Mitzvah —
114
To eat Matzah on the first night of Passover
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בָּרִאשֹׁ֡ן בְּאַרְבָּעָה֩ עָשָׂ֨ר י֤וֹם לַחֹ֙דֶשׁ֙ בָּעֶ֔רֶב תֹּאכְל֖וּ מַצֹּ֑ת עַ֠ד י֣וֹם הָאֶחָ֧ד וְעֶשְׂרִ֛ים לַחֹ֖דֶשׁ בָּעָֽרֶב׃ - פָּרָשַׁת בֹּא
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Exodus 12:18-"In the first [month], on the fourteenth day of the month in the evening, you shall eat unleavened cakes, until the twenty first day of the month in the evening."
This Mitzvah's Summary
מִצְוָה עֲשֵׂה - Positive Commandment
מִצְוָה לֹא תַעֲשֶׂה - Negative Commandment
Holidays – חֲגִים
Eat matzah on the first night of Pesach.
This mitzvah commands the eating of matzah on the first night of Passover. Matzah, the “bread of affliction,” recalls the haste with which the Israelites left Egypt, when their dough had no time to rise. Eating matzah is not just a commemoration of historical events but a spiritual act that connects Jews to humility, simplicity, and reliance on Hashem. This mitzvah is fulfilled during the Seder night, forming one of its central obligations.
Commentary & Classical Explanation:
- Rambam (Hilchot Chametz U’Matzah 6:1): Declares the eating of matzah on the Seder night a Torah command, even when the Paschal sacrifice is not brought.
- Sefer HaChinuch (Mitzvah 21): The root is to internalize the miracle of the Exodus and strengthen faith in Hashem’s providence.
- Talmud (Pesachim 120a): Establishes that eating matzah on the first night of Pesach is a positive biblical obligation, unlike the rest of the festival when it is voluntary.
Commentaries
(Source: Chabad.org)
