JESUS ETERNAL VIRGIN

JESUS ETERNAL VIRGIN



Analysis of Martino Gerber and Guliano Lattes, biblical scholars

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In recent times many write books and novels which insist that Jesus was married or that He could do.
The Holy Bible, however, teaches that Jesus is the Eternal Virgin.

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In the Gospel, Jesus teaches us that in the resurrected life the elected saints will live in the Kingdom of God,
and they will live like angels and do not take a wife or husband;

Luke 20: 34-37
34 Jesus replied, 'The children of this world take wives and husbands,
35 but those who are judged worthy of a place in the other world and in the resurrection from the dead do not marry
36 because they can no longer die, for they are the same as the angels, and being childenof the resurrection they are children of God.
37 And Moses himself implies that the dead rise again, in the passage about the bush where he calls the Lord the God of Abraham, the Godof Isaac and the God of Jacob


Now we see that both the angels and the elected saints resurrected, are children of God, they can not take a wife or husband, they can not have sex, but they live most chaste and pure.

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Jesus before being born into this world, lived with God was the Word and the Son of God;

John 1: 1

1 In the beginning was the Word: the Word was with God and the Word was God.

John 1: 14


14 The Word became flesh, he lived among us, and we saw his glory, the glory that he has from the Father as only Son of the Father, full of grace and truth.

So Jesus existed before being born into this world, and He taught this;

John 3: 13


13 No one has gone up to heaven except the one who came down from heaven, the Son of man;

John 6: 51

51 I am the living bread which has come down from heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will live for ever;
and the bread that I shall give is my flesh, for the life of the world.'

Jesus explains His eternal existence very clearly;

John 8: 58

58 Jesus replied: In all truth I tell you, before Abraham ever was, I am.


John 17: 5

5 Now, Father, glorify me with that gloryI had with you before ever the world existed.

John 17: 24

24 Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, so that they may always see my glory which you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world.

So Jesus is God, and being in the world He can not get married, but He was like an angel.

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We see that Jesus was not born from a marriage union, but through the Holy Spirit;

Matthew 1: 20-21


20 He had made up his mind to do this when suddenly the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said,
'Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because she has conceived what is in her by the Holy Spirit.
21 She will give birth to a son and you must name him Jesus, because he is the one who is to save his people from their sins.'

Luke 1: 26-35


26 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth,
27 to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the House of David; and the virgin's name was Mary.
28 He went in and said to her, 'Rejoice, you who enjoy God's favour! The Lord is with you.'
29 She was deeply disturbed by these words and asked herself what this greeting could mean,
30 but the angel said to her, 'Mary, do not be afraid; you have won God's favour.
31 Look! You are to conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you must name him Jesus.
32 He willbe great and will be called Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David;
33 he will rule over the House of Jacob for ever and his reign will have no end.'
34 Mary said to the angel, 'But how can this come about, since I have no Knowledge of man?'
35 The angel answered, 'The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will cover you with its shadow.
And so the child will be holy and will be called Son of God.


Jesus was born as God incarnate, He can not marry, even if He takes human nature, He retains His divine nature.

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John the Baptist called Jesus the Lamb of God, to show His purity and holiness;

John 1: 35-36


35 The next day as John stood there again with two of his disciples, Jesus went past,
36 and John looked towards him and said, 'Look, there is the lamb of God.'


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Jesus makes His divine nature to be known by His Apostles, before the resurrection, in the transfiguration;
Matthew 17: 1-5

1 Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and his brother John and led them up a high mountain by themselves.
2 There in their presence he was transfigured: his face shone like the sun and his clothes became as dazzling as light.
3 And suddenly Moses and Elijah appeared to them; they were talking with him.
4 Then Peter spoke to Jesus. 'Lord,' he said, 'it is wonderful for us to be here; if you want me to, I will make three shelters here, one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.'
5 He was still speaking when suddenly a bright cloud covered them with shadow, and suddenly from the cloud there came a voice which said, 'This is my Son, the Beloved; he enjoys my favour. Listen to him.'

