lambdapublishers jewish books
Motzi Matza
This blessing is always said over bread or matza. On Shabbat and holidays, we say it over two whole loaves (or two whole matzot), to remind us that in the wilderness the Children of Israel received a double portion of manna for those days. That's why we hold all three matzot while we say this blessing (we broke the middle one during "Yachatz," remember?)

The holding of the broken matza emphasizes that we are making a blessing for Seder night, since it symbolizes "poor bread" or "poor people's bread." But we eat from both - the "poor bread" that reminds us of our slavery in Egypt, and the whole matza that reminds us of our celebration tonight of freedom.