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...
Reciting Birkat Ha'gomel After Childbirth
Reciting Birkat Ha'gomel in Cases of a Recurring Illness, After Fainting, and After a Failed Suicide Attempt
Leaving a Sefer Open After One Finishes Learning
Adding "U'le'chaparat Pesha" in Musaf on Rosh Hodesh During a Leap Year
Birkat Ha'ilanot- Reciting Birkat Ha'ilanot Over the Same Person's Tree Each Year
Wearing A Kippa (Yarmulke)
Extending a Greeting of "Shalom" with One's Head Uncovered
Leaving a Portion of One's Home Unfinished to Commemorate the Temple's Destruction
Hallel: When During the Day May it be Recited, and May One Interrupt to Answer "Amen"?
May a Woman Kiss a Rabbi's Hand When She Approaches for a Blessing?
Employing the Medical Remedies Mentioned in the Talmud
Allowing a Child or Woman to Affix the Sisit Strings Onto a Tallit
When Is It Required and When Is It Not Required To Allow A Kohen To Bypass Waiting On A Line
Affixing the Sisit Strings to the Tallit with the Specific Intent for the Misva
Can A Teacher Punish and Can A Teacher Demand Of Their Students To Divulge A Culprit
Page of 239
3585 Halachot found