרוֹסֶת, מִשּׁוּם קָפָא. דְּאִי סָלְקָא דַעְתָּךְ לָא צְרִיךְ לְשַׁקּוֹעֵיהּ — נְטִילַת יָדַיִם לְמָה לִי? הָא לָא נָגַע! וְדִילְמָא לְעוֹלָם אֵימָא לָךְ: לָא צְרִיךְ לְשַׁקּוֹעֵיהּ, וְקָפָא מֵרֵיחָא מָיֵית. אֶלָּא לְמָה לִי נְטִילַת יָדַיִם — דִּילְמָא מְשַׁקְּעוּ לֵיהּ.
Rabbi Elazar said that Rav Oshaya said: Anything that is dipped in a liquid before it is eaten requires the ritual of washing of the hands. The obligation to wash one’s hands was instituted to preserve ritual purity and to prevent people from causing teruma food to contract ritual impurity. Rav Pappa said: Learn from this halakha, which requires the washing of hands, that for this lettuce on Passover, one must submerge it in the ḥaroset, due to the bitterness and kappa germs (e.g. e. coli) in the lettuce. For if it could enter your mind that one need not thoroughly submerge the lettuce in ḥaroset, why do I need him to wash hands? He did not touch the dip with his fingers. The Gemara rejects this contention: Actually, I will say to you: According to the halakha, one need not wholly submerge the lettuce in ḥaroset and the kappa dies. The germs are nullified from the sharp smell of the vinegar and/or ginger in the ḥaroset. The Gemara asks: But in that case, if a vinegar dip kills the germs, why do I need the washing of hands? The Gemara answers: Perhaps one will submerge the greens fully in the dip and get one's dirty fingers in the communal dip bowl by accident, thus giving germs to other people.
וְאָמַר רַב פָּפָּא: לָא נִישַׁהֵי אִינִישׁ מָרוֹר בַּחֲרוֹסֶת, דִּילְמָא אַגַּב חַלְיֵיהּ דְּתַבְלִין מְבַטֵּיל לֵיהּ לִמְרוֹרֵיהּ, וּבָעֵינַן טַעַם מָרוֹר, וְלֵיכָּא...
And Rav Pappa said: A person should not leave bitter herbs in the ḥaroset for a lengthy period of time, lest the sweetness of the spices in the ḥaroset nullify its bitterness. And the bitter herbs require a bitter taste, and they are not bitter when marinated in ḥaroset...
"Under the Apple Tree" - A Midrashic Connection Between Apples and the Passover Story
Not all charoset is made with apples, but the European and Middle Eastern traditions of apple charoset come from the connection to this midrash, cited in Shemot Rabbah and Sotah 11b:3-10.
אַרְבַּע גְּזֵרוֹת גָּזַר פַּרְעֹה עֲלֵיהֶם, בַּתְּחִלָּה גָּזַר וְצִוָּה לַנּוֹגְשִׂין שֶׁיִּהְיוּ דּוֹחֲקִין בָּהֶן כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּהְיוּ עוֹשִׂין הַסְּכוּם שֶׁלָּהֶן, וְלֹא יִהְיוּ יְשֵׁנִין בְּבָתֵּיהֶם. וְהוּא חָשַׁב לְמַעֲטָן מִפְּרִיָּה וּרְבִיָּה, אָמַר מִתּוֹךְ שֶׁאֵינָן יְשֵׁנִין בְּבָתֵּיהֶם אֵינָן מוֹלִידִין. אָמְרוּ לָהֶן הַנּוֹגְשִׂים, אִם אַתֶּם הוֹלְכִין לִישֹׁן בְּבָתֵּיכֶם עַד שֶׁאָנוּ מְשַׁלְּחִין אַחֲרֵיכֶם בַּבֹּקֶר, הַיּוֹם עוֹלֶה לְשָׁעָה וְלִשְׁתַּיִם וְאֵין אַתֶּם מַשְׁלִימִין אֶת הַסְּכוּם שֶׁלָּכֶם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות ה, יג): וְהַנֹּגְשִׂים אָצִים לֵאמֹר וגו', וְהָיוּ יְשֵׁנִין עַל הָאָרֶץ. אָמַר לָהֶן הָאֱלֹהִים, אֲנִי אָמַרְתִּי לְאַבְרָהָם אֲבִיהֶם