Why afikomen at passover

If you're a kid, or a kid at heart, one of the most fun traditions associated with Passover is hiding —and finding—the afikomen. At the seder table, three matzahs are placed in a stack. Near the beginning of the seder, the middle matzah is broken in two pieces, and the larger piece of this matzah is called the afikomen.

Customarily, the matzah is wrapped prior to being hidden. In the weeks and days prior to Passover, some Jewish families keep children excited about the coming holiday by letting them craft a fun wrap for the afikomen. If the seder leader hid the afikomen the children at the table must search for it and bring it back.

They receive a reward usually candy, money or a small gift when they bring it back to the table. Likewise, if the children "stole" the afikomen, the seder leader ransoms it back from them with a reward so that the seder can continue. For example, when the children find the hidden afikomen they would each receive a piece of chocolate in exchange for giving it back to the seder leader.

In ancient biblical times, the Passover sacrifice used to be the last thing consumed during the Passover seder during the First and Second Temple eras. The afikomen is a substitute for the Passover sacrifice according to the Mishnah in Pesahim a.

The practice of hiding the afikomen was instituted during the Middle Ages by Jewish families to make the seder more entertaining and exciting for children, who can become antsy when sitting through a long ritual meal. Once the afikomen is returned, each guest receives a small portion at least the size of an olive. This is done after the meal and normal deserts have been eaten so that the last taste of the meal is matzah.

After the afikomen is eaten, the Birkas haMazon grace after meals is recited and the seder is concluded. Actively scan device characteristics for identification.

Use precise geolocation data. Select personalised content. Create a personalised content profile. Measure ad performance. The Passover Seder celebration contains many poignant traditions, but the eating of the afikomen after the meal is one of the most fascinating customs. The Seder contains 15 separate steps or stages, and the afikomen comes during the twelfth step, which is called tzafun. Early in the Seder, the leader lifts up the three pieces of matzah, removes the middle piece and breaks it in half.

He then takes the larger half of the broken matzah and sets it aside until later in the ceremony. This broken piece of matzah is the afikomen.

In some traditions, the children in the home attempt to steal the afikomen during the meal; while in other traditions the leader hides the afikomen from the children, who then search for it. In both traditions, the leader attempts to redeem the afikomen from the children, often in exchange for a small gift.