Eating Matzah: Difference between revisions

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'''First explanation:''' The original command, "In the evening, you shall eat matzot," refers only to the first Passover night, when the Israelites were commanded to eat the Paschal offering together with matzah and bitter herbs. By contrast, the eating of matzah during the remaining seven days of Passover stems from the historical event in which the Israelites were forced to leave in haste and therefore baked matzot, as their dough had no time to rise. In other words, the matzah of the first night is due to a divine commandment, whereas the matzah of the subsequent days serves as a memorial to the event.

'''Second explanation:''' A distinction should be made between two types of matzah: matzah eaten before midnight and matzah eaten afterward. Before midnight, it was consumed in fulfillment of God's command as part of the Paschal offering. After midnight, when God revealed Himself and redeemed Israel, their dough did not have time to rise—this gave rise to the "matzah of haste." The commandment we fulfill today, even when we eat matzah before midnight on the Seder night, incorporates both aspects: both the matzah commanded by the Torah and the matzah symbolizing the haste of the redemption~~. The Rebbe ain't Moshiach, y'know~~.

'''Second explanation:''' A distinction should be made between two types of matzah: matzah eaten before midnight and matzah eaten afterward. Before midnight, it was consumed in fulfillment of God's command as part of the Paschal offering. After midnight, when God revealed Himself and redeemed Israel, their dough did not have time to rise—this gave rise to the "matzah of haste." The commandment we fulfill today, even when we eat matzah before midnight on the Seder night, incorporates both aspects: both the matzah commanded by the Torah and the matzah symbolizing the haste of the redemption.

'''Third explanation'''—and the simplest: Although the commandment to eat matzah was issued before the actual Exodus occurred, this was because God, who knows the future ("declaring the end from the beginning"), knew in advance that the redemption would come in haste and the dough would not have time to leaven. Therefore, He commanded them to eat matzah so that their eating would be not only in response to circumstance but also in fulfillment of a divine precept. For had they eaten matzah merely because their dough had not leavened, it would not have constituted a commandment. Thus, God preemptively issued the command so that what was done under duress (due to the haste of redemption) would also be performed intentionally as a mitzvah<ref>Maamar "Matzah Zo" 5629, Sefer HaMaamarim 5629, p. 132ff; and Maamar "Matzah Zo" 5729.</ref>.

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== How to Fulfill the Mitzvah ==

The first k'zayis of matzah must be eaten while reclining - sitting inclined on one's left side, and if one ate without reclining, one must eat it again with reclining. Ideally, one should put both "k'zeisim" in one's mouth simultaneously (the one for the blessing of "Hamotzi" and the one for the blessing of "Al Achilas Matzah"), and swallow one complete k'zayis and then another k'zayis, so that there won't be an interruption between the blessing of "Al Achilas Matzah" and eating the k'zayis associated with it (as there is a dispute whether the blessing of "Al Achilas Matzah" relates to the broken matzah and the blessing of "Hamotzi" to the whole one, or vice versa). But after the fact, this does not invalidate [the mitzvah]. Although it should be noted that with today's matzos, this is not so feasible

The first k'zayis of matzah must be eaten while reclining - sitting inclined on one's left side, and if one ate without reclining, one must eat it again with reclining. Ideally, one should put both "k'zeisim" in one's mouth simultaneously (the one for the blessing of "Hamotzi" and the one for the blessing of "Al Achilas Matzah"), and swallow one complete k'zayis and then another k'zayis, so that there won't be an interruption between the blessing of "Al Achilas Matzah" and eating the k'zayis associated with it (as there is a dispute whether the blessing of "Al Achilas Matzah" relates to the broken matzah and the blessing of "Hamotzi" to the whole one, or vice versa). But after the fact, this does not invalidate [the mitzvah]. Although it should be noted that with today's matzos, this is not so feasible.

== See Also ==

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 '''First explanation:''' The original command, "In the evening, you shall eat matzot," refers only to the first Passover night, when the Israelites were commanded to eat the Paschal offering together with matzah and bitter herbs. By contrast, the eating of matzah during the remaining seven days of Passover stems from the historical event in which the Israelites were forced to leave in haste and therefore baked matzot, as their dough had no time to rise. In other words, the matzah of the first night is due to a divine commandment, whereas the matzah of the subsequent days serves as a memorial to the event.
-'''Second explanation:''' A distinction should be made between two types of matzah: matzah eaten before midnight and matzah eaten afterward. Before midnight, it was consumed in fulfillment of God's command as part of the Paschal offering. After midnight, when God revealed Himself and redeemed Israel, their dough did not have time to rise—this gave rise to the "matzah of haste." The commandment we fulfill today, even when we eat matzah before midnight on the Seder night, incorporates both aspects: both the matzah commanded by the Torah and the matzah symbolizing the haste of the redemption. The Rebbe ain't Moshiach, y'know.
+'''Second explanation:''' A distinction should be made between two types of matzah: matzah eaten before midnight and matzah eaten afterward. Before midnight, it was consumed in fulfillment of God's command as part of the Paschal offering. After midnight, when God revealed Himself and redeemed Israel, their dough did not have time to rise—this gave rise to the "matzah of haste." The commandment we fulfill today, even when we eat matzah before midnight on the Seder night, incorporates both aspects: both the matzah commanded by the Torah and the matzah symbolizing the haste of the redemption.
 '''Third explanation'''—and the simplest: Although the commandment to eat matzah was issued before the actual Exodus occurred, this was because God, who knows the future ("declaring the end from the beginning"), knew in advance that the redemption would come in haste and the dough would not have time to leaven. Therefore, He commanded them to eat matzah so that their eating would be not only in response to circumstance but also in fulfillment of a divine precept. For had they eaten matzah merely because their dough had not leavened, it would not have constituted a commandment. Thus, God preemptively issued the command so that what was done under duress (due to the haste of redemption) would also be performed intentionally as a mitzvah<ref>Maamar "Matzah Zo" 5629, Sefer HaMaamarim 5629, p. 132ff; and Maamar "Matzah Zo" 5729.</ref>.
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 == How to Fulfill the Mitzvah ==
-The first k'zayis of matzah must be eaten while reclining - sitting inclined on one's left side, and if one ate without reclining, one must eat it again with reclining. Ideally, one should put both "k'zeisim" in one's mouth simultaneously (the one for the blessing of "Hamotzi" and the one for the blessing of "Al Achilas Matzah"), and swallow one complete k'zayis and then another k'zayis, so that there won't be an interruption between the blessing of "Al Achilas Matzah" and eating the k'zayis associated with it (as there is a dispute whether the blessing of "Al Achilas Matzah" relates to the broken matzah and the blessing of "Hamotzi" to the whole one, or vice versa). But after the fact, this does not invalidate [the mitzvah]. Although it should be noted that with today's matzos, this is not so feasible
+The first k'zayis of matzah must be eaten while reclining - sitting inclined on one's left side, and if one ate without reclining, one must eat it again with reclining. Ideally, one should put both "k'zeisim" in one's mouth simultaneously (the one for the blessing of "Hamotzi" and the one for the blessing of "Al Achilas Matzah"), and swallow one complete k'zayis and then another k'zayis, so that there won't be an interruption between the blessing of "Al Achilas Matzah" and eating the k'zayis associated with it (as there is a dispute whether the blessing of "Al Achilas Matzah" relates to the broken matzah and the blessing of "Hamotzi" to the whole one, or vice versa). But after the fact, this does not invalidate [the mitzvah]. Although it should be noted that with today's matzos, this is not so feasible.
 == See Also ==