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Share(לד) וַיִּשָּׂ֥א הָעָ֛ם אֶת־בְּצֵק֖וֹ טֶ֣רֶם יֶחְמָ֑ץ מִשְׁאֲרֹתָ֛ם צְרֻרֹ֥ת בְּשִׂמְלֹתָ֖ם עַל־שִׁכְמָֽם׃
(34) So the people took their dough before it was leavened, their kneading bowls wrapped in their cloaks upon their shoulders.
(ד) וַיֹּ֣אמֶר מֹשֶׁ֔ה כֹּ֖ה אָמַ֣ר יהוה כַּחֲצֹ֣ת הַלַּ֔יְלָה אֲנִ֥י יוֹצֵ֖א בְּת֥וֹךְ מִצְרָֽיִם׃
(4) Moses said, “Thus says יהוה: About midnight I will go forth among the Egyptians,
(יב) וְעָבַרְתִּ֣י בְאֶֽרֶץ־מִצְרַ֘יִם֮ בַּלַּ֣יְלָה הַזֶּה֒ וְהִכֵּיתִ֤י כׇל־בְּכוֹר֙ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם מֵאָדָ֖ם וְעַד־בְּהֵמָ֑ה וּבְכׇל־אֱלֹהֵ֥י מִצְרַ֛יִם אֶֽעֱשֶׂ֥ה שְׁפָטִ֖ים אֲנִ֥י יהוה׃
(12) For on that night I will go through the land of Egypt and strike down every [male] first-born in the land of Egypt, both human and beast; and I will mete out punishments to all the gods of Egypt, I יהוה.
(ח) וְאָכְל֥וּ אֶת־הַבָּשָׂ֖ר בַּלַּ֣יְלָה הַזֶּ֑ה צְלִי־אֵ֣שׁ וּמַצּ֔וֹת עַל־מְרֹרִ֖ים יֹאכְלֻֽהוּ׃
(8) They shall eat the flesh on that night; they shall eat it roasted over the fire, with unleavened bread and with bitter herbs.
(כו) וְהָיָ֕ה כִּֽי־יֹאמְר֥וּ אֲלֵיכֶ֖ם בְּנֵיכֶ֑ם מָ֛ה הָעֲבֹדָ֥ה הַזֹּ֖את לָכֶֽם׃(כז) וַאֲמַרְתֶּ֡ם זֶֽבַח־פֶּ֨סַח ה֜וּא לַֽיהוה אֲשֶׁ֣ר פָּ֠סַ֠ח עַל־בָּתֵּ֤י בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ בְּמִצְרַ֔יִם בְּנׇגְפּ֥וֹ אֶת־מִצְרַ֖יִם וְאֶת־בָּתֵּ֣ינוּ הִצִּ֑יל וַיִּקֹּ֥ד הָעָ֖ם וַיִּֽשְׁתַּחֲוֽוּ׃
(26) And when your children ask you, ‘What do you mean by this rite?’(27) you shall say, ‘It is the passover sacrifice to יהוה, who passed over the houses of the Israelites in Egypt when smiting the Egyptians, but saved our houses.’ Those assembled then bowed low in homage.
(ח) וְאֵין מַפְטִירִין אַחַר הַפֶּסַח אֲפִיקוֹמָן.
(8)One does not conclude after the Paschal lamb with an afikoman.
(ט) הַפֶּסַח אַחַר חֲצוֹת, מְטַמֵּא אֶת הַיָּדָיִם. הַפִּגּוּל וְהַנּוֹתָר, מְטַמְּאִין אֶת הַיָּדָיִם.
(9) The Sages further said: The Paschal lamb after midnight renders one’s hands ritually impure, as it becomes notar, an offering that remained after the time when they may be eaten has expired; and the Sages ruled that both piggul, offerings that were invalidated due to inappropriate intent while being sacrificed, and notar render one’s hands ritually impure.
גְּמָ׳ מַאי אֲפִיקוֹמָן? אָמַר רַב: שֶׁלֹּא יֵעָקְרוּ מֵחֲבוּרָה לַחֲבוּרָה.וּשְׁמוּאֵל אָמַר: כְּגוֹן אוֹרְדִּילָאֵי לִי וְגוֹזָלַיָּיא לְאַבָּא. וְרַב חֲנִינָא בַּר שֵׁילָא וְרַבִּי יוֹחָנָן (אָמַר) [אָמְרוּ]: כְּגוֹן תְּמָרִים קְלָיוֹת וֶאֱגוֹזִים. תַּנְיָא כְּווֹתֵיהּ דְּרַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: אֵין מַפְטִירִין אַחַר הַפֶּסַח כְּגוֹן תְּמָרִים קְלָיוֹת וֶאֱגוֹזִים.
GEMARA: The Gemara asks: What is the meaning of afikoman? Rav said: It means that a member of a group that ate the Paschal lamb together should not leave that group to join another group. One who joined one group for the Paschal lamb may not leave and take food with him. According to this interpretation, afikoman is derived from the phrase afiku mani, take out the vessels. The reason for this prohibition is that people might remove the Paschal lamb to another location after they had begun to eat it elsewhere. This is prohibited, as the Paschal lamb must be eaten in a single location by one group.And Shmuel said: It means that one may not eat dessert after the meal, like mushroomsfor me, and chicks for Abba, Rav. It was customary for them to eat delicacies after the meal. And Rav Ḥanina bar Sheila and Rabbi Yochanan say: Afikoman refers to foods such as dates, roasted grains, and nuts, which are eaten during the meal. It was taught in a baraitain accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Yochanan: One does not conclude by eating after the Paschal lamb foods such as dates, roasted grains, and nuts.
