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Every seder I've ever been to has used ground horseradish (like this) for maror, and "dipping" it in the charoset ends up being implemented as putting both maror and charoset on a piece of matzah and eating that. In reviewing the haggadah today, though, it struck me that this takes away from the symbol of the Hillel sandwich that follows, where we combine maror and matzah quite intentionally. So I'm looking for a better way to achieve "dipping". What do most people do? Combine them on a plate (no dipping but no matzah)? Use unground horseradish root (so you have something solid that you can actually dip)? Something else?

Monica Cellio
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    Not an answer, because you specified horseradish, but with romaine lettuce stalks this is not an issue at all. – Double AA Mar 17 '13 at 23:50
  • My family has always used un-ground horseradish – Charles Koppelman Mar 18 '13 at 01:54
  • As an aside, one plus to using horseradish is described by the Mishna B'rura (473:42, paraphrased)... – Fred Mar 18 '13 at 04:13
  • "Romaine lettuce is ideal for various reasons.... However acharonim have pointed out that romaine lettuce is very commonly infested with very small insects that are not easily seen. Therefore, unless someone has designated, G-d fearing people who will examine the lettuce properly, it is better to use horseradish ("chrain"), even though it's third on the list of acceptable types of maror. G-d forbid that a person should stumble in a biblical prohibition in order to fulfill a rabbinic obligation, especially since it's possible to fulfill this obligation with horseradish." – Fred Mar 18 '13 at 04:14
  • @Fred That's why many who use romaine lettuce (myself included) use the white stalk parts which are a) easier to check for bugs, and b) more massive so easier to eat a shiur with. One possible disadvantage of horseradish which no one has mentioned is that it is likely just a mistranslation of the species of maror in question and not kosher at all for the mitzva. – Double AA Mar 18 '13 at 04:25
  • @DoubleAA It's true that Rashi identifies tamcha as horehound and the Aruch identifies it as either a thistle or horehound, although there are ample opinions that identify it as horseradish. | I sometimes also use just the romaine stalks (as opposed to romaine leaves), especially when I have a limited amount of time to check for bugs. – Fred Mar 18 '13 at 04:49
  • @DoubleAA ... If you're sure there are no bugs, though, I think there's something to be said for eating the leaves with the stalks, as it seems to carry more of the symbolism of the rach/kashe dichotomy. – Fred Mar 18 '13 at 04:55
  • Unlike the leaves, the base of the lettuce has a bitter taste (in some of them anyway). – Ariel Mar 18 '13 at 04:58
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    @Fred If you mean ample late authorities, then yes that is the case. You will be hard pressed to find rishonim who say so, and any who do are likely referring to the horseradish leaf, not root, as the Mishna seems to explicitly exclude the root. See for instance, Haghot Maymoniot 8:13 who notes horseradish as the translation and then immediately says that roots are no good. – Double AA Mar 18 '13 at 05:30
  • @DoubleAA Yes, I was referring to acharonim mostly. | The Hagahos Maimoniyos (7:13) mentions horseradish ("meerrettich"), as you pointed out. He then goes on to cite Rabbeinu Tam, who I initially interpreted as inferring that the species of maror mentioned in the mishna can only be eaten moist if their roots are eaten, whereas their stalks can be eaten moist or dried out. At least that's what I think Rabbeinu Tam might have been saying based on the context of the gemara, though I didn't see the direct quote. The Shulchan Aruch, though, says explicitly that roots are no good.... – Fred Mar 18 '13 at 06:58
  • @DoubleAA ... Though commentaries on the Shulchan Aruch say this refers to stringy roots that branch out, unlike horseradish that is considered an extension of the stalk. In any case, the Hagahos Maimoniyos cites Rabbeinu Tam but doesn't explicitly accept his view. – Fred Mar 18 '13 at 07:01
  • @MonicaCellio If you mean something like this, I would recommend against using that, as the only Mishna which gives the laws of Maror (Pesachim 2:6) explicitly excludes "pickled, stewed, or boiled" versions of whichever plant is chosen. – Double AA Mar 18 '13 at 14:23
  • @Fred Here http://onthemainline.blogspot.com/2011/04/should-you-really-eat-grated.html is a Hagada which explicitly calls for horseradish leaves, which is what all the early authorities who mention horseradish were talking about. – Double AA Dec 05 '16 at 15:24
  • After asking this question I switched to whole horseradish root as suggested by some here, and then after getting pinged by the previous comment a few months ago I used romaine this year along with the whole root. – Monica Cellio Apr 13 '17 at 17:57

