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The Origins and Halachic Viability of Thick Matzot / By Rabbi Ariel Ovadia
Ask any Jew, religious or not-so-much, what Matzah looks like, and most probably they will answer that it is hard and thin with many rows of holes punched in. Indeed, it is the practice of almost all Jews to eat thin Matzot. Some bakeries have even made a name for themselves by selling extra-thin Matzot, notably the famed Pupa-Tzehlim Matzah bakery of Williamsburg, New York.
However, in recent years there are a growing number of bakeries that bake extra thick and – if you’re lucky – soft Matzot[1]. These were used by Yemenites for generations, and are now gaining popularity among many Sefaradim. In this article, I would like to examine the various sources that deal with the issue of the proper thickness that Matzot should be.
Baking a “Thick” Loaf on Pesach
The Gemara in Pesahim[2] recounts an argument between Bet Shammai and Bet Hillel, whether one is allowed to bake a “thick loaf” on Pesach or not.
The Gemara offers two ways to understand what this “thick loaf” is referring to: either it is literally a thick loaf, which Bet Shammai forbids because of a suspicion of Hametz and Bet Hillel permits, or, it refers to baking many loaves of bread, and the prohibition according to Bet Shammai has to do with unnecessary exertion on Yom Tov, not with the suspicion of Hametz.
The Gemara discusses what is the maximum thickness that would be acceptable according to Bet Hillel and cites the Lehem HaPanim (which was also non-Hametz) as proof that the width of a Tefah (appx. 3-4 inches) is acceptable. However, some Amora’im take issue with this comparison, because it may be that the special equipment and techniques used in the baking of the Lehem HaPanim were effective in preventing it from leavening. However, we, who do not use that equipment and those techniques, cannot be assured that a loaf will bake thoroughly without leavening at the width of a Tefah. The Gemara does not conclude with any clear maximum limit.
Does the Gemara Imply any Limits?
The Tur[3] quotes this Gemara as a source to allow baking many loaves of [non-Hametz] bread on Pessah. Clearly, the Tur is following the Gemara’s second explanation that a “thick loaf” does not mean thick in the literal sense, rather it means that one may not bake many loaves according to Bet Shammai, and L’Halacha we follow Bet Hillel who permit it.
The Bet Yosef comments that obviously this Halacha does not pertain only to Pessah but also to other Yamim Tovim, as we previously explained. Still, the Bet Yosef wonders, why did the Tur not mention that one may not bake a Tefah-wide Matzah, as this Gemara seems to imply. The Bet Yosef quotes Rabbenu Yeroham who also understood from this Gemara that there must be at least a Tefah limit on the thickness of a Matzah. It seems that the Bet Yosef deemed this to be the opinion of the Tur as well, and was therefore bothered by the Tur’s omission of this Halacha. Accordingly, the Bet Yosef rules in Shulhan Aruch[4]: “One may not bake Matzah that is a Tefah wide”.
Nonetheless, the Bayit Hadash and Magen Avraham claim that the Bet Yosef’s proof from the Gemara is unfounded. This is because the Gemara eventually refutes the explanation that a “thick loaf” means literally a thick loaf. Hence, we are left with no source to limit a Matzah’s thickness. The Magen Avraham also cites the fact that none of the Poskim – aside from the Bet Yosef and Rabbenu Yeroham – mention this Halacha. Therefore, he rules that even a Tefah-thick Matzah is acceptable.[5]
However, the Be’ur Halacha[6] is extremely critical of the opinion of the Magen Avraham, claiming that the reason why the Gemara does not conclusively understand a “thick loaf” to mean thick in the literal sense, is only because of the flawed analogy to the Lehem HaPanim. Obviously, this logic still stands, and there cannot be any comparison between the Lehem HaPanim, which was baked a Tefah-thick in the Bet HaMikdash, with great care and diligence, to our Matzos, which are baked by all Jews, without the equipment and know-how that was at the disposal of the experts in the Bet HaMikdash. The Be’ur Halachah contends that although the maximum thickness of a Matzah remains unclear, nevertheless, the Gemara clearly implies that we should follow stricter measures for common Matzot then what was acceptable for the Lehem HaPanim.
