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Hiding the Matzo for Passover

The Symbolism of the Egg

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Hiding the Matzo for Passover

Wednesday, April 8th, 2009

One Passover tradition that children love is "Hide the Matzoh".  An adult hides a piece of matzo that’s wrapped in a cloth napkin or put in a baggie.  Then the children try to find it.  Whoever finds the matzoh gets a prize.  The prize is often chocolate money (gelt) or real money (like a dollar).

“Hide the Matzoh” can also be part of a larger tradition called Afrikoman.  Here are some details:  In a traditional Seder (Passover meal), there are three whole matzos placed on the Passover table and covered with a cloth napkin.  Before the Seder begins, the middle matzo is broken in half.  The smaller piece is placed back on the plate and the larger one is wrapped and hidden (if there are kids at the Seder).  This piece – the larger piece of the middle matzo – is called the “Afrikoman”.

After the matzo has been found by the children, and the Seder meal has been eaten, the guests eat the Afrikoman. 

Some families have a different tradition where the children "steal" the Afrikoman and then hold it for ransom.  The adults then have to give money or a gift to the children to get it back!

Traditionally, the Afrikoman is supposed to be the last thing that’s eaten of the day and it should be eaten before midnight.

Chad Gadyo is a traditional Passover song – you can click the link for the lyrics, a translation, midi and score.  You can hear one version of it below…

Happy Passover!

Mama Lisa

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Posted in Countries & Cultures, Games, Hide the Matzoh, Holiday Songs, Holidays Around the World, Israel, Passover, Passover Songs, Seder, USA | No Comments »

The Symbolism of the Egg

Saturday, February 23rd, 2008

As Easter approaches, it’s natural to think a little about eggs!

In days gone by the egg, due to its shape, was a symbol of the earth. Thanks to its obvious association with the beginning of life, it has also been the basis of many ancient creation stories. It has been a symbol of fertility, rebirth and the cycle of life. These latter symbols are so close to what Springtime is all about that it’s no wonder it’s been an important part of Spring celebrations since pre-Christian times.

As Europe became Christian, eggs became a symbol of Easter and the resurrection of Jesus. In the past, Christians gave up eggs for Lent (the 40 days before Easter when it’s customary to give up different types of food). But even though people didn’t eat them, the hens kept laying them! So people would hard boil and decorate them. This would help preserve them longer and serve as part of the holiday festivities.

The egg is also part of the Jewish Passover holiday that takes place in the Spring. The egg is placed on the Seder plate and is a symbol of sacrifice and loss. Yet to some it also symbolizes the full cycle of life, and therefore hope and rebirth. (The egg is a more recent addition to the Seder plate compared to the other symbolic items that are found there and its symbolic meaning seems to be more open to interpretation.)

In China, red eggs are given out at the one month birthday of a new baby. It’s customary to hold a Red Egg and Ginger Party at this time. Once again, the source seems to be the egg’s role as a symbol of fertility and the beginning of life.

So here we come full circle (or oval) with the egg as a wonderful symbol of birth, renewal and rebirth. This is something wonderful to consider as Springtime approaches in the northern hemisphere, where the Earth will soon come back to life!

Feel free to let us know about any special symbolism of the egg in your culture in the comments below.

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Posted in Austria, Belgium, Birth Customs, Bulgaria, China, Countries & Cultures, Customs, Czech Republic, Denmark, Easter, Easter Eggs, England, France, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Holidays Around the World, Hong Kong, Mama Lisa, Passover, Poland, Red Egg and Ginger Parties, Romania, Russia, Scotland, Seasonal, Seder, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spring, USA, Wales | 3 Comments »

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