18 Apr WHAT IS THE PROPER BRACHA FOR MATZAH DURING THE YEAR!

We all know that
on Pesach we say
Hamotzi on the
Matzah, but does
that apply after
Pesach as well, or
perhaps a different
Bracha is recited?
The Gemara (מב א ,ברכות (explains that one
should say Hamotzi and Birkat Hamazon
on bread, unless its “Pat Haba’a Bekisninפת בכיסנין הבאה “in which case one should
say Mezonot prior to eating, followed by Al
Hamichya when finished. But the Gemara
doesn’t delineate for us what constitutes this
bread called Pat Haba’a Bekisnin.
The Shulchan Aruch (סימן קסח ס״ז (brings three
opinions of what is Pat Haba’a Bekisnin based
on the meaning of the definition of the word
:כיסנין
a. Kisanin means pockets (כיס (which refers
to dough that has a filling, like Bourekas,
.(ר״ח והערוך) Tashen Haman
b. Dough mixed with sweet things as honey,
oil, milk etc. (רמב״ם(
c. Kisanin means dry and crunchy (כוסס
,(such as crackers or Melba toast. (האי רב
(בשם ערוך
The Shulchan Aruch concludes that since
there are various opinions on the matter, we
should follow all three opinions and say
Mezonot on all the above. Accordingly, we
need to understand why the Bracha on the
Matzah, which is dry and crunchy, is Hamotzi
on the holiday of Pesach and whether that
should be the proper Bracha on Matzah year-round?
There are several reasons given in the poskim
why we say Hamotzi on the crispy Matza:
(ב״י הגהות סימן קנח) Hagdola Kneset The. a
writes that the Matzah isn’t hard and
crunchy enough, as was required by
Chazal’s requirement, as the brittleness/
crunchiness referred to by Chazal was
much harder than even our Matzot.
b. The Ginat Vradim (גן המלך סימן סד (writes
that we say Hamotzi on Pesach since
Matzah is the only bread of Pesach.
c. Bet David (סימן ע וסימן פג ( writes that the
crispy bread that the Halacha required
to say Mezonot on is bread which was
baked purposely to become dry, either by
first baking it regularly and then drying
it in the oven or by initially baking it
long enough to make it very dry; but our
Matzah isn’t made purposely crunchy,
rather it is made very thin and dry and
therefore it becomes crunchy.
d. The Ohr Letsion (ח״ב עמוד צו ( writes that
one should say Mezonot on things that
are meant to snack on such as a cake,
cookie or Danish; but Matzah is usually
eaten for a meal and not as a snack and
therefore the correct Bracha for it is
Hamotzi.
There are differences between those opinions
as regards to what to say on Matzah after
Pesach.
According to the first opinion which holds our
Matsa isn’t that crunchy, and the fourth opinion
which holds that people eat the Matzah for a
meal, one should therefore recite Hamotzi on
it throughout the Year. But according to the
second opinion that Matzah is the bread for
Pesach, then when it’s not Pesach one should
say Mezonot on it.
with dealt) ס״ה קנח סימן ברכה מחזיק) Chida The
the ruling of the Bet David and concluded that
one may say Hamotzi on Matzah, but it’s more
correct to first say Hamotzi on regular bread
and then eat the Matzah in the meal.
There is also much discussion in the Poskim
over Matzah that was made for Pesach and
was left over for after the holiday, where some
say that even according to those who feel
Matzah should be Mezonot, the Matzot made
for Pesach stay Hamotsie.
While the prevailing Ashkenazi Minhag is to
always say Hamotzi on Matzah, the Sepharadi
Minhag isn’t that clear. Some Sepharadi
יב סימן ח״ג דעת יחוה Ovadia Chacham (Poskim
and Ohr Letsion ח״ב עמוד צו (write that the
Minhag is to say Mezonot, still they say that
one should avoid the doubt and try to wash
on regular bread first and then eat the Matzah
only when in a meal.
(מג סעיף קנח סימן) Hachayim Kaf the While
directs to not say Mezonot but always wash
on regular bread first.
We should also mention the Bracha for the
mini tea Matzah. Since those are normally
eaten as a Snack, unlike the regular Matzot,
the Bracha on them should be Mezonot (צא
(.סימן או״ח צבי הר