Accordingly, some Rishonim use this logic to prove the exact opposite point than that of the Magen Avraham.
The Ritva[7] writes in the name of the Ra’ah, that once we had proved in the Gemara that we cannot learn the parameters of a Matzah’s thickness from the Lehem HaPanim, and since the Gemara does not offer an alternative measurement, we must not make any thick Matzah, even less than a Tefah. This, writes the Ritva, is the source for the custom to make thin Matzos for the Seder[8]. Similarly, the Be’ur Halacha quotes the Rashba and the Ohr Zarua who concur with the Ritva.
Thus, the implication of this Gemara depends on the following three opinions:
- Bet Yosef and Rabbenu Yeroham: One can bake Matzah up to a Tefah thick, which is the very least we can derive from the Gemara.
- Magen Avraham: A Tefah-thick Matzah is acceptable, because we have no clear indication from the Gemara that there is any limit.
- Rashba, Ritva, Ra’ah and Ohr Zarua: One should refrain from baking any thick Matzah, even less than a Tefah, because there is no indication from the Gemara what the limit is and therefore we must be stringent.
The Rama’s Opinion
Thus far we have explained Maran’s opinion in Bet Yosef which seems to be the Sephardic ruling: allowing Matzot to be baked up to a Tefah thick. The Rama’s opinion on this issue is more ambiguous. The Rama[10] writes:
“ויש לעשות המצות רקיקין ולא פת עבה כשאר לחם, כי אין הרקיקין ממהרין להחמיץ”
“One should make the Matzos as thin-breads, not thick like the usual bread, because thin-breads do not leaven quickly”.
It seems as though the Rama is siding with the Rashba and Ritva quoted above. Especially, given the Rama’s expression of “פת עבה” – a thick loaf, a clear reference to the Gemara in Pesahim. One can claim that the Rama’s choice of expression is meant to imply that the ideal thinness must also be less than the one mentioned in that Gemara – a Tefah.
However, the Be’ur Halacha seems to understand that the Rama is not discussing a normal scenario, arguing that – based on the location of the Rama’s comment
– he is only discussing shaped or molded Matzot. Such Matzot are more susceptible to becoming Hametz, due to the baker’s involvement with their shaping, and must therefore be made thin. Nevertheless, the Mishnah Berura [written by the same author as the Be’ur Halacha] seems to understand that the Rama is referring to all Matzos, not just shaped and molded ones.
A look at the Darche Moshe [the Rama’s long commentary on the Tur, usually the source for his comments on the Shulhan Aruch[12]] may reveal what is the true intention behind the Rama’s ruling. In Darche Moshe, the Rama cites two reasons that one should bake the matzos thin and not thick:
- Abudarham in the name of Ra’avad in Derashot: Matzah should be a Lehem ‘Oni (bread of affliction), thus by making it thin it is more similar to a poor man’s bread. Similarly, the Gemara in Pesahim[13] says that one may not make a scalded[14] Matzah (חלוט) or a very large Matzah (אשישה), as these are more luxurious forms of bread.
- Mahari Weil: thick Matzot may become Hametz more easily.
The above sources prove that the Rama meant to rule out thick Matzot even if they are not molded or shaped. We must now clarify according to the Rama two essential points: A) which Matzot must be thin? B) How thin is “thin”?
Which Matzot Must Be Thin?
As we mentioned, the Darche Moshe cites two reasons to require the Matzot to be thin: Lehem ‘Oni or a suspicion of Hametz. An obvious difference between them would be with regards to Matzot for the rest of Pessah. If it is merely an issue of Lehem ‘Oni, then making Matzot thin is only a requirement for the Seder-night Matzot. However, if we suspect that it might become Hametz, then we should make all of the Pessah Matzot thin.
Interestingly enough, the Ritva, mentioned above, who derives the requirement to make thin matzos from the Gemara in Pesahim, should have held, accordingly, that this requirement applies to the entire Pessah, as the Gemara in Pesahim is clearly concerned with the possibility of the dough becoming Hametz. However, the Ritva writes: “this is the source of the custom to make the matzos for the Seder night thin”. If the reason is a suspicion of Hametz, why then does it make a difference whether it is the first night or not?
