June 26, 2026 Categories: Ask the Rabbi / Torah
Q & A: Why Don’t We Say “Al Achilat Matzah” Throughout Pesach? (Part II)
Question: I have noticed that when we eat the matzah at the Seder, we recite the blessing of “Hamotzi lechem min ha’aretz,” followed by “Al achilat matzah.” Why don’t we say “Al achilat matzah” when we eat matzah during the remainder of Passover?
Moshe Jakobowitz Brooklyn, N.Y.
Synopsis: We began our discussion with Rambam's comments regarding the eating of matzah on the first night of Passover, when it is obligatory. The mitzvah of eating matzah, unlike maror, is independent of the Paschal sacrifice and it is a Biblical requirement even today. One of the explanations of “lechem oni,” as matzah is called, is bread of the poor. The poor have only broken pieces instead of whole loaves. At the Seder, we bless Hamotzi on two whole matzot and a broken piece (from the middle matzah that has been broken in two). It is the broken matzah, which symbolizes the uniqueness of eating matzah on this night, that requires the blessing of Al achilat matzah. Answer: The Gaon Rabbi Ovadiah Yosef, shlita, was asked the following question: “On whom do those who have a custom to recite the blessing of Al achilat matzah (‘Asher k’deshanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu al achilat matzah’ – [G-d] who has sanctified us with His commands and commanded us to eat matzah) during the seven days of Passover [in Israel], in addition to the HaMotzi blessing, rely? Or might this be a beracha levatala [lit., a blessing said in vain with the mention of G-d’s name] and therefore we must abolish the custom?” (Yechaveh Da'at Vol. 2:22). Had Rabbi Ovadiah Yosef not been asked this question and included it in his responsa, I am sure we would agree that this query is highly unusual, especially in light of all that we have discussed previously. One may ask, to begin with, why this beracha is not recited each time, and the person who addressed the question to Rabbi Ovadiah Yosef has in fact met people who do utter the blessing Al achilat matzah on the entire seven days (eight in the Diaspora) of Passover, a very unusual custom. In his answer, Rabbi Yosef quotes the commentary of Rabbenu Zerachya HaLevi (known as the Ba’al Hama’or) at the end of Tractate Pesachim, who actually asks your question, and I assume your reasoning was the same as his: “There are those who ask, What is the reason that we do not utter the blessing Al achilat matzah for the entire Passover, just as we say the blessing of ‘Leishev basukkah’ – to sit in the sukkah – for the entire seven-day period of Sukkot [even in the Diaspora; the eighth day, however, is considered to be a separate holiday, a ‘regel bifnei atzmo,’ and we refer to it as Shemini Atzeret, a day on which we may, but are not commanded, to sit in the sukkah].” The Ba’al Hama’or explains the reason for this question: “In the Gemara (Sukkah 27a) we derive the mitzvah to eat in the sukkah from the mitzvah to eat matzah on Passover. [It says regarding Sukkot (Leviticus 23:39), “On the fifteenth day of the month...’ and it states regarding Passover (Leviticus 23:6) “On the fifteenth day of the month...’ Thus, we derive that] just as matzah on the first night is a requirement (chova), and from then on it is optional (reshut), so, too, on Sukkot, the first night is a requirement and successive meals are optional. We conclude regarding both mitzvot that they are similar in that the first night is a requirement and from thereon the mitzvah’s performance is optional.” The Ba’al Hama’or continues: “We might say that [there is a difference, as] it is possible for a person to survive the duration of the other days of Passover without consuming matzah by satisfying his needs with rice or millet [these are not consumed by Ashkenazim on Passover according to our custom; Sepharadim, however, do use them] or various types of fruit. But as regards Sukkot, since a person cannot possibly go for three days without sleep, and he is obligated to sleep in the sukkah and ‘go for a walk’ (i.e., spend his leisure time) there, as the Gemara expounds (infra 28b) from the verse (Leviticus 23:42), ‘Basukkot teshvu...’ – In sukkot shall you dwell. ‘Shall you dwell’ implies that just as you dwell in your normal abode, in the same manner shall you dwell in the sukkah. Therefore, one is required for the duration of this holiday to recite at all the festive meals the blessing of Leishev basukkah. Rabbi Ovadiah Yosef notes: “We surmise from the style of his question that there is a mitzvah to eat matzah on all seven days of Passover, similar to the requirement of sitting in the sukkah, and that which the Gemara states that the first night is a requirement while afterwards is optional does not mean completely optional. Rather, this is similar to what Tosafot explain (s.v. ‘Ve’ha’amar Rav, tefillat Arvit reshut’ (Yoma 87b)) [about the evening prayer].” The Gemara notes Rav’s statement that the Ma’ariv prayer is an optional prayer, which the Gemara finds to be contradictory to a previously stated halacha that one who prayed Ne’ilah on Yom Kippur will thus have fulfilled his obligation of the Ma’ariv prayer that follows. The rule that Ma’ariv is reshut applies only in regard to allowing it to be superseded by a mitzvah overet (lit., a mitzvah whose time will pass by quickly, and one will not be able to accomplish it later on); but in ordinary circumstances, we may not nullify its performance, as it was the Patriarch Jacob who instituted