Why do we do Tzafun

Haggadah Section: Tzafun

Tzafun

Why do we hide the afikoman? For Fun? Just to get presents or to Make sure I follow Grandpa around the whole seder so I know where he hides the matzah. Just Kidding those are not the real answers, but seriously Grandpa I will find the Afikoman like I do every year all 4 days. Sorry Sarah and anyone else who tries to find it which in this case will only be Sarah and I this year.

One answer is hiding the afikomen, a part of the middle matzah (Levi) is reserved for the end of the meal. It symbolizes our belief in the Jewish People leaving Egypt . As amazing as it was, it was not a complete redemption, yet only a prelude to the current Exodus celebrated by the Jews of all generations as stated before in the phrase “B'chol dor v'dor”, and to the future redemption. This is why we break a piece off of the Afikomen. The sliver that we hide is our full redemption, which we have not yet reached. The big piece of Levi is us currently, mostly redeemed, but awaiting the final redemption, Moshiach. This is also one reason why we say an incomplete Hallel during most of Pesach, since our redemption will not be complete until the future. Even after our final redemption, we will taste the matzah of the Exodus, for that event has let us endure our many years of exile.

  Rav Shlomo Carlebach says: We break the middle matzah at the beginning of the Seder, and hide a part of it, ourselves. Only we know what part we are hiding. It is the part that is our broken heart that we hide away and protect as we journey through the Haggadah. At the end of the Seder, we bring out this precious part that has become healed. At that moment we eat the broken pieces.

   These two explanations are with very similar and different. They both explain how the Afikomen symbolises us, but the first one symbolises us as a nation, while the second symbolises us as individuals.


     From these we learn how mysterious and ancient our culture is, which is kind of cool when you think about it.

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