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It's that time of year again. Our minds turn to scrubbing floors, cleaning ovens and giving our kitchens our own "Kosher for Passover" certification. The halachos of kashering for Pesach are many and varied and have their basis in the Torah's absolute prohibition of having any chametz in our possession.
As we have noted many times the Halachah is the system that makes practical the critical ethics and concepts of the Torah. It is not mere rote exercise that compels us to search and destroy every last crumb. There are fundamental principles being made manifest. It is terribly important to be aware of the concepts that are being given life as we clean away.
Towards this end we can suggest that there are two kinds of chametz that we remove; there is the physical chametz and the spiritual chametz.
What is the physical chametz? That which is leavened or fermented. It is that which goes beyond the essential ingredients of the flour and water to contribute to the bread's taste and appearance. Matzoh contains what is essential for nourishment. Leavened bread is the essential embellished and decorated.
What is spiritual chametz? That which covers up or blocks our access to our spiritual basics, those essential, critical elements of our lives. There are certain values that we would all like to possess and perfect, and do possess to one degree or another. Perhaps there was a time in our lives when we more strongly embodied certain traits that we made self-defining. Such qualities might include self-awareness, gratitude for blessings, idealism, daring, generosity, compassion, joyfulness, curiosity, aggressive intellectual honesty, trust and faith. These are a few of many values that give us the tools to make excellent decisions when faced with difficult choices. They are the stepping stones to our ultimate goal of personal self-perfection.
If we allow cynicism to cover up our idealism that cynicism is spiritual chametz. If malaise dulls our joyfulness, that malaise is chametz. If lashon harah and negativity drowns out love and compassion, that, too, is chametz. Where fear and uncertainty suffocate faith and trust that is most definitely spiritual chametz.
As anyone who has baked matzoh knows, chametz is the result of inactivity. When water and flour mix and are not immediately processed - kneaded, rolled out and baked - that is when the leavening begins. After a brief time of inattention the essentials begin to get covered up.
So too with our spiritual chametz. Only ongoing attention to the quality of all areas of our lives - family, work, synagogue - can allow us to make those areas the best that they can be. It is only through conscious effort that we can eliminate the negatives that block our path to perfection.
Pesach is a time of reflection and of getting back to the idealistic
basics of our lives. While we search our houses let us search
our hearts. As we scrub clean our kitchens let us cleanse our
minds. As we burn the chametz and enjoy a week of matzoh, the
essential of freedom and perfection, let us burn our negativity
and renew our commitment to Judaism's
spiritual essentials. That's
the halachah.
On behalf of Adina and my family, I wish you a healthy, joyous
and meaningful Pesach. May we all celebrate the Holiday of our
Freedom together, soon, in Jerusalem. Chad Kosher V'Sameach.!
Rabbi Efraim Davidson
