Plants of PassoverPlants of Passover‘Bitter is Better’‘Bitter is Better’

With Dr Ed BezWith Dr Ed Bez

Biblical Botanical Gardens SocietyBiblical Botanical Gardens Society

General Introduction to General Introduction to Biblical FloraBiblical Flora

The Bible and its floraThe Bible and its flora No flora... no BibleNo flora... no Bible The story begins, pivots and ends in a gardenThe story begins, pivots and ends in a garden Short flora quizShort flora quiz

Biblical flora and its usesBiblical flora and its uses Food and beverageFood and beverage

Culinary flavoringCulinary flavoring Medicine and curesMedicine and cures

Aromatics – health, wholeness, and well-beingAromatics – health, wholeness, and well-being Mental health, sexual healthMental health, sexual health

Clothes - from head to toeClothes - from head to toe Tools - peaceful and wartime usesTools - peaceful and wartime uses RitualRitual

Worship, meals, offeringsWorship, meals, offerings TalismanTalisman

Aesthetics, design and architectureAesthetics, design and architecture Metaphors, similes and other literary usesMetaphors, similes and other literary uses

What is Passover?What is Passover? PassoverPassover

First amongst manyFirst amongst many New beginning (Abib becomes New beginning (Abib becomes

Nisan, our March-AprilNisan, our March-April Religious and Agricultural Religious and Agricultural

calendarscalendars Out of AfricaOut of Africa

Deliverance from Egyptian Deliverance from Egyptian bondagebondage

Passover angel – “great” dayPassover angel – “great” day Executing angel – “terrible” day Executing angel – “terrible” day

or the Day of the Lordor the Day of the Lord Delivery into the Land of Delivery into the Land of

PromisePromise DominionDominion Domestication Domestication DevotionDevotion

What are the Flora of Passover?What are the Flora of Passover? HyssopHyssop

Hyssopus officinalisHyssopus officinalis Sorghum vulgareSorghum vulgare

Gr - hussoposGr - hussopos Heb – esob or lit. ‘holy herb’Heb – esob or lit. ‘holy herb’ Used in cleansing, purifying Used in cleansing, purifying

& consecrating sacred places & consecrating sacred places and people and people

Wheat or barleyWheat or barley GrainsGrains

Triticum durumTriticum durum Hordeum vulgareHordeum vulgare

Unleavened bread or matzahUnleavened bread or matzah Bitter herbsBitter herbs

What is the Passover Meal?What is the Passover Meal?

Specific items on the Seder plateSpecific items on the Seder plate Z’roa or shank boneZ’roa or shank bone Beitzah or hard-boiled eggBeitzah or hard-boiled egg Karpas or ‘veggie’ dipped in saltKarpas or ‘veggie’ dipped in salt Chazeret or bitter herb Chazeret or bitter herb Charoset or sweet pebbly mixtureCharoset or sweet pebbly mixture Maror or bitter herbMaror or bitter herb

1/3 of meal was comprised of “bitter herbs”1/3 of meal was comprised of “bitter herbs”

Why Double Bitters?Why Double Bitters?

The 1The 1stst maror – Soteriological maror – Soteriological Past bitter experiences out of our controlPast bitter experiences out of our control Past bitter experiences we brought upon ourselvesPast bitter experiences we brought upon ourselves The end of the bitterThe end of the bitter

The 2The 2ndnd maror - Eschatological maror - Eschatological Future bitter end of the ungodlyFuture bitter end of the ungodly Future end of those that retain bitternessFuture end of those that retain bitterness

The double bitters – Health and wholenessThe double bitters – Health and wholeness

What ‘bitter herbs’ were used for What ‘bitter herbs’ were used for the Passover meal?the Passover meal?

Hebrew Bible (HB) references Hebrew Bible (HB) references ““And they shall eat the flesh in that night, roast with fire, and unleavened bread; with And they shall eat the flesh in that night, roast with fire, and unleavened bread; with

bitter herbs they shall eat it.” bitter herbs they shall eat it.” Exodus 12:8Exodus 12:8

““The fourteenth day of the second month at even they shall keep it, and eat it with The fourteenth day of the second month at even they shall keep it, and eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs.”unleavened bread and bitter herbs.”

Numbers 9:11Numbers 9:11 Lamentations 3:15Lamentations 3:15

Most ancient species of ‘bitter herbs’ likely included:Most ancient species of ‘bitter herbs’ likely included: Dandelion, Endive, Horehound , Sorrel, Sow-ThistleDandelion, Endive, Horehound , Sorrel, Sow-Thistle WatercressWatercress

Other acceptable Rabbinic ‘bitter herbs’Other acceptable Rabbinic ‘bitter herbs’ Chicory, Hawkweed, Mint, Wormwood (Lamentations 3:15)Chicory, Hawkweed, Mint, Wormwood (Lamentations 3:15)

Most commonly used ‘bitter herb' todayMost commonly used ‘bitter herb' today lettuce lettuce horseradishhorseradish

““Bitter” the Unwelcome QualityBitter” the Unwelcome Qualityin Today’s Cuisinein Today’s Cuisine

Modern food groupsModern food groups MeatMeat DairyDairy Fruit and vegetablesFruit and vegetables GrainsGrains

Middle Eastern herbal traditionMiddle Eastern herbal tradition Taste is the focus of this ancient “balanced diet”Taste is the focus of this ancient “balanced diet”

SweetSweet SaltySalty SourSour BitterBitter

So Why Bitter?So Why Bitter?

Why are some of the Why are some of the most densely nutritious most densely nutritious edible herbs so bitter?edible herbs so bitter? What law of nature is What law of nature is

this?this? Sour and bitter foods Sour and bitter foods

protect against diseaseprotect against disease The body needs the taste The body needs the taste

of bitter to stimulate of bitter to stimulate various metabolic various metabolic processes associated with processes associated with the liver and digestion.the liver and digestion.

Herbs of the Bible SummaryHerbs of the Bible Summary Historically, herbs like spices, grains, fruits, flowers Historically, herbs like spices, grains, fruits, flowers

and trees are rich in legend, fact, lore, romance, and and trees are rich in legend, fact, lore, romance, and business. Wars have been fought, trade routes business. Wars have been fought, trade routes established, lives sold, and cultures and countries established, lives sold, and cultures and countries founded, all in the name of plants we call herbs.founded, all in the name of plants we call herbs.

Biblically, herbs not only titillated the palate but were Biblically, herbs not only titillated the palate but were central elements in worship environments of both the central elements in worship environments of both the Hebrew and Christian sacred texts.Hebrew and Christian sacred texts.

Practically, bitters are important to our health and Practically, bitters are important to our health and general welfare.general welfare.

Bitter Herb GalleryBitter Herb Gallery

DandelionDandelion WormwoodWormwood ChicoryChicory

Bitter Herb Gallery 2Bitter Herb Gallery 2

HorseradishHorseradish

Bitter Herb Gallery 3Bitter Herb Gallery 3

EndiveEndive HorehoundHorehound WatercressWatercress

Bitter Herb Gallery 4Bitter Herb Gallery 4

Sow ThistleSow Thistle

Bitter Herb Gallery 5Bitter Herb Gallery 5

SorrelSorrel

Bitter Herb Galley 6Bitter Herb Galley 6

HyssopHyssop