Messiah in Pesach Chapter 27
- Maror
- Remembering the Bitter Affliction
#8. Maror:
Tasting Bitter Herbs:
Take at least one ounce of the bitter herbs. Dip it in the charoset, then shake the latter off and make the blessing “al achilat maror.” Eat without reclining. The Seder Leader calls out Maror. Now take a kezayit (the volume of one olive) of the Maror, dip it into the Charoset to soften the effect but then shake off the Charoset that stuck to it, so that the bitter taste will not be neutralized. The following blessing is recited by all:
“Blessed are You, Adonai Eloheinu, King of the universe, Who has sanctified us with Your commandments and commands us to eat maror.”
ברוך אתה, אדוני אלוהינו, מלך העולם, אשר קדשנו במיצוותיו וציוונו על אכילת מרור.פ
“Baruch atah, Adonai Eloheinu, melech ha’olam, asher kid’shanu b’mitzvotav v’tsivanu al achilat maror.”
Remembering the Bitter Affliction:
Now eat the Maror, without reclining. Eat the bitter herbs, remembering the sorrow, persecution, and suffering of our life in bondage to sin. As the horseradish brings tears to our eyes, so remember the bitter affliction of the children of Israel.