Matzah - A deeper understanding

(יח) בָּרִאשֹׁ֡ן בְּאַרְבָּעָה֩ עָשָׂ֨ר י֤וֹם לַחֹ֙דֶשׁ֙ בָּעֶ֔רֶב תֹּאכְל֖וּ מַצֹּ֑ת עַ֠ד י֣וֹם הָאֶחָ֧ד וְעֶשְׂרִ֛ים לַחֹ֖דֶשׁ בָּעָֽרֶב׃

Exodus 12:18

(18) In the first month, from the fourteenth day of the month at evening, you shall eat unleavened bread until the twenty-first day of the month at evening.

Unleavened Bread: Bread that has not risen, that is not puffy. The time given for this is 18 Minutes. Matza must be made in 18 Minutes or less

What do you think you could achieve in 18 Minutes or less ? Try think of at least three different things you could do in this time frame.

שמות י״ג:ג׳

(ג) וַיֹּ֨אמֶר מֹשֶׁ֜ה אֶל־הָעָ֗ם זָכ֞וֹר אֶת־הַיּ֤וֹם הַזֶּה֙ אֲשֶׁ֨ר יְצָאתֶ֤ם מִמִּצְרַ֙יִם֙ מִבֵּ֣ית עֲבָדִ֔ים כִּ֚י בְּחֹ֣זֶק יָ֔ד הוֹצִ֧יא ה' אֶתְכֶ֖ם מִזֶּ֑ה וְלֹ֥א יֵאָכֵ֖ל חָמֵֽץ׃

Exodus 13:3

(3) And Moses said to the people, “Remember this day, on which you went free from Egypt, the house of bondage, how the LORD freed you from it with a mighty hand: no leavened bread shall be eaten.

Leaven- a substance, as yeast or baking powder, that causes fermentation and expansion of dough or batter.

שמות י״ג:ו׳

(ו) שִׁבְעַ֥ת יָמִ֖ים תֹּאכַ֣ל מַצֹּ֑ת וּבַיּוֹם֙ הַשְּׁבִיעִ֔י חַ֖ג לַיהוָֽה׃

Exodus 13:6

(6) “Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread, and on the seventh day there shall be a festival of the LORD.

שמות י״ג:ז׳

(ז) מַצּוֹת֙ יֵֽאָכֵ֔ל אֵ֖ת שִׁבְעַ֣ת הַיָּמִ֑ים וְלֹֽא־יֵרָאֶ֨ה לְךָ֜ חָמֵ֗ץ וְלֹֽא־יֵרָאֶ֥ה לְךָ֛ שְׂאֹ֖ר בְּכָל־גְּבֻלֶֽךָ׃

Exodus 13:7

(7) Throughout the seven days unleavened bread shall be eaten; no leavened bread shall be found with you, and no leaven shall be found in all your territory.

The significance of matzah may be understood by comparing it to chametz (leaven). Chametz, which becomes bloated as it rises,think of a loaf of bread- symbolizes our egos,pride,and being selfish . Matzah, which remains flat and unpretentious, reflects selfless humility. This concept is also reflected in the Torah’s description of matzah as “poor man’s bread” a poor man is humble and free of arrogance.

What do you think is better ? Being selfish or selfless?

Are you the Matza or are you the Chametz??

Rabbi S Eider. Sefer Hilchos Pesach
It is prohibited to eat matza on the day before Pesach, in order that you will come to the seder with an appetite for the matza, some people have the custom not to eat Matza from Rosh Chodesh Nissan. Children who are old enough to understnad the difference should also not be given matza to eat on the day before Pesach

שמות י״ב:ל״ט

(לט) וַיֹּאפ֨וּ אֶת־הַבָּצֵ֜ק אֲשֶׁ֨ר הוֹצִ֧יאוּ מִמִּצְרַ֛יִם עֻגֹ֥ת מַצּ֖וֹת כִּ֣י לֹ֣א חָמֵ֑ץ כִּֽי־גֹרְשׁ֣וּ מִמִּצְרַ֗יִם וְלֹ֤א יָֽכְלוּ֙ לְהִתְמַהְמֵ֔הַּ וְגַם־צֵדָ֖ה לֹא־עָשׂ֥וּ לָהֶֽם׃

Exodus 12:39

(39) And they baked unleavened cakes of the dough that they had taken out of Egypt, for it was not leavened, since they had been driven out of Egypt and could not delay; nor had they prepared any provisions for themselves.

הגדה של פסח, מגיד, הא לחמא עניא א׳-ג׳

מַגִּיד

מגלה את המצות, מגביה את הקערה ואומר בקול רם:

הָא לַחְמָא עַנְיָא דִּי אֲכָלוּ אַבְהָתָנָא בְאַרְעָא דְמִצְרָיִם. כָּל דִכְפִין יֵיתֵי וְיֵיכֹל, כָּל דִצְרִיךְ יֵיתֵי וְיִפְסַח. הָשַּׁתָּא הָכָא, לְשָׁנָה הַבָּאָה בְּאַרְעָא דְיִשְׂרָאֵל. הָשַּׁתָּא עַבְדֵי, לְשָׁנָה הַבָּאָה בְּנֵי חוֹרִין.

Pesach Haggadah, Magid, Ha Lachma Anya 1-3

Maggid(The Story of Pesach)

The leader uncovers the matzot, raises the Seder plate, and says out loud:

This is the bread of poverty that our ancestors ate in the land of Egypt. Anyone who is famished should come and eat, anyone who is in need should come and partake of the Pesach sacrifice. Now we are here, next year we will be in the land of Israel; this year we are slaves, next year we will be free people.

We mentioned earlier how Matza represents humility. We show this by inviting anyone who is in need to come and join us at the Seder. We are not only asking our family and friends. Think of other ways you can do this. How can we include other people in everything that they do? Are we able to act like the matza and think of other people. ?