חמץ ומצה

Chametz and Matza

-  Ilana Silber and Alex Schaeffer

 

            As we embrace our seder table this Passover and embark on the journey of the liberation of the Jewish people from Egypt, many questions will cross our minds. For instance, why is it that on this joyous holiday where Jews celebrate their liberty, they are obligated to eat a “poor man’s bread” and waive their freedom? At the seder table, we recline in our chairs and feast on a delicious meal. Why then do we eat this unleavened bread instead of chametz?

The Haggadah offers this explanation: “What is the reason we eat matzah? Because when the King of Kings, the Holy One, blessed be He, revealed Himself to them and redeemed them, there was insufficient time for our ancestors' dough to become leavened. As it says: "The dough, which they brought out of Egypt, they baked into unleavened bread, because they were driven out from Egypt and they were not able to delay, and they had not prepared any provisions" (Exodus 12:39).”

Another explanation to this phenomenon is offered by Rabbi A. J. Twerski. He states that in contrast to bread, which rises by itself, it is imperative that matzah is watched from the moment the flour contacts the water. Rabbi Twerski shows that similarly to matzah, which is constantly supervised, God is everywhere and is constantly watching us. God controls everything and therefore was able to save the Jews and bring them out of Egypt.

Compared to matzah, chametz becomes bloated as it rises and symbolizes egotism and arrogance. This self-inflation symbolized by chametz is one of the fundamental causes of sinning. A person who is primarily concerned with his well-being increases the possibility of sinning. As chametz rises, it is filled with air. The thick and fluffy chametz appears more appetizing than the flat and dull matzah. However, it is only air that is causing the difference between the matzah and the chametz. The air in the chametz symbolizes egotism. We do not want to fill ourselves with “air”; instead, we must strive to be like the humble matzah. This concept is also presented in the Torah when it describes matzah as “poor man’s bread.” A poor man is humble and free of self-inflation, and therefore, eating a poor man’s bread reduces our selfish tendencies.

We believe that the air in the chametz can also be thought to symbolize lies. While bread appears more appealing to eat, it is deceiving because it is composed of the same flour and water that is used to make matzah. The chametz represents all the lies and deception in the world. Matzah, on the other hand, is exactly what it appears to be; there is nothing hidden. The matzah represents the truth. We eat matzah on Passover to escape the lies and deception that we are constantly faced with throughout the year. With this realization, as we recite the story of Passover this year, matzah will have a greater significance to us.

 

 

 

http://www.jewish.com/askarabbi/askarabbi/askr2173.htm

http://www.jvibe.com/realife/matzah.shtm

http://www.templesinaipgh.org/rabbis/rabbis_0400.htm

http://www.yhol.org.il/features/kollel13.htm

http://www.aish.com/holidays/passover/articles/idealsim_chametz_and_freedom.asp

            http://www.hebroots.org/heebrootsarchive/9804/980415_h.html

http://www.judaism.com/passover/twerski/matzah.asp

A.J. Twerski, From Bondage to Freedom, The Passover Haggadah (Shaar Press 1995)