DailyHalacha.com for Mobile Devices Now Available

Click Here to Sponsor Daily Halacha
"Delivered to Over 6000 Registered Recipients Each Day"

      
(File size: 432 KB)
Within How Much Time Must One Eat the Masa at the Seder?

One of the Misvot at the Seder on Pesah is to eat Masa; Halacha requires one to eat two Kezetim of Masa at the Seder.

What is the time frame within which the two Kezetim of Masa must be eaten?

Hacham Ben Sion Abba Shaul (Israel, 1923-1998) addresses this question in his work of responsa Or Le’sion (vol. 3, 15:13; listen to audio recording for precise citation). He writes that ideally, one should place the two Kezetim of Masa in his mouth all at once, chew it very well, and then swallow it. Ideally, one should swallow all the Masa at once. If this is too difficult, one should swallow one Kezayit, and then swallow the rest afterward.

If one finds himself unable to put all the Masa in his mouth at the same time, then he should at least eat the entire amount within a period of four minutes, starting from the time he begins swallowing the Masa. (The time spent chewing does not count toward the time limit.) An ill or elderly person, who cannot eat so quickly, should endeavor to eat all the Masa within 6-7 minutes. If even this is too difficult, then he should try to eat the Masa within nine minutes.

Summary: Ideally, when one fulfills the Misva of Masa at the Seder, he should place all the Masa in his mouth at the same time, chew it, and then swallow it all at once. If this is too difficult, he should eat the Masa within four minutes, and those who cannot eat quickly should eat the Misva within no more than nine minutes, and preferably within 6-7 minutes.

 


Recent Daily Halachot...
If Someone Began Reciting a Beracha With the Intention of Reciting the Wrong Beracha
One Who Forgot to Add “Reseh” in Birkat Hamazon on Shabbat
The Water for Mayim Aharonim; Washing Mayim Aharonim After Touching Salted Foods
A Person Who Fell Asleep During a Meal and Then Wishes to Continue Eating
If Two People Ate a Meal and Were Joined by a Third Person Just Before Birkat Hamazon
Reciting Ha’tob Ve’ha’metib Over Wine
Washing One’s Hands After Touching His Feet or Shoes
Must One Recite Birkat Hagomel After Surviving a Near-Fatal Accident?
Reciting a Beracha Over Forbidden Food
If a Group of Ten People Recited a Zimun Without Adding “Elokenu”
If a Person Recited Birkat Ha’mazon Before the Zimun
Covering or Removing the Knives from the Table for Birkat Ha’mazon
Reciting the Beracha of Hamosi Over Bread
Fingernails and Netilat Yadayim
Netilat Yadayim: Reciting the Beracha After Drying the Hands; Speaking in Between the Washing and Drying
Page of 239
3585 Halachot found