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Mirrors and Apples:

Women’s Leadership on the Seder Plate
Rabbanit
Shani Taragin

Sinks and ‘selfies’ present. The women understood that Rabbis offer two explanations: “Why
by reflecting on the past they could is it a religious requirement? R. Levi
nterestingly, Sefer Shemot opens overcome the adverse conditions of the said: In memory of the apple tree.
with many anonymous char- present, and continue to increase and R. Yochanan said: In memory of the
acters, predominantly women, multiply for the future! Rabbi Yesha- clay. Abaye observed: Therefore one
Iwho all share character traits yahu Horowitz, the Shelah Hakadosh, must make it acrid and then thicken
of “seeing,” “fearing,” and saving explains that women are consistently it. We make it acrid in memory of the
innocent Hebrew infants. The Rabbis leaders of redemption because, like the apple tree, and thicken it in memory
explain that just as the midwives, moon, they understand and embrace of the clay” (Pesachim 116b). Rashbam
Shifrah and Puah, risked their lives the nature of mirrors and reflective explains that the symbolic presence of
to spare the baby boys from Pha- light. Women appreciate that what
raoh’s decree of infanticide, numer- is seen in the present is in fact light the apple in the charoset reminds us
of the women who gave birth under
ous righteous women planted seeds reflected from its source, refracted
of redemption through determination and reversed while projected upon a the apple trees without despair, so
and optimism amidst the darkness new surface. They don’t just see the that the Egyptians would not discern
of oppression. Rashi (Shemot 38:8) present picture but appreciate the past the births as stated, “under the apple
explains that the copper mirrors and future as well. With this deeper tree I awakened you” (Shir Hashirim
donated by the women to the Mishkan perspective, the women used their 8:5). Rabbi Levi and Rabbi Yochanan
reflect their earlier contributions to mirrors to reflect the light of redemp- are debating whether the charoset
building Jewish nationhood in Egypt: tion and bring the sweetness of the symbolizes the spirit of the ‘apple’
in Egypt, i.e. the women who used
“[Hashem said to Moshe:] ‘Accept apple tree to our people amidst the their mirrors to build the future of
[these mirrors]; they are dearer to suffering of Egypt. our people under apple trees, or the
Me than all the other contributions, spirit of the men who were ‘stuck’ in
because through them the women The apple on the Seder plate the clay, i.e. the mortar and suffering
reared those multitudes in Egypt!’ For “Rav Avira taught: In the merit of the of the present. If the emphasis is on
when their husbands were exhausted the women’s optimism, one should
by the crushing labor they would righteous women that were in that prepare the charoset tart with more
generation, the Jewish people were
bring them food and drink and induce apples; if the memory of our suffering
them to eat. Then they would take the redeemed from Egypt.” (Sotah 11b) is primary, the charoset should be
mirrors, and each gazed at herself in The imagery of the apple trees under thicker to resemble the clay.
her mirror together with her husband, which the women conceived and gave
saying endearingly to him, ‘See, I am birth to the multitudes of Israel is On Seder night we dip the bitter maror
more attractive than you!’ Thus they an appropriate metaphor from Shir into the sweet charoset, simultaneously
awakened their husbands’ affection Hashirim, in which the male persona remembering the bitter oppressions
and subsequently became the moth- is depicted as an apple tree (2:3,5). of the past and present and the joy of
ers of many children, as it is said, ‘I The sweetness and seeds of the apple the apple tree – the optimism of the
awakened your love under the apple convey romantic love and underscore women to procreate and plant seeds,
tree’ (Shir Hashirim 8:5).” symbols of demographic growth pro- creating and catalyzing salvation, םי ִמָּי ַּ ב
vided by the women. ה ֶּז ַה ן ַמ ְּז ַבּו ם ֵה ַה, in those days and in our
The righteous women used these
copper mirrors as ancient ‘selfies,’ not The sages of the Mishnah debate own time! A member of
for self-beautification, but to reflect whether eating charoset on Seder night the Mizrachi
with their spouses on their mutual is a religious requirement or not. Rabbanit Shani Taragin is Educational Speakers Bureau
love for one another, hoping their Supporting Rabbi Eliezer’s position Director of Mizrachi and the Director of the mizrachi.org/
past beauty would arouse love in the that it is a mitzvah to eat charoset, the Mizrachi-TVA Lapidot Educators’ Program. speakers

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