Haggadah:Yachatz/2

Yachatz

Exegetical Approaches

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Purpose of its Own

Breaking the matzah is intended to provoke questions from the children participating at the seder.

The middle matzah

Why hide the slice?

Introduction to Maggid

In order to recite Maggid appropriately, one must have before oneself "poor man's bread", which is depicted by breaking the matzah (since poor people tend to eat slices and not whole loaves).

Sources:R. Yitzchak ibn GeiatSefer HaIttur Hilkhot Matzah UMaror, R. Elazar HaRokeachHilkhot Pesach 283About R. Elazar HaRokeach, Teachers of RitvaHaggadah Shel PesachAbout R. Yom Tov b. Ashbel, Orchot ChayyimSeder Leil HaPesach 12, Shulchan Arukh HaRavOrach Chayyim 473:35-36Orach Chayyim 475:4-5

Ha Lachma Anya vs. All of Maggid – R. Yitzchak ibn Geiat, the teachers of Ritva, and the Orchot Chayyim all state that the broken matzah is required specifically for Ha Lachma Anya, which speaks specifically of having "poor man's bread". In contrast, Shulchan Arukh HaRav explains that during all of maggid one must have before oneself a matzah which is appropriate for performing the mitzvah (i.e. a broken matzah).

The middle matzah – R. Elazar HaRokeach says one breaks the first matzah (not the middle one), and places the half between the full ones, but does not explain why. Shulchan Arukh HaRav states that one breaks the middle matzah, and returns it to the center, and explains that this placement is based on the order of usage during Motzi Matzah.

Why hide the slice? According to R. Elazar HaRokeach and the Ritva, the piece of matzah is placed beneath the tablecloth in imitation of the Exodus, where the Israelites left Egypt with their bread wrapped in cloth ("מִשְׁאֲרֹתָם צְרֻרֹת בְּשִׂמְלֹתָם").

Preparation for Eating Matzah

Splitting the matzah is done in preparation for eating one of the halves.

Motzi – Matzah

During Motzi – Matzah one must have both a whole matzah and a broken one,¹ so one breaks the matzah in preparation for this.

Sources:RambanCited in Maharam Chalawa Pesachim 115b, RitvaHaggadah Shel PesachAbout R. Yom Tov b. Ashbel, RanCommentary on Rif Pesachim 25b

The middle matzah – None of these sources mention which matzah is split in half, nor do they mention in which position the half is placed after the splitting.

Why hide the slice? Like the Rokeach above, the Ritva also mentions "מִשְׁאֲרֹתָם צְרֻרֹת בְּשִׂמְלֹתָם" as being the reason for placing the half of the matzah underneath the tablecloth.

Afikoman

One breaks the matzah in order to save the remaining half for Afikoman.

Sources:RashiMachzor Vitri Hilkhot Pesach 65 (Seder Pesach Katzar)Machzor Vitri Hilkhot Pesach 69 (Seder Pesach Aroch), RaavanPesachim 115b-116a, Or ZaruaPart II Hilkhot Pesachim 256

The middle matzah – The three sources differ on the choice of matzah placement, but none of them explain their choices:

• Rashi writes that the broken half should be placed between the two unbroken matzot, but he does not detail which matzah should be broken.
• Raavan agrees that the broken matzah should be placed between the other two, but specifies that one should break the first matzah.
• In contrast, Or Zarua states that the middle matzah should be broken, and does not say in which position it should be placed.

Why hide the slice? Or Zarua writes that one hides the half of matzah reserved for afikoman so that it would not be eaten by mistake.

¹ This requirement is found already in the Bavli Berakhot 39b.