In Hamotzi we say blessed are you Hashem who brings bread from the ground. The obvious question is why do we say bread from the ground? After all doesn’t Hashem only provide the Wheat? The answer is that by stating the beracha as such we are saying we are a partner to Hashem being that we are a part of him and by leaving our individual work out of the picture we can see ourselves as a part of G-d. To have pride is exactly the opposite of this idea.

-- Chaviv Danesh

In the midst of our royal feasting, matzah is meant to be a moment of humility. It can be hard to balance between self-confidence and humility. Have you ever struggled to be both self-assured and humble? Reflect on those moments while you eat the matzah.

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Take the three matzot - the broken piece between the two whole ones – and hold them in your hand and recite the following blessing:

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יי אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם הַמּוֹצִיא לֶחֶם מִן הָאָרֶץ.

Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu melech ha-olam, hamotzi lechem min ha-aretz.

Praised are you, Adonai, Lord our God, Ruler of the universe, who provides sustenance from the earth.

Before eating the matzah, put the bottom matzah back in its place and continue, reciting the following blessing while holding only the top and middle piece of matzah.

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יי אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו וְצִוָּנוּ עַל אֲכִילַת מַצָּה.

Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu melech ha-olam, asher kid'shanu b'mitzvotav v'tzivanu al achilat matzah.

Praised are you, Adonai, Lord our God, Ruler of the universe, who has taught us the way of holiness through commandments, commanding us to eat matzah.

Break the top and middle matzot into pieces and distribute them everyone at the table to eat a while reclining to the left.


haggadah Section: Motzi-Matzah