Three flat pieces of unleavened bread called
matzah are stacked one upon another and used during the Seder. The top piece of matzah is never eaten during the feast. The middle piece of matzah is broken in half—one half is returned to its place; it’s called the “bread of poverty,” to represent the many years of slavery the Hebrews had to endure. The other broken half is called the
afikomen—which literally means “dessert,” not because the bread is sweet but because it will be eaten at the conclusion of the meal. The
afikomen is wrapped in a linen cloth and hidden, usually by a child, till the end of the feast.