Siman 455

It is a simple matter that hot water, when one kneads dough with it, will bring it to a state of leavening, even if its warmth is only like the warmth of saliva. Therefore, it is forbidden to knead the matzah for all the days of Pesach except with cold water. And even though in the Temple all the meal offerings were kneaded with lukewarm water, and they would guard them so that they would not leaven (Menachot 55a), nevertheless, the kohanim are different as they are diligent. But we are not so, and it is forbidden for us to knead with lukewarm water, but only with cold water. And even with cold water, our sages, of blessed memory, were stringent at the end of the chapter "Kol Sha'ah" and said: A woman should not knead except with mayim she-lanu, that is to say: that were drawn, and the night passed over them after their drawing. And there are various reasons for this.

Rashi, of blessed memory, explained that because during the days of Nisan the springs are still warm as in the days of winter, therefore one must cool them for one night after they have been detached from their source. And similarly, the waters of the rivers also require one night of cooling, because the light of the sun beat upon them during the day. And behold, according to this reason, the primary concern is that the water be detached for the entire night, and he should draw them before nightfall. And he may draw them during the day at whatever time he wishes, provided that the night passes over them while detached. And before the light of day, it is forbidden to knead with them. And there are those who wrote that the primary concern is from midnight, because then the northern wind blows and cools. Therefore, post facto, even if he drew them at night, provided it was before midnight – it is permitted to knead with them the next day. It follows that according to this shitah, there is no hindrance in drawing during bein hashmashot, and it is only ab initio. But post facto, even if they drew during the day or at the beginning of the night – it is permitted. But corresponding to this, there is a stringency according to this shitah, that the water requires one night of cooling.

But our teacher Eliezer of Metz wrote the reason: because at night all springs and rivers are hot, since the sun travels beneath the visible horizon of the earth, and therefore it heats the springs and the rivers at night, and therefore at dawn one sees something like smoke over the rivers. Therefore, the water must not be in the spring or the river at night even at the beginning of the night, but rather one must draw them before the beginning of the night. And even though they were in the spring and the river during the past night, nevertheless during the day they cooled while being in their source. But when one drew them at night, even if we leave them for the next day and for several days – it is not effective, because he removed them while they were hot. And cooling is not effective for them except when they are a full day in the river and the spring, so that they cool from the heating of the night. Therefore, just as it is forbidden to draw them at night – so too during the day, because we require a full day for cooling while they are in their source. And according to this approach, the drawing is only during bein hashemashot, at a time that is neither day nor night. And corresponding to this, there is a leniency according to this approach, that as soon as he drew them he may knead the dough with them, and they do not require waiting a night as in the approach of Rashi.

Therefore, ab initio, in order to fulfill both opinions—one must draw the water during bein hashemashot, so that they cool for twelve hours in their source; and since it is impossible to be exact—therefore it should be close to bein hashemashot. And one should not bake with them until the light of the morning, whether they are well water, or spring water, or river water. And they may draw on one day for many days. And if the weather is hot—he should place them in a cellar which is cold. And if the weather is cold—he should place them in the open air, for then the cellar is warm. And with us, for the most part, the weather is cold. Nevertheless, one should not place them in the open air, for the sun will shine upon them. Therefore, the custom is to stand them in the entryway, where there is no heating and the cold prevails. And a small amount is brought into the house to knead with them, and when they are finished—they bring more from the entryway. Provided that the entryway has a roof over it, so that the sun does not strike the water.

Ideally, it is better when one draws them to bring them immediately into the house, to the place where they will remain overnight, as I have written. Nevertheless, when one transports them to the house under the open sky—one should cover them. And this is not because of the sun, for the sun has already set, but rather so that nothing should fall into them. However, if he did not bring them immediately into the house but left them in the open air, he must nevertheless rise early and bring them into the house before the sun rises, and even on a cloudy day, for the sun strikes through the cracks of the clouds. And thus they said in Yoma (28b): A cloudy day is entirely sun, see there. Nevertheless, if he did not bring them in early, and they remained thus under the open sky even uncovered, if they did not remain so long that they became warm according to visual assessment—this does not cause harm, even if they stood in the sun (Magen Avraham, subsection 2). And this depends on the assessment of his eyes. And there is one who wrote that when they stand in the house—it is better not to cover the water, so that the air may prevail (Chayei Adam, subsection 2).

