מצות מצוה Erev Pesach Matzos

(1) We do not begin to occupy ourselves with the bread (matzah) on the fourteenth [of Nissan] until after six hours. And it is found in a responsum: There is a story about someone who baked matzah before four hours (into the day), and he had already destroyed his chametz; and our rabbis forbade the matzah, since it is compared to the Passover offering - since the Passover offering is only slaughtered from six hours onwards, so too is it with the matzah. But Rabbenu Eliezer the Great and Rabbi Shmuel HaKohen allowed [it]. However at the outset (if one has not yet done it), one should be careful [not to do so] on account of a commandment being beloved at its time. But the Avi Ezri (R. Eliezer ben Yoel HaLevi) brought a tosefta, "We fulfill [our obligation] with an old matzah, so long as one makes it for the sake of Passover." But he wrote that the Yerushalmi disagrees with [this] tosefta, and forbids [it] even if it was made for the sake of Passover. And since the Yerushalmi forbids [it], it is appropriate to be stringent, not to make [it] before midday. But in a case of urgent need, such that he would not find to bake them on the night of the conclusion of the Shabbat on account of the holiday of the gentiles, it is appropriate to rely upon the tosefta and to permit [it]. Nevertheless, they should make three matzot on the night of Passover on account of a commandment being beloved at its time. And so did Rabbi Matatyahu write - the eve of Passover that comes out on Shabbat, we hold that we should destroy all [the chametz] before Shabbat and leave over [bread] for two meals. But why do we not destroy everything [that is chametz], make matzah and eat [from it] on Shabbat? To beautify the [performance of] the commandment. Since if he filled his stomach, he would not make a blessing upon it [on Passover night]. Hence bake the matzah only at the conclusion of Shabbat, on account of appearances. As if you bake from the eve of Shabbat, others will disparage the matzot and be lenient about it (to eat them on Shabbat as well). Even though it is permissible to bake it on the eve of Shabbat, be strong and beautify the commandment, and bake [it] at the conclusion of the Shabbat, at its time. To here [is the responsum]. And the rabbi, Rabbenu Yehudah HaKohen responded similarly to this, to that which they asked him, what is [the law] about baking matzot that they need for the second night from the eve of the holiday? And he answered [that] a commandment is beloved at its time, and they should bake [them] on the second night. And Rav Hai wrote: The custom of our forefathers was to destroy the chametz from the eve of Shabbat and to bake the matzah [then]. But those who preceded us made a fence not to bake matzah on the eve of Shabbat, so that one not come to something forbidden, and to bake the matzah as it is prescribed at the conclusion of Shabbat. But we have nothing [to follow] besides the custom of our forefathers, to bake [it] from the eve of Shabbat, and not to take pains on the holiday [to bake it then] and delay the eating of the matzah. Rather, those that are alacritous perform the commandments early. To here [are his words]. And my master, my father, the Rosh, may his memory be blessed, would destroy everything before Shabbat, leave [bread] for two meals and bake the matzot from the eve of Shabbat. And I have seen in Barcelona that some of those who are exacting bake everything they need for the festival before the festival, so that if a small amount of chametz get mixed in, it become nullified before its becoming forbidden (as once it is forbidden, it can no longer be nullified).

(13) They do not fulfill [their obligation of eating unleavened bread] with chalut (dough kneaded with hot water), nor with meisah (flour mixed with boiling water, see Challah 1:6), and not with sponge-cakes (contra Tos. Pesachim 2:11), and not with honey-cakes, but he may fill his belly with them [on Passover night] provided that he eats [at least] an olive's-bulk of matzah after doing so. They fulfill [their obligation] with spiced matzah, whether it was spiced in a stew-pot or whether it was spiced in cooking pot. They [also] fulfill [their obligation] with a chararah (a thin cake baked on coals), and with matzah [made from] old grain, as long it was made from the start in the name of Passover (i.e., one had in mind that it was being made for the purpose of fulfilling the obligation).