Siman - Pesachim Daf 36

• לחם עני

It was taught in a Baraisa that one might have thought that one can fulfill his chiyuv of eating matzah, with matzah made from maaser sheini, provided that he eats it in Yerushalayim, תלמוד לומר "לחם עני" – מה שנאכל באנינות – The Torah states, “the bread of Oni.” This teaches that matzah must be something that may be eaten in a state of אנינות, which excludes maaser sheini, which is eaten in simchah. These are the words of Rebbe Yose Haglili. Rebbe Akiva says, מצות מצות ריבה – the Torah states “matzos” and then repeats “matzos,” to include matzah made of maaser sheini. He learns that לחם עני is coming to exclude, עיסה שנילושה ביין ושמן ודבש – dough that is kneaded with wine, oil, or honey. These add a richness to the dough, so that it can longer be classified as “poor man’s bread”. Rebbe Akiva expounds from the written form of עני whereas Rebbe Yose Haglili expounds from the pronunciation, עוני.

Rebbe Akiva says that expounding the pronunciation of עוני can be explained by Shmuel who said, לחם עני – לחם שעונין עליו דברים הרבה – the Torah calls it the bread of oni because it is bread upon which we declare (onin) many things, referring to 

• Matzah cannot be made from bikkurim

It was taught in a Baraisa that it might have been thought that one can fulfill his chiyuv for matzah on Pesach with bikkurim, תלמוד לומר "בכל מושבתיכם תאכלו מצות" – The Torah states, “in all your dwellings you shall eat matzos”, which teaches that only matzah that can be eaten in all your dwellings may be used, excluding bikkurim which cannot be eaten except in Yerushalayim, these are the words of Rebbe Yose Haglili. Rebbe Akiva provided a different source but eventually retracted his position.

The Gemara asks why Rebbe Yose Haglili needed to derive the exclusion of bikkurim from this passuk when he could have derived it from his previous derasha from לחם עני – that only something that can be eaten in a state of aninus may be used for matzah, excluding this matzah made from bikkurim which may only be eaten in a state of joy. The Gemara answered that Rebbe Yose Haglili holds like Rebbe Shimon who permits bikkurim to be eaten in a state of aninus. 

• Matzah must resemble a poor man’s bread

It was taught in a Baraisa, "לחם עני" – פרט לחלוט ולאשישה – The Torah states that matzah must resemble a poor man’s bread, this excludes scalded bread and ashishah. Rashi explains that scalded bread is prepared in an elegant manner with very fine flour, and ashishah is an oversized loaf, which the Meiri says is ordinarily baked only for important company. The Baraisa continues, that one might have thought that one only fulfills his chiyuv with פת הדראה, - coarse bread, therefore the Torah repeats the word “matzos” ואפילו כמצות של שלמה – and even matzos like those of Shlomo Hamelech may be used.