Matza is made from flour and water. Nothing else.
The water is drawn from a well or spring at twilight the evening before it is used. The water for Sunday's baking is drawn on Thursday evening.
The flour is ground from wheat that was harvested while still slightly green; once wheat is fully ripe it can become Chametz (leaven) even before being harvested, if it comes into contact with water.
The wheat needs to be ground into flour at least 24 hours before it is used, to give it time to cool down.
18 minutes after water is added to flour the dough becomes Chametz. Matza baking happens in 18-minute batches after which all equipment is thoroughly cleaned to remove all traces of dough.
Matza used at the Seder needs to be made with the intention of it being used for a Mitzva; everybody involved in its production says "L'shem Mitzvat Matza" (for the purpose of the Mitzva of Matza) before all activities. This is know as Shmura-Matza.
If a Matza has a fold in it, or a bubble more than a finger high (2.5 cm), then the fold or bubble is considered Chametz and needs to be broken off and disposed of. The rest of the Matza can be eaten.
One is forbidden to eat Matza on Erev Pesach. Most people have the custom to stop eating Matza from Rosh Chodesh Nissan already - that's on Tuesday. Some don't eat Matza an entire month before Pessach.
Source: Kitzur Shulchan Aruch: 108, 109, 110
וְרָאוּי לְדַקְדֵּק שֶׁלֹּא יַעַמְדוּ הַשִּׁבָּלִים בִּמְחֻבָּר עַד שֶׁיִּתְיַבְּשׁוּ כָּל צָרְכָּן וְיַלְבִּינוּ, כִּי אָז אִם יֵרְדוּ עֲלֵיהֶן גְּשָׁמִים, יַחְמִיצוּ אֲפִלּוּ בִּמְחֻבָּר, כֵּיוָן שֶׁאֵינָן צְרִיכוֹת עוֹד לַקַּרְקַע. עַל כֵּן רָאוּי וְנָכוֹן לִקְצוֹר בְּעוֹד שֶׁיֶשׁ בָּהֶן עוֹד קְצָת מַרְאֵה יַרְקוּת.
בַּיּוֹם שֶׁטָּחֲנוּ אֶת הַקֶּמַח, אָסוּר לֶאֱפוֹתוֹ, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁאָז הַקֶּמַח הוּא חַם וּמְמַהֵר לְהַחְמִיץ כְּשֶׁנּוֹתְנִים בּוֹ אֶת הַמַּיִם, עַל כֵּן יִשְׁהֶה אַחַר הַטְּחִינָה לְכָל הַפָּחוֹת מֵעֵת לְעֵת.
אֵין לָשִׁין אֶת הַמַּצוֹת אֶלָּא בְּמַיִם שֶׁלָּנוּ הַלַּיְלָה, דְּהַיְנוּ שֶׁיִּשְׁאַב אוֹתָם בֵּין הַשְּׁמָשׁוֹת וְיַעַמְדוּ בְּתָלוּשׁ כָּל הַלַּיְלָה, וַאֲפִלּוּ אִם הַלַּיְלָה אָרֹךְ יוֹתֵר מִשְּׁנֵים עָשָׂר שָׁעוֹת, אָסוּר לָלוּשׁ בָּהֶן עַד אוֹר הַיּוֹם. וְאִם הַלַּיְלָה קָצָר וְאֵין שְׁתֵּים עֶשְׂרֵה שָׁעוֹת עַד אוֹר הַיּוֹם, צְרִיכִין לְהַמְתִּין עַד שֶׁיַּעַבְרוּ שְׁתֵּים עֶשׂרֵה שָׁעוֹת מִשָּׁעָה שֶׁנִּשְׁאָבוּ.
כְּשֶׁאוֹפִין בְּיוֹם רִאשׁוֹן, צְרִיכִין לִשְׁאוֹב בְּיוֹם חֲמִישִּׁי בָּעֶרֶב.
- Danny Schoemann
Sunday, 28 Adar-2 5784
Please daven for the full recovery of the seriously wounded soldier
מֹשֶׁה אַהֲרֹן בֶּן לֵאָה בֵּיילָא
לרפואה שלמה
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