The number of choices one must make when shopping in the modern day supermarket can be, at times, quite overwhelming. When purchasing a simple item like a bottle of shampoo I must decide if I want a strawberry or a kiwi fragrance, an organic or a GMO, one tested on animals or on me.
When it comes to the commandments of the Torah we made our choice at Har Sinai to make them an integral part of our life with the declaration of Naaseh V’Nishma. Yet when it comes to Shiurim - the correct measurements to fulfill the Mitzvos of the first night of Pesach - the range of opinions among the Poskim forces us to make some decisions.
The major issue that initiated the debate relates to the size of an egg. In essence the volume of an egg determines all the measurements of the night. We are told that to fulfill the Mitzvah of eating Matzah, or the rabbinic precept of Marror, we must eat an amount that is equivalent to the volume of an olive - a Kezayis. The Halachah notes that the method we use to assess the size of an olive is one in which we compare it to an egg. Some are of the opinion that an olive is half an egg in volume, others say it is a third.[1]
When it comes to the four cups of wine we are told that we must drink from a cup that holds a quarter of a measurement known as the Lug. The Lug is a measurement that contains six eggs. Thus a quarter of the Lug, known as a Revi’s, equals one and a half eggs. With this information in hand all we must do is go to the (overwhelming) supermarket, pick up an average egg, and through water displacement assess its volume. The above exercise was preformed by many and the outcome was that the average egg is about 1.9 ounces. Accordingly, my Kiddush or Pesach Seder cup should hold a bit less than three ounces. However as you already know, it ain't so simple.
The Talmud provides a formula that compares fingerbreadths to the Revi’s measurement.[2] The eighteenth century authority, Rav Yechezkel Landau, compared the two methods and found a discrepancy between the measurements based on eggs vis-à-vis fingers. He came to a conclusion that eggs of today are half the size of historical eggs.[3] As a result of his statement several authorities recommended that we double all measurements that relate to eggs. Accordingly, on the Seder night we must eat the volume of an egg to fulfill the eating of a Kezayis. Other authorities, among them Rav Chaim Volozhin[4], disagreed and continued measuring the Kezayis as half of an ordinary egg. One of Rav Yechezkel Landau’s disciples, Rabbi Elazar Flekels, who succeeded Rav Landau as Chief Rabbi in Prague, claimed that the discrepancy his master found was only because Rav Landau was “Taller than all the tall people.”[5] In other words, he had large fingers. Consequently the eggs never shrunk but rather the large physical dimension of his teacher’s fingers created the problem. Due to the complexity of the issue several authorities recommend that when dealing with a Torah law one should ideally use the measurement that assumes egg shrinkage.[6] Although the four cups of wine are rabbinic and thus a three ounce cup would suffice, when it comes to Friday night Kiddush a larger measurement would be required.[7]
When dealing with volume measurements for our cracker-like-Matzo we confront another problem; how do I measure its volume? Some have attempted to calculate the volume, with quite original techniques, and have translated their findings into weight measurements. Coupled with the shrinking egg problem, the results vary immensely. Some estimate the Kezayis to be thirty grams,[8] while others consider seven grams to suffice.[9] As noted, Poskim recommend that for eating the Kezayis Matzo that is Torah law, one should consider using a larger measurement.
The Shulchan Aruch[10] remarks that when eating our first portion of Matzo we should consume two Kezayis, one from the whole Matzo and one from the broken piece. Not all authorities agree with this statement.[11] Yet even those who want to perform it are not required to eat two egg volumes since this requirement is not Torah law. One egg volume would be sufficient.
To figure out the bottom line as to how much Matzo you should eat, ask your local Halachik authority. Many in Eretz Yisroel follow the opinion of the Steipler Gaon that twenty two grams should be consumed for a Torah law Kezayis, and for rabbinic requirements, like the Korech, eleven grams would do.[12]
May we all merit to debate and argue Halachah L’maase, the proper Shiur Kezayis of the Korben Pesach.
[1] OR”C 486:1
[2] Pesachim 109a
[3] Tzlach ad loc. RYL is not the first to note the problem see Tashbetz 3:33
[4] Kehillas Yaakov Pesachim 38
[5] Teshuva Meahava 3 page 68
[6] Misnah Berurah 486:1
[7] Mishnah Berurah 271:68 recommends at least 4 oz.
[8] Moadim Vezmanim 7:172
[9] Shiurei Torah p. 184
[10] 475:1
[11] See Biur Halacha , Orchos Rabeinu 2, p. 70
[12] Midos V'shiurei Torah 15:16
