| The Tree of Life Shtender: Seder Plate Set
“Eat the (sacrificial) meat during the night, roasted over fire. Eat it with matzo and bitter herbs.†– Exodus 12:8
Hyssop – aizov in Hebrew – was the plant used to sprinkle the blood of the Paschal lamb on doorposts of Jewish homes on the night of the Exodus. Aizov – from the Hebrew root meaning “abandoned†– is heavily branched and grows low and close to the ground. As Rashi says in Parshat Metzorah aizov represents humility; and yet, here we see the lowly aizov performing this momentous function.
As we say in the Hallel: “The stone that was rejected by the builders has become the cornerstone.†Just as the lowly aizov performs a pivotal function, so the Jewish people are to metamorphose from being lowly slaves into a free people.
The Paschal lamb is represented by the aizov that is carved around the lower matzah container, the one that will hold the matzot.
The second component of our Seder Plate Set – dish and cup storage piece – is carved with the horseradish plant. The lower side displays the roots and underground portion of the plant (the part that is eaten); the upper side shows the foliage. Stored in this jungle of horseradish are the utensils themselves: six silver dishes for the required foods, one silver bowl for salt water, and a goblet and larger dish for the Cup of Elijah.
The third wooden component of the Seder Plate Set is the thin platter itself. Each of the three components is folded for storage. When they are unfolded and assembled, the pieces stack one on top of each other to form the completed Seder Plate Set.
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