Since Good Friday and Passover fell on the same day this year, I wanted to mark it in a meaningful way, so I looked up some of the ways the Jewish people remember what was done for them. I was intrigued with charoset, a sticky mixture resembling the clay used as mortar for bricks they were forced to make. “Charoset (pronounced ha-r
ow-sit) is from the Hebrew word that means clay.”
Encapsulating both the ideas of slavery & redemption with its bitter and sweet ingredients, it symbolizes what took place.
- It is sticky like mortar -symbolizing the bitterness of slavery
- Wine symbolizes the blood sacrifice that led to their redemption
- Sweet fruit symbolizes freedom
“…when your children ask you, ‘What does this ceremony mean to you?’ then tell them, ‘It is the Passover sacrifice to the Lord, who passed over the houses of the Israelites in Egypt and spared our homes when he struck down the Egyptians.’”
Exodus 12:21-28 NIV
Just as the lamb’s blood saved the people from slavery, so our Lamb of God saves us from slavery to self, sin & death.
“Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed…”
1 Corinthians 5:7 NIV
“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.”
Galatians 5:1 NIV
Just as the Israelites were tempted to go back to their slavery, so we can chose the old ways we lived by, instead of staying in the freedom that was bought for us.
Let the symbols in this dish draw you to remember what you are saved from and help you continue moving into the freedom He’s given!
Charoset
with apples, dates, and walnuts
https://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/charoset_with_apples_dates_and_walnuts/
- 1 cup walnut halves and pieces
- 1/2-pound (about 13 large) medjool dates, pitted
- 1/4 cup orange juice or dry red wine
- 1 Granny Smith or Fuji apple, peeled, cored, and chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ginger
How to make it:
- Add the walnuts to a food processor. Process them in 1-second pulses, until they are finely chopped. Transfer them to a bowl. Reserve 1 tablespoon to use as a garnish.
- Add the pitted dates and orange juice to the now-empty food processor. Process them until they form a thick paste, scraping down the sides if necessary.
- Add the paste to the bowl with the chopped nuts. Add the apple, cinnamon, and ginger to the bowl and stir to combine.
- Adjust the flavor and serve:
- Taste and add more juice or wine, cinnamon, or ginger to taste. The charoset can be served right away, or up to two days after it is prepared. (Keep refrigerated.) To garnish, sprinkle with the reserved tablespoon of walnuts.
Take the opportunity to share with others as you remember the meaning through the Scripture!