it and he did not institute it for naught, for it was created to correspond with the burning of the remains of the burnt offerings and the fats, the ketoret ha’evarim v’hapedarim, which lasted the entire evening. Tosafot note the dispute in the Gemara (Berachot 26b) as to whether the Patriarchs established our daily prayers, or whether they were instituted only later as a replacement for the sacrifices following the destruction of the Holy Temple. Even though the burning of the remains and fats is not a hindrance to the performance of the sacrificial requirement, it is nevertheless a mitzva to burn them, and likewise the Ma’ariv prayer is a mitzvah. Rabbi Ovadiah Yosef thus leaves us with the impression that, indeed, one should utter the blessing Al achilat matzah for the duration of Passover. However, he goes on to cite Sefer HaMichtam (Sukkah 27a) and Orchot Chayyim (Hilchot Sukkah 36), who both refer to Rabbi Shakli, who explains that the eating of matzah is not for the sake of accomplishing the mitzvah of eating (achilat matzah); rather, since one is not allowed to eat chametz, one satisfies one's hunger by eating matzah. This is similar to one who eats the meat of a kosher animal – for surely, he may not eat the meat of a non-kosher animal – and he does not specifically recite the (hypothetical) blessing “asher ki’deshanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu le’echol besar behema tehora” – He (G-d) who has sanctified us with His commands and commanded us to eat the flesh of a kosher animal. Rabbi Shakli then concludes: “However, as for sitting in the sukkah, one does not do so to satisfy a personal need, but rather for the purpose of accomplishing the mitzvah of eating in the sukkah. Therefore, he is required to utter the blessing ‘Leishev basukkah.’” Rabbi Yosef reasons that according to Rabbi Shakli’s responsa, there is no mitzvah whatsoever to eat matzah for the remainder of Passover, for it is just like one who eats kosher meat. Rabbi Yosef refers to the Magen Avraham (Orach Chayyim 639), who also reasons similarly. Rabbi Yosef cites numerous other poskim who offer opinions on this matter. Notable is the Gaon R. Elijah of Vilna (HaGra), who took extra and loving care in the mitzva of eating matzah all seven days of Passover, as the verse states, “Shiv’at yamim tochlu matzot.” We refer to it as reshut, or optional, only in comparison to the first day’s eating of matzah which is obligatory (chova); nevertheless, the eating of matzah throughout Passover is a mitzvat aseh from the Torah. The Gaon R. Isaac Palagi, notes Rabbi Ovadiah Yosef, discusses this in his Yafeh Lalev (vol. II 475:7). He states, “The Magen Avraham (Orach Chayyim 31:3) writes that according to those who say that we do not don tefillin on Chol HaMoed (which is not considered a full-fledged Yom Tov not because of a prohibition regarding labor but rather because tefillin are considered an ot, a sign, for it states in Deuteronomy (6:8), ‘u’keshartam l’ot al yadecha’ – you shall bind them as a sign on your hand), this is because these days are themselves considered an ot. On Passover, [this is accomplished] by eating matzah, and on Sukkot by sitting in the sukkah.” It would thus seem, as Rabbi Yosef observes, that the eating of matzah is a requirement on all seven days of Passover, just like the donning of tefillin on weekdays [which it seems to supersede]. Therefore, it would follow that we bless Al achilat matzah every day of the seven days of Passover [eight days in the Diaspora], just as we recite a blessing each time we sit in the sukkah and when we don the tefillin every day. However, Orchot Chayyim and the Kol Bo as well as many other Acharonim note numerous reasons explaining why we do not make such a blessing on matzah for the remainder of Passover, and conclude that indeed one should not do so. Rabbi Yosef also cites Tosafot (Menachot 36b, s.v. “yatz’u”) who state, “The [distinguishing] sign of Passover is abstaining from eating chametz.” There is a physical and notable difference on Passover that serves as a distinguishing sign (ot), but what is inferred is not a positive command to eat matzah. It is, rather, the negative command not to eat chametz that serves as the sign. Thus, surely we should not say Al achilat matzah. Interestingly, the Chatam Sofer (whom Rabbi Yosef does not refer to) states (Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayyim 639): “The rule is ‘In Sukkot you shall dwell seven days,’ which means that one dwells in one’s sukkah as one does in the house, and only one who does not live in a house all year long, such as a watchman in the fields (see Sukkah 26a), should be exempt from sitting in the sukkah. However, one who dwells in a house is required to sit in the sukkah [and bless Leisheiv basukkah]. We should say the same regarding [Passover, about which we know that] ‘Seven days you shall eat matzot’; every day you are required to eat [and bless as well], but were it not for [what we learned in the Gemara, Pesachim 120a], ‘Six days shall you eat matzot...’” Thus, it is clear to us – and Rabbi Ovadiah Yosef concludes similarly as well – that we do not recite the blessing Al achilat matzah on the remaining days of Passover. Rabbi Yosef points out that where this custom exists, it should be abolished. Our fervent hope at this time, the month of Nissan, z’man ge’ulateinu, is that it ushers in a hope for real peace for acheinu Bnei Yisrael as well as in every corner of Hashem’s world. May so be His will.
