The Riddle of Passover Egg

When Jews celebrate Passover today, the festive tables feature a special plate with traditional foods tased during the celebration. There are bitter herbs of several kinds to remember the bitterness of slavery in Egypt. There is also a lamb bone to remember the sacrifice for the firstborn. And to some people’s surprise, there is also an egg בֵּיצָה (beitzah). The explanation you will often hear is that the egg represents the cycle of life. Some will reason that it is tied to Springtime and renewal. That sounds as if the egg is a symbol of fertility, just like Easter bunnies.

Why would an item like this end up on the Passover plate? What does it have to do with the Exodus story? Is this a Jewish symbol, or did the Easter egg got lost and ended up in the wrong neighborhood? The answer is right in front of us!