הַסּוּפְגָּנִין וְהַדּוּבְשָׁנִין וְהָאִיסְקְרִיטִין אָדָם מְמַלֵּא כְּרֵיסוֹ מֵהֶן וּבִלְבַד שֶׁיֹּאכַל (אֲכִילַת) כְּזַיִת מַצָּה בָּאַחֲרוֹנָה. בָּאַחֲרוֹנָה אִין, בָּרִאשׁוֹנָה לָא!
With regard to unleavened sponge cakes, cakes fried in oil and honey, and honey cakes, a person may fill his stomach with them on Passover night, provided that he eats an olive-bulk of matza after consuming them. The Gemara infers from here that if he eats matza after those cakes, yes, this is permitted; however, if one eats matza before these other foods, no, this is not an acceptable practice.
אָמַר רָבָא: אָכַל מַצָּה בִּזְמַן הַזֶּה אַחַר חֲצוֹת, לְרַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בֶּן עֲזַרְיָה לֹא יָצָא יְדֵי חוֹבָתוֹ. פְּשִׁיטָא! דְּכֵיוָן דְּאִיתַּקַּשׁ לְפֶסַח — כְּפֶסַח דָּמֵי.מַהוּ דְּתֵימָא: הָא אַפְּקֵיהּ קְרָא מֵהֶיקֵּישָׁא. קָמַשְׁמַע לַן דְּכִי אַהְדְּרֵיהּ קְרָא — לְמִילְּתָא קַמַּיְיתָא אַהְדְּרֵיהּ.
Rava said: Nowadays, if one ate matza after midnight, according to the opinion of Rabbi Elazar ben Azarya, he has not fulfilled his obligation. The Gemara expresses surprise at this statement: It is obvious that this is the case, for since the verse juxtaposes matza to the Paschal lamb, it is considered like the Paschal lamb, and therefore matza may also be eaten only until midnight.The Gemara answers: Rava’s statement is necessary, lest you say that the verse has removed the halakha of matza from this juxtaposition, as Rava maintains that eating matza is a distinct mitzva that applies even nowadays. One might therefore have thought that the halakhot of eating matza differ entirely from those of the Paschal lamb. Rava therefore teaches us that when the verse repeats the mitzva to eat matza on the first night, it restores this mitzva to its original status, which means that one may eat matza only at a time when he may also eat the Paschal lamb.
תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: הַכֹּל חַיָּיבִין בְּאַרְבָּעָה כּוֹסוֹת הַלָּלוּ, אֶחָד אֲנָשִׁים, וְאֶחָד נָשִׁים, וְאֶחָד תִּינוֹקוֹת. אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוּדָה: וְכִי מָה תּוֹעֶלֶת יֵשׁ לְתִינוֹקוֹת בְּיַיִן? אֶלָּא מְחַלְּקִין לָהֶןקְלָיוֹת וֶאֱגוֹזִין בְּעֶרֶב פֶּסַח כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יִשְׁנוּ, וְיִשְׁאֲלוּ. אָמְרוּ עָלָיו עַל רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא שֶׁהָיָה מְחַלֵּק קְלָיוֹת וֶאֱגוֹזִין לְתִינוֹקוֹת בְּעֶרֶב פֶּסַח כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יִשְׁנוּ, וְיִשְׁאֲלוּ. תַּנְיָא, רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר אוֹמֵר: חוֹטְפִין מַצּוֹת בְּלֵילֵי פְּסָחִים בִּשְׁבִיל תִּינוֹקוֹת שֶׁלֹּא יִשְׁנוּ.
The Sages taught in a baraita: All are obligated in these four cups, including men, women, and children. Rabbi Yehuda said: What benefit do children receive from wine? They do not enjoy it. Rather, one distributes to themroasted grains and nuts on Passover eve, so that they will not sleep and also so they will ask the four questions at night. They said about Rabbi Akiva that he would distribute roasted grains and nuts to children on Passover eve, so that they would not sleep and so they would ask. It was taught in a baraita that Rabbi Eliezer says: One grabs the matzot on the nights of Passover. One should eat them very quickly on account of the children, so that, due to the hasty consumption of the meal, they will not sleep and they will inquire into the meaning of this unusual practice.
- The rabbis of the Mishnah (200 CE) wondered about what to do if your child doesn’t ask you in the first place — how can you fulfill this requirement? Their answer became the Four Questions.
- The rabbis of the Talmud (500 CE) worried about how to provoke children to question on their own why Passover was different. One of their answers was that if you take the matzah off the table, this will be different enough that it will provoke a question.
- Through a series of textual interpretations, the rabbis of the Mishnah concluded that the Passover sacrifice had to be eaten by midnight.
- The rabbis of the Talmud take this one step further and say that matzah also had to be finished by midnight.
- While this term may have been self-evident to the rabbis of the Mishnah, the rabbis of the Talmud are confused by it and they offer a few possibilities as to what it means.
