Learn about the origins and meanings behind The Sedar Plate, The Tallith, The Matzah Cover, The Afikoman Bag, The Star of David, The Elijah Cup, The Shofar, The Haggadah, The Seven and Nine Branch Menorah's and much more. The Tallith is the traditional prayer shawl. The four corner fringes have five knots that represent the unspoken name of God. The five books of Moses or the Torah, is also known as the Books of the Law. The Torah is the heart and soul of the Jewish People. The Seder Plate contains the various symbolic foods used during the Seder service held on the first night of the Passover. This plate shows the ten plaques around the outer edge with the order of the service in the center and the symbolic foods. The small bowl to the left holds the shank bone of the lamb. The Matzah Cover is divided into three sections by white lenen and is used to hold the three pieces of Matzah, unleaven bread used during the Seder. The Afikoman Bag holds the half of the middle Matzah which is broken, hidden and returned at the end of the meal. The Star of David or Magen Star, lieterally the ?Shield of David.? The six points stand for the basis of Jewish belief: creation, revelation, and redemption; God, Isreael and the world. The pouring of this Elijah Cup at the passover Seder is symbolic of the messianic redemption. It looks to the coming Messiah, the hope of Isreal. The Shofar or the Ram?s Horn is one of the oldest Jewish symbols. The Shofar was used in biblical times to proclaim the Holydays and for the call of war. It is the sound of the Shofar that will announce the coming of the Messiah and the resurrection of the dead. The Haggadah contains the blessings, prayers, psalms and story of the Exodus from Egypt that is traditionally at the passover. The Nine Branch Hanukkah Menorah is used at the ?Festival of Lights? celebrating the miracle of the oil which burned for eight days, and stand as a symbol of the triumphant Jewish spirit. The Menorah shows the symbols of the Twelve Tribes of Israel. The Two-Handled Cup is used for hand washing before meals, especially on the Sabbath and Holydays. The Seven B ranch Menorah that once stood in the Tabernacle and Temple of Jerusalem. Each arm is designed in golden almond blossoms. The Menorah has become a central emblem of Jewish survival and continuity.