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The Mitzvah of eating Matzah:[1]
On the first night of Pesach: It is a positive command in the Torah to eat a Kezayis of Matzah [within Kdei Achilas Peras] on the night of the 15th of Nissan. [In the Diaspora, one is Rabbinically obligated to eat Matzah also on the night of the 16th.] There are several conditions associated with the fulfillment of the Mitzvah of eating Matzah on the first night of Pesach, such as:
- The Matzah must be Shmura and made Lishma. [Halacha 2-3]
- It cannot be Matzah Ashira. [Halacha 5]
- It cannot be Gebrochts. [Halacha 6]
- It must be eaten by a certain time. [Halacha 13]
- One must eat a certain amount. [Halacha 14]
- The required amount must be eaten within a certain amount of time. [Halacha 15]
The status of the Matzahs eaten on the first night of Pesach are referred to as Matzos Mitzvah.
Eating Matzah on the remaining days of Pesach:[2] The obligation of eating Matzah only applies on the first night of Pesach. On all the other nights and days of Pesach, there is no obligation to eat Matzah, and one is simply warned against eating Chametz. Meaning, that if one desires to eat bread, then he must supervise it, and bake it in a way that is not Chametz. If, however, he does not care to eat bread, then he is not required to eat Matzah and may choose to eat other foods throughout Pesach. Nonetheless, on Shabbos and Yom Tov one must eat Matzah due to the obligation of having a meal on these days. Even so, one is not required to eat specifically Matzah that is valid for fulfillment of the Mitzvah on the night of the 15th, but rather all Matzah is valid. [Accordingly, there is no Mitzvah at all to eat Matzah on Pesach other than on the first night.[3] Nonetheless, this only means that there is no obligation, however, one who eats Matzah on the other days also fulfills a slight Mitzvah.[4] Furthermore, eating Matzah on the other days has ability of drawing down a higher form of G-dliness, which can only be drawn through a voluntary Mitzvah as oppose to an actual obligation.[5]]
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[1] Admur 475:15; 32; Mitzvah 7 in Minyan Hamitzvos of Admur
[2] Admur 475:32; Michaber 475:7; Pesachim 120a; See Admur 453:14; Igros Kodesh 19:234
[3] Rebbe in Igros Kodesh ibid;
[4] Likkutei Sichos 22:276; 7:275; Biur Hazohar Tzemach Tzedek p. 96; Sefer Hamamarim 5668 p. 171; See Admur 455:15-16 “The Matzahs not of Mitzvah are Karov Ledavar Reshus”
[5] See Sefer Hamamarim 5668 ibid; Likkutei Sichos ibid
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