Holiday Traditions, History & Celebrations
The Seder Plate
Image credit: Shmuel Munkes (CC BY-SA 4.0)
The seder table includes Elijah’s cup, which is filled with wine. At one key part of the seder, the seder attendees open the front door to welcome the arrival of the prophet Elijah—believed to attend every seder.
Why do we leave a cup for Elijah?
The tradition in the Haggadah, “Let all who are hungry come and eat,” has suggested that Jews open their door during the seder. But how does this translate to Elijah? Although Elijah is never mentioned explicitly in the Torah as being a part of the seder, in the 11th century, a rabbi said, “Passover is a time of redemption, and the Messiah is the ultimate redemption, so we’re leaving the door open because we hope Elijah will come.”
