Within Your Reach

There are two primary mitzvos associated with Passover:

Eating Matzah: Matzah (unleavened bread) is eaten on the first night of Pesach (Passover). You should eat an amount equivalent to a typical square store-bought matzah. The blessing and order of eating can be found in the Passover Hagadah. Jews who live outside the Land of Israel perform the Seder and eating of matzah on the second night of Pesach as well. It is a mitzvah to eat matzah all eight days of Pesach.

Retelling the Passover Story: Tell about the exodus from Egypt on the first night of Passover. One should recite the Haggadah, preferably with one's children.

Eating Matzah: “On the first day, on the fourteenth of the month in the evening shall you eat matzos, until the twenty-first day of the month in the evening.” - Exodus 12:18

Retelling the Passover Story: “And you shall tell your son on that day, saying, 'It is because of this that Hashem acted on my behalf when I left Egypt.'” - Exodus 13:8

Eating Matzah: Significantly, the 5 types of grain that can be used for matzah are the only grains that become chometz (leaven that you are forbidden to eat during Passover) if not baked within 18 minutes after being mixed with water. These grains are: wheat, oat, barley, rye and spelt.

Retelling the Passover Story: Each child must be told in a manner that he can understand - the younger ones, in simple terms; the older ones, in greater detail. Whoever has not said the following 3 words on Passover has not fulfilled his duty: "Pesach" - the "Korbon Pesach"; "Matzoh" - the unleavened bread, and "Moror" - the bitter herbs.

Eating Matzah: This mitzvah is properly performed by using special "shmurah matzah" that is guarded all the way from harvest to packaging. The round shmurah is used since it was hand-made with the intention of being used for the mitzvah.

Retelling the Passover Story: The Haggadah should be recited in its entirety. It could be recited in any language, but learning the Hebrew is always the best way to transmit the sage teachings of our Rabbis. The message of the haggadah is timeless since Passover, rather than being a time to delve into the general concept of freedom, is the the opportunity to demonstrate how we would still be in spiritual slavery is G-d hadn't redeemed our fathers. This means that we directly benefit from the redemption from Egypt as did our ancestors. It also underscores the direct and special relationship the Jewish preople have with G-d.