‫בס״ד‬
THE
SEDER
EXPLAINED
Rabbi Moshe Steiner
April 19th, 2016
Unit #4
Matzah & Maror
Unit #4
Matzah & Maror
THE
SEDER
EXPLAINED
> THE MITZVAH REQUIREMENTS:
Matzah - The minimum amount of matzah needed to fulfill one’s obligation is 1 oz.
Maror (bitter herb) - The minimum amount of maror needed to fulfill one’s
obligation is ¾ oz.
Korban Pesach (paschal sacrifice) - After the destruction of the Temple, the
obligation to eat the paschal sacrifice is no longer in effect.
Matzah:
Scriptural sources for the obligation to eat matzah
In the first [month], on the fourteenth day in
the evening, you shall eat unleavened bread,
until the twenty-first day of the month in the
evening.
‫שר יוֹ ם לַ ח ֶֹד ׁש ָ ּב ֶע ֶרב‬
ׂ ָ ‫שן ְ ּב ַא ְר ָ ּב ָעה ָע‬
ֹ ׁ ‫ָ ּב ִרא‬
‫ש ִרים לַ ח ֶֹד ׁש‬
ׂ ְ ‫תאכְ ל ּו ַמ ֹּצת ַעד יוֹ ם ָה ֶא ָחד וְ ֶע‬
ֹּ
‫ָ ּב ָע ֶרב‬
Exodus 12:18
You shall not eat leaven with it; for seven days
you shall eat with it matzoth, the bread of
affliction, for in haste you went out of the land
of Egypt, so that you shall remember the day
when you went out of the land of Egypt all the
days of your life.
‫תאכַ ל‬
ֹ ּ ‫לֹא תֹאכַ ל ָעלָ יו ָח ֵמץ ׁ ִש ְב ַעת יָ ִמים‬
‫את ֵמ ֶא ֶרץ‬
ָ ‫ָעלָ יו ַמצּ וֹ ת לֶ ֶחם עֹנִ י ִּכי ְב ִח ּ ָפזוֹ ן יָ ָצ‬
‫את ָך ֵמ ֶא ֶרץ‬
ְ ‫ִמ ְצ ַריִ ם לְ ַמ ַען ִּתזְ ֹּכר ֶאת יוֹ ם ֵצ‬
‫ִמ ְצ ַריִ ם ֹּכל יְ ֵמי ַח ֶ ּי ָיך‬
Deuteronomy 16:3
From the juxtaposition of chametz and matzah in this verse, the sages
understand that the matzah has to be made from ingredients which can
become leavened.
There are two different kinds of matzah:
lechem oni (poverty bread) and matzah ashirah (rich matzah).
Lechem Oni
This is the only matzah to be used
to fulfill the mitzvah of matzah
at the Seder. It is called “poverty
bread” because it is made with the
minimally necessary ingredients for
bread: flour and water.
2 THE SEDER
EXPLAINED
with Rabbi Moshe Stainer
Matzah Ashirah
This matzah is made with extra
ingredients such as eggs or spices and
may not be used to fulfill your matzah
requirement at the seder. According to
many, it should be avoided all Passover,
for fear that the additional ingredients
may have cause it to rise quickly.
Unit #4
Matzah & Maror
THE
SEDER
EXPLAINED
> ROCHTZAH washing our hands (for bread)
Unlike the washing before karpas (dipping the vegetable in salt water where we
don’t recite a blessing), this washing is a traditional washing before eating bread
and is concluded with a blessing.
Blessed are you, G-d our
Lord, King of the universe,
Who has sanctified us with
his commandments and
commanded us concerning
the washing of the hands.
‫ָ ּברו ְּך ַא ָּתה יְ הוָ ה ֱאל ֵֹהינ ּו ֶמלֶ ְך‬
,‫ ֲא ׁ ֶשר ִק ְ ּד ׁ ָשנ ּו ְ ּב ִמ ְצווֹ ָתיו‬,‫ָהעוֹ לָ ם‬
‫וְ ִצ ָוּנ ּו ַעל נְ ִטילַ ת יָ ָדיִ ם‬
Baruch atah A-donay,
Elo-heinu Melech
Ha'Olam, asher kideshanu bemitzvotav
vetzivanu al netilat
yadayim.
Prior to eating the matzah, two blessings are made: first the blessing over bread,
followed by a special blessing for the mitzvah of matzah.