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The Chabad custom (Sefer Haminhagim Chabad, Haggada im Likkutey Tammim Uminhagim, see also Aruch Hashulchan 473:14) is to use a combination of ground horseradish and Romaine lettuce. We put the ground horseradish inside the lettuce and dip that into the charoses. Shulchan Aruch (473:5) rules that one may combine the different types of Maror, and this custom has the additional advantage of including Romaine lettuce, which Shulchan Aruch considers to be the most preferable type of Maror.

Michoel
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    Assuming you use less than a k'zayis of lettuce and horseradish each (and I'm not actually assuming this), this brings up the issue of combining different kinds of maror for one k'zayis, which Rashi (P'sachim 39a, s.v. ומצטרפין) implies is not preferable. Generally, romaine lettuce is preferred to anything else, no matter how bitter the alternative is (see the story with Ravina and Rav Acha son of Rava on the middle of 39a). – Fred Mar 18 '13 at 00:18
  • Also, the S'fas Emes infers that Rashi would prohibit a non-50-50 mixture from adding up to a k'zayis (ad loc): יש לדייק מלשון רש"י ז"ל דדוקא שני חצאי זיתים מב' מינים כיון שהם שוים ואין מין האחד יותר מהמין האחר מצטרפין אבל אם הרוב ממין אחד אין מצטרף מיעוט ממין אחר להשלים השיעור משום דנתבטל טעם מרירות מין המועט בהרוב וחסר לי' משיעוריה. – Fred Mar 18 '13 at 00:26
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    @Fred Shulchan Aruch (473:5) rules lehalacha that one can combine the five different types of Maror to make up a kezayitz. This is the Chabad custom (as recorded in Sefer Haminhagim Chabad). See also Aruch Hashulchan (:14). – Michoel Mar 18 '13 at 00:45
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    Interesting minhag (but note that the Shulchan Aruch does not suggest that it is preferable to use a mixture, and in fact he rules that romaine lettuce is preferable). – Fred Mar 18 '13 at 00:51
  • @Fred Rabbi Chaim Ashkenazi in his commentary to Shulchan Aruch Harav (Hilchot Leil Haseder to OC 473:30) questions whether the Chabad minhag is to have kezayitz in total, or a kezayitz of each (or at least of the chazeres). In my experience I have only seen a kezayitz in total used. – Michoel Mar 18 '13 at 01:01
  • I suppose this technically answers the question, which doesn't actually specify "what do you do if you use horseradish for maror?", but I thought that was the plain meaning. – msh210 Mar 18 '13 at 01:26
  • @msh210 Not sure what you mean? Was the question asking what to do if you use only horseradish? – Michoel Mar 18 '13 at 01:33
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    I thought that was what it meant. Obviously, if so, then it was ambiguous. +1. – msh210 Mar 18 '13 at 02:06
  • @msh210, Michoel -- I was asking about using horseradish and had never considered the possibility that one could combine that with another bitter food. The people coming to my seder will expect horseradish, but if it's actually kosher to use romaine to hold it, that's a nice solution. (I can't tell from the comment discussion about that "if" yet; is there anything that should be added to the answer to make the issues clearer?) – Monica Cellio Mar 18 '13 at 03:19
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    @MonicaCellio It is clear from Shulchan Aruch that one may mix two types of bitter herbs. Fred was pointing out that there may be an opinion that it is preferable not to, but that opinion is not codified in Shulchan Aruch, and the Chabad custom is specifically to mix. It is unquestionably better than eating the marror with matza, and also has the advantage of eating Romaine lettuce as well which Shulchan Aruch states is actually preferable to horseradish. – Michoel Mar 18 '13 at 03:25
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    Thanks @Michoel. Could I persuade you to add that information (that this mixing is permitted, and even that romaine is preferred) to your answer? – Monica Cellio Mar 18 '13 at 03:27
  • You say you get the advantage of eating lettuce and you can mix other things in. Why eat the horseradish at all though? – Double AA Mar 18 '13 at 04:02
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    I disagree that the Shulchan Aruch would consider a mixture that includes lettuce to be ideal. He writes "ועיקר המצוה בחזרת", which seems to convey that lettuce alone is ideal, though he holds that it is acceptable to mix. According to the Aruch HaShulchan such a minhag does specifically exist, and as you mentioned it is the minhag of Chabad. However, I don't think this would be the most ideal approach according to the Shulchan Aruch. ping @MonicaCellio – Fred Mar 18 '13 at 04:02
  • @Fred Note that I was not claiming this is the most ideal solution; only that there would be an advantage to also eating Romaine lettuce and I was answering OP's question how to dip if you are using horseradish. I am looking for an explanation for the Chabad custom to not use only Romaine lettuce, but haven't found anything yet. – Michoel Mar 18 '13 at 04:20
  • @Michoel Any news on my above comment? Why bother with the horseradish at all? – Double AA Mar 21 '13 at 23:53
  • @DoubleAA I searched for a specific explanation of the custom to combine, and didn't find anything. My guess is that some Achronim claim that horseradish is actually better than Romaine lettuce because it is bitter (and the lettuce they had then was different), so the custom may be a compromise. – Michoel Mar 23 '13 at 09:56
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We use unground horseradish. If you can't handle the gases in it, let it sit out for a few hours. Or wrap it in foil right after cutting for the full effect.

