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Afikoman
Afikoman (Hebrew: אפיקומן, based on Greek epikomion [επί kομός], meaning 'that which comes after' or 'dessert') is a half-piece of matzah which is broken in two during the early stages of the Passover Seder and set aside to be eaten at the end of the meal. Based on the Mishnah in Pesahim 119a, the afikoman is a substitute for the Corban (sacrifice) Pesach, which was the last thing eaten at the Passover Seder during the eras of the First and Second Temples and during the period of the Mishkan. The head of the household hides the afikoman for the children to find. The afikoman has become a device for keeping children awake during the Seder proceedings, until the time it is needed for dessert. |