- One is that Jews are not supposed to go from house to house on Passover, having a progressive carousing party. They should rather take this as a sacred opportunity to think about the Exodus.
- The other main opinion is that this means some sort of dessert, either savory or sweet. Thus, people shouldn’t eat after they’ve had the Passover sacrifice so that the taste of it remains in their mouth. Once the Temple was destroyed, this approach was transferred to the matzah, so that the matzah was the last thing tasted.
(א)דין שלש מצות.
(ב)... והשלש מצות שאמרנו. ר' אומר שמברך באחת המוציא. ובאחת על אכילת מצה. ובציעה לאפיקומן. ואחת לכריכה כהילל...
... And the three matzot that we spoke of -- the rabbis said that one we say the Motzi blessing over, and one we say that Matzah blessing over and we break for the afikomen, and one is for the Hillel Sandwich.
(א)סדר ערוך שסידר רבינו שלמה בר יצחק זצ"ל:
(ה)ונוטל ידיו ומברך על הירקות בורא פרי האדמה. וטובל בחומץ [או] בחרוסת ואוכל ובוצע אחת מן המצות לשתים ונותן חצייה בין שתי השלימות וחצייה תחת המפה שיאכלנה בגמר סעודה ומוזג כוס שני.
(טו)ואוכלין סעודתן: וכשיגמרו סעודתן אוכלין מן הפרוסה שתחת המפה. והיא לחובת אכילת מצה באחרונה כשם שהיו אוכלין בימי המקדש החובה עם הפסח בגמר סעודה.
The Order According to Rashi
... We break one of the matzot into two pieces, putting half between the two complete pieces and half under the tablecloth for us to eat at the end of the meal. Then we mix the second cup. …
When we finish our meal, we eat from the piece [of matzah] that is under the tablecloth. It is mandatory to eat the matzah at the end because it is a reminder that in the days of the Temple we ate the Passover Sacrifice at the end of meal. …
(א)בא להוציא אחרים ידי חובתן כיצד יעשה.
…. לשום מצה אינו יכול לשוב ולקדש עוד בבית אחר. לפי שאין מפטירין אחר הפסח אפיקומן. ואסור לאכול. וגם לשתות הוא אסור. …
... After you eat matzah [the afikomen] you can not go to another house to do Kiddush there. Because we do not add after the Passover Afikomen [or, we do not add afikomen after the Passover sacrifice]. It is forbidden to eat and it is forbidden to drink [after the afikomen].
(א)שכח מלאכול אפיקומן.
(ב)פעם אחת שכח ר' ולא אכל מצה אפיקומן אחר סעודה קודם ברכת המזון. ולאחר ברכת המזון הוזכר. ולא רצה לאכול ממנה. לפי שהיה צריך לברך אחריה ברכת המזון ולשתות מכוס של ברכה. ואי איפשר לשתות בין כוס של מזון לכוס של הלל. דאמור רבנן בין [הכוסות] הללו אם רצה לשתות ישתה בין שלישי לרביעי לא ישתה. ולא רצה לברך עליה ברכת המזון בלא יין לפי שתקנו חכמים כוס שלישי עליה ונראה שהיא צריכה כוס. ואפילו אחר כוס רביעי של הלל לא רצה לאכל מצה ולברך ברכת המזון. מפני שהן לא התקינו אלא ד' כוסות בלבד. אבל חמשה לא התקינו. ועל כן נמנע מלאכול מצה אחר ברכת המזון: והחזיק טעם בדבר זה שאין צריך לחזור ולאכל מצה. מפני שסתם רוב מצות שלנו עשויות כתיקון חכמים ויש בהן שימר לשם מצה. ומצה שאוכל בגמר סעודתו עולה לו לשם מצה של מצוה הואיל ונעשית בה שימור לשם מצה: וכן (נוהג) [נהג] רבינו שלמה מ"כ: ת'.
... It happened once that a rabbi forgot and did not eat the matzah of afikomen after the meal before Birkat HaMazon. After Birkat HaMazon he remembered, and he didn’t want to eat it. This was because he would need to bless [with Birkat HaMazon] after [eating] it and to drink the “cup of blessing” [at the end of Birkat HaMazon]. Yet it is impossible to drink between the cup at the end of Birkat HaMazon [the Third Cup] and and the cup of Hallel [the Fourth Cup]. Our rabbis said that between the cups of praise [the Second and Third Cups] one may drink if they want, but between the Third and Fourth Cups one may not drink. He did not want to do Birkat HaMazon again [after eating the afikomen] without the wine because our sages decreed that the Third Cup should happen after Birkat HaMazon, and it seemed that he needed [to drink from the] cup. And even after the Fourth Cup of Hallel he didn’t want to eat matzah and bless Birkat HaMazon, because they had only decreed four cups, and five cups they had not decreed. Therefore, it was impossible to eat matzah after Birkat HaMazon. And the point of this situation is that one does not need to return [after Birkat HaMazon] and eat matzah.
…ויקח את השלש מצות ויבצע אחת מהנה וישם חצייה תחת המפה וחצייה בין שתי השלימות: ואחר כך יקח כוס שני. … ואחר סעודתו יקח מן המצה פרוסה אשר תחת המפה ויאכל ויתן לכולם ויאכלו.....
