*Why We Begin the Sederwith Matzah* The Sederbegins with “This is the bread of poverty” and not "This is likethe bread of poverty,"¹begin K'ha lachma anya: “This is like the bread of poverty.” as it is written, "In order that you may see the bread that I fed you… when I brought you out of Egypt." (Ex. 16:32) ¹ The sages began with this statement in order to publicize “the bread of poverty” which our ancestors ate in the Egypt. By beginning with lechem oni, it illustrates the rabbinic interpretation of this expression. The sages explain that matzahis called lechem onibecause there is much to say (onim) about it.¹) and for answer (oneh) are written with similar letters. The bread of poverty inspires us to explain the meaning of this bread and to answer many questions about it. Matzahinspires us to tell the story and carry out the rituals of the Seder. We begin with the unleavened bread and read a statement referring to this bread in order that we may see that everything afterwards is a reference to the bread with which the Sederbegan. Had the Sederopened with Mah Nishtanah, it would not be clear that the Sederis about explaining the significance of unleavened bread. By beginning, "This is the bread…" and calling it by this name, and then continuing with the four questions, it becomes clear that the entire ceremony is about explaining that there is much to say about matzah. Since this is a statement that is recited by the head of the household, it is recited in any language that the members of the household will understand. Why is matzahcalled *lechem oni, ‘*the bread of poverty?’ A rich person is as likely to eat the matzahas a poor person, and besides, why is poverty associated with redemption. ¹because it is lowly like a poor person and not elevated. Others say it is called lachma anyabecause it is a fitting food for poor because it hard to digest. The Egyptians fed the Israelites unleavened bread so that it would remain in their stomachs while they were working. These explanations contradict Scripture…” Unleavened bread is called the bread of poverty because it is the opposite of enriched bread. When adding oil or honey to dough it becomes ashira,¹is the term we use for egg matzah. Matzahis ideally made with flour and water and nothing else. Adding other liquids or eggs to it enrich it. On the first night of Passover we are commanded to eat the plainest matzah. Since matzahwith other ingredients is enriched, when only water and flour are used, the matzahis considered “poor.” enriched. Similarly, a poor person has no possessions other than himself and his body. Matzahis also made of the most basic ingredients, flour and water. When one adds yeast or leavening to the plain ingredients, it becomes richer…Similarly, when we add juice or other liquids to the ingredients in matzahit becomes ashira, enriched. What is the connection between “poverty” and redemption? Aren’t they opposites? Poverty teaches us about redemption. A person only becomes free when one has no attachments. The slave does not independent because he is subservient on his master. Similarly, a person who is rich does not stand on his own since he is attached to his possessions. As a result, neither can attain redemption. The poor person, on the other hand, who has no possessions, is able to attain redemption. Therefore we are commanded to eat the bread of poverty on the eve of redemption because matzahhas only the most basic ingredients and no leavening. It is like the poor person who only has the very essence of existence. Thus, we attain redemption by becoming detached from unnecessary things. Enriched matzah(even though it is unleavened), has additional ingredients such as juice added to it so it does not symbolize the necessary conditions for redemption.¹is associated with redemption. If the purpose of matzah, or the bread of poverty, is to describe people who were now free, one would have to wonder about this connection, since we do not usually connect poverty with freedom. Rather matzahmakes us aware that the essence of the Exodus only takes place when we are detached from things and from others. Only when one has no attachment can there be redemption. From this you will understand the meaning of Scripture, "You shall eat no leavened bread with it; seven days shall you eat unleavened bread with it, the bread of poverty, for you came out of the land of Egypt in haste…" (Deut. 16:3) The bread of poverty means bread which stands by itself and is not connected to does not include any other ingredients. Why must you eat this bread? Because you left Egypt and ate it in haste. There was no attempt to prolong or delay in eating the matzah. Matzahis made with haste, just as Israel left Egypt with haste in the first month, so there was no delay in eating the unleavened bread, and no additions to it. Redemption must be immediate and absolute without unnecessary additions.

footnotes: ¹ Some versions of the Haggadah ¹ Ex. 16:32, the verse quoted here, is actually a reference to the manna which was put aside as a reminder of the food which our ancestors ate upon leaving Egypt. Similarly, ‘the bread of poverty’ which we eat is the same as the bread which we ate at the time of the Exodus. ¹ See Pesahim 36a The Hebrew words for poverty (oni ¹ The Maharal adds: “There many interpretations of this expression. Some say that it is called lachma anya ¹ Matzah Ashira ¹ Matzah

