12 Apr SHIURIM FOR PESACH
One of the many important halachos that we are faced with at the seder is the proper volume to eat or drink in order to fulfill the mitzvah of the four cups, matzah, and marror. In this article we will present a practical guide to the correct amount that one should eat and the allotted time frame in which it should be eaten.
The Four Cups
The four cups are keneged the four loshonos of geulah, which are V’hotzeisi, V’hitzalti, V’go’alti, and V’lakachti. Everyone is obligated to drink four cups on the nights of the sedarim. This obligation applies to men, women and children who have reached the age to understand the events of the exodus from Mitzrayim. The minhag is that each person makes his own kiddush at the sedarim. One must drink the four cups in the proper order; otherwise, one has not fulfilled his obligation. The cup must contain a reviis, which ranges from 3 oz. to 5.3 oz. Ideally, one should drink the whole reviis. This applies to the first three cups; one must drink the whole reviis of the fourth cup in order to recite the beracha acharona. A beracha acharona is only said on the fourth cup. If the cup holds more than a reviis, one should l’chatchilah drink all the wine in the cup; however, it is sufficient to drink most of the reviis even in this situation. In order to satisfy all opinions, the poskim suggest that one use a cup that only holds a reviis and drink the entire cup. A child does not have to drink a reviis; rather, he may drink the amount that fills up his cheek. The reviis should be consumed without a hefsek. If one lingered longer than kedei achilas peras (see below), he must drink the shiur again.
Matzah
The obligation to eat matzah on Pesach applies to men and women alike. Children who are old enough to eat bread should be trained to eat a kezayis of matzah.
The Mitzvah
There is a mitzvah d’oraisa to eat matzah on the first night of Pesach. One must eat two kezaysim of matzah, one kezayis from the top whole matzah and one from the middle broken matzah. Many reasons are offered as to why two kezaysim are required. Some explain that one has a kezayis for the beracha of hamotzei and a kezayis for motzei matzah. Others say that one may recite a hamotzei even if the piece is less than a kezayis. Rather, the obligation of two kezaysim is based on those poskim who say that the beracha of hamotzei refers to the broken matzah and the beracha of matzah applies to the whole matzah. Therefore, we eat two kezaysim. B’dieved one was yotzei if he only ate one kezayis.
Some say that the leader should distribute the matzah to the guests after he recites the berachos, and then all those present at the table should eat the matzah together.
How to Eat the Matzah
The matzah has to be eaten while reclining (Ashkenazi women do not recline). One who did not do so should eat another kezayis while leaning, without a beracha.
Some poskim maintain that one should preferably put all the matzah in his mouth and chew it all at once. One is not obligated to swallow it at one time. Others maintain that since it is impractical to place both kezaysim of matzah in one’s mouth at one time, one may chew a piece of matzah at a time and swallow it, as long as the entire matzah is consumed within the time of k’dei achilas peras. Some poskim say that this is only acceptable b’dieved. Nonetheless, it should be stated that many gedolim ate their matzah in the latter manner since they were not mafsik between swallows. One who is not placing both kezaysim in his mouth at one time should eat from the whole matzah first and then from the broken one. Nevertheless, the custom is to eat both pieces of matzah together and not be concerned with which one is first. One should not talk between the beracha and the eating.
The Time Frame
The time frame in which one should eat the matzah is called kedi achilas peras. There are many different opinions as to the correct time. Some say that one should finish the matzah within two minutes, others say is three minutes, and still others allow from 4-9 minutes. L’maaseh one should eat the required amount of matzah between 2-4 minutes. One who has difficulty chewing such as an old person or a young child can rely on the more lenient view and may take up to nine minutes. The time starts from the beginning of the chewing.
The Household and Guests
Ideally, all household members and guests should eat two kezaysim. Some poskim say that only those who have a seder plate in front of them with matzah have to eat two kezaysim, but others only need to eat a kezayis. The overwhelming custom is that all people present (except for women and those who have trouble eating matzah) should eat two kezaysim.
How Much Matzah?
As mentioned above, the custom is to eat two kezaysim. One may measure the matzah for the correct shiur on Pesach.
The amount of a kezayis in regard to matzah is subject to much discussion by the poskim. Some of the questions are: What is the shiur of a kezayis, a half egg or a third of an egg? Are eggs the same size as they were in olden days? Is the size of an egg measured by weight or volume? There is no clear answer; therefore, the Mishnah Berurah (and others) maintains that for a mitzvah d’oraisa one should use the larger opinion of a kezayis, and for a mitzvah d’rabbanan one can use the lenient opinion.
Accordingly, the first kezayis of motzei matzah should be the larger amount, since it is d’oraisa. The second kezayis is d’rabbanan, so one can eat the lenient shiur of a kezayis. Practically, one should eat a half of an average hand matzah. Those who are eating machine matzah should eat two thirds of a matzah.
It should be noted that the matzah which remains stuck to the palate is counted towards the shiur of a kezayis, but the matzah which gets stuck between the teeth is not counted towards the shiur. Matzah which fell out of one’s mouth is not counted towards the shiur.
Marror
One should take marror and shake off some of the charoses from it. A kezayis is required for the mitzvah of marror. A sick or weak person can eat the lenient shiur of a kezayis. Since the mitzvah of maror is d’rabbanan in nature today, we are not required to use the stringent shiur of kezayis. Marror is eaten without reclining since it is in remembrance of the labor in Mitzrayim.
One may use the following items for marror: Romaine lettuce, endives, or horseradish. The Shulchan Aruch says that the preferred item is [romaine] lettuce. One should either buy romaine lettuce with a good hechsher, or learn how to check it for insects. One should use a leaf the size of 8 inches by 10 inches. Many people use ground horseradish, and should measure the shiur of a kezayis with a shot-glass.
Koraich
Take the third bottom matzah and place a kezayis of marror on it. Many dip the marror in a little charoses. The ingredients are combined into a sandwich and eaten together. The marror should between two layers of matzah. The amount of matzah for korach is a quarter of an average hand matzah, or a third of machine matzah. Preferably, one should eat the sandwich at one time, but if this is hard then one may eat a little at a time. The custom is to eat it slowly just as we discussed above regarding matzah. However, the time limit should not exceed 2-4 minutes.
The sandwich is eaten while reclining. If it was eaten without reclining then one does not have to eat any more.
Afikoman
After completing the seuda we eat from the matzah that was put away at yachatz. There are some who are concerned with the term “stealing” the afikoman; rather, one should call it “grabbing” the afikoman. The children grab the afikoman in order to remind us to eat the afikoman, since they will want a gift for returning the afikoman.
The matzah should be distributed to everyone. One of the reasons offered for afikoman is that it is a zecher for the korbon pesach which was eaten at the end of the meal. Some have the custom to wrap the afikoman in a cloth and place it on their shoulder as a remembrance of the exodus from Mitzrayim.
Ideally, those who have matzah in front of them should eat two k’zaysim of matzah, (which is around a . of a hand matzah); if this is too difficult then one k’zayis (which is around . of a hand matzah) is sufficient. The poskim say that children do not have to eat two k’zaysim, as one is sufficient. One may add matzah as needed to complete the shiur for afikoman.
The matzah must be eaten while leaning. If it was not eaten in this fashion one has already bentched, then he need not eat again it is if it is too hard. The afikomen has to be eaten in one place, not while people are walking all over the house. The afikomen should be eaten before chatzos. Many people are not concerned with this and eat the afikomen after chatzos as well. Some have the custom to place the afikomen as a shemirah on top of the doorway.