סימן קיח סעיף ג
לְצֹרֶךְ מָרוֹר, נוֹהֲגִין לִקַּח תַּמְכָא (קריין) וְכֵיוָן שֶׁהוּא חָרִיף מְאֹד, יְכוֹלִין לְפָרְרוֹ [בְּמִגְרֶרֶת] (ריבאייזען), רַק שֶׁיִּזָהֲרוּ שֶׁלֹּא יָפוּג לְגַמְרֵי. וְיֵשׁ לְפָרְרוֹ כְּשֶׁבָּאִין מִבֵּית הַכְּנֶסֶת (וְעַיֵּן לְעֵיל סִימָן צ"ח סָעִיף גּ', שֶׁצְּרִיכִין לְפָרְרוֹ עַל יְדֵי שִׁנּוי) וּבַשַׁבָּת, אֲסוּרִין לְפָרְרוֹ, אֶלָּא שֶׁצְּרִיכִין לְפָרְרוֹ קֹדֶם הַלַּיְלָה, וִיכַסֵּהוּ עַד הַלָיְלָה. אֲבָל יוֹתֵר טוֹב לָקַחַת חֲזֶרֶת שֶׁהִיא חַסָּה [סַלַט] שֶנּוֹחַ לְאָכְלָהּ, וְנִקְרֵאת מָרוֹר, לְפִי שֶׁכְּשֶׁשּׁוֹהָה בַּקַּרְקַע, נַעֲשֶׂה הַקֶּלַח מָר. וְיוֹצְאִין גַּם בְּלַעֲנָה הַנִּקְרָא וֶוערְמוּטָה. (עֳלְשִׁין וְחַרְחֲבִינָא אֵינָם שְׁכִיחִים בִּמְדִינוֹתֵינוּ), כָּל הַמִּינִים שֶׁיּוֹצְאִין בָּהֵם מִצְטָרְפִין זֶה עִם זֶה לְכַזָיִת. וְיוֹצְאִין בֵּין בֶּעָלִים בֵּין בַּקְלָחִין, אֲבָל לֹא בַּשָׁרָשִׁים, דְּהַיְנוּ שָׁרָשִׁים הַקְּטַנִּים הַמִּתְפַּצְּלִים לְכָאן וּלְכָאן. אֲבָל הַשׂרֶשׁ הַגָּדוֹל שֶׁבּוֹ גְּדֵלִים הֶעָלִים, אַף שֶׁהוּא טָמוּן בַּקַּרְקַע, הֲרֵי הוּא בִּכְלַל קֶלַח. וּמִכָּל מָקוֹם טוֹב יוֹתֵר לִטּוֹל הֶעָלִים, וְהַקֶּלַח הַיּוֹצֵא חוּץ לַקַּרְקַע, כִּי יֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים, שֶׁמַּה שֶּׁהוּא בַּקַּרְקַע נִקְרָא שׂרֶשׁ. הֶעָלִים אֵין יוֹצְאִין בָּהֶם אֶלָּא אִם כֵּן הֵם לַחִים, אֲבָל הַקְּלָחִים יוֹצְאִין בָּהֶן, בֵּין הֵם לַחִים בֵּין יְבֵשִׁים, אַךְ לֹא בִּמְבֻשָּׁלִין אוֹ כְּבוּשִׁין.
For maror (bitter herbs), it is customary to use horseradish, which, may be grated,1It should never be eaten, when it is whole, because it could be very dangerous to your health and, thus, it is not a mitzvah. (Mishnah Berurah 473:36) because it is very sharp; but you should take care that it does not lose its strength completely. It should be grated, when you return home from the synagogue.2After grating, it should be covered until the beginning of the Seder, in order that it does not lose its strength completely. (Ibid.) (see Ch. 98:3 that the grating should be in an unusual manner). On Shabbos, it is forbidden to grate the maror, but you should grate it before night, and keep it covered until nightfall.3Actually, until the beginning of the Seder. (Ibid.) However, it is preferable to use chazeres, lettuce, which is easier to eat,4Many Poskim maintain that this refers to romaine lettuce. Since, however, small worms are often found in lettuce, unless it is inspected carefully by God-fearing persons, it is better to use the grated horseradish. (Ibid. 473:42) and it is called maror, because when it stays in the ground for a long time, the stem becomes bitter. You can also fulfill the mitzvah with la'anah, (an herb called wormwood).5Mishnah Berurah says, that according to Ramah, wormwood is not acceptable as a species of maror. Others rule that it is. (Ibid. 473:46) (Alashin and charchevina [mentioned in the Mishnah], are not found in our region). All the species, with which you can fulfill the mitzvah (of eating maror), may be combined to make up a kazayis, and you may fulfill your duty with either the leaves or the stems, but not with the roots, that is not with the little roots, that branch out in all directions. But the large root, out of which the leaves grow, although it is hidden in the ground, is considered a stem. Nevertheless, it is better to use the leaves and the stem that is out of the ground, because some authorities hold that the part that grows in the ground is called "root." The leaves are valid only if they are fresh, but the stems are valid whether they are fresh or dried out, but not when they are cooked or pickled.
תנא דבי אליהו כל השונה הלכות בכל יום מובטח לו שהוא בן העולם הבא שנאמר הליכות עולם לו אל תקרי הליכות אלא הלכות (נדה ע"ג.)