... [After dipping] We take the three matzot and break one of them; we put half under the tablecloth and half between the two complete ones. After this one takes the Second Cup. … After the meal one takes the matzah piece that is under the tablecloth and eats, and then gives some to everybody and they eat. …
(ט) וְאַחַר כָּךְ נִמְשָׁךְ בַּסְּעֻדָּה וְאוֹכֵל כָּל מַה שֶּׁהוּא רוֹצֶה לֶאֱכל וְשׁוֹתֶה כָּל מַה שֶּׁהוּא רוֹצֶה לִשְׁתּוֹת. וּבָאַחֲרוֹנָה אוֹכֵל מִבְּשַׂר הַפֶּסַח אֲפִלּוּ כְּזַיִת וְאֵינוֹ טוֹעֵם אַחֲרָיו כְּלָל. וּבַזְּמַן הַזֶּה אוֹכֵל כְּזַיִת מַצָּה וְאֵינוֹ טוֹעֵם אַחֲרֶיהָ כְּלוּם. כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּהְיֶה הֶפְסֵק סְעֻדָּתוֹ וְטַעַם בְּשַׂר הַפֶּסַח אוֹ הַמַּצָּה בְּפִיו שֶׁאֲכִילָתָן הִיא הַמִּצְוָה:
(9) Afterwards, one continues the meal, eating whatever one desires to eat and drinking whatever one desires to drink. At its conclusion, one eats from the Paschal sacrifice, even [as small a portion as] an olive-sized piece, and does not taste anything afterwards.
At present, one eats an olive-sized piece of matzah and does not taste anything afterwards, so that, after the completion of the meal, the taste of the meat of the Paschal sacrifice or the matzah will [remain] in one's mouth, for eating them is the mitzvah.
(יג) מִי שֶׁאֵין לוֹ מַצָּה מְשֻׁמֶּרֶת אֶלָּא כְּזַיִת כְּשֶׁגּוֹמֵר סְעֻדָּתוֹ מִמַּצָּה שֶׁאֵינָהּ מְשֻׁמֶּרֶת מְבָרֵךְ עַל אֲכִילַת מַצָּה וְאוֹכֵל אוֹתוֹ כְּזַיִת וְאֵינוֹ טוֹעֵם אַחֲרָיו כְּלוּם:
(13) A person who has only a single olive-sized piece of shemurah matzah: When he concludes [eating] his meal from matzah which was not watched, he recites the blessing, al achilat matzah, eats that olive-sized piece and does not taste anything afterward.
(ג) וְצָרִיךְ לַעֲשׂוֹת שִׁנּוּי בַּלַּיְלָה הַזֶּה כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּרְאוּ הַבָּנִים וְיִשְׁאֲלוּ וְיֹאמְרוּ מַה נִּשְׁתַּנָּה הַלַּיְלָה הַזֶּה מִכָּל הַלֵּילוֹת עַד שֶׁיָּשִׁיב לָהֶם וְיֹאמַר לָהֶם כָּךְ וְכָךְ אֵרַע וְכָךְ וְכָךְ הָיָה. וְכֵיצַד מְשַׁנֶּה. מְחַלֵּק לָהֶם קְלָיוֹת וֶאֱגוֹזִים וְעוֹקְרִים הַשֻּׁלְחָן מִלִּפְנֵיהֶם קֹדֶם שֶׁיֹּאכְלוּ וְחוֹטְפִין מַצָּה זֶה מִיַּד זֶה וְכַיּוֹצֵא בִּדְבָרִים הָאֵלּוּ. אֵין לוֹ בֵּן אִשְׁתּוֹ שׁוֹאַלְתּוֹ. אֵין לוֹ אִשָּׁה שׁוֹאֲלִין זֶה אֶת זֶה מַה נִּשְׁתַּנָּה הַלַּיְלָה הַזֶּה. וַאֲפִלּוּ הָיוּ כֻּלָּן חֲכָמִים. הָיָה לְבַדּוֹ שׁוֹאֵל לְעַצְמוֹ מַה נִּשְׁתַּנָּה הַלַּיְלָה הַזֶּה:
(3) He should make changes on this night so that the children will see and will [be motivated to] ask: "Why is this night different from all other nights?" until he replies to them: "This and this occurred; this and this took place."
What changes should be made? He should give them roasted seeds and nuts; the table should be taken away before they eat; matzot should be snatched from each other and the like.
When a person does not have a son, his wife should ask him. If he does not have a wife, [he and a colleague] should ask each other: "Why is this night different?" This applies even if they are all wise. A person who is alone should ask himself: "Why is this night different?"
(ו) … ויקח מצה האמצעית ויבצענה לשתים ויתן חציה לאחד מהמסובין לשומרה לאפיקומן ונותנים אותה תחת המפה וחציה השני ישים בין שתי השלימות …
(6) …Then he takes the middle matzah, cuts it into two and gives half to one of those seated to watch it, for the afikoman; and we place it under the tablecloth. And he should place the other half between the two whole ones. …
(א)דיני אכילת האפיקומן. ובו ב' סעיפים:לאחר גמר כל הסעודה אוכלים ממצה השמורה תחת המפה כזית כל אחד זכר לפסח הנאכל על השובע ויאכלנו בהסיבה ולא יברך עליו ויהא זהיר לאכלו קודם חצות: (ויקדים עצמו שגם ההלל יקרא קודם חצות) (ר"ן פרק ע"פ וס"ב דמגילה):
(1) After eating the whole meal, each person eats an olive-sized piece [kezayit] from the guarded [shmura] matza that was wrapped up [literally “under the tablecloth”]. This is done to remember the Pesach sacrifice which eaten on a full stomach. One should eat the afikomen reclining. Do not make a blessing on eating the afikomen. Be sure to eat the afikomen before (halachic) midnight. Rema: Try to finish Hallel before (halachic) midnight as well.
