| "What is the reason for eating Matzah?" (Haggadah)
Many people assume that the Matzah we eat at the Seder night commemorates the unleavened bread baked by the Israelites as they fled Egypt. The story is familiar: they left so quickly that there wasn’t enough time for their dough to rise. However, the Israelites did not leave Egypt until the morning after the "slaying of the firstborn." If our eating of Matzah represents the bread they baked during the Exodus, then the mitzvah should be observed in the morning, as they departed.
Instead, the Matzah we eat at the Seder alludes to a deeper concept—specifically, the Matzot of the daily Minchah offering that the Kohanim ate in the Beit HaMikdash (Temple). The Torah tells us that the Matzot of the Minchah offering were unleavened, because leaven represents the negative impulse within the human heart. The Kohanim ate these unleavened Matzot in the highest level of holiness, known as "Kodesh HaKodashim" (the Holy of Holies).
On the night of the "slaying of the firstborn," Hashem revealed His Shechinah (Divine Presence) to the Israelites. This revealed holiness sanctified them, distinguishing them from the Egyptians, who were steeped in idol worship and impurity. This night became known as "Leil Shimurim"—a "night of guarding"—because Hashem protected the Israelites from all negative and impure forces. In recognition of the immense holiness the Israelites attained that night, we eat Matzah, which is imbued with this sanctity.
When we eat Matzah on Pesach night, we are not merely commemorating the Exodus but connecting with the same holiness that Hashem revealed to the Israelites in Egypt. Every year, when we perform the mitzvot of the Seder—especially the eating of the Matzah—we re-experience the holiness of that night.
Today: As you eat Matzah at the Seder, imagine yourself as a Kohen partaking of the daily Minchah offering in the Beit HaMikdash. Feel the profound holiness, purity, and spiritual elevation Hashem grants us on this special occasion. Reflect on the protection Hashem offers, shielding us from negative and impure forces. Experience the joy of drawing near to the light and holiness of the Shechinah, the Kodesh HaKodashim. (Based on the commentary of the M'Harashah to Pesachim 116) | 