We also use romain lettuce bases (not the leaf, the base of the plant) for those who don't want the horseradish (or as a supplement for those who can't eat a ke-zait of it).

Ariel
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  • Thanks! I hadn't known that letting it sit out for a few hours would tone down the unground root. (I don't mind it, but some of my guests probably would...) – Monica Cellio Mar 18 '13 at 03:54
  • It's still powerful mind you, but less. The thinner you cut it, the less powerful. We usually do about 1 inch, then cut it smaller at the seder. You can cut it even thinner if you like - then it's still a large piece, so you can dip it, but because it's thin most of the gases dissipate. – Ariel Mar 18 '13 at 04:55
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Here's what we do: Prior to the Seder, we put some charoset and a thin slice of horseradish root (shaved from the root with a vegetable peeler) on a plastic spoon for each guest. When it is time to eat it, we give everyone a spoon. This is attractive, neat, and does not take up much time.

Joel Etra
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  • How is this dipping? – Double AA Mar 24 '13 at 19:53
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    @DoubleAA While the question does specify that it is looking for a better dipping method, it is also true that Monica asks: "What do most people do? Combine them on a plate (no dipping but no matzah)? " This answer would seem to address that. – HodofHod Mar 24 '13 at 21:33
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Last year at my Rov's house, I have seen a whole bunch of freshly squeezed lemon go into the ground root to make it a little sticky and better tasting.

MoriDowidhYa3aqov
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    This is unlikely. It's very clear that the horseradish must be plain, and not mixed with anything. If it was cooked, or soaked in lemon or vinegar for more than 24 hours it's certainly not valid. And even if it's less than 24 hours it's clearly not desirable. – Ariel Mar 18 '13 at 01:30
  • MoriDowidhYa3aqov uses ground root for Maror??? – Double AA Mar 20 '18 at 15:37
  • @DoubleAA no i dont just the person this hassidishe rebbe colleague i attended – MoriDowidhYa3aqov Mar 20 '18 at 22:18