With today’s daf TB Pesakhim 42 we conclude the second chapter and begin the third chapter of our massekhet. When making matza there is a very small window of time once water is added to the dough until the baked matza is removed from the oven before the dough becomes hametz. The rabbis held that warm to hot water would speed up the process of fermentation and turn the dough into hametz quicker. Consequently, the water needed to be cooled before adding it to the flour. The Gemara tells a story to teach us to give precise and clear instructions.
"Rav Yehuda said: A woman may knead matza dough only with water that rested (מַיִם שֶׁלָּנוּ), i.e., water that was left indoors overnight to cool. If water is added to dough immediately after it was drawn, when it is still lukewarm, the dough will leaven at a faster rate.
“The Gemara relates: Rav Mattana taught this halakha in Paphunya. On the next day, the eve of Passover, everyone brought their jugs to him and said to him: Give us water. They misunderstood his expression mayim shelanu (מַיִם שֶׁלָּנוּ), water that rested, as the near homonym mayim shelanu, our water, i.e., water that belongs to the Sage, and they therefore came to take water from his house. He said to them: I say and meant: Water that rested [devitu] in the house overnight.” (Sefaria.org translation)
We all need to strive to give clear and precise instructions or modern day mishaps can occur. Because of the pandemic, two of my friends to avoid crowds have been ordering their groceries to be delivered to their homes. One asked for a dozen eggs and a dozen cartons each one containing 12 eggs for a total of 144 eggs were delivered! The other just wanted 6 bananas and 6 bunches of bananas were delivered. I don’t know whether the people of Paphunya had a good sense of humor or not, but I can tell you that my friends do and laughed at the miscommunication.
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