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Jesus appeared as the third person of the Holy Trinity, He is the Son of God, God is his Father, and with them is the Holy Spirit;


Matthew 3: 16-17

16 And when Jesus had been baptised He at once came up from the water, and suddenly the heavens opened and he saw the Spiritof God descending like a dove and coming down on him.
17 And suddenly there was a voice from heaven, 'This is my Son, the Beloved; my favour rests on him.'

Matthew 28: 18-20


18 Jesus came up and spoke to them. He said, 'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
19 Go, therefore, make disciples of all nations; baptise them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
20 and teach them to observe all the commands I gave you. And look, I am with you always; yes, to the end of time.'

So Jesus being the third person of the Holy Trinity, He can not get married.

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Jesus reveals His divine qualities, He teaches that He is the Bread that came down from heaven;

John 6: 51

51 I am the living bread which has come down from heaven.
Anyone who eats this bread will live for ever; and the bread that I shall give is my flesh, for the l life of the world.'

Jesus explains this well at the Last Supper;

Matthew 26: 26-28


26 Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had said the blessing he broke it and gave it to the disciples. 'Take it and eat,' he said, 'this is my body.'
27 Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he handed it to them saying, 'Drink from this, all of you,
28 for this is my blood, the blood of the covenant, poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.



Now Jesus the Bread of heaven can not get married.

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Jesus teaches that He is the Light;

John 8: 12


12 When Jesusspoke to the people again, he said: I am the light of the world; anyone who follows me will not be walking in the dark, but will have the light of life.

Now Jesus the divine Light can not get married.

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Jesus claims to be the Son of God;

John 10: 30


30 The Father and I are one.

Jesus the Son of God can not take a wife.


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Jesus declares that He is the Resurrection;

John 11:25

25 Jesus said: I am the resurrection. Anyone who believes in me, even though that person dies, will live.

Jesus is the divine resurrection and the eternal life, He can not get married.


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Jesus claims to be the Way, Truth and Life:

John 14: 6

6 Jesus said: I am the Way; I am Truth and Life. No one can come to the Father except through me.


Jesus is the divine Way, Truth and Life, He can not get married.

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Jesus reveals that who sees Him sees the Father;

John 14: 7-11
7 If you know me, you willknow my Father too. From this moment you know him and have seen him.
8 Philip said, 'Lord, show us the Father and then we shall be satisfied.' Jesussaid to him,
9 'Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and you still do not know me? 'Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father, so how can you say, "Show us the Father"?
10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? What I say to you I do not speak of my own accord: it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his works.
11 You must believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe it on the evidence of these works.

Jesus is God and He can not get married.

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Then Jesus lived virgin and He is virgin forever. Jesus also advised his followers to remain virgin for the kingdom of heaven;

Matthew 19: 12


12 There are eunuchs born so from their mother's womb,
there are eunuchs made so by human agency and there are eunuchs who have made themselves so for the sake of the kingdom of Heaven.
Let anyone accept this who can.'

Now if Jesus asks to His followers to remain virgin, He virgin certainly.

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Even St. Paul advises believers to virginity;

1 Corinthians 7: 7-8


7 I should still like everyone to be as I am myself; but everyone has his own gift from God, one this kind and the next something different.
8 To the unmarried and to widows I say: it is good for them to stay as they are, like me.

1 Corinthias 7: 32-34

32 I should like you to have your minds free from all worry. The unmarried man gives his mind to the Lord's affairs and to how he can please the Lord;
33 but the man who is married gives his mind to the affairs of this world and to how he can please his wife, and he is divided in mind.
34 So, too, the unmarried woman, and the virgin, gives her mind to the Lord's affairs and to being holy in body and spirit;
but the married woman gives her mind to the affairs of this world and to how she can please her husband.

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St. Paul imitates Jesus, then he is unmarried;

1 Corinthias 11: 1

1 Take me as your pattern, just as I take Christ for mine.


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Jesus has His bride anyway, the church;

Ephesians 5: 21-33



21 Be subject to one another out of reverence for Christ.
22 Wives should be subject to their husbands as to the Lord,
23 since, as Christ is head of the Church and saves the whole body, so is a husband the head of his wife;
24 and as the Church is subject to Christ, so should wives be to their husbands, in everything.
25 Husbands should love their wives, just as Christ loved the Church and sacrificed himself for her
26 to make her holy by washing her in cleansing water with a form of words,
27 so that when he took the Church to himself she would be glorious, with no speck or wrinkle or anything like that, but holy and faultless.
28 In the same way, husbands must love their wives as they love their own bodies; for a manto love his wife is for him to love himself.
29 A mannever hates his own body, but he feeds it and looks after it; and that is the way Christtreats the Church,
30 because we are parts of his Body.
31 This is why a manleaves his father and mother and becomes attached to his wife, and the two become one flesh.
32 This mystery has great significance, but I am applying it to Christ and the Church.
33 To sum up: you also, each one of you, must love his wife as he loves himself; and let every wife respect her husband.

