Page 7 - RMBA Upper School Haggadah 2018

The Seder Plate - Nava Teller (7th Grade)
The Kabbalis c master, Rabbi Isaac Luria, known as the Ari, says that the arrangement of the
seder plate is based on the Kabbalis c system of the sefirot, which are the ten aspects of
Hashem. The seder plate is only based on the lower six sefirot because the top four are too holy
to be connected to physical symbols.
The Zeroah is on the upper-right side of the seder plate because it represents the sefirah of
Chesed, meaning compassion. Hashem took us out of Egypt compassionately with a zeroah
netuyah, an outstretched arm.
Beitzah is on the upper-le side of the seder plate because it represents the sefirah Gevurah,
meaning strength. The egg is in an oval shape so it represents the circle of life with its ups and
downs. When people die, Hashem is teaching strength and discipline to the mourners.
Maror is in the top-center of the seder plate because it represents the sefirah of Tiferet,
meaning beauty. When we experience bi erness, we become more compassionate to others,
and that is beau ful.
Charoset is at the bo om-right of the seder plate because it represents Netzach, meaning
endurance. Charoset is made of the fruit from trees that grow tall and strong.
Karpas is on the bo om-le because it represents Hod, meaning splendor. Vegetables grow
close to the splendor of the earth.
Chazeret is at the bo om-center because it represents Yesod, meaning founda on. It is the
founda on of the seder that connects the matzah and maror, freedom and slavery, in the Hillel
sandwich.
Finally the sefirah Malchut, meaning royalty, represents the seder plate itself.
The lesson is, everything on the seder plate is placed where it is for a significant reason and we
didn’t even know why. That can be true for our lives too, that everything is there for a reason,
even if we don’t know it.
Is Charoset A Mitzvah? - Molly Goldstein (9th Grade)
As we were learning Masechet Pesachim in Gemara class, we came across a mishnah that said,
“You bring out the Charoset along with the two cooked foods, Matzah, and Maror, even if it is
not a mitzvah. Rabbi Eliezer ben Tzadok thinks it is a mitzvah.” So, I was wondering what the
answer is to this machloket and what were the reasonings.
During my search, I came across a few differing opinions. Rabbi Eliezer believes that Charoset is
a mitzvah for two different reasons:

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