שֶׁאֲנִי מַרְבֶּה בָּנָיו כַּכּוֹכָבִים, דִּכְתִיב (בראשית כב, יז): כִּי בָרֵךְ אֲבָרֶכְךָ וְהַרְבָּה אַרְבֶּה וגו', וְאַתֶּם מִתְחַכְּמִים לָהֶן שֶׁלֹא יִרְבּוּ, נִרְאֶה אֵיזֶה דָּבָר עוֹמֵד אוֹ שֶׁלִּי אוֹ שֶׁלָּכֶם, מִיָּד (שמות א, יב): וְכַאֲשֶׁר יְעַנּוּ אֹתוֹ כֵּן יִרְבֶּה וגו'. דָּרַשׁ רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא, בִּשְׂכַר נָשִׁים צִדְקָנִיּוֹת שֶׁהָיוּ בְּאוֹתוֹ הַדּוֹר נִגְאֲלוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל מִמִּצְרָיִם. וּמֶה עָשׂוּ, בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁהָיוּ הוֹלְכוֹת לִשְׁאֹב מַיִם, הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מְזַמֵּן לָהֶם דָּגִים קְטַנִּים בְּכַדֵּיהֶן, וְשׁוֹאֲבִין מֶחֱצָה מַיִם וּמֶחֱצָה דָּגִים, וּמוֹלִיכוֹת אֵצֶל בַּעֲלֵיהֶן וְשׁוֹפְתוֹת לָהֶם שְׁתֵּי קְדֵרוֹת, אַחַת שֶׁל חַמִּין וְאַחַת שֶׁל דָּגִים, וּמַאֲכִילוֹת אוֹתָן וּמַרְחִיצוֹת אוֹתָן וְסָכוֹת אוֹתָן וּמַשְׁקוֹת אוֹתָן, וְנִזְקָקוֹת לָהֶם בֵּין שְׁפַתָּיִם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים סח, יד): אִם תִּשְׁכְּבוּן בֵּין שְׁפַתָּיִם כַּנְפֵי יוֹנָה נֶחְפָּה בַכֶּסֶף, בִּשְׂכַר שֶׁשָּׁכְבוּ בֵּין שְׁפַתָּיִם, זָכוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל לְבִזַּת מִצְרַיִם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: כַּנְפֵי יוֹנָה נֶחְפָּה בַכֶּסֶף. וְכֵיוָן שֶׁמִּתְעַבְּרוֹת בָּאוֹת לְבָתֵּיהֶן, וְכֵיוָן שֶׁהִגִּיעַ זְמַן מוֹלִידֵיהֶם, הוֹלְכוֹת וְיוֹלְדוֹת בַּשָֹּׂדֶה תַּחַת הַתַּפּוּחַ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שיר השירים ח, ה): תַּחַת הַתַּפּוּחַ עוֹרַרְתִּיךָ. וְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שׁוֹלֵחַ מַלְאָךְ מִשְׁמֵי מָרוֹם, וּמְנַקֶּה אוֹתָם וּמְשַׁפֵּר אוֹתָם, כְּחַיָּה זוֹ שֶׁמְשַׁפֶּרֶת אֶת הַוָּלָד, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (יחזקאל טז, ד): וּמוֹלְדוֹתַיִךְ בְּיוֹם הוּלֶּדֶת אוֹתָךְ וגו'. וּמְנַקֵט לָהֶם שְׁנֵי עִגּוּלִין, אֶחָד שֶׁל שֶׁמֶן וְאֶחָד שֶׁל דְּבַשׁ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים לב, יג): וַיְנִקֵהוּ דְבַשׁ מִסֶּלַע וגו'. וְכֵיוָן שֶׁמַּכִּירִין בָּהֶם הַמִּצְרִיִּים רָצוּ לְהָרְגָם, וְנַעֲשָׂה לָהֶן נֵס וְנִבְלָעִין בַּקַּרְקַע, וּמְבִיאִין שְׁוָורִים וְחוֹרְשִׁין עַל גַּבֵּיהֶן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים קכט, ג): עַל גַבִּי חָרְשׁוּ חֹרְשִׁים. וּלְאַחַר שֶׁהוֹלְכִין מְבַצְבְּצִין וְיוֹצְאִין כְּעֵשֶׂב הַשָֹּׂדֶה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (יחזקאל טז, ז): רְבָבָה כְּצֶמַח הַשָֹּׂדֶה נְתַתִּיךְ וגו'. וְכֵיוָן שֶׁמִּתְגַּדְּלִין בָּאִין עֲדָרִים עֲדָרִים לְבָתֵּיהֶם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (יחזקאל טז, ז): וַתָּבֹאִי בַּעֲדִי עֲדָיִים, אַל תִּקְרֵי בַּעֲדִי עֲדָיִים, אֶלָּא בְּעֶדְרֵי עֲדָרִים. וּכְשֶׁנִּגְלָה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עַל הַיָּם, הֵם הִכִּירוּהוּ תְּחִלָּה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות טו, ב): זֶה אֵלִי וְאַנְוֵהוּ,
