Using Egg Matzah for Lechem Mishneh

Q. Some people do not want to have any chametz on the table Shabbos erev Pesach. Can kosher for Pesach egg matzos be used for lechem mishneh?

A. Egg matzah is in the category of pas ha’ba b’kisnin (bread-like items that are usually eaten for a snack). Ordinarily, if one eats egg matzah the bracha is borei minai mezonos, unless it is part of a substantial meal. Nonetheless, Rav Moshe Feinstein (Igros Moshe OC 1:155) writes that if egg matzah is used for lechem Mishnah for a Shabbos meal, the bracha is hamotzi. One should make sure to eat at least a kibaiya (a little more than 2 fl. oz) of egg matzah, in addition to other foods that will be served at the meal. According to many opinions egg matzah can only be eaten as long as chometz can be consumed, which is the end of the fourth hour.

The Rema (OC 444:1) writes that in our communities, egg matzah is not eaten on Pesach. Therefore, on erev Pesach one should fulfill shalosh seudos with fruit. The implication of Rema is that egg matzah may not be eaten on erev Pesach in the afternoon. However, the Chok Yaakov (444:1) writes that it is possible that the Rema only meant that one is not required to find egg matzah for Shalosh Seudos since it was uncommon in their communities, but if one had egg matzah it may be eaten. The Sharei Teshuva (444:2) as well writes that there is a basis to be lenient. Rav Schachter says that if one has egg matzah that they know was made with grape juice (matzah ashira according to all opinions) it may be eaten in the afternoon for shalosh seudos, up until 3 hours (sha’os zmaniyos) before Yomtov.

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The Gerald & Karin Feldhamer OU Kosher Halacha Yomis is dedicated to the memory of Rav Yisroel Belsky, zt"l, who served as halachic consultant for OU Kosher for more than 28 years; many of the responses in Halacha Yomis are based on the rulings of Rabbi Belsky. Subscribe to the Halacha Yomis daily email here.