The Bread of Many Answers
By Rebbetzin Chana Bracha Siegelbaum, director of Midreshet B’erot Bat Ayin
The Pessach Haggadah opens with the words, “This is the bread of poverty that our fathers ate in Egypt.” Yet, “lechem oni” – bread of poverty – also has another connotation. “Lechem oni – the bread about which one answers many things” (Pessachim 115b). With matzah as the center piece, the Seder revolves around questions and answers. The son asks “mah nishtana” (How is this night different…) and his father answers him. As our Rabbis taught, if he has a wise son, the son will ask him, otherwise his wife asks. If he doesn’t have a wife he must ask himself, even two scholars who know the laws of Pesach must ask one another. (ibid. 116a)
The Hagadah itself is written the way of question and answer, rather than simple statements. In the saying of Rabban Gamliel, for example, rather than affirming “we eat matzah because…”; the entire section is written in questions: “Matzah — Why do we eat this unleavened bread… Maror — Why do we eat this bitter herb?” (The Hagadah of Pessach). The manner of questioning helps us to regard ourselves as personally going out of Egypt, when we experienced the newness of emerging from the constraints. Rather than feeling accustomed to the rituals of the Seder, we should feel renewed of soul and wonder about eating the matzah, maror etc. Only when we become amazed by the wonder of how this night is different from all other nights, will we be able to feel renewed and changed as if we personally emerged from Egypt. (Pri Tzaddik, the Holiday of Pessach, Ot 2)
The attribute of the month of Nissan is שיחה (sicha) – conversation/speech. (Sefer Yetzira 5:7). By answering many questions about the Exodus during the Seder we have the ability to rectify the covenant of speech. This is alluded to in the astrological sign of Nissan -lamb- טלה (tale’) which is linked to the Hebrew word בטלה (bete’la) meaning idle. Matzah elicits rectification of idle speech which continues through the counting the Omer that we recite loudly. (Ateret Yeshua on the Torah)
The reason why the mitzvah of telling the story of the Exodus rectifies the covenant of speech is that every mitzvah empowers the limb employed to perform it. The mitzvah of eating the matzah rectifies eating, while telling the story rectifies speech. Therefore Pesach פה שח (Peh- Sach) means, “the mouth speaks” –for the mouth of Israel is opened by means of the matzah as David wrote: “take me out from the confines of my soul, so I can thank you…” (Tehillim 142:8) True freedom from slavery is to be able to open our mouth to praise Hashem. This is why it is so praiseworthy to increase in speaking about the Exodus during the Seder. By means of telling the story our mouth becomes like a wellspring which overflows. This is the meaning of “the bread of many answers.” (Sefat Emet on Pessach)
The expression “Lechem Oni” can also mean –“the bread upon which we call out.” Eating the matzah in holiness enables us to call out with a great voice in prayer.
When we turn the Chet of Chametz into the Heh of Matzah- which refers to holiness of thought- we empower our voice to emerge in powerful tefila (prayer). (Likutei Halachot, laws of the meal, halacha 3)
By means of the matzah we also merit the voice of Torah. The word “oni” equals the numerical value of the word “kol”- voice, mentioned about Yaacov: “The voice is the voice of Yaacov” (Bereishit 27:22) the first mention of voice in the verse refers to prayer, the second to Torah. (Sefat Emet on Pessach)
Maharal explains that matzah is called the bread of poverty in contrast to matzah ashira – rich matzah – which contains oil and honey. A poor person has no money, only himself and his body. Likewise, matzah has only the essential dough which consists of water and flour. It represents simplicity.
Although poverty seems to be the opposite of freedom, the Haggadah teaches us that poverty is related to redemption. Redemption can only come when one becomes totally oneself without being dependent on anyone else. A slave cannot stand on his own, but is dependent on his master. Likewise richness cannot stand on its own; it is dependent on its possessions. Since poverty has no possessions it stands on its own and is thus connected to redemption. Therefore, during the night of the Exodus, we are commanded to eat the bread of poverty containing nothing but its own essence.
The simplicity of the matzah connects us to the redemption on Pesach which originates from The Upper World. The quality of simplicity, although considered a lack in This World, is a virtue in The Upper World. While the Kohen Gadol (High Priest) ministers in golden garments all year, on Yom Kippur he enters the innermost chamber in his simple white garments. By entering in the innermost chamber of the Holy of Holiest he goes beyond the level of This World, which is compound, and acquires the level of The Upper World, which necessitates simplicity.
Matzah is related to answers because it teaches us about the Exodus and publicizes the miracle and the haste with which the Jewish people left Egypt. The Torah says, “Seven days you shall eat matzah, for in haste did you go out of Egypt.” (Devarim 15:3) Haste is essentially connected to the poverty of matzah because it too stands on its own, independent of the continuation of time. Moreover, we went out in the first month because the first is not connected and joined to previous months. (Nissan is called the first of the Jewish months). Redemption is beyond continuation and connection. For this reason we eat the bread of poverty in haste.
The haste without continual time during the Exodus teaches us that the Exodus is beyond time, and they went out by means of the upper level. The redemption was not according to nature, and therefore it is proper that they should eat the bread of poverty that is simple. This is the reason why matzah is related to answers. Matzah tells us about the haste of the Exodus and teaches us that the redemption came from The Upper World.
According to Rav Shalom of Beltz, “the bread of many answers” can also mean that on this night, G-d answers and fulfills all the requests we make of Him. This is the night when the redemption and salvation of Israel is awakened. Therefore, ‘whoever is hungry’ and needs Divine assistance should take advantage of this time and ‘come eat,’ for the Heavenly help will come. At this time, and by means of eating this bread, our requests are answered from Heaven.
Let the matzah teach us freedom from any attachment so we can return to our essential selves. May the “lechem oni” empower us to elevate our eating and speech, arousing our voice in Torah and Tefila, and in the merit of the matzah may Heaven answer all our heartfelt prayers to deliver us from our oppressors!