Karpas: Difference between revisions

==Obligation==

# The first food on the [[Kaarah]] ([[Seder]] Plate) is the karpas. Some hold that it's one of the mitzvot of the night to demonstrate slavery and freedom, while others hold that it's only brought to get the children to ask. <ref> The simple explanation of the Gemara Pesachim 114 is that we dip the Karpas to get the children to ask. However, Rambam holds that one has to eat a [[Kezayit]] of the Karpas implying that the Karpas has the status of a mitzvah of the night. See Rav Yosef D. Soloveitchik (Haggadat Si'ach HaGrid no. 5) who explains this more fully. The other aspects to Karpas is sourced in the Minhagim (Haggadah 16) who says that Karpas is eaten before the meal to act like royalty who serve appetizers before a meal. Lastly, the Avudraham (Seder HaHaggadah s.v. Vekatav HaRaavad) writes that Karpas represents the idea of slavery through the letters of Karpas spelled backwards: "Samech" which is equal to 60 (corresponding to the 600,000 who left Egypt) and the Avodat "Parech" (back-breaking labor). This can also be reflected in the practice to dip Karpas in salt water. </ref>