- First, Rashi teaches that after we dip the green vegetable for Karpas we should break one of three matzot.
- Half should go back in the pile and half should be set aside “under the tablecloth” for eating after the meal as the last thing tasted.
- This is to be referred to as the “afikomen”, and it represents that Passover Sacrifice that was to be the last thing eaten at the Passover meal.
- He also says that if you only have one bit of matzah, you should eat it at the end of the meal as the afikomen and say the “Motzi” and “Matzah” blessings over it then, rather than eat it at the usual spot before the meal and forego the afikomen.
- As mentioned before, Maimonides says that we should “snatch” the matzah from each other.
- The afikomen is then wrapped, perhaps because the bowls of dough were wrapped when the Israelites left Egypt, and given to somebody.
- Other rules from the Shulchan Aruch include not making a blessing over the afikomen, eating it while reclining, and finishing it by midnight.
- We break the innermost piece of matzah because we all have aspects inside us that have been broken. We look forward to the day when we can be redeemed by becoming whole again, perhaps with the assistance of others.
- Some point out that even though the word “Seder” means “order”, breaking things early in the seder (and not on neat perforated lines) means that there will always be some disorder that happens no matter how much we try to order our lives.
- Wrapping the matzah is both practical (so you know what you’ve set aside for later) and symbolic (because the Israelites wrapped their dough bowls when they carried them on their shoulders during the Exodus from Egypt. Wrapping it also both protects it and collects crumbs during the hiding process.
- Some Ashkenazi children steal the afikomen from the leader and hide it somewhere. After the meal ends, the leader ransoms it back.
- Sephardi Jews, and many Ashkenazi Jews, don’t like the idea of teaching children to steal, so an adult will hide the afikomen for the children to find (often during Rachtza or Shulchan Oreich, either hidden by the leader, an adult family member, or an adult guest). Again, it is ransomed back.
- If there are multiple children present, there may be “decoy” afikomen, or the afikomen may be broken into multiple pieces for each child to find one.
- The custom of hiding the afikomen rather than just sticking it under the tablecloth dates back to the Middle Ages and is designed to keep children engaged at the seder. There is also symbolism about having the next generation involved in bringing together that which was broken, particularly that which was broken by the previous generation.
- The step of the seder where the afikomen is found is called “Tzafun”, meaning “hidden”. It is related to the word “Tzafon”, meaning “north”, because in Israel the north is hidden by the mountains of Lebanon.
- Other interpretations given to the afikomen being found during the Tzafun step include: The ultimate repair of our broken world is at a time hidden from us, the poor must set aside food for a hidden and unknown future, and there is always more to life than what we know.
- After the afikomen has been returned and ransomed, everybody eats an olive-sized piece before Birkat HaMazon.
- Some have the custom of saying before eating “In memory of the Passover sacrifice that was eaten at the end of the meal”.
- It is thought that the afikomen has special sanctity, particularly in Sephardic communities.
- Jews from Iran, Afghanistan, Salonika, Kurdistan, and Bukhara keep a piece in their pocket all year for good luck
- In some places, pregnant women carry it with salt and then hold it in their hand during delivery.
- Another belief is that if you keep a piece of the afikomen for 7 years, then it can stop a flood if thrown into a turbulent river.
- Kurdi Jews and Jews in Hebron tie a piece at the seder to the arm of one of their sons and say "So may you tie the ketubah to the arm of your bride"
- For Jews in Baghdad, somebody would leave the seder with the afikomen and return dressed as a traveler. The leader would ask "Where are you from?" and the person would answer "Egypt". The leader would ask "Where are you going?" and the person would respond "Jerusalem". The leader would ask "What are you carrying?" and the person would respond "Matzah". Other Sephardic communities would do the same thing but with a child, who would then ask the Four Questions. That child would then guard the afikomen until after dinner.
- In Djerba (Tunisia) the seder leader would give the afikomen to someone in the family; that person would tie it on their shoulder and go visit relatives and friends to forecast the coming of the Messiah.
- Some Sephardic Jews in Israel had the custom of wrapping the afikomen in white cloth after it was broken, and each person putting it on their right shoulder followed by their left shoulder. It then gets passed to the next person. The last person says Exodus 12:34, which is about the bowls of dough being wrapped and carried on people's shoulders when they left Egypt. The person is then asked "Where do you come from?" and they respond "From Egypt". They are asked "Where are you going?" and the person responds "To Jerusalem". Then everybody shouts "Next year in Jerusalem!"
By: David Schwartz
By: Rabbi Steven Wernick
Over the centuries many answers have been offered. Rambam suggests that it is an unusual action designed to pique a child’s curiosity, to inspire questions, and to keep children awake and engaged throughout the seder.