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Conclusion: Jesus is divine and heaven nature, He was like an angel, He could not and did not want to marry.

Jesus loved the virginity and advised the virginity to those who could, for the Kingdom of Heaven.


Jesus taught us to pray that is the Rhine of Heaven soon, where all the angels and the elect saints will live holy and pure.

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Biblical quotations

New Jerusalem Bible

http://www.catholic.org/bible/


http://groups.google.com/group/christianbiblestudies?hl=it

Shiva Asar B'Tamuz

http://www.torah.org/learning/yomtov/3weeks/vol1no28.html



Shiva Asar B'Tamuz


Why Do We Fast? - Part II
by Rabbi Yehudah Prero

In the last post we mentioned that we fast on the 17th day of Tamuz because of five tragedies that occurred on that day. We explained what the five tragedies were. However, we still need to explain why we fast: What is the point of fasting, of withholding nourishment from ourselves, on this day?

The Rambam, in the fifth chapter of Hilchos Ta'aniyos (The laws of Fasts) writes that we fast on days that calamities occurred to us "because it can serve to arouse our hearts and to open ourselves to the paths of repentance. It serves as a reminder of our wicked conduct and that of our ancestors which resembles our present conduct, and therefore brought these calamities upon them and upon us. By reminding ourselves of these matters, we will repent and improve our conduct, as the verse says in Vayikra 26:40, 'And they will confess their sin and the sin of their forefathers...'."

One lesson that we see from the Rambam is that fasting in it of itself does not serve a purpose. The Mishna B'rura in 549:1 writes that the fast "is only a preparation for repentance. Therefore, those people who while they fast go on trips and involve themselves in idleness and useless activities have grasped on to the subordinate and set aside the main and essential." We have to remember why we have this day of fasting, and use the time allotted for the correct purpose: to inspire ourselves to repent. But, why are we being inspired to repent now, on the 17th of Tamuz (and on the 9th of Av, etc.)? We were not the cause of the catastrophes that occurred on this day; our forefathers were. Why do WE need to be inspired to repent on this day?

The answer to this is another lesson we glean from the Rambam. We see that the Rambam stresses that we share responsibility for the tragedies that have occurred in the previous generations. The Talmud Yerushalmi (in the tractate of Yoma) tells us that every generation in which the Temple is not rebuilt should consider itself as if the Temple was destroyed in its days. We see that if we were truly greater than the generations who had these tragedies occur to them, we would not be fasting on this day, as we would have a Temple standing in Jerusalem. Because our deeds are not up to par, we have no Temple, and repentance is in order.

We now know why we fast. May we merit to all take this lesson to heart, and see the Temple rebuilt speedily, in our days.



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Check out all of the posts on The Three Weeks: 17 Tammuz - 9 Av Mourning the Destruction. Head over to http://www.torah.org/learning/yomtov/ to access the YomTov Page. Then click on the icon for the holiday of your choice.



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For questions, comments, and topic requests, please write to Rabbi Yehudah Prero.


http://www.torah.org/learning/yomtov/3weeks/vol1no28.html#
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Tisha Be-Av and Related Mourning Times

Tisha Be-Av and Related Mourning Times

Tisha Be-Av (the Ninth of Av), while not a holiday God commanded in Scripture, commemorates the destruction of the First and Second Temples. The date has become synonymous with mourning and tragedy. This year, Tisha Be-Av begins at sundown, July 19. (It so happens that the 19th also marks two months since Moishe's home-going.)
Tisha be-Av (the Ninth of Av) commemorates the destruction of the First and Second Temples. In Jewish tradition, the date has become synonymous with mourning and tragedy. Three weeks prior is the less well-known Fast of Tammuz which commemorates the fall of Jerusalem's walls. Between both dates, various mourning customs are practiced by observant Jews.



http://www.jewsforjesus.org/judaica/tishabeav

ASCENSION-DAY AND PENTECOST-DAY

ASCENSION-DAY AND PENTECOST-DAY




ACTS 1, 1-2, 47

1

1 The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach,

2 Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen:

3 To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God:

4 And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me.

5 For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.

6 When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?

7 And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.

8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

9 And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.

10 And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;

11 Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.

