836. Karpas and More

119:2 The attendant or one of the members of the household should fill up the cups. Each time the wine needs to be poured, they should do the pouring; a person should not pour for himself as a sign of freedom. One should instruct the members of his household to drink at least the greater part of each of the four cups at one time, and to drink a revi'is (about 3.3 ounces) of the fourth cup at one time. Everyone should have in mind to fulfill the mitzvah of drinking four cups, of hearing the story of the exodus from Egypt, and of eating the matzah and the maror. Women are likewise obligated in these mitzvos, except that they are not accustomed to lean. One should make kiddush as it appears in the Haggadah and drink while leaning on his left. It is preferable if one can act as recommended by the authorities who say to drink the whole cup for each of the four cups.

119:3 After this, one washes his hands without reciting a bracha and dries them. (This is because wet produce requires one to wash his hands - Mishnah Brurah 473:51.) He cuts up the karpas for himself and the others, giving each person less than an olive-sized portion (to avoid the possibility of having to recite a concluding bracha - MB 473:53). He dips the karpas in the saltwater and recites the bracha "borei pri ho'adoma," that G-d creates the fruit of the earth. One should intend for this bracha also to include the maror, and he eats leaning to the left. (Editor's note: leaning for karpas may not be the prevalent custom in our society.) He then takes the middle matzah, splits it into two parts, and puts the larger piece by his seat for later use as the afikomen. It is customary to wrap it in a cloth as an allusion to Exodus 12:34, "their kneading troughs wrapped up in their garments." Some place it on their shoulders as a reminder of the exodus from Egypt. Because the afikomen is in place of the Pesach sacrifice, it is more significant and it should be the bigger piece. The smaller piece is returned to its place on the plate. The leader slightly uncovers the matzos, picks up the plate, and recites "Ha lachma anya..." ("this is the bread of affliction..."). Those who say "like this bread..." should not say the word "that."