Countdown to Pesach 23: Parsley Karpas2

Having established that the green vegetable symbolizes the enormous fertility and growth of the Children of Israel in Egypt, why do we then take this symbol of fertility and dip it in salt water?

The very growth and empowerment led to Pharaoh’s fears and his evil decree. Pharaoh intended to break them down, to drain their bodies and deprive them of any strength. But his plans boomeranged and rather than become weaker, they continued to grow. It was as if they were nurtured by their sweat, or salt water. We ingest the vegetable of life, mix it with salt water and turn it into a Mitzvah a source of life. (Machberes Avodas Hashem)