12 Then returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is from Jerusalem a sabbath days journey.

13 And when they were come in, they went up into an upper room, where abode both Peter, and James, and John, and Andrew, Philip, and Thomas, Bartholomew, and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon Zelotes, and Judas the brother of James.

14 These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren.

15 And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples, and said, (the number of names together were about an hundred and twenty,)

16 Men and brethren, this scripture must needs have been fulfilled, which the Holy Ghost by the mouth of David spake before concerning Judas, which was guide to them that took Jesus.

17 For he was numbered with us, and had obtained part of this ministry.

18 Now this man purchased a field with the reward of iniquity; and falling headlong, he burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out.

19 And it was known unto all the dwellers at Jerusalem; insomuch as that field is called in their proper tongue, Aceldama, that is to say, The field of blood.

20 For it is written in the book of Psalms, Let his habitation be desolate, and let no man dwell therein: and his bishoprick let another take.

21 Wherefore of these men which have companied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us,

22 Beginning from the baptism of John, unto that same day that he was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a witness with us of his resurrection.

23 And they appointed two, Joseph called Barsabas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias.

24 And they prayed, and said, Thou, Lord, which knowest the hearts of all men, shew whether of these two thou hast chosen,

25 That he may take part of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place.

26 And they gave forth their lots; and the lot fell upon Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.



2

1 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.

2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.

3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.

4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

5 And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven.

6 Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language.

7 And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans?

8 And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born?

9 Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia,

10 Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes,

11 Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God.

12 And they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to another, What meaneth this?

13 Others mocking said, These men are full of new wine.

14 But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words:

15 For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day.

16 But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel;

17 And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:

18 And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:

19 And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke:

20 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come:

21 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.

22 Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know:

23 Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain:

24 Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.

25 For David speaketh concerning him, I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved:

26 Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope:

27 Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.

28 Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance.

29 Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day.

30 Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne;

31 He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption.

32 This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses.

33 Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear.

34 For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand,

35 Until I make thy foes thy footstool.

36 Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.

37 Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?

38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

39 For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.

40 And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation.

41 Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.

42 And they continued stedfastly in the apostles� doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.

43 And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles.

44 And all that believed were together, and had all things common;

45 And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need.

46 And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,

47 Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.



http://www.carm.org/kjv/Acts/acts_1.htm

http://groups.google.com/group/christianbiblestudies?hl=it

SHAVUOT 5770 (05-19-20 2010)

SHAVUOT 5770 (05-19-20 2010)
In Bible times, this holiday was an agricultural festival-a time for our people to present the firstfruits of the crops to God, gratefully giving back to the Lord that which He had given to us.

A firstfruits offering was actually presented at the end of Passover (Leviticus 23:9-14). Then, seven weeks after Passover came Shavuot. This feast literally means "weeks." Shavuot fell fifty days after the Sabbath which came during Passover (Leviticus 23:15, 16), thus in Greek it was called Pentecost, or "fiftieth."

After the Temple was destroyed in A.D. 70, the agricultural rites associated with the biblical feasts could no longer be observed. Jewish tradition made a connection between Shavuot and the giving of the Torah at Mt. Sinai, which was understood to be the fiftieth day after the Israelites came out of Egypt. The holiday also came to be called, "The Season of the Giving of the Law." To this day, it has become traditional to observe Shavuot by staying up all night and studying Torah.

