[Avodah] Gebrochts

[rabbirichwolpoe at gmail.com]

Micha
> Thanks to RSZ, who cited this SAhR in a discussion some years back about
> how long ago Ashkenazim started exclusively making crispy matzos. (I
> would think there must have been some mesorah beforehand, as I I can't
> picture people suddenly being meiqil on fulfilling the mitzvah with
> something that has a hava amina of being pas haba beqisnin.)

Micha did a great job on a long, deep topic. Hilchos hametz umatza is
as involved as anything in yore dei''ah!

Just some parparos:
Rambam uses term "rekik" which implies wafer. See vayikra and tzav that
has 3 kinds of matzos and I am guessing that rekik is the thinnest. (Also
l'havdil the Catholic wafer is thin enough to see thru and lichora is
based upon ancient matza.)

Rema says tefach is max thickness.

AISI, since we are machmir to have thin crispy matza, we can afford to
be meikil about the cheshash of unbaked sections. Otoh would we change
and be meiklil and restore thick matzos we would need to restore the
cheshash of not being baked thoroughly. A humra-kula see-saw if you will.

AISI with our matzos there is no need to be chosheish for gebroktz
BUT
The cheshash could exist if matzos were kosher but thicker.

Tangentially, the Rosh says we don't need to be chosheish for hametz in
certain crevices because yisroel am kedoshim... So that our chumros in
cleaning allow certain kullos about hazzakos Of hametz.

Humros at the outset that remove sfeikos (histaleik min hasafeik) can
actually make life easier in the long run on the back end. EG growing
bug free produce..

Gutn Mo-ed
RRW
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