Charoset and Chocolate Eggs

Last night was the first night of Passover, known as Pesach to Jews, which celebrates the exodus of the Jews from slavery in Egypt.  Passover is traditionally celebrated with a Seder, a ritualized dinner of specific foods symbolizing the Exodus and the reading from a haggadah, that tells the story of Exodus and explains some of the traditions.  For example, according to Judaism 101, matzo commemorates the fact that the Jews leaving Egypt were in a hurry, and did not have time to let their bread rise. It is also a symbolic way of removing the “puffiness” (arrogance, pride) from our souls.  Some symbolic foods are arranged on a Seder plate and used during the dinner as part of certain rituals.  Two of these are charoset, a mix of chopped apples, walnuts, sweet wine and cinnamon, and bitter herb, or horseradish.  Charoset symbolizes the mortar used by the Jews to build during their slavery and bitter herb represents the bitterness of enslavement.

When I was leaving for the park yesterday morning, Muri was already busily preparing dinner.   She said, I’m not going to make charoset today.  It’s a lot of work.   We haven’t actually done a Seder in years but I was disappointed.  Here’s why.   The Hillel sandwich originally added to the Seder by Rabbi Hillel consists of a spoonful of charoset and some horseradish between two pieces of matzo.  Yeah, nuts and horseradish on cardboard.   Not only have I acquired a taste for this peculiar combination … it symbolizes the way that Muri’s traditions have become mine as our lives have entwined.   I wanted my Hillel sandwich!!!  So, I surprised Muri by making it for her.

You may have guessed that it’s Top Sites Tuesday #98 – an Easter Memory, and here I am, the spiritual-but-not-religious formerly Catholic coot, posting about Passover.  Of course, the two holidays are forever linked by the fact that The Last Supper was a Seder and the first communion was likely matzo.   Easter was celebrated in a minor key in my parents’ house, Sunday to church for sure, then lilies for the grandmothers and a family ham dinner.   And, of course, there was Easter candy delivered by a large but unseen rabbit, a strange and somewhat creepy concept.  Fellow blogger, thesinglecell has a hysterical post on that subject, here.    But the peculiar oryctolagus cuniculus certainly did deliver some good stuff … Swiss chocolate eggs (which we renamed Sweggs) … black jelly beans (he delivered many colors but only black qualify as favorites) … and, my personal favorite, an enormous, dark chocolate covered coconut egg.

So, there you have it, my equal time Passover-Easter Memories.  Charoset and Chocolate Eggs.  I suppose you might read something into the juxtaposition … the difference between childhood and adulthood … the difference between the way Christians and Jews celebrate holidays … literalism versus symbolism.   Have at it.   I’m going to just enjoy the memories, which are both sweet in their own way.  It would also be sweet if you’d push my button … gently … to make me Number One on Top Sites Tuesday #98. And Happy Easter or Happy Passover, or Happy Whatever-It-Is-You-Celebrate … or Don’t-Celebrate.

Come Join Top Sites Tuesday and be #1 on BlogDumps!
The purpose of this Meme is to encourage
Networking between bloggers to have fun while doing it!
Make sure to visit all the other participants and leave comments.

Explore posts in the same categories: spirituality

Tags: Easter, family, favorites, gratitude, holidays, marriage, Monday smiles, Passover, Pesach, postaday2011, religion, spirituality

You can comment below, or link to this permanent URL from your own site.