In Acts 2 and 3, the New Covenant records that the Holy Spirit was poured out at Shavuot. As a result, 3,000 Jewish people recognized that Y'shua was indeed the Messiah, and they turned to God. These souls were the firstfruits of God's gospel harvest. Today, Jewish believers in Jesus participate in Shavuot in various ways, as you'll see in this section.



http://www.jewsforjesus.org/judaica/shavuot

HAPPY PASSOVER 5770

HAPPY PASSOVER 5770

PASSOVER SEDER PLATE

Passover Seder Plate



The Passover Seder is one of the most widely observed of all Jewish customs, and at the center of every observance of Seder lies the Passover Seder Plate(Hebrew: ke'ara), a special plate containing symbolic foods used by Jews during the Passover Seder. The plate is carefully prepared and placed before the head of the household, or the one conducting the Seder, who dispenses the Seder foods to each of the participants. Each of the six items arranged on the plate has special significance to the retelling of the story of the Exodus from Egypt, which is the focus of this ritual meal. The seventh symbolic item used during the meal — a stack of three matzos — is placed on its own plate on the Seder table.

The six traditional items on the Seder Plate are:

1) Matzah - Matzah is a crisp, flat, unleavened bread made of plain white flour, and water. The dough is pricked in several places and not allowed to rise before or during baking, thereby producing a hard, flat bread. Similar in preparation to the central Asian lavash and the Indian chapati, Matza is the substitute for bread during the Jewish holiday of Passover, when eating chametz - bread and leavened products - is forbidden. Eating matza on the night of the Seder is considered a positive mitzvah, i.e., a commandment. Matzah is placed either on the Seder plate or next to it.

Eating Matzah on Passover commemorates the unleavened bread eaten by the Jews when they left Egypt in such haste that there was no time for the dough to rise. (Exodus 12:39). It symbolizes redemption and freedom, but also serves as a reminder to be humble, and to not forget what life was like in servitude.

The Matzah also stands for the three castes of Jews: Priests, Levites, and Israelites and also commemorate the three measures of fine flour that Abraham told Sarah to bake into matzah when they were visited by the three angels (Genesis 18:6).

At the Passover Seder, it is customary to eat matzah made of flour and water only. Matzah containing eggs, wine or fruit juice in addition to water is not acceptable as it is considered to become leaven. Matzah made with these items without the use of water is acceptable during the remaining days of the holiday, although some strictly Orthodox Jews will not eat this kind of matzah at all.

2) Maror and Chazeret - It is obligatory to eat Maror or bitter herbs twice at each Seder. Traditionally, the bitter herbs may consist either of romaine lettuce, horseradish or endives. The bitter taste of Maror symbolizes the bitterness and harshness of the slavery which the Jews endured in Egypt. For Maror, many people mix freshly grated horseradish with cooked beets and sugar to make a condiment called chrein. While whole horseradish root can be eaten, horseradish cooked or pickled is not considered valid for the Seder by traditional Jews.

Chazeret is typically romaine lettuce, which have roots that are bitter in taste. Either the horseradish or romaine lettuce may be eaten in fulfillment of the mitzvah of eating bitter herbs during the Seder.

3) Charoset - Charoset or charoses is a sweet, dark-colored, lumpy paste formed of a special mixture of apples, nuts, wine and cinnamon and served during the Passover Seder. Its color and texture makes it a symbol of the mortar that was used by the Jewish slaves to build the storehouses of Ancient Egypt. The word charoset comes from the Hebrew word cheres meaning "clay". Maror is a very special item on the Passover Seder Plate. The charoset serves an ancillary function to the Maror. Before eating the Maror diners dip it into the charoset. It gives an idea of how hard the Israelites worked in Egypt, combining a food that brings tears to the eyes (the maror) with one that resembles the mortar used to build Egyptian cities and storehouses.

Despite its symbolism, the charoset is a tasty concoction and is a favorite of children. During the Seder meal, it may be eaten liberally, often spread on matzah. Some people believe it is the tastiest thing eaten during the holiday. There are, naturally, a huge number of recipes associated with charoset. Sephardi recipes call for dates and honey in addition to chopped nuts, cinnamon, and wine. The choice of ingredients reflects the various foods to which Israel is favorably compared in King Solomon's Song of Songs.

4) Karpas - One of the traditional rituals in the Passover Seder, Karpas also refers to the vegetable, usually parsley, celery or boiled potato that is dipped in liquid (usually salt water) and eaten during the occassion. The liquid may be any of the seven which make food capable of becoming ritually impure, although salt-water or vinegar are usually used. The idea behind the salt water is to symbolize the pain felt by the Jews, who could only eat simple foods during their slavery in Egypt. The vegetables symbolize the coming of the spring.

