Guide to Eating Matzah on Passover Night

Posted on Aug 27, 2024 in English

How Many Brachot Before Matzah on Passover?

2

HaMotzi and Al Achilat Matzah

Procedure for HaMotzi and Al Achilat Matzah

  1. Say HaMotzi on both halves of the matzah. Then put down the bottom matzah and say Al Achilat Matzah on the top, broken piece.

Procedure for Breaking the Matzah

  1. Break a kezayit from the top and middle matzah, dip them into salt, and eat them together while reclining to the left.

Incapable of Eating Both Matzahs Together

  1. Eat the full matzah first, then eat the broken one.

Difficulty Eating 2 Kezayitim of Matzah

  1. You can eat only one.

Large Family and Not Enough Kezayitim

  1. You can give them matzah from the box and only need to give them a kezayit.

Forgot to Say HaMotzi

  1. If your mistake was by accident, you do not need to say HaMotzi on another matzah.

Definitions of Kezayit and KeBeitzah

  1. Kezayit – The (volume) size of an olive
  2. KeBeitzah – The (volume) size of an egg

Ratio of a Kezayit to a KeBeitzah

  1. According to Shulchan Aruch – two olives = 1 egg
  2. According to the Rash – three olives = 1 egg

Kezayit: Volume or Weight?

  1. A volume, however, we measure it by a weight of 27 grams.

Amount of Matzah to Eat on Passover Night

  1. It’s preferable to eat the volume of half an egg. However, for someone who finds this difficult, they can rely on the other Rishonim and eat a third of an egg.

Weighing Matzah on Passover Night

  1. Yes, since this is a measuring for a mitzvah.

Amount of Bread to Eat on Friday Night

  1. A kezayit

Reason for Eating Two Kezayitim on Passover Night

  1. A kezayit for HaMotzi Lechem Min Haaretz and a kezayit for Al Achilat Matzah.

Eating Two Kezayitim at One Time

  1. No.

Definition of BiKdei Achilat Pras

  1. The time it takes to eat half a loaf of bread (which was standard during the times of Chazal).

Duration of BiKdei Achilat Pras

  1. Between 6-7.5 minutes. However, it is preferred to finish eating under 4 minutes.

Time Limit for Eating the Kezayit of Matzah

  1. BiKdei Achilat Pras

Definitions of Ben HaShemashot and Tzeit HaKochavim

  1. Tzeit HaKochavim – Nightfall, when one can see 3 medium stars
  2. Ben HaShemashot – Twilight. After sunset before nightfall.

Time to Fulfill the Mitzvah of Achilat Matzah

  1. After Tzeit HaKochavim

Definition of Mitzvot Tzrichot Kavanah

  1. You must have the intention to fulfill a mitzvah when performing it.

Intention Before Eating Matzah on Passover Night

  1. That by eating matzah, you are fulfilling your obligation of eating matzah on Passover night.

Verbalizing the Intention

  1. No

Eating Matzah Without Reclining (Men)

  1. Eat matzah again while reclining without a bracha.

Eating Matzah Without Reclining (Women)

  1. Nothing, and she fulfilled her mitzvah.

Distributing the Matzah (According to the Yalkut Yosef)

  1. Take a little bite of matzah after saying HaMotzi and Al Achilat Matzah without reclining.
  2. Distribute a kezayit of matzah to all the people at the table.
  3. Recline and eat a kezayit of matzah from each of the two matzahs.

Refraining from Talking While Eating Matzah

  1. Since the bracha is going on the consumption of a kezayit of matzah, one should not talk until s/he fulfills this mitzvah.

Reciting a New Bracha After Talking During Matzah Consumption

  1. No.

Accidentally Performing Korech Before Motzi Matzah

  1. You need to eat matzah and maror individually. If one spoke in between, they will need to recite a new bracha.

Maror

Passuk Commanding to Eat Maror

  1. “You shall eat the flesh on that night, roasted over the fire, and unleavened bread with bitter herbs they shall eat it.”

Maror: Rabbinic or Torah Obligation?

  1. According to the Torah, the obligation to eat maror is only with the Korban Pesach. Since we don’t bring a Korban Pesach, we are therefore not obligated from the Torah to eat maror.

Charoset: Rabbinic or Torah Obligation?

  1. Rabbinic

Reasons for Charoset

  1. To neutralize the bitterness of the maror.
  2. To remind us of the citrus orchards that the Jewish mothers hid in to give birth.
  3. To remind us of the mortar with which the Jewish people worked as slaves.

Not Saying Al Achilat Charoset

  1. The blessing of maror covers the charoset since they both come to remind us of the slavery.

Adding Red Wine or Vinegar to Charoset

  1. To remind us of the Jewish blood that was spilled by the Egyptian taskmasters.

Korech

Hillel the Elder’s Method of Eating Matzah, Maror, and Korban Pesach

  1. They would combine all three and eat them together.

Reason for Korech

  1. To remind us how we would eat the matzah and maror in the times of the Beit HaMikdash.

Using the Third Matzah for Korech

  1. In order to use each matzah for a specific mitzvah.

Dipping Korech into Charoset

  1. According to the Shulchan Aruch and Rambam: Yes.

Reclining for Korech

  1. Yes

When to Talk Freely After HaMotzi and Al Achilat Matzah

  1. After one finishes korech, in order that the bracha of HaMotzi will connect to korech.

Definition and Example of a Hefsak

  1. An interruption, for example, saying a bracha and then talking (interrupting) before eating.

Zecher LaMikdash KeHalel as a Hefsek

  1. According to the Shulchan Aruch → no. However, the M”B holds that it is better to say Zecher LaMikdash KeHalel after korech.

