Misva #10: The Obligation to Eat Masa

The Torah commands in the Book of Shemot (12:18), “Ba’ereb Tochelu Masot” – “In the evening, you shall eat Masot,” introducing the obligation to eat Masa on the night of the 15 th of Nissan (the first night of Pesach). One fulfills this Misva only with Masa baked from one of the five principal grains. The reason behind this Misva, of course, is to recall how our ancestors were rushed out of Egypt after having been held there as slaves for over two centuries. The miraculous redemption unfolded so quickly that they did not have time to prepare adequate provisions, and so they baked unleavened Masa, and we commemorate the speed of the redemption by eating Masa. This obligation applies even after the destruction of the Bet Ha’mikdash. Although the Pesach sacrifice is not offered in the absence of the Bet Ha’mikdash, the Torah obligation to eat Masa nevertheless remains binding. The obligation to eat Masa applies even to women, despite the fact that it falls under the category of “Misvot Aseh She’ha’zman Gerama” – affirmative commands which apply only at certain times (as one is obligated to eat Masa only on the night of the 15 th of Nissan). The Gemara establishes that women are included in the obligation of Masa based on the verse in the Book of Debarim (16:3) which mentions both the prohibition against eating Hametz and the Misva to eat Masa. That these two commands are mentioned in the same verse indicates that everyone bound by the prohibition of Hametz is included in the obligation of Masa. Therefore, since women are included in all Misvot Lo Ta’aseh (prohibitions), they are included also in the obligation of Masa. Tosafot (in Masechet Megilla) raise the question of why the Gemara needed to resort to this inference to establish women’s obligation to eat Masa. The Gemara elsewhere states that women are required to hear the Megilla reading because “Af Hen Hayu Be’oto Ha’nes” – “they, too, were included in the miracle.” Haman’s decree of annihilation threatened both men and women, and thus both the men and the women were saved by the Purim miracle. As such, both men and women must commemorate the miracle through the reading of the Megilla. By the same token, it would seem, as both the men and the women were miraculously delivered from Egyptian bondage, they should both be obligated to eat Masa to commemorate this miracle. Seemingly, then, even without a comparison between the prohibition of Hametz and the obligation of Masa, we would have known that women are included in the obligation of Masa. Why, then, did the Gemara need to infer this Halacha from the verse? Tosafot answer that the rule of “Af Hen Hayu Be’oto Ha’nes” establishes a requirement only Mi’de’rabbanan – by force of Rabbinic enactment. When it comes to eating Masa, women are required to eat Masa on Pesach on the level of Torah obligation, as the Gemara derives from the verse. One cannot fulfill the Misva of Masa by eating Masa which is forbidden for consumption, such as Masa produced from Tebel – grain which has yet to be tithed, and is thus forbidden. Since Halacha forbids eating this food, one cannot use it to fulfill a Misva. The Minhat Hinuch writes that an exception is the case of a patient suffering from a life-threatening illness who urgently requires food, and the only food available is Masa made from forbidden grain. This conclusion is based on the Shulhan Aruch’s discussion (Orah Haim 196) regarding the recitation of a Beracha over forbidden food. The Shulhan Aruch writes that one who eats forbidden food may not recite a Beracha, because if he would, “En Zeh Mebarech Ela Mena’etz” – “he is not blessing [G-d], but rather blaspheming [G-d].” One cannot be credited with a Misva, pronouncing a blessing to G-d, if He does so in the context of a sin. However, the Shulhan Aruch rules that if one eats forbidden food in a case of Piku’ah Nefesh (concern for human life), where eating this food is necessary to prevent a threat to life, then the patient does, in fact, recite a Beracha. By the same token, the Minhat Hinuch writes, a patient in such a situation on the night of the 15 th of Nissan would fulfill the obligation of Masa with Masa made from forbidden grain. Since Halacha allows him to eat this Masa, he fulfills his Misva with this Masa, as well.