A Pesach midrash by Arthur R Pell

The matzahs, all freshly baked, were packed neatly in their box, waiting for the Seder. Most of them were quietly awaiting their fate. They didn't mind being eaten because they were baked especially for that purpose and it never entered their minds to expect anything else.

But one little matzah was different, perhaps the baker had made a mistake when he mixed the dough or perhaps this matzah was enchanted. He didn't want to be eaten.

"I'm going to run away," he told the others in his box.

"Nonsense," said his friend. "You have no legs so you cannot run. and anyway you were made to be eaten. We should be happy that we are part of the great feast of Passover."

"Not I," said the enchanted matzah, "I want to see the world."

Just then the box was removed from the shelf. A voice that sounded like thunder to the matzahs said, "Let's open the box of matzahs now."

It was Mum getting everything ready for the big night. The children were helping. Brother lifted the box off the shelf and carefully opened it. The matzahs all blinked when the light hit them, but no one said a word. Matzahs know better than to talk when humans are around.

"Let me pick the three for the seder plate," said Sister.

She picked three matzahs and wrapped them tidily in the matzah cover, but what she didn't know was that the one in the middle was the enchanted matzah. Later when grandma and grandpa, the aunts, uncles and cousins arrived, they all sat down at the dining room table to partake in the Seder.

Just then, Pup came barking into the room. She wanted to share the Seder too. Dad laughed, but told Pup that this was a serious feast and there was no place for a dog in it. Brother picked up Pup and put her out in the back yard.

Now the Seder began. Dad sang the Kiddush and made the blessing over the matzahs. He then took the middle matzah, wrapped it carefully in a napkin, and went into another room to hide it. This was the afikoman. The children tried hard not to peek. They knew that the one who found it later in the evening would get a nice prize.

Dad had hidden the enchanted matzah on the bedroom windowsill behind the venetian blind. In his rush to hide it and get back to the table, he hadn't noticed that the window behind the blind was open. The enchanted matzah noticed it and said, "Good, here is my chance to run away and see the world."

He slowly inched along the windowsill, pushed himself closer and closer to the edge. He held his breath...... and jumped.

He fell down and down and down. "Oh my," he cried. I'm going to break into a million pieces."

Suddenly he stopped falling. Luckily the ground under the window was soft and covered with grass. That, plus the protection of the napkin in which he was wrapped, prevented him from being broken.

The matzah looked around. All he could see was the darkness of the night. "The world is not so nice," he thought.

He tried to move, but as he had no legs, he could only push himself along very slowly. Suddenly he felt himself being sniffed and pushed by a wet nose.

"What is this?" he cried. "Am I to be eaten after all by this beast?"

Meanwhile the Seder was coming slowly to the end of the meal.

"Now," said Dad, "the children will look for the afikomen. The child who finds it will win a big box of chocolate matzahs."

Brother and sister and all the cousins left the table and swarmed all over the house looking for the hidden matzah. Soon they all returned to the table disappointed. Nobody had found the afikomen.

Dad was puzzled, but as it was getting late, he suggested that the Seder continue and the children could look again after the service ended.

Now it was time for Elijah's visit. An extra cup of wine is always placed on the Seder table for the prophet, Elijah. After the Seder meal, the door of the house is opened to welcome Elijah's spirit. Sister went to the door and opened it.

As she returned to her seat, Dad told the story of Elijah. As he said the words, "We now welcome Elijah," in through the door walked Pup and in her mouth was the missing matzah.

Pup dropped it in front of Dad and wagged her tail. Dad laughed and said. "Yes, Pup, you found the afikoman so you win the prize. But as chocolate matzahs are not good for you, we'll give you a nice bone and all the children will share the sweets."

When the service ended the children ate the chocolate matzahs for dessert.

In the excitement everybody forgot about the enchanted matzah. Nobody ate it. When Mum found it in its napkin, she put it aside. "There's something special about this matzah," she said. It's best we keep it for good luck."