The Vilna Gaon teaches that we hide the afikomen to prevent its embarrassment, because it is overlooked until after the meal. The other matzot, after all, receive a bracha, so we cover this one and remove it from the table.
There are other explanations as well, many much more technical and legal in nature.
Because the seder may not be concluded until the afikomen is discovered and consumed, I believe there must be deeper meanings associated with this ritual. One, perhaps, has to do with wanting wholeness, but not having it. Brokenness is a symbol of incompleteness. Wholeness often is elusive. Live is not whole, yet we constantly look toward and strive for completion, for redemption. That our people’s original redemption from slavery to freedom happened once heartens us, because through recalling that redemption we know that our future redemption, both individual and national, is not a fantasy. This knowledge gives us hope.
We begin the story of our past afflictions with an appeal for hope in the present and with our gaze set on the future. We cannot see the future. We cannot even understand the full consequences of our present actions. We can, however, look back at past events and value them as a guide in our present actions as we prepare for a better tomorrow.
… [goes on to discuss strategic planning for USCJ]. Now is the time to leave Egypt behind and to move into the future that began with the revelation at Sinai. That future is not fully known, like the afikomen it is partially hidden, but I for one am looking forward to the journey to find it.
While the basic text of the Haggadah and format of the seder is the same around the world, each community has its own unique customs. One such custom that is pervasive throughout the Sephardi communities is to dramatize the Exodus. Generally this takes place immediately following Yachatz, the breaking of the middle matzah, or after Ha Lachma Anya, the first paragraph of the Maggid section.
The basic script for this dramatization is as follows:
Person holding the afikomen(larger half of the broken matzah) says: "Their remaining possessions tied up in their bags on their shoulders and the children of Israel did as Moses commanded.”
Other Seder Participants: “From where are you coming?”
Afikomen holder: “From Egypt.”
Participants: “Where are you going?”
Afikomen holder: “To Jerusalem.”
Participants: “What are your supplies?”
Afikomen holder: “Matzah and Maror.”
This ceremony varies not only as to when it is said, but also who says it (sometimes only the leader, sometimes one child gets up and knocks on the door before the dialogue begins, and sometimes each participant of the Seder holds the afikomen in turn), and how the afikomen is wrapped and held (in a napkin or a bag, held on the right shoulder or thrown over the shoulder).
In the Yemenite community, there is a slightly different re-enacting of the Exodus. The seder leader rises, throws the afikomen bag over his shoulder like a knapsack and circles the table while leaning on a cane. As he walks about the room, the leader tells the other participants about his experiences and the miracles he witnessed as he came from Egypt.
(א)יחץ מרמז:
(ב)א. שנחלק בחצות הלילה לזה ג"כ מחלקין המצה לשתים ולא שוין המה. בשביל שאמר משה כחצות שלא יאמרו המצרים משה בדאי הוא ע"כ מראין בזה שזהו רק בידו של הקב"ה וב"ש הגדול לכוין האמצע כחוט השערה אבל בידי אדם אי אפשר לצמצם. והיא גדולתו.
(ג)ב. שנחלק הים. והוא ג"כ זכר לקריעת י"ס ולא נחלק ג"כ לשוין באמצע הים רק בצדה.
(ד)ג. שנחלק השנים של הגזירה בין הבתרים מן תי"ו שנים לא היו תחת השעבוד רק רד"ו שנים לכן הפרוסות הנחלקות ג"כ אינם שוין והאחת גדולה והאחת קטנה כמו בחלוקת השנים לרמז בזה שמטמין הגדולה לאפיקומן תחת הכר נגד חלק הגדל מהשנים שהיו בגלות זהו רד"ו שנה וחלק הקטן מחזירו על השלחן לסימן חירות רמז לק"ץ שנים שנעשו בני חורין ועל חלק פרוסה זו חוזר ומגיד כהא לחמא ומהא טעמא מניעת עשות פסח במקדש ואכילת בפסח חמץ דווקא בעונש כרת מפני שקב"ה ברוב רחמיו כרת השנים של הגלות במצרים כדי לקיימנו ולהחיותינו כטעמם הידועים שלא יבואו ח"ו לנו"ן שערי טומאה ואז ח"ו לא הי' להם תקומה לכן כרת מאתם השעבוד ק"ץ שנים קודם, ע"כ מי שלא קיים המצוה הזאת זהו בוודאי אינו מודה בכריתות אלו השנים של גלות לכן מעניש אותו ג"כ בכרת השנים מדה כנגד מדה.
(ה)ד. יחץ ר"ל אחר שקידש את עצמו בטבילה ובהזאה כבעל תשובה צריך לקיים ג"כ מצות יו"ט כנהוג וזהו יחץ לשון מחצה ר"ל חציה לד' וחציה לכם ולא נחלק לשוין רק חלק הקטן שהוא חציה לכם על השלחן לאכול לשמחת יו"ט וחלק הגדול הוא מצוה לד' שמור לאפיקומן שמרמז לקדושת עולם הבא, וזהו הטעם שנוטל חלק הגדול ומניח תחת מראשותיו בין כר לכסת מכוסה ונעלם להראותינו ששכר עולם הבא הוא ג"כ טמיר נעלם מאתנו והוא גדול מאוד עכ"ז אין אנחנו שוכני בתי חומר נוכל להשיגו כמאמר הכתוב מה רב טובך אשר צפנת ליריאך עכ"ז עין לא ראתה.
