Afikoman
Afikoman (also Afikomon from Aramaic Afiko and Kamen = "before us pull out") is a certain part of the Seder of Jewish eaten Matze . It is put aside or hidden during the meal in order to be eaten as dessert after the actual meal before giving thanks for the food.
It used to be customary to carry the tables on which the food was placed out of the room after meals, instead trays of pastries were brought in for dessert. At the time of the Jerusalem temple , some of the Passover offering was eaten and the required dessert was at least 25 grams of the sacrificial lamb to keep the taste of the Passover in the mouth .
Today, since the commandment to eat of the Passover offering is no longer in force, the only commandment from the Torah was to eat matzo. The matzo is therefore the last food that is eaten on the Seder evening shortly before the blessing over the food. That is why she is called an Afikoman.
The procedure of "finding" the Afikoman or hiding the other half of the matzo is also welcome fun for the children participating in the Seder and serves to keep them awake longer.
Web links
- Afikoman in the Jewish Virtual Library, accessed April 6, 2010