We take the karpas and dip it in salt-water. One should have in mind that the blessing about to be made applies also to the bitter herbs that will be eaten later.

The karpas is eaten without reclining; less than a kezayis (the size of an olive) should be eaten. After one partakes of it, the prevailing Lubavitch custom is not to return the karpas to the Seder plate. Thus from this point on, there are only five items on the plate.

The following blessing is recited before partaking of the karpas:

Blessed are You, G-d, our L-rd, King of the universe, Creator of the fruit of the earth.

Even should one eat more than a kezayis of the karpas, we do not recite the blessing borei nefashos which is usually recited after eating such foods.[35]

   

Notes:

35. (Back to text) Shulchan Aruch HaRav 473:18.