Commandment Details

Mishneh Torah #: 114
Mishneh Torah Book #: 3
Mishneh Torah Book: Times
Mishneh Torah Category: 15- Leaven and Unleavened Bread
Reference: Exodus 12:18
Scripture Book: Exodus
Scripture Chapter: 12
Scripture Verse: 18
English: In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at evening, you shall eat unleavened bread, until the twenty-first day of the month at evening.
Hebrew: יח בָּרִאשֹׁן בְּאַרְבָּעָה עָשָׂר יוֹם לַחֹדֶשׁ, בָּעֶרֶב, תֹּאכְלוּ, מַצֹּת: עַד יוֹם הָאֶחָד וְעֶשְׂרִים, לַחֹדֶשׁ--בָּעָרֶב.
Greek: 18 ἐναρχομένου τῇ τεσσαρεσκαιδεκάτῃ ἡμέρᾳ τοῦ μηνὸς τοῦ πρώτου ἀφ᾿ ἑσπέρας ἔδεσθε ἄζυμα ἕως ἡμέρας μιᾶς καὶ εἰκάδος τοῦ μηνὸς ἕως ἑσπέρας.
Parashah: 15- Bo
Sefer Hachinuch #: 10
Sef. Hach. Command: The precept of eating matzah on Passover
Category: Appointed Times
We can perform today: Yes

"In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at evening, you shall eat unleavened bread, until the twenty-first day of the month at evening." (Exodus 12:18) The literal commandment is that we should eat unleavened bread on the fourteenth day of the first month at evening (i.e. the first night of Passover).

The Literal Commandment

In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at evening, you shall eat unleavened bread, until the twenty-first day of the month at evening. (Exodus 12:18)

The literal commandment is that we should eat unleavened bread on the fourteenth day of the first month at evening (i.e. the first night of Passover).

Messiah Says

Messiah implicitly affirmed this commandment when He spoke about the Law:

"Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill. For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished. Whoever then annuls one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever keeps and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:17-19)

Pictures of Messiah

Messiah, Himself, provides the picture of this commandment.

At the seder meal He ate just before He was executed, Messiah broke the unleavened bread, gave it to His disciples, and told them it pictured His body. His body was sinless (like the bread was unleavened) and His body was broken (like the bread was broken).

Messiah commanded His disciples to eat of the unleavened bread of Passover in remembrance of Him.

This commandment to eat unleavened bread on the first night of Passover provides us with an annual way to actively connect with the perfect sinlessness of our Messiah and walk in obedience to His command to "do this in remembrance of Me". (Luke 22:19)

How Messiah Fulfilled

Messiah fulfilled this commandment by eating unleavened bread on the first night of Passover.

Traditional Observance

The traditional observance of this commandment is its very literal form: eating unleavened bread on the first night of Passover.

Other Notes

We are able to fulfill this commandment and should eat unleavened bread on the first night of Passover.

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Eat unleavened bread on the first night of Passover