Yachatz – The Broken Matzah:Yachatz, the breaking of the middle matzah, has several different meanings:
1. LIMITS It is a reminder that the tenth plague happened in middle of the night. Thus we break the middle matzah into two unequal pieces because Moses said; "Thus said the Lord: 'About midnight I will go forth among the Egyptians…'" (Ex. 11:4) Moses said k'chatzot, "about midnight," and not exactly at midnight, since only God is capable of knowing the exact moment of an event. The broken matzah is a reminder of human limitations and the greatness of God.
Rabbi Greenspan says this is theological.
2. MEMORY The broken matzah is a reminder that God split the sea. Similarly, the sea was not split equally into two parts so we break the matzah into two unequal parts.
Rabbi Greenspan says this is historical.
3. PROMISES ...The people were not subjugated by the Egyptians for 400 years (as promised in Gen. 15:13) but were enslaved only 210 years; so too the matzah is divided into larger and smaller pieces . The larger piece is hidden... (for the Afikomen) as a symbol of the majority of the years that the Israelites were enslaved, and the smaller piece is placed back on the plate as a symbol of Israel's freedom. It is on this piece of matzah that we say "This is the bread of affliction…" ...God in His great mercy made certain that the number of years Israel spent in Egypt was shortened so that they could still be redeemed.
Rabbi Greenspan says this is historical/prophetic.
4. CHANGE ... (Yachatz, from the word mechetzeh or chatzi, half.) The celebration on festivals is partially devoted to God and partially devoted to the person's physical comforts. The larger portion of the commandment to rejoice on the festivals is for God. This is represented by the Afikomen, the larger piece of the matzah. This portion is hidden... just the reward of the portion for the world to come is hidden from sight. Even though this reward is huge, it is beyond our comprehension....
Rabbi Greenspan says this is existential as it focuses on how we have a spiritual transformation through the beginning parts of the seder and then move forward with the next piece after being spiritually prepared. (Kadesh - prep, Urchatz - cleaning, Karpas - Immersion)
Helen Plotkin
Sometimes, we adults are unable to reconnect with our broken hearts. That is what the role of children is at the Seder. Children (or our inner children) are not only are tasked with the important job of asking questions at the Seder, but also asked to seek out and find the afikoman. It is only then that we can move forward and sing the Halleluyah psalms that conclude the Seder. It takes the energy and open heart of a child to question the status quo and to reconnect us with what our hearts most yearn for. It is only from that place of wholeness that we and our world can truly become free.
She'ela (Question)
I'm gluten intolerant and want to know what I should do for matzah at the seder. I am not a diagnosed celiac but I am considered gluten intolerant and I never willingly eat it. If I accidentally ingest even a small amount of gluten I get very bad stomach pains which land me in bed for anywhere from hours to days. I am exhausted until it leaves my system and it adversely affects my immune system, so that I generally get sick within a day or two. I’ve tried oats for hamotzi during the year and sometimes I can stomach them, but sometimes I have a light reaction. What should I do for matzah at the seder? I want to eat matzah, but I’m afraid of a reaction.
Your situation is definitely a difficult one, to answer it we will have to ask a bigger question: is there any obligation to perform a mitzvah if it will make one sick? In general, this question is divided into two parts:
1. What is the status of the mitzvah discussed (in this case matzah)?
2. How sick will the individual get (i.e. is it life threatening, minor ailments – or something in between)?
1. The Mitzvah of Matzah
We will begin by understanding the mitzvah. The mitzvah of eating matzah on the first night of Pesach is considered a positive Torah commandment (מצות עשה דאוריתא) (TB Pesachim 120a,). This is fulfilled by eating one kazayit of matzah on the seder night. Rabbinic stringencies and traditions add an additional 4 kazaytim of matzah, for a total of 5, but the consensus is that one is exempt from positive rabbinic obligations if it makes them sick (Shulchan Aruch/Rama YD 155:3). Therefore, the discussion here will focus on the 1 kazayit of matzah seder night.
While the Rama rules that matzah should ideally be made from wheat, both he and the Shulchan Aruch agree that any of the 5 grains can be used to make kosher matzot (OC 463:1). Recently some scientific and archaeological evidence has been brought that claims that the oats we eat today are not the same grain described in the mishnah, however this opinion has been rejected by many major poskim (such as Rav Moshe Feinstein, Rav Elyashiv, and Rav Y.D. Soloveichik, Rav Ovadiah Yosef, Tzitz Eliezer, Rav Shternuch).
Therefore, while a person without any complications should preferably eat wheat matzah, it seems clear that an individual with health problem can opt for matzah made of oats.
2. Performing a mitzvah that will make one ill
From my understanding the medical community is still researching the various causes and effects of non-celiac gluten intolerance. Without any more details, and without knowing the underlying cause of your symptoms the halachic discussion will have to address your symptoms based on an assumption that any complications you have are not life-threatening.
Classic halachic texts that discuss illnesses that interfere with mitzvah observance generally divide into categories based on severity – whether or not the illness is life-threatening, and how ill does the person feel. From what you describe it seems that when you eat gluten you fall into the category of a non-life-threatening illness (חולה שאין בו סכנה), and when you eat oats you are in the category below that, מיחוש, which refers to discomfort without incapacitation.