Some have explained the dipping of the Karpas to symbolize Josef's tunic being dipped into blood by his brothers. Karpas is hence, performed at the beginning of the Seder, just as Josef's tunic being dipped into blood began the Israelites descent to Egypt. Indeed, the word Karpas, in some languages, means cloth.

5) Zeroah - Zeroah(Hebrew for the word "bone) is a piece of roasted or boiled meat or poultry, preferably a shankbone. Zeroah represents the korban Pesach (the ancient Passover sacrifice), when the slaves sacrificed a lamb in the Temple in Jerusalem, roasted and ate it as part of the meal on the first Seder night, on the eve of the Exodus. Since the destruction of the Temple, the zeroah serves as a visual reminder of the Pesach sacrifice; it is not eaten or handled during the Seder. The present day zeroah can come from whatever the family is eating, including the leg bone from a roast turkey. For vegetarians or anyone who prefers not to use a bone, some rabbis suggest using a roasted beet, quoting Pesachim 114b as justification.

6) Beitzah - Beitzah is a roasted egg, symbolic of korban chagigah (festival sacrifice) that was offered in the Temple in Jerusalem and roasted and eaten as part of the meal on Seder night apart from the Paschal lamb. Although both the Pesach sacrifice and the chagigah were meat offerings, the chagigah is commemorated by an egg, a symbol of mourning (as eggs are the first thing served to mourners after a funeral). The Beitzah also recalls the grief over the destruction of the Temple of Jerusalem in the year 70 C.E., and the inability to offer any kind of sacrifices in honor of the Pesach holiday. Since the destruction of the Temple, the beitzah serves as a visual reminder of the chagigah; it is either not eaten or handled during the Seder or eaten dipped in salt water (which represents tears).

The Beitzah is also a symbol of spring - the season in which Passover is always celebrated. In many households, it is customary to use a brown egg on the Seder plate. The egg should be baked or roasted if possible.

Some Seder gatherings put additional items on the Seder plate as symbols. The special foods eaten on Passover are also food for thought. Every item on the Seder plate abounds in meaning and allusion. For example, some Seders include an orange on the Seder Plate to honor feminism, gay and lesbian rights, rights for marginalized people and Jews, and/or activism. The use of the orange is said to have been inspired by a quote by a conservative rabbi saying a woman belongs on the bimah like an orange belongs on the Seder Plate. However, Susannah Heschel, who claims to have initiated the orange tradition, claims that this story is false.

Many decorative and artistic Seder Plates sold in Judaica stores have pre-formed spaces for inserting the various symbolic foods. According to the Halakha (Jewish law), however, the items must be arranged in the order in which they will be used during the Seder, with the first item to be used placed closest to the leader of the Seder.

The table set for the beginning of the Passover Seder includes the Passover Seder Plate (front center), a bowl of salt water, three shmurah matzot (rear center), and bottles of kosher wine. A Hebrew language Haggadah (Talmudic literature that is a part of Jewish tradition) sits beside each place setting. The seventh symbolic item on the Seder table is a plate of three whole matzot, which are placed on top of each other on a plate or napkin, and then covered. Some also have the custom to separate the matzot from each other with interleaved plates, napkins, or the like.
The top and bottom matzot is used for the hamotzi (blessing over bread), while the middle matzah is broken and half of it is put aside for the afikoman.

A bowl of salt water, which is used for the two "dippings" of the Seder (once at the beginning of the Seder to dip the karpas, and once before the meal begins to dip a plain, hardboiled egg in remembrance of the chagigah) is not traditionally part of the Seder Plate, but is placed on the table beside it. However, it sometimes is used as one of the six items, omitting chazeret.

Because of the popularity of the Passover Seder, and because of the Seder plate's central position in its observance, the plate has become a very common outlet for Jewish artistic expression. Preparing the items for the Seder plate requires several hours of work and the work is completed before the Seder begins. Many families prepare all the Seder foods before the onset of the holiday, in order to avoid halachic questions.

http://www.theholidayspot.com/passover/seder_plate.htm