Hardboiled eggs and salt water at the Seder

Question

I've participated in only 3 different families' Passover Seders, so my experience is limited in terms of different families' traditions.

How widespread is the custom of eating a hardboiled egg in salt water at the Seder, and what are the source and reason behind it?

EDIT: Is it codified anywhere?

Answer 1

The Remah (Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 476:2) says that some people have the custom to eat eggs at the Seder, as a sign/remembrance of mourning. He posits two reasons:

• The first night of Pesach is always the same day of the week as Tisha Be'av
• To remember the destruction of the Temple. Where it not for the destruction we would be eating the Korban Pesach.

The Mishna Berurah (:11) brings a third reason, from the GR"A:

• As a remembrance for the Chagigah (generic holiday offering) offering that was also brought and eaten that night. [Therefore the egg from the seder plate should be taken and eaten]

We do not make a difference between the first night and the second night - Mishna Berurah S"K 11 and 13 and Be'er Hetiv S"K 2.

No mention of dipping the salt water is made. Askmoses.com mentions that it is a tradition.

Answer 2

The Encyclopedia Yehudit suggests the salt water is for the following reasons, though I don't know what the source is for what is written there or if the suggestion offered is their own. This does relate to the reason given for the egg as having to do with the destruction of the Beis HaMikdash - :

1. Salt water symbolizes the tears that were wept over the destruction of the Beis HaMikdash

or

2. It symbolizes the crying of the B'nei Yisrael due to extent of the slavery in Egypt.

or

3. It symbolizes a remembrance of our crossing the Yam Suf (which was salt-water).

את הביצים טובלים במי מלח, המסמלים את הדמעות, שאנו שופכים על חורבן בית המקדש, או זכר לבכיית בני ישראל מרוב העבודה והסבל, או כזכר למעבר בים המלוח.

Answer 3

since rama in 575 says we do not salt the matza on seder night we need to fulfill the custom of always having salt on the table. al kol karbanecha takriv melach. since the egg represents the korban chagigah this would be the appropriate time.

Answer 4

Sefer Hatodaa page 98 mentions that there are those that do so and those that do not. My families Minhag, which I have never seen or heard of elsewhere is to make egg soup. This is done by mashing the yellow part of the egg into hot water. Then cutting up the white part of the egg into small pieces, adding scallions, black pepper and salt. This is done before Yom Tov and left on the Blech to remain warm.

Answer 5

My family did this growing up and we were told is was to represent the tears cried, while celebrating new life. To always remember there is joy and sorrow. I always loved the taste of the dish.

Answer 6

My family always started the seder meal with a bowl of cold, salted water with sliced hard-cooked eggs and sliced onions. When I was old enough to go to other sederim, I was shocked that this wasn't part of anyone else's minhag. It was delicious, by the way, and from what I remember, the symbolism was tears, mourning, and the circle of life

Answer 7

Then there's the off-color folk drash saying the salt water represents the sea which reached the Israelites' hips when they waded through it. (Remember the colloquial Hebrew/Yiddish sense of ביצים BEITZIM = eggs. Yes, the Torah clearly says the waters parted completely and the Israelites walked on dry land [Sh'mot/Exodus 14], but perhaps some stragglers got wet just before the sea closed in on the pursuing Egyptians.)