Accidentally Eating Korech Without Leaning

  1. You do not need to eat korech again while reclining. However, one would receive a special blessing from Heaven if he would go back and eat korech again while reclining.

Shaking Off Charoset

  1. Since maror is a mitzvah d’rabbanan, we are concerned that the charoset will mask the taste of the maror. However, we are not as concerned regarding korech since one has already fulfilled his obligation of maror.

Accidentally Eating Korech Without Charoset

  1. You do not need to go back and eat korech with charoset. However, it is preferable to take a little matzah and maror and dip it into charoset in order to actualize the reminder of the Beit HaMikdash.

Eating Roasted Meat on Seder Night

Roasting the Korban Pesach

  1. Whole on a spit over an open fire

Prohibition on Eating Whole Roasted Meat

  1. Because people may suspect us of eating the Korban Pesach outside of Jerusalem.

Custom of Not Eating Roasted Meat on Seder Night

  1. In order to avoid people from suspecting us of eating from the Korban Pesach outside of Jerusalem.

Common Custom in Israel Regarding Roasted Meat

  1. To refrain from eating roasted meat on Seder night.

Prohibition on Eating Roasted Shank

  1. Since this is the meat that is used to represent the Korban Pesach, people might think we are eating Kodshim outside of Yerushalayim.

Permissible Time to Eat Shank on Seder Night

  1. If the shank was boiled.

Tzafun

Meaning of Tzafun

  1. Hidden

Prohibition on Eating After Tzafun

  1. In order that the taste of the afikoman stays in one’s mouth.

Meaning of Afikoman

  1. Bring out the tray.

Reason for Calling the Last Kezayit of Matzah “Afikoman“

  1. Usually, after we finish a meal, we “bring out the tray” of desserts as the last thing we eat. Since we are not allowed to eat after the matzah of tzafun, we call it afikoman to express that this is our dessert and we will not eat anything afterward.

Reason for Eating a Kezayit of Matzah at the End of the Meal

  1. To remind us of the Korban Pesach that was eaten at the end of the meal.

Reason for Eating Two Kezayitim for Afikoman

  1. 1 kezayit as a zecher for Korban Pesach and another for the matzah that was eaten with it.

Number of Kezayitim Required for Afikoman (According to Maran)

  1. One

Definition of Achilah Gassa

  1. A person who eats even though he is fully satiated and has no further desire to eat.

Eating Afikoman in a State of Achilah Gassa

  1. He did not fulfill his obligation.

Reclining When Eating Afikoman

  1. Yes.

Eating Afikoman Without Reclining

  1. If he remembered after Birkat Hamazon, he does not need to eat another kezayit of matzah. However, if he remembered before Birkat Hamazon, it is preferable to eat another kezayit of matzah while reclining. If someone finds this too hard, he can rely on the opinions that don’t require him to lean.

Forgetting Afikoman Before Birkat Hamazon

  1. He should eat the afikoman then without reciting HaMotzi.

Forgetting Afikoman After Birkat Hamazon

  1. Wash his hands and eat a kezayit of bread with saying HaMotzi and Birkat Hamazon again.

Not Enough Kezayitim for Everyone

  1. They can use matzah that was not set aside for the afikoman.

Losing the Afikoman

  1. One can use matzah that was not set aside for the afikoman.

Time to Eat Afikoman

  1. Before midnight. However, if one missed midnight, he can rely on the other opinions and eat the afikoman after midnight.

Barech

Preparing the Kos for Barech

  1. Rinse it inside and outside even if it is clean.

Holding a Kos Shel Bracha

  1. Pick it up with both hands, and then hold it with your right hand during Birkat Hamazon.

Height to Hold a Kos Shel Bracha

  1. 1 tefach above the table.

Who Holds the Cup During Birkat Hamazon?

  1. Everyone.

Hallel

Time Limit for Hallel and the Fourth Cup

  1. Before chatzot (midnight).

Saying Hallel or Drinking the Fourth Cup After Chatzot

  1. Yes, but ideally one should make every effort to finish before chatzot.

Definition of Melo Lugmav

  1. A cheekful of liquid (usually refers to wine).

Amount of Wine to Drink from a Kos Shel Bracha

  1. Melo Lugmav

Amount of Wine Requiring Mayim Shalosh

  1. Machloket: one opinion holds the volume of a kezayit and the second opinion holds a revi’it.

Order of Revi’it, Kezayit, and Melo Lugmav

  1. Kezayit, Melo Lugmav, Revi’it

Problem with Drinking a Melo Lugmav

  1. You are putting yourself in a machloket if you require to say Mayim Shalosh.

Shulchan Aruch’s Recommendation for Wine Consumption

  1. Drink a revi’it and you’ll be obligated in Mayim Shalosh according to all opinions.

Drinking a Revi’it from the Third and Fourth Cups

  1. No, as long as you drank a revi’it from one, you’ll be obligated in Mayim Shalosh.

Drinking the Fourth Cup Without Reclining

  1. If there is some wine left in the cup, you should refill it and drink again while reclining without saying a bracha.
  2. If there is no wine left in the cup, according to the Shulchan Aruch, one should refill his cup and say a bracha. However, if one wants to take into consideration other poskim who hold not to say a bracha, he should at least think of the bracha in his mind.