During the Passover seder, a special plate called the seder plate is used to hold symbolic foods that represent different elements of the Passover story. The foods that are traditionally placed on the seder plate include:
1. Maror: Bitter herbs, usually horseradish, that represent the bitterness of slavery in Egypt.
2. Charoset: A mixture of chopped apples, nuts, and wine that represents the mortar used by the Israelites to build the pyramids in Egypt.
3. Karpas: A vegetable, usually parsley, that is dipped in salt water to represent the tears shed by the Israelites during their enslavement.
4. Zeroa: A roasted shank bone or chicken neck that represents the Paschal lamb that was sacrificed and eaten during the time of the Temple.
5. Beitzah: A roasted egg that represents the cycle of life and the renewal of spring.
In addition to these symbolic foods, matzah, or unleavened bread, is also an important part of the Passover seder. Three pieces of matzah are placed on the seder plate, and they are used throughout the meal to represent the haste with which the Israelites left Egypt and the bread they ate during their journey through the desert.