Matzahand Simplicity There is another way in which matzahis related to the bread of poverty, and redemption. The poor person has nothing, so his life is simplified and he stands detached from the world of things. In this complex material world such simplicity is considered a shortcoming. In the divine realm (olam hapashut), ¹, the world of simplicity. The physical world is called olam harkavah, the world of complexity. simplicity is a virtue. That is why we are commanded to eat *matzah,*the simplest form of bread. It contains nothing but the most essential ingredients… Israel was redeemed on this night from the complex material world through the higher spiritual realm. So, too, we are commanded to eat matzahwhich epitomizes this simplicity of the divine realm. This ideal of simplicity is also expressed in the clothing that the high priest wore on Yom Kippur. Throughout the year he dressed in golden garments, but on Yom Kippurhe wore plain white garments when entering the Holy of Holies. Since he was about to encounter the highest spiritual realm, he had to get rid of the trappings of the material world. When he entered the Holy of Holies on Yom Kippurhe dressed in white, which represents the qualities of holiness and simplicity. This is the meaning of the verse, "Seven days shall you eat matzot, the bread of poverty, for you came out of the land of Egypt *b'hipazon,*in haste.” (Deut. 16:3) The people left Egypt in haste, without tarrying, signifying that they left at the highest spiritual level. B'hipazonsuggests that there was timelessness to the way they left unlike natural activities that involve the passage of time. Therefore it is fitting to eat the lechem oniwhich is the simplest bread without other ingredients. The Talmudsays that matzahis lechem oni¹but it is pronounced as if there were vav. The Aramaic word for it used in the Haggadahis spelled with an aleph. Hebrew words are derived from three letter root words. Onicomes from the same root as *Ani,*poor. But it might as easily be derived from the root onehwhich means to answer or explain. The Talmudexplains the expression lechem onias the bread that explains the story of the Exodus. But if the word onicomes from this root than it should have been written correctly as aniya. That is why the Talmudoffers a second explanation. In this way it suggests that lechem oniis associated with both possible interpretations of the word oni.****because it is "the bread over which we recite (onim) many things." (Pesahim115a) This means that we publicize the Exodus through matzah; through it we learn the nature of the Exodus from Egypt. Therefore it is fitting to tell the story of the Exodus with the unleavened bread. But there is a difficulty with this explanation. If this is so, it should have been עניא called lechem aniyaעניה ; Why is it called lechem oniעוני then? The Talmudalso interprets the word oni as coming from the word poor, " It is called the bread of (עני ani- poverty): just as a beggar generally takes a piece, so here too a piece is taken. Another interpretation: just as a poor man fires the oven while his wife bakes, so here too, he heats and she bakes." Yet if it referred to the poor it should have been written aniעני instead of Oniעוני *.*Therefore both interpretations of the word can be derived from Oni.

footnotes: ¹ The divine and spiritual realm is called olam hapashut ¹ The word עוני is spelled without a vav

All Who are hungry Come and Eat **…**There are two different expressions here. For those who are hungry, we say, kol d'khfin, “All who are hungry,” come eat the bread of poverty. For those who have food but don’t have the means to observe the rituals of Passover eve, we say, *kol d'tzrikh, “*All who are in need, come celebrate Passover. The statement goes on to say that remembering the rite of Passover is as acceptable to the Holy One as doing it. If one is able to offer the Passover offering one should do so but now that it is not possible to offer the sacrifice, by celebrating the Seder(and remembering it), it is as good as actually offering the sacrifice. Thus, the Holy One considers it as good as actually fulfilling the commandment if circumstances make it impossible to do so. Therefore, we say, next year when we hope to be in the land of Israel we will offer the sacrifices according to all the details of the law. There are two things that prevent us from observing the Passover sacrifice. The first thing preventing us is living in exile outside of the land of Israel. But even if we are in the land of Israel, if we are still living under the subjugation of other nations, it would still be impossible for us to rebuild the Temple and to make the sacrifice. This is the second thing preventing us from observing the pesachoffering. These two obstacles, exile and our inability to rebuild the Temple, are mentioned in this passage: "Now we are here" and "Now we are slaves." The first part of this passage is in Aramaic (Now we are…) while the second part of the passage is in Hebrew (Next year may we…) The word shanah, year, is used because it comes from the same root as the word shanuy, change. We hope that the year will pass with all its changes. It is more appropriate to refer to this year with the Aramaic hashata.¹implies that this is how we are right now but we hope our condition will change even sooner than next year. Why should we wait until next year to return to the land of Israel and rebuild the Temple? This word can also mean "now" in Aramaic. We should not say, "This year we are here; this year we are slaves." We hope that we will merit to cease being slaves and return to the land of Israel even sooner and not next year. *Hashata,*now, is more immediate than *hashana,*this year.

footnotes: ¹ The word Hashata