From: Neil Reznik in Valley Forge, PA

Dear Rabbi,

Why is the afikomen taken from the middle matza during the Seder rather than from the top or bottom matza?

Dear Neil,

On the first night of Passover, we say two blessings over the matza. The first blessing, “hamotzi”, is the usual blessing we say when eating bread. Since this blessing is always best to say on a whole “loaf,” we therefore put an unbroken matza on top of the stack (Sh.A., O.Ch. 473, M.B. 57).

The second blessing, “al achilat matza”, is the special blessing we say for the commandment to eat matza on this night. This blessing applies especially to the broken matza, because this matza symbolizes our broken, impoverished state as slaves in Egypt. Since this blessing is the second one, the broken matza is second in the stack (ibid).

The third matza is included in order to complete “lechem mishna”, the requirement on Shabbat and festivals to use two whole loaves instead of one, and it goes on the bottom. According to widespread custom, this bottom matza is let to slip from the hands before the second blessing is said (ibid 475, M.B. 2).