Halocho #2389 - May one soak Matzah?

At the Seder,  Matzah should preferably be eaten "dry". However, if one has trouble chewing it, one may soak it in water.

The elderly and the unwell who cannot eat Matza soaked in water, can soak it in wine or other drinks.

Either way, one must be careful that the soaked Matza doesn't fall apart, and one may not soak it for 24 hours.

Source: Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 119:6

מִי שֶׁאֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לִלְעֹס מַצָּה, מֻתָּר לִשְׁרוֹתָהּ בְּמַיִם לְרַכְּכָהּ, וּבִלְבַד שֶׁלֹּא תְהֵא נִמְחָה לְגַמְרֵי. 

וּמִי שֶׁהוּא זָקֵן אוֹ חוֹלֶה וְאֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לְאָכְלָהּ שְׁרוּיָה בְּמַיִם, יָכוֹל לִשְׁרוֹתָהּ בְּיַיִן אוֹ בִּשְׁאָר מַשְׁקִים. 

כְּשֶׁשּׁוֹרִין אֶת הַמַּצָּה לָצֵאת בָּהּ, צְרִיכִין לִזָּהֵר שֶׁלֹּא לִשְׁרוֹתָהּ מֵעֵת לְעֵת כִּי אָז נֶחְשֶׁבֶת כִּמְבֻשֶׁלֶת וְאֵין יוֹצְאִין בָּהּ. וְגַם צְרִיכִין לִזָּהֵר בִּשְׁאָר דְּבָרִים, שֶׁלֹּא יַפְסִיד דִּין לֶחֶם.

- Danny Schoemann

Wednesday 2 Nissan 5784

Please daven for the full recovery of the seriously wounded soldier

מֹשֶׁה אַהֲרֹן בֶּן לֵאָה בֵּיילָא

לרפואה שלמה

Halocho #777 - The Seder night menu

On Seder night there's a Mitzva in the Torah to eat a piece of Korban Pessach on Matza with Marror (bitter herbs).

Until the Bet Hamikdash (temple) is rebuilt we only have the Matza and Marror.

The minimum Torah requirement is to eat a Kezayit (an olive's worth) of Matza, which is approximately one-third of a square machine-Matza.

At a typical Seder it's customary to eat 2 Kezeitim for Motzi-Matza, a 3rd for the Hillel-sandwich and a fourth for the Afikomen.

On Seder night there's also a Rabbinic requirement to drink 4 cups of wine.

All the above - besides for the Marror - must be eaten while leaning on ones left side.

Source: Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 119:4, 5, 7

May we merit to eat the Korban Pessach soon, in our lifetime.

- Danny
Wednesday, 24 Adar II 5771

Please daven for the complete recovery of Shimon ben Yaakov

Halocho #302 - Storytelling is a Mitzva

Seder night consists of food and talk.

Food:

- On Seder night there's a Mitzva in the Torah to eat a piece of Korban Pessach on Matza with Marror (bitter herbs). Until the Bet Hamikdash (temple) is rebuilt we only have the Matza and Marror.

The minimum Torah requirement is to eat a Kezayit (an olive's worth) of Matza, which is approximately one-third of a square machine-Matza.

At a typical Seder it's customary to eat 2 Kezeitim for Motzi-Matza, a 3rd for the Hillel-sandwich and a fourth for the Afikomen.

- On Seder night there's also a Rabbinic requirement to drink 4 cups of wine.

All the above - besides for the Marror - must be eaten while leaning on ones left side.

Talk:

The rest of the Seder consists of reading the entire Haggada. However, there's no Mitzva per se, to read the Haggada.

There's a Mitzva in the Torah to tell ones children the story of the Exodus from Egypt in Question-Answer format on Seder night.

The Haggada gives a framework so that one covers all required parts of the story, which is why it's important to understand and explain all those parts of the Haggada that recount the slavery, 10 plagues and deliverance in a language that all participants understand.

Source: Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 119:4, 5, 7

May we merit to eat the Korban Pessach soon, in our lifetime.

- Danny Wednesday, 7 Nissan 5769

Please daven for a complete recovery for Tamar bat Naama - תמר בת נעמה

Halocho #298 - Can Matza be folded?

Matza is made from flour and water. Nothing else.

The water is drawn from a well or spring the night before it is used. The water for Sunday's baking is drawn on Thursday night.

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 are considered Chametz and need to be broken off and disposed of. The rest of the Matza can be eaten.

One is forbidden to eat Matza on Erev Pessach. Most people have the custom to stop eating Matza from Rosh Chodesh Nissan already. Some don't eat Matza an entire month before Pessach.

Source: Kitzur Shulchan Aruch: 108, 109, 110

Chodesh Tov and Shabbat Shalom

- Danny Thursday, Rosh Chodesh Nissan 5769

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Halocho #93 - When is Shabbos Hagodol this year?

The Jews in Egypt were commanded to take home a lamb for the pre-Exodus Seder on 10 Nissan, four days before it was going to be sacrificed. It was a miracle that the Egyptians didn't harm the Jews when they did this, since lambs were considered sacred objects in Egypt. Since we left Egypt on Thursday 15 Nissan, this miracle happened on a Shabbos. To commemorate this miracle, the Shabbos before Seder Night is called Shabbos Hagodol - the Great Shabbos and a special Haftara is read; the last chapter in Malachi which predicts the future redemption, may we merit it in our days. Typically on Shabbos Hagodol the Rabbi's Drasha (lecture) is a refresher course of Pessach laws. When Pessach starts on Sunday - like this year - then the Shabbos Hagodol Drasha is given a week early, so as to make it useful. The custom is to read the narrative section of the Haggada - from Avadim Hayinu (we were slaves) until (but not including) Rabban Gamliel's admonition to say "Pesach, Matza and Marror" at Mincha on Shabbos Hagodol. The yearly Shabbos Hagodol Drasha will be tomorrow - Shabbos Parshat Metzora, 7 Nissan, whereas Shabbos Hagodol (with its special Haftarah and Haggada reading) is actually next week, Erev Pessach. Source: Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim 430 Shabbat Shalom - Danny

Halocho #90 - Storytelling is a Mitzva

Seder night consists of food and talk. Food: - On Seder night there's a Mitzva in the Torah to eat a piece of Korban Pessach on Matza with Marror (bitter herbs). Until the Bet Hamikdash (temple) is rebuilt we only have the Matza and Marror. The minimum Torah requirement is to eat a Kezayit (an olive's worth) of Matza, which is approximately one-third of a square machine-Matza. At a typical Seder it's customary to eat 2 Kezeitim for Motzi-Matza, a 3rd for the Hillel-sandwich and a fourth for the Afikomen. - On Seder night there's also a Rabbinic requirement to drink 4 cups of wine. All the above - besides for the Marror - must be eaten while leaning on ones left side. Talk: The rest of the Seder consists of reading the entire Haggada. However, there's no Mitzva per se, to read the Haggada. There's a Mitzva in the Torah to tell ones children the story of the Exodus from Egypt in Question-Answer format on Seder night. The Haggada gives a framework so that one covers all required parts of the story, which is why it's important to understand and explain all those parts of the Haggada that recount the slavery, 10 plagues and deliverance in a language that all participants understand. Source: Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 119:4, 5, 7 May we merit to eat the Korban Pessach soon, in our lifetime. - Danny 3 Nissan 5768