Mivtza Matza: 70 Years

00:01 Seventy years ago, on Shabbos Parshas Hachodesh, 5708, 1954, the Rebbe publicly announced the importance of every Yid receiving Shmurah Matzah for this Torah. The Rebbe explained that it was a common practice for many years that the Rav of the community would distribute Shmurah Matzah to their community members. And the Rebbe went into particular details that it was six matzahs for both Torah, or at least two matzahs for the Chazais Matzah, which is referring to the middle matzah. The reason for this custom, the Rebbe says, was simply because of the income of the Rav. Thereby, but it contributed to a very important concept. And the Rebbe continues, there are many dinim, laws, and dikdukim, particulars in the mitzvah's matzah, in matzah's mitzvah. And not everybody is well-versed in them or can accomplish it. Therefore, the Rabbonim would contribute to the Balabatim, to the members of their community, in order to make sure that they will be yetzer with mitzvah's matzah. For some reason, this practice has ceased in most communities. The Rebbe continues, I request, and if I were able to, I would instruct to restore this practice that Rabbonim should send Shmurah Matzah to their congregants. This practice is not limited to the Rav, anyone who is in the position of influence, a Rav, a Sheychet, a Reverend, or a Shamesh. If there is even one Yid that would use the Shmurah Matzah, if you send it to him, then be sure to send it to him. And the Rebbe continues that the matzahs have

02:17 the quality being round matzahs, handmade matzah, and matzah Shmurah protected from water since it was cut. And by doing this, hundreds and maybe thousands of Yidden will be able to fulfill the mitzvah of Achilas Matzah as it should be in an enhanced manner in the places where they do general zdorim, public zdorim, like hotels and so on. And it's self-understood that the Mesadrim, those who organize it, need to prepare it for the zdorim. And great is the unique quality and the zgulah of mitzvah's matzah as it's mentioned in the Ze'er HaKodesh that it is a food of healing and a food of belief. Healing is the foundation of all mitzvahs, all the commandments, and of the Yiddish life in general. Fulfilling the mitzvah as it needs to be in an enhanced manner will give a chayis and existence of the te'um mitzvahs throughout the year that it should be a healthy year in a spiritual sense and simultaneously it will be a healthy year in a physical sense. The Rebbe added to the sicha and it is published in the first volume of the Kute Sichas. That year, a few days before Pesach, the Rebbe sent a letter to Mr. Zalman Shazar, who later became a president in Eretz Yisrael, and enclosed three matzahs, explaining it is our custom to send shmurah matzah to friends and relatives. The campaign has since been incorporated into the Sefer Amenhogim and has become an integral element of the mission of Hasidim in this generation. The first instance we

04:19 know of the Rebbe discussing this concept was in Tov Shingyot Beis 1952 when Rab Zalman Abelsky of Kvarchabad organized a Yud Aleph Nisan Fabringen. Not only did the Rebbe permit such a gathering, but he also requested that matzah be distributed to all the participants. The Rebbe himself initiated the distribution of shmurah matzah to Hasidim on Erev Pesach Tov Shingyot Aleph 1951, just months after formally accepting the Nesi'us leadership. The Rebbe frequently addressed the topic of Mivtza Matzah in numerous early Fabringens leading up to Pesach, particularly on Shabbos Hachedesh Mevarchim Hachedesh Nisan. During these occasions, he would remind Hasidim of the Mivtza and elaborate on the special broches it brings upon both the giver and the receiver. Over the following decades, Hasidim continued to do Mivtza Matzah with a shturim each year. In Tov Shingyot Aleph 1961, Rab Yitzchak Ganzburg initiated a campaign, Matzah for Every Student. Thousands of schoolchildren would visit the matzah bakery in Kvarchabad every year to experience the process of matzah baking. They would receive a matzah to take home to their families. The Rebbe funded many of these efforts and especially encouraged sending matzah to soldiers. The Rebbe repeatedly emphasized the importance of reaching every single Yid, including the fifth son, who does not even know about the Seder to attend it. At the Fabringen of Yud Aleph Nisan Tov Shingyot Lamed Aleph 1974, it was 20 years after the launch of the campaign, the Rebbe said, "As long as there is one single Yid, man or woman, child or adult

06:15 in your surroundings, and the meaning of your surroundings is the entire world who does not have Shmurah matzah or has Shmurah matzah but is unaware of its importance and message, there is no doubt that you must do something about it." Over the years, the Rebbe's Mivtza Matzah campaign evolved into an all-encompassing campaign to provide Yidden with all of their Pesach needs to ensure every Yid sells their chametz, participates in a Seder, has access to kosher for Pesach food for all eight days, and has the opportunity to learn the halachas of Pesach through printed material and classes. The following is a collection of sichas on the topic over the years. In the year Taf Shin Yud Zayin, 1957, three years after the Rebbe launched the campaign, the Rebbe speaks about the advantage of the givers in addition to the receivers. Five years later, Taf Shin Chaf Beis, 1962, the Rebbe speaks about Mivtza Matzah, although it is on Shabbos, and we usually don't prepare for the weekday, and as the Rebbe would always connect it with the halacha that when it comes to public matters, we may address it on Shabbos. A year later, Taf Shin Chaf Gimel, 1963, the Rebbe speaks about Mivtza Matzah in connection with Shnas Hakan, which was 150 years since the hisdalkus of the Alter Rebbe. On Shabbos HaGadol, a year later, the Rebbe connects Mivtza Matzah with the Korban Pesach, how they are parallel to each other. Taf Shin Chaf Zayin, 1967, the Rebbe reminds Chassidim of this important Mivtza.

08:10 And the Rebbe added in the following farbrengen that matzah should be given to people close and far. Five years later, Taf Shin Lamed Beis, 1972, the Rebbe spoke very strongly about joining Mivtza Matzah however much you can, asking the memuna, the one who was in charge, to say l'chaim at the farbrengen. On Shabbos Parshat Vayikra, Taf Shin Lamed Beis, the Rebbe spoke about beginning to prepare for Pesach already 30 days before it begins. And on Shabbos Parshat Pekudei, Taf Shin Lamed Daled, 1974, the Rebbe spoke about preparing for Mivtza Matzah, especially on that year's calendar setting when Erev Pesach fell out on Shabbos. On Yud Alef Nissan, Taf Shin Lamed Daled, that very same year, 1974, the Rebbe spoke very strongly about Mivtza Pesach, stating that we must make sure that every last Yid receives Shmurah matzah. A year later, 1975, the Rebbe spoke about Mivtza Matzah and added that we should also make sure to teach people about the selling of the chametz and the laws of Pesach. Two years later, Taf Shin Lamed Zayin, 1977, the Rebbe said that every person traveling should take matzahs to their destination. And in the year Taf Shin Lamed Ches, on Yud Alef Nissan, the Rebbe spoke about every Yid receiving a matzah for Pesach at least a kazais.