Pharaoh made four decrees to depopulate the Jewish regions of Egypt and limit the number of children being born. He would keep the workers on site trying to finish impossible quotas, so that they seldom went home to sleep in their own beds. He would fine them for using "company time" to commute to and form home to further discourage family life. Rabbi Akiva credits the righteous women of that generation for bringing fmaily life out to the fields, where they brought hot dinners (often fresh fish that they would catch as part of their water-drawing duties) to their enslaved family members and stayed the night with them out in the fields. These indefatigable women dressed in their most attractive clothes as they brought water to wash off their tired, sweaty men and hot fish dinners to revive their spirits. The freshened-up and cheered-up slaves would then cuddle under the apple trees before falling asleep in each others' arms.
...and when the Israelite women conceived, they would return to their homes. When they were about to go into labor, the women would go out into the fields and give birth in the apple orchards, as it is written: "I woke you under the apple [tree]" (Song of Songs 8:5). And the Lord Blessed be He would send an angel from the heavens who cleaned them and made them beautiful, just as a new mother grooms her infant, as it is written: "And as for your birth, on the day you were born..." (Ezekiel 16:4), and He grants them two round cakes, one of oil and the other of honey, as it is written: "And He [God] suckled Him [ The Children of Israel] with honey from the rock..." (Deuteronomy 32:13). And as soon as the Egyptians would become aware of this, they sought to kill them. And a miracle happened, and the cihldren were swallowed up by the earth, and bulls would come and plow the ground above them, as it is written: "Upon my back the plowers plowed" (Psalms 129:3). And once the Egyptians would pass, the infants would rise up from the mud like grass from the field, as it is written: "I have made you grow like the plantlings in the field..." (Ezekiel 16:7) And when the babes grew, they would flock to their homes in great droves, as it says: "And you came in all your finest and dressiest," (Ezekiel 16:7) - do not read "finest and dressiest" but rather "flocked in droves." And when the Lord Blessed be He revealed Himself at the Sea of Reeds, they were the first to recognize Him instantly, as it says: "THIS is my God, and I will praise Him." (Exodus 15:2).
Source - The Orange on the Seder Plate
Not all Jews feel as if they were redeemed from slavery: the orange on the Seder plate is a statement of inclusion for Jews who have historically been shut out of Jewish leadership. Dr. Susannah Heschel explains of this 50-year-old tradition in her own words, including its application and mis-application to issues of feminism and LGBTQ+ inclusion. Even for those who do not put an orange on their Seder plates, it's an interesting and important story of Jews who wished to be acknowledged as invested Jewish people.