ג' מצות
Three Matzot

QUESTION: Why is it customary to take three matzot for the Seder?

ANSWER: The community of Kairuwan enquired of Rav Sherira Gaon why we take three matzot on the evening of Pesach, no less and no more. He replied that there is an allusion to this in the Torah: The three measures of flour which Avraham asked Sarah to use for baking cakes (Bereishit 18:6), for according to our tradition this happened on Pesach. Others say that they are a reminder of the three “mountains of the world,” i.e., Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov.

(הגש"פ עם לקוטי טעמים ומנהגים מכ"ק אדמו"ר)

Alternatively, the reason for three matzot is that the Jews ate matzah for three different reasons:

1) While slaving in Egypt they were constantly rushed to work and were forced to eat matzah, due to lack of time to let the dough rise, as stated in the Haggadah, “This is the bread of affliction that our fathers ate in the land of Egypt.”

2) Prior to leaving they were instructed concerning the Pesach-offering and commanded to eat it together with matzot on the night of the 15th of Nissan.

3) In the morning, upon leaving Egypt, “They baked matzot from the dough that they had brought out of Egypt, for they were driven from Egypt and they could not delay” (Shemot 12:39).

(הגש"פ מוצל מאש – בית אהרן – בפי' פאר אהרן מר' אברהם אהרן ז"ל פריעדמאן, טשאפ, רוסיא, תש"ב)


מצות: כהן, לוי, ישראל

Matzot: Kohen, Levi, Yisrael

QUESTION: The three matzot are referred to as Kohen, Levi, and Yisrael. According to Chabad, first the bottom matzah — Yisrael — is placed then the Levi in the middle, and finally the Kohen on top.

Why this order and not the reverse?

ANSWER: The three matzot in this order (כהן, לוי, ישראל) are an acronym of the word “keli” (כלי) — “vessel.” This indicates that one is a vessel for receiving the kedushah — holy revelations — of the Seder.

When one places the bottom matzah first and then the others on top (ישראל, לוי, כהן), the acronym formed is “yeilech” (ילך) — which means to go and proceed. This indicates that the Seder is not only intended to make a Jew a vessel to receive kedushah, but also that it prepares him to propel himself to greater heights of kedushah, till he ultimately reaches the level of complete spiritual redemption.

(הגש"פ עם לקוטי טעמים ומנהגים וביאורים)