Pesach - 5778

Pesach - 5778

Rabbi Hal Miller

They baked the dough that they took out of Egypt into unleavened cakes, for they

could not be leavened, for they were driven from Egypt for they could not delay,

nor had they made provisions for themselves. [Shemos 12:39]

What is the meaning of all the haste during the seder? Is it because the procedure

takes so long that the rabbis figured people would shortcut it or drop it entirely if

they couldn't cut the duration down? Other than mention that they could not delay,

does the Torah actually tell us to speed through the haggadah? We certainly have

rules about the amount of time we have to finish drinking each of the four cups of

wine, and to finish eating the matzah and maror. Most people will tell you that it

requires being quick about it, even though commentators all explain it to be the

normal amount of time it takes to do these things.

The Gemora in Pesachim 109A writes in the middle of a section discussing rejoicing,

staying awake, and asking questions, "R'Eliezer says, we snatch matzos on the night

of Pesach on account of the children, that they should not fall asleep." The wording,

chotfin matzos, translated here as to snatch matzos, seems odd. The explanation is

that taking food off the table uneaten is unusual, and will prompt the kids to ask why.

Rashi says that it means to hasten to get to the meal before children fall asleep. In a

big stretch, the custom of stealing the afikoman comes from this Gemora of snatching.

The Sfas Emes says, "the Exodus occurred with such rapidity--even the Paschal

Lamb was eaten in haste--that the Jews had no time to absorb its significance.

Therefore we are given an opportunity each year to relive the events we could

not appreciate as they were happening by discussing them, performing mitzvos

that commemorate them, and praising God for them."

When Yeshayahu said [52:12], "You will not leave in haste," he was referring to the

time in the future when we will be redeemed through the Messiah. This was to

contrast that event, may it be soon, with the exodus from Egypt.

Rabbi Eliyahu Kitov explains, "The essence of matzah is that it was made in great

haste, that it did not have the opportunity to rise. While in bondage, even at night

the people were given no time to rest. Before sunrise the taskmasters were pressing,

so they had no time for proper baking, and ate in haste. When they were sent out,

they had no time to wait for the bread to rise, as G-d revealed Himself and

redeemed them, so the road beckoned." In other words, we rush now to remember

the daily life our ancestors had while in Egypt.

But we know that the series of plagues took a very long time. Estimates vary

significantly, but most put it at months to years. Even the last ones, darkness and

the death of the firstborn, didn't happen in minutes. Anyone who wanted to bake

bread for the road had plenty of time to let the dough rise.

Our answer is in fact many answers rather than one.

The time limit of 18 minutes from mixing water into flour to begin making a dough,

until having the result fully baked, has nothing to do with haste. Rather, it has to

do with creating a specific kind of result, lechem oni, which is alternatively

translated as bread of affliction or bread of the poor. If it took three extra hours to

make, it would still be required because haste isn't the issue, eating lechem oni

and remembering what that stands for (helping the poor or afflicting ourselves) is

what is important.

Whether we eat our measured kezayis of matzah in two minutes or nine, depending

on whose opinion we follow, it isn't all that difficult to do. The point is not to cram it

in, but to concentrate on what we are doing--remembering the poor, remembering

our forefathers, remembering what God did for us in Egypt. Without a time limit, we

might follow our normal custom of chatting during a meal and forgetting what we

are supposed to be doing Pesach night. The same applies with regard to drinking

wine or eating maror--this night of all nights we should not break our concentration

and get into frivolities. This night is different from all other nights because we have

a specific purpose, remembering what God did for us in Egypt.