> MOTZI
Blessed are You, God our
Lord, King of the universe,
who brings forth bread from
the earth.
‫ ֱאל ֵֹהינ ּו ֶמלֶ ְך‬,'‫ָ ּברו ְּך ַא ָּתה ה‬
‫ָהעוֹ לָ ם ַה ּמוֹ ִציא לֶ ֶחם ִמן ָה ָא ֶרץ‬
Baruch atah A-donay,
Elo-heinu Melech
Ha’Olam Hamotzi
lechem min haaretz.
> MATZAH The matzah is eaten after this blessing is recited:
Blessed are You, God our
Lord, King of the universe,
who has sanctified us with
His commandments, and
commanded us concerning
the eating of matzah.
‫ ֱאל ֵֹהינ ּו ֶמלֶ ְך‬,'‫ָ ּברו ְּך ַא ָּתה ה‬
‫ ֲא ׁ ֶשר ִק ְ ּד ׁ ָשנ ּו ְ ּב ִמ ְצוֹ ָתיו‬,‫ָהעוֹ לָ ם‬
‫וְ ִצ ָוּנ ּו ַעל ֲאכִ ילַ ת ַמ ָ ּצה‬
Baruch Atah Adonay, Elo-heinu Melech Ha-olam, Asher
Kid’shanu B’mitzvotav
V’tzivanu Al Achilat
matzah.
> BREAD OF FAITH AND HEALING
The Zohar states that matzah is the bread of faith and healing.
Since matzah represents humility, eating the matzah represents internalizing this
humility. Humility gives an individual the ability to recognize that he or she is not
in control, rather G-d is in control. This recognition is called faith.
The source of many character flaws is rooted in ego. Thus, when the humility is
truly internalized, it helps us overcome our ego thereby healing us and enabling us
to resolve life’s challenges with honesty.
3 THE SEDER
EXPLAINED
with Rabbi Moshe Stainer
Unit #4
Matzah & Maror
THE
SEDER
EXPLAINED
> MAROR
The Talmud enumerates five types of maror which can be used for the mitzvah.
(Traditionally, lettuce, horseradish or escarole are used.)
Romaine lettuce
Endives (escarole)
Horseradish
Date ivy*
Wormwood*
‫חזרת‬
‫עלשין‬
‫תמכא‬
‫חרחבינא‬
‫מרור‬
*The translation of these are uncertain, and there are opinions who substitute other
vegetables for these hebrew words.
Scriptural Source
And on this night, they shall eat the flesh [of the lamb],
roasted over the fire, and unleavened bread; with bitter
herbs they shall eat it.
‫שר ַ ּב ַּליְ לָ ה ַהזֶ ּה ְצלִ י‬
ׂ ָ ‫וְ ָאכְ ל ּו ֶאת ַה ָ ּב‬
‫ֵא ׁש ו ַּמצּ וֹ ת ַעל ְמר ִֹרים יֹאכְ לֻ ה ּו‬
Exodus 12:8
The Bible mandates only that maror be eaten with the paschal sacrifice. Although in
the post-Temple era the paschal sacrifice is not offered, the sages instituted that it
be eaten as a reminder of the suffering endured in Egypt.
> THE ESOTERIC ANGLE
Seder Message:
The same verse that commands us to eat the paschal sacrifice commands us regarding maror. The paschal sacrifice represents our liberation, while the maror
represents our bitter enslavement. Why would two opposing ideas be commanded
in the same verse?
We have been freed of the shackles of Egypt for more than 3,000 years, and at the
Seder we are celebrating this freedom. Do we really appreciate the freedom we
enjoy? Oftentimes we treat people whom we don’t know well with appreciation and
respect, but those who are closest to us we take for granted. In fact, it is precisely
because we are so close that we forget to appreciate how much they mean to us.
Through the Hillel “sandwich” we remind ourselves of the bitter slavery we endured
in Egypt, while simultaneously celebrating our freedom, so that we can truly appreciate and celebrate it!
4 THE SEDER
EXPLAINED
with Rabbi Moshe Stainer
Unit #4
Matzah & Maror
THE
SEDER
EXPLAINED
Seder Exercise:
Think of a loved one whom you may take for granted, and make an extra effort to let
them know how much you appreciate them. Don’t wait for the maror to remind you!
> NOTES
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5 THE SEDER
EXPLAINED
with Rabbi Moshe Stainer