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Upon completing the reading of Maggid, we wash our hands in preparation for eating Matza. This hand washing is conducted in normal fashion, just as we would wash before eating regular bread, and, unlike the earlier washing before Karpas, in this instance a Beracha is recited after washing.
After everybody has washed hands, the head of the Seder proceeds to Motzi-Matza, the recitation of the Berachot over the Matzot. At this point, he has in front of him two complete Matzot and, in the middle of these two Matzot, one piece from the broken Matza. He lifts all three Matzot and recites the Beracha of "Ha'motzi Lechem Min Ha'aretz." The reason for lifting all three Matzot is that on Pesach, like on all Yamim Tovim, one must recite Ha'motzi over two complete loaves of bread. Upon completing this Beracha, he drops the bottom Matza and then recites the Beracha of "Al Achilat Matza." When he recites these Berachot, he must have in mind that this recitation fulfills his own obligation as well as the obligation of those who listen to his Berachot. The others should likewise have in find to fulfill their obligation through his recitation of these Berachot. They should not answer "Baruch Hu U'varuch Shemo" during these Berachot, and they must answer "Amen" after each Beracha.
After reciting these two Berachot, the one leading the Seder takes pieces from both Matzot, dips them in salt, and eats them. He then breaks the Matzot and distributes Matza to everybody else.
The Shulchan Aruch rules that one should preferably eat the quantity of two "Ke'zeitim" of Matza, which equals approximately 54 grams. Although some later authorities disagreed with this ruling and held that one is required to eat only a single Ke'zayit (approximately 27 grams), we follow the Shulchan Aruch's ruling that one should endeavor to eat twice this amount. In truth, since some pieces of Matza invariably become wedged in between the teeth, one should eat a bit more than this amount. Needless to say, the Matzot upon which the leader of the Seder recites the Berachot will generally not suffice for distributing two "Ke'zeitim" of Matza to each participant in the Seder. The leader of the Seder must therefore distribute as well some Matza from the box at the table. This box should be prepared ahead of time and placed near him, before he recites the Berachot, so as to minimize the amount of time that elapses between his recitation of the Berachot and everyone's consumption of Matza.
Before eating the Matza, one must have in mind that he now fulfills the Torah obligation to eat Matza at the Seder.
Both men and women must eat the Matza while leaning on their left side. If a man ate his Matza without leaning, then he has not fulfilled the obligation and must eat another two "Ke'zeitim" of Matza. A woman, however, who ate Matza without leaning, is not required to eat more Matza.
The Matza eaten at this point should be eaten with only salt, and not with any spread. Similarly, one should not dip this Matza in any liquid or soup; it must be eaten plain, with nothing other than a small amount of salt.
One must ensure to eat this amount of Matza within a time-frame of seven minutes. Although some people endeavor to place two Ke'zeitim of Matza in their mouth all at once, Chacham Ovadia Yosef rules that this is unnecessary; one fulfills the obligation so long as he eats this complete amount within seven minutes.
One must eat the Matza at the Seder before Chatzot (midnight as defined by Halacha). If one did not eat Matza before midnight, when he eats Matza after midnight he omits the Beracha of "Al Achilat Matza." If a person did not eat Matza the entire night of Pesach, he cannot make up this Mitzva at a later point.
Must a person pay for his Matzot before Pesach, or does he fulfill his obligation even if he purchased them on credit and has yet to pay?
With regard to the Mitzva of four species on Sukkot, Halacha requires that one own the four species he uses to fulfill the Mitzva. Therefore, a person must pay the money for the four species before Sukkot, as he does not fulfill his obligation with a set of four species purchased on credit, which he cannot be said to formally "own." Regarding Matza, however, no such provision applies. One fulfills his obligation of Matza even with Matza that he does not own, provided that it was not stolen. Therefore, Chacham Ovadia Yosef rules (Chazon Ovadia – Laws of Pesach, 88) that although one should preferably settle his accounts before Pesach, even if he does not he fulfills his obligation with Matza purchased on credit.
Hazon Ovadia, pages 62-88.