To clarify, if there is even a chance that eating matzah is life threatening such a person is exempt from eating matzah, and it is quite possibly a sin for them to eat it (מצוה הבאה בעבירה). But the status of a חולה שאין בו סכנה is not as clear. The Maharm Schik rules that as long as symptoms do not appear immediately such a person is obligated to eat matzah, even if they become incapacitated by their illness (OC 120:1). Other poskim (halachic decisors) disagree. The Chida (ברכי יוסף) cites an explicit mishnah that exempts a sick person from the mitzvah of succah and expands it to exempt any חולה שאין בו סכנה from positive Torah mitzvot (Birkei Yosef OC 640:5). Similarly, Rav Shlomo of Vilna explains that the Torah does not require people to make themselves sick to perform mitzvot, and therefore holds a similar exemption (Binyan Shlomo OC 47).
A few contemporary poskim discuss celiac disease, but don’t explicitly mention non-celiac gluten intolerance. The Tzitz Eliezer (19:22) cites Rav Shlomo of Vilna and rules that there is no obligation for a person to make themselves sick to fulfill a mitzvah, even the mitzvah of matzah. Nevertheless, he rules that if one desires they can also choose to fulfill the mitzvah of matzah and recite the blessing – and this is not considered a מצוה הבאה בעבירה.
Similarly, Rav Asher Weiss (Minchat Asher III 42-43) rules that one is not only exempt, but also prohibited from fulfilling Torah commandments that will cause irreversible damage to life or limb. In the case of a חולה שאין בו סכנה the individual is exempt but may choose to fulfill the commandment. And in cases of pain or discomfort the individual should push themselves to fulfill the commandment.
Additionally, the Shulchan Aruch rules that when one eats a single kazayit of matzah they should wait to eat it for afikomen (i.e. begin their meal with marror, wait to wash until the end of the meal, and at that point recite the blessings of motzi and matzah); this way they fulfill both the mitzvah of matzah and that of afikomen.
Therefore, to answer your question. It seems that you are required to eat a kazayit of oat matzah, as it is possible this will cause you minimal to no discomfort. If this incapacitates you – please ask again. If you choose to you may eat wheat matzah, however you have no obligation to do so, and can rest assured that you fulfill your obligation through oat matzah. If you feel you can tolerate more without feeling ill then you should attempt to fulfill as much of the rabbinic mitzvah as possible.
(1) If one forgot and did not eat the Afikomen until he had already washed his hands prior to the Birkat haMazon, or until he said the Zimun (Rabbotai Nivarech), or even if he had already recited the Birkat HaMazon but prior to the third cup of wine, the Avi Ezri and the Rosh write that he should wash his hands again, and recite the motzi and eat it. If, however, he already said the blessing over the third cup of wine, he should not eat it since this necessitates that he recite reciting the Birkat HaMazon and then drinking another cup of wine, and it would now appear that he is adding to the four cups of wine. It has also been established that one should not drink between the third and fourth cups of wine. Also, since all our matzah is shemurot, one can consider the last bit of matzah that he ate as the Afikomen.
Rabbi Peretz wrote that if he hasn’t recited the Zimun yet, he can still eat the Afikomen without a blessing even though he has already ended the meal. In this situation it is different because the Afikomen is a commandment that God has placed upon him and we depend upon this.
After he drinks the cup of wine over which he recited the Birkat HaMazon, he pours the fourth cup and completes Hallel. In Midrash Tehilim, it is written that there should be at least three people reciting psalms so that one can recite and two can respond, hodo l'adonai ki tov.
The Rosh writes that if it is impossible for him to have three people present, he his wife and his minor son is sufficient!
- CHOOSE
- Choose foods that are good for you. Make the choice to eat foods that will nourish the soul and body.
- SIT
- Sit down. Don’t eat while standing or walking. Judaism teaches that a person should be concerned with personal dignity. Not to the point of arrogance, but there should be an awareness that a human being’s essence is something that must be reflected on the outside of a person as well as the inside. Eat at a table.
- COMMIT
- Put enough food on your plate to satisfy your hunger without overloading or underloading your plate. Whatever’s there is going to be your portion.
- ACKNOWLEDGE
- Say a blessing* over your food or drink. Acknowledge the source of the food and drink you are about to ingest and take a moment to be grateful for its presence.
- PACE
- Eat at a medium-slow pace, putting your fork down into between bites. Aside from the obvious aesthetic drawbacks to using your fork like a backhoe, when you shovel food into your mouth, you tend to bow your head towards your food. Do you worship food? Is food your god? Do you submit to food–does it rule you?
- CHEW (BREATHE)
- Breathe in between bites. Don’t talk while eating (R.Yosef Caro, Shulchan Aruch).
- COMPLETE
- Interestingly enough, though eating only when truly hungry is the rule, there are times where Jewish law says one must eat even when not hungry. This includes the third Shabbos meal and the Afikomen (“Dessert” Matzoh) during the Pesach (Passover) Seder. But even at these times, we are forewarned not to overeat earlier so there will still be some room left!
To the tune of “Three Blind Mice”
See how they run. See how they look.
They all look under the leader's chair,
Who refuses to move as if she doesn’t care,
Did you ever see such a joyful affair,
As little meshugeneh yids?