And if he did not bring them in during bein hashemashot but rather at night or while it was still well within the day, and he has no other water – it is possible to permit it post facto after twelve hours (Chok Yaakov, subsection 1) according to the method of Rashi. And similarly, since it is impossible to be exact regarding the moment of bein hashemashot – it is better to be slightly early than to be slightly late (ibid. in the name of the Maharil, and see Turei Zahav). And when they bake on Sunday – it is necessary to prepare the water ab initio on Thursday during bein hashemashot, for on Erev Shabbat and Shabbat it is impossible during bein hashemashot. This is what our teacher, the Rema, wrote: And when Pesach falls on Sunday – one should draw the water on the eve of the thirteenth, which is Wednesday night. Thus far his words. And this is like their practice, for they would bake on the night of Pesach when the first day fell on Sunday. And if he forgot to draw them on Thursday – he should draw them on Erev Shabbat slightly before dark, or tell a non-Jew to draw them during bein hashemashot (Magen Avraham, subsection 4). And it appears to me that this is when Pesach falls on Sunday, as I have written. But for us, who bake several weeks before Pesach in bakeries, if he did not prepare water on Thursday – he should not bake on Sunday at all, but rather on Monday. And he should draw the water on Sunday during bein hashemashot according to the law. And there are those who are lenient (Sha'arei Teshuva, subsection 4).

Ab initio, one should draw from the rivers and not from the wells, because in Nisan the sun travels beneath the earth, and the wells are warm. However, at a time when the rivers are high from the melting of snows and rains – it is better to draw from wells, for in a river they are always warm because of the snows and the rains. And because in our lands it is always so, we therefore always draw from wells. And this is not a requirement that invalidates, for in a place where there is only a river – one always draws from the river. And in a place where there is only wells – one always draws from wells. And know that even though the custom is to spill the water at the time of a death or at the time of the tekufah – one should not do so with our water, for they should not be spilled, as "one who keeps a mitzvah will know no evil thing." And in our regions, at the time of the tekufah, there is no custom at all to spill the water, only there are those who place iron. And therefore, one should be careful not to place the iron with his hand into the water, for the hand warms.

Initially, one should be meticulous that the drawing of the water for matzah, and specifically for the matzah of the mitzvah, should be done by an adult Israelite. And at the time of the drawing, he should say, "For the sake of the matzah of the mitzvah." And they should not draw by means of a non-Jew nor by means of a minor, in order to show affection for the mitzvah. And for the matzah of the mitzvah, one takes specific water and in a specific vessel. Our teacher, the Rema, wrote that it is the custom to take new earthenware vessels, and one should not change the custom. But regarding those of wood, one need not be particular. Thus far his words. And among us, we draw with those of wood or those of metal. And regarding metal buckets that are painted—there is no concern, for there is no fear of leavening in them in this time. Furthermore: for cold substances and for a brief moment—there is no concern in any case.

Our teacher, the Beit Yosef, wrote in section 2: There are those who say that water collected in a cistern – it is permitted to knead with them immediately after their drawing. And one should not be lenient in the matter except in a case of pressing need. Thus far his words. And this refers to water collected in a large building, and from there the water goes through pipes to other places. And the building is constructed with a roof, a floor, and walls, and the sun does not enter into it. Therefore they said that it is permitted to knead with them immediately. And one should not be lenient except in a case of pressing need. However, there are times when they are not cold, and it is forbidden to knead with them. Likewise, the water that comes through the pipes in the large cities – their law is like the law of well water, and they must be drawn at twilight. And the small amount of water at the top – he should pour them out, for they are not cold. And likewise with the pumps – he should pour out some of the initial water for this reason, because since they remained there, they have become slightly warmed.

