Yechiel Michel Epstein

“ In this law eating is not treated the same as other acts. However, even the act of eating requires one to be aware that it is Pesach and he is eating Matzah, for if not there is certainly no fulfillment since Mitzvah performance requires intent. On the other hand, the act of eating under duress with knowledge is still eating, and is considered intent. ”

“ Section 17 One who eats a olive-sized piece of Matzah will not being lucid and later returns to his awareness is obligated to eat again after he has healed, for his original eating was during a time when he was exempt from all commandments (not being one in control of his faculties) . This has nothing to do with the whether Mitzvahs require intent or not, rather it hinges on a more basic requirement - that one must be in control of his faculties [in order to be able to be obligated by the law] . ”

“ Now this needs an explanation, as we have already seen that [in this instance] one does fulfill the Mitzvah at the first dipping. It must be concluded that the Rosh does not agree with what I have written, that one can fulfill at the first dipping. His disagreement then is based either on the order of the verse "...with Matzah and Maror he eats..." or because he rules that Mitzva fulfillment requires intent (see fourth chapter of Rosh Hashana) . Regardless, the first dipping simply has the status of dipped vegetables and no more. ”

“ On this eating we recite the paragraph "This is in remembrance of the practice in the Temple according to Hillel" ("Zaycher l'Mikdash k'Hillel") .
A question arises at this point: Why do we eat Maror by itself? We eat Matzah by itself because of the biblical command. We eat the sandwich after, when both obligations are rabbinic and so neither can be considered to 'nullify' the other [Matzah's biblical obligation having been previously discharged] . Why then eat Maror by itself [there being no obligation to eat Maror alone] ? ”

“ Nowadays we do not have this custom as there is a greater likelihood that the dough will sit too long in its unbaked state [which may lead to leavening] . The practice is therefore not advisable.
Finally, know that I have received the following tradition regarding the Mitzvah of eating Matzah: Though the Biblical requirement is only the first night it is nevertheless a Mitzvah to eat Matzah all the days of Pesach, as it is written "Seven days shall you eat Matzah...". The fact that it is termed 'optional' on these days only means that it lacks the force of a positive command. ”

“ The reason why we do not dip, though we normally dip plain bread in salt, is due to the preciousness of the Mitzva (Maharil) - that we wish to eat the Matza in an unadulterated state. In addition, the Levush writes that the reason is because it should be "poor mans' bread". ”

“ Furthermore, here the standard blessing type of 'for personal benefit' ('Brachas Hanehenin') is considered as a blessing over a Mitzvah since the sages have commanded the act. At any rate, it is very rare nowadays to be unable to obtain a vegetable of different type to use [for the first dipping] .
Section 14 The preferable performance when eating Matzah is to chew it with one's teeth so as to taste the Matzah. If one did swallow the Matzah without tasting it he has still fulfilled the obligation (Pesachim, 115.2 ) . ”

“ Afterward, the blessing on washing the hands ('Al Netilas Yadayim') is recited... then the Matzah and Maror are wrapped as one and dipped in Charoses. One then recites 'Blessed...Who sanctified us with his commandments, and commanded us on eating the Matzas and Marors'. He then eats them. If one eats the Matzah and Maror separately he recites a blessing on each separately. After that one recites the blessing 'Blessed...Who sanctified us with his commandments, and commanded us regarding the eating of the sacrifice', after which he eats from the 'Chagiga of the fourteenth [day] ' first. ”