סימן קיט סעיף ג
אַחַר כָּךְ יִרְחַץ יָדָיו וְלֹא יְבָרֵךְ עֲלֵיהֶן, וּמְנַגְּבָן. וְחוֹתֵךְ מִן הַכַּרְפַּס לְעַצְמוֹ וּלְכָל בְּנֵי בֵּיתוֹ לְכָל אֶחָד פָּחוֹת מִכַּזַּיִת, וְטוֹבְלִין בְּמֵי מֶלַח, וּמְבָרְכִין בּוֹרֵא פְּרֵי הָאֲדָמָה, וּמְכַוְּנִין לִפְטֹר בִּבְרָכָה זוֹ גַּם אֶת הַמָּרוֹר, וְאוֹכֵל גַּם כֵּן בַּהֲסִבַּת שְׂמֹאל. אַחַר כָּךְ נוֹטֵל אֶת הַמַּצָּה הָאֶמְצָעִית וְחוֹלְקָהּ לִשְׁנֵי חֲלָקִים, וּמַנִּיחַ אֶת הַחֵלֶק הַגָּדוֹל אֵצֶל מושָׁבוֹ לַאֲפִיקוֹמָן. וְנוֹהֲגִין לְכָרְכוֹ בְּמַפָּה, זֵכֶר לְמַה שֶׁכָּתוּב, מִשְׁאֲרוֹתָם צְרֻרֹת בְּשִׂמְלוֹתָם. וְיֵשׁ שֶׁמְּשִׂימִים אוֹתוֹ כָּךְ עַל שִׁכְמָם, זֵכֶר לִיצִיאַת מִצְרָיִם. וּלְפִי שֶׁהָאֲפִיקוֹמָן הוּא בִּמְקוֹם הַפֶּסַח, לָכֵן הוּא חָשׁוּב וְיִהְיֶה הַחֵלֶק הַגָּדוֹל. וְהַחֵלֶק הַקָּטֹן מַחְזִירוֹ לַקְּעָרָה לִמְקוֹמוֹ, וּמְגַלֶּה קְצָת אֶת הַמַּצּוֹת, וּמַגְבִּיהַּ אֶת הַקְּעָרָה, וְאוֹמְרִים, הָא לַחְמָא עַנְיָא דִּי אֲכָלוּ וְכוּ', עַד לְשָׁנָה הַבָּאָה בְּנֵי חוֹרִין. וְהָאוֹמְרִים כְּהָא לַחְמָא עַנְיָא לֹא יֹאמְרוּ תֵּבַת דִּי.
After that, you should wash your hands,7The reason for washing the hands, at this point, is because the karpas must be dipped in salt water, and before eating food that is dipped in liquid, such as wine, honey, oil, milk, dew, blood or water it is required that you wash your hands. (Ibid. 473:51) without saying the berachah, dry them, and cut the karpas for yourself and for all the members of the household, giving each less than a kazayis.8See glossary. We eat less than a kazayis, because, otherwise, it would be questionable, regarding the saying of the after-berachah. By eating less than a kazayis, we remove ourselves from this problem. According to the Gra, however, if you should eat a kazayis, you should say the after-berachah. (Ibid. 473:53,56) Each dips his portion in salt water and says the berachah Borei peri ha'adamah "Who creates the fruit of the ground." They should have in mind to exempt the maror which will be eaten later with this berachah, and while eating the karpas, they should also recline on the left side.9Mishnah Berurah does not mention the rule that the karpas should be eaten in a reclining position. The person who leads the Seder then takes the middle matzah and breaks it into two parts, placing the larger part near his seat for the afikoman. It is customary to wrap the afikoman in a napkin,10When using a cloth napkin, care must be taken that the napkin was not starched in laundering. (Ibid. 473:59) to recall what is written, "Their leftover dough was wrapped in their clothes" (Exodus 12:34). Some people place it on their shoulders, to recall the Exodus. Since the afikoman takes the place of the Pesach sacrifice, it is most esteemed, and the larger portion of the matzah is set aside for it. The smaller portion, is put back on the seder plate. He then uncovers the matzos slightly, lifts the seder plate, and all declare Ha lachma anya diachalu,11This declaration should be said in a loud voice. (Ibid. 473:61) "This is the bread of affliction, which our forefathers ate etc. to leshanah haba'ah benei chorin, "Next year we shall be free men." Those who say, Keha lachma anya (keha instead of ha), "Such as this bread of affliction," should omit the word di (which).
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.)