He further wrote in section 4: Water that has not rested, which was nullified one in two in water that has rested—one may knead with them. Thus far his words, for in such a case—certainly they too have cooled significantly. And it is not specifically one in two, but rather that the majority be from water that has rested (Magen Avraham subsection 15). And there are those who permit even mixing water that has not rested with water that has rested ab initio, for this is not like nullifying a prohibition ab initio, as there is no prohibition in this, but rather they require cooling, and in such a case they have cooled (ibid.). And nowadays we are very lenient regarding this matter of a mixture of water that has not rested with water that has rested, because they bake many loaves of Pesach flour in one day, and the water that has rested has diminished, and it is necessary to mix them. Furthermore: because here in our northern countries we see tangibly that the water is very cold before Pesach, and therefore we are lenient regarding the mixtures.

If one transgressed and kneaded the dough with water that did not rest, the Rif and the Rambam in the fifth chapter, law 14, prohibit it even ex post facto, and so wrote the Bahag. However, Rashi and the Rosh permitted it ex post facto. And some say that if it was unintentional—it is permitted, and if intentional—it is prohibited. And in a time of pressing need, such as when he has no other water—it is permitted to knead with them when it was unintentional. And if he already transgressed and kneaded with water that did not rest unintentionally—it is permitted even when it is not a time of pressing need, meaning that he has other matzah. However, it is certainly the case that he should not take these matzot for the matzah of the mitzvah on the first night, as they are not choice. Aside from this, there are those among the early authorities who say that the entire prohibition of water that did not rest applies only to the matzah of the mitzvah, as the Tur wrote in the name of the Ritz Gi'at and the Ittur, see there. And know that rainwater was not mentioned at all in this law. And it seems to me that rainwater certainly requires a stay of twelve hours, for we see with our senses that many times there is a bit of warmth in them.

It is a simple matter that it is forbidden to knead with hot water, even if they were only heated by the sun. And even hot water that has already cooled—it is forbidden to knead with them (Magen Avraham, subsection 12), because there still remains in them a bit of the power of the heat. And so too, it is forbidden to knead with water that was placed in a large cauldron whose copper is thick and is hanging over the place of the fire, even though it is not being heated now—nevertheless, cold water that they place into it becomes lukewarm, because it retains heat for several days. And if one transgressed and kneaded with these waters even inadvertently, and even in a time of pressing need, and also not for the matzah of the mitzvah—it is forbidden after the fact. And it is not similar to water that did not rest, which is merely a stringency. But in these there is a great concern of actual leavening, and therefore they have no permission in any manner. And such is the law when one kneaded with lukewarm water, and it is forbidden even after the fact.

It is forbidden to put salt in the matzah, because the salt heats the dough, and likewise peppers. And such is the simple custom, and one must not change it. And even post facto – it is forbidden. And so wrote the Mordechai, that one who eats salted matzah is like one who eats chametz, see there. However, if a grain of salt fell into the dough – one need not forbid it, for this grain will not leaven it, and he should only be careful to bake it immediately. And if he kneaded the matzah with some black cumin and sesame seeds and types of spices that are not sharp – one need not forbid the matzah, since it has the taste of matzah. Nevertheless, for the matzah of the mitzvah – one does not fulfill his obligation with it, for this is not "bread of affliction." And in any case, ab initio it is forbidden to put any spices in the dough, because they have a bit of sharpness, and they heat the dough. And only salt and peppers are forbidden even post facto. And there is one who says that regarding pepper – even a single grain heats the entire dough, and likewise lime is similar to this (Magen Avraham, subsection 19). And this is when it was kneaded within it, but if it fell upon the dough – he should remove it (ibid.). And likewise ginger, and cloves, and saffron which they call "zafran" – they are very sharp, and they forbid even with a small amount of them when kneaded into the dough (ibid.).