It seems that even according to the Ritva, the Gemara never really implied that a thicker Matzah is really unacceptable, so long as you make sure that it did not leaven. It does, however, imply that there is inherent risk in baking thick Matzah, even if it were less than a Tefah. Therefore, the Ritva advises to make the Seder-night Matzot thinner than a Tefah to follow the commandment of “ושמרתם את המצות” – which is an imperative to take extra precautions when baking the Seder Matzot. We can safely assume that the Rama, too, would only require the Seder-night Matzot to be extra thin, as the Ritva clearly writes, and the Mishna Berura seems to suggest.
Using Thick Matzos
In light of all of the above, it is clear that even the thick Matzot that are on today’s market, they are not nearly as thick as the Tefah that the Bet Yosef mentioned or even an Etzba (appx.), which is the limit according to the Sefer Bet Hillel and other Poskim. This practice would seem to be in line with all of the Poskim’s opinions.
Additionally, the great benefit of using thick Matzot is that it is much easier to eat the proper amount required by Halacha. Although in general, B’nei Torah are always careful to eat the proper amount, having thick Matzah around the Seder table can be especially helpful when one is hosting family members or guests who might not be as meticulous with regards to eating the minimum Matzah requirement. This is because, whereas, with a commonly used thin Matzah one has to eat about a half to three quarters of a Matzah to fulfill the proper amount, a significantly thicker Matzah will obviously require a much smaller piece.
Another benefit of these Matzot is not necessarily their thickness, but their softness (the thickness is due to the width of the dough, while the softness has to do with the water-to-flour ratio). Although the two aren’t interdependent, it is the general practice to make thick Matzot using a softer dough. This is because it would be very hard to eat a thick unleavened Matzah. The Poskim discuss the status of a Belila Raka (soft dough) with regards to saying the Beracha of ‘Hamotzi’. Provided, however, that the Matzah is within the parameters of what is halachically defined as bread, making a softer batter mitigates the risk of unbaked parts in the Matzah and/or pockets of dry flour (which is the basis for the suspicion of the stringency of Matzah Sheruya, better known as Gebrokts, kept by many Ashkenazim). A higher water-to-flour ratio increases the likelihood that all of the flour had become part of the batter and was baked properly[15].
One must weigh the pros and cons of having very thin Matzah. One must bear in mind, that when getting thicker Matzot – even if the thickness of the Matzah maybe within the parameters of Halacha – it must nevertheless be purchased only from a very reliable bakery with strict and G-d fearing management and a proper rabbinical supervision.
For a fascinating overview of the backdrop behind thick and thin Matzot, their unlikely connection to some well-known Pessah stringencies and the historical Sephardic position, stay tuned for our follow-up article “Thick Matzot: The Back Story” on our website: www.theshc.org
SOURCES:
[1] These Matzot are often billed as “soft” Matzos, when in fact, it is quite unusual for a Matzah to stay soft even if it is thicker, due to the high flour-to-water ratio of the dough. Because there are no additives, these Matzot tend to become hard to chew. Many bakeries who bake thick Matzot advise to keep them in the freezer and warm the right before consumption.
[2] ל”ז ע”א
[3] או”ח סי’ תס
[4] שם ס”ה
[5] Obviously, both the Bet Yosef and Magen Avraham agree that one must ensure the Matzah is fully baked and absolutely not Hametz. They are only arguing whether the Gemara implies that one should categorically avoid a certain thickness as a precaution, so the Matzah will not become Hametz.
[6] שם
[7] חידושים שם
[8] בביאור שיטת הריטב”א עיין להלן
[10] או”ח סי’ תס ס”ד
[12] שמעתי מא’ מתלמידי הגר”מ פיינשטיין זצ”ל בשמו שהרמ”א לא תמיד פוסק בהגהותיו כפי מה שהעלה בד”מ
[13] ל”ה ע”ב
[14] Scalding is the process of placing the batter in boiling water before baking it, as is commonly done with bagels
[15] כ”כ ר’ מנחם מ’ אייזנברג במאמר בשם ‘תולדות השכלולים במצות’ שנדפס בקובץ תחומין חלק כ”ו
It is hard to see the logic here, since the avoidance of chametz applies to all of Pesach.