[By Rabbi Yair Hoffman for the Five Towns Jewish Times]

It is the reason for the trips to Toys R Us and other exotic retailing establishments. It is a name associated with plotting and planning, hiding and capturing. It is, of course, the Afikomen.

But what is the reason that we eat it?

Believe it or not, this is a great three way debate among the Rishonim.

• Rashi and the Rashbam (Psachim 119b) and the Raavad (Teshuvos uPsakim 56) are of the opinion that the eating of the Matzah at the end of the meal commemorates the Matzah that was eaten along with the Korban Pesach. The Korban Pesach itself was eaten at the end of the meal so that it would be eaten while satiated. These opinions hold that the eating of the Afikoman is the Mitzvah of eating Matzah. According to this opinion, we must be very careful in this aspect of the Seder since it is the essence of the Mitzvah of Matzah. The Aruch HaShulchan (477:2) also suggests that this is the Rambam’s position as well.

• The Rosh (Psachim 10:34), Meiri (Psachim 119b) and the Sefer HaChinuch (Mitzvah 21) are of the opinion that the Afikoman only commemorates the Korban Pesach itself that was eaten while satiated. According to this opinion, one DOES NOT fulfill the Mitzvah of Matzah with the Afikoman. The Tur and Shulchan Aruch (477:1) rule in accordance with this view.

• The Maharal (Gvuras Hashem, Chapter 63 “V’Ochlim) and a simple reading of the Rambam (Chometz uMatzah 8:9) indicate that the reason for Afikoman is so that the taste of Matzah will be the last taste in his mouth, as eating it is a Mitzvah.

As to the reason why the Korban Pesach had to be eaten while satiated, there are various views: The Yerushalmi seems to imply (See Ramban Milchemes Hashem 119b) that there was a concern that a hungry person could possibly break the delicate bones of the Passover lamb and violate the verse, “And do not break a bone in it.” Rashi (Psachim 86a “Ain Maftirin”) is of the opinion that it must be eaten in an important manner and since kings eat in such a manner where there are many courses, so too must the Korban Pesach be eaten.

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