Go ahead and grab TB Pesakhim 109

 There are two foundational events in the history of the Jewish people. The first is the Exodus from Egypt, the redemption from slavery, and the second is the revelation of the Torah from upon Mount Sinai. The Seder is our educational vehicle to transmit the story, values, and morals of our people to the next generation. The whole Seder is built around children. Various rituals are performed solely to arouse their curiosity so that they will not fall asleep, but ask questions what the heck are we doing?!

 Today’s daf TB Pesakhim 109 tells us of one such custom that different commentators have given as many reasons why we do it. “It was taught in a baraita that Rabbi Eliezer says: One grabs (חוֹטְפִין) the matzot on the nights of Passover.”

 Some commentators explain that grabbing the matzot means we quickly gobbled the matza down so the children will have an opportunity to ask their questions before they fall asleep. Because we eat later on Seder night than we do usually, we feed our children earlier than the adults so they won’t ask the fifth question, “When do we eat?” Consequently, some commentators explain that we take away the matza (politely, not grabbing- my personal commentary) so that they won’t overeat, become sleepy, and actually fall asleep during the Seder. Rashi and Rashbam explain that this really means lifting up the matzot in order to astonish the children so that they will ask their questions. Rambam explains that grabbing the matzot means we play a game with them to delight the children and keep them involved in the Seder. Perhaps you have the custom of the children “stealing’ the afikomen. In my house I surreptitiously “grab” the afikomen and it gets passed from adult to adult until somebody hides it from the children.