Matza Wars

(17) Learn to do good. Devote yourselves to justice; aid the chamotz [wronged]. Uphold the rights of the orphan; defend the cause of the widow.

In the gemara ~ at light to the 14th we search for chametz ~ I already explained that the chametz is the yetzer hara [inclination to selfishness] as the Rambam explained that chametz comes from the expression for stealing, from the verse (Isaiah 1:17) 'aid the wronged', and therefore chametz hints [meramez] to the yetzer hara, since whoever goes according tot he advice of the yetzer hara steals from their [soul] root. Therefore one needs to burn the chametz on erev Pesach and to make preparations so that the great holiness that is revealed in night of Pesach will infused itself upon oneself, since Pesach comes from the expression leaped and skipped because in all festivals holiness does not come to a person in one moment, a person needs to continue the holiness with the prayers of Night, Morning and Afternoon. But on Pesach, the holiness comes to a person in one moment, like the expression to skip, as we explained, and therefore there is the need for preparations, since even though the shining light comes, even though it does come, a person needs to cleanse oneself so as to be able to receive the shining light. For example,the sun, even though it shines strongly, the windows need to be open, because if they are closed the sun cannot shine within the house. And in all festivals one needs to continue the holiness on oneself, through the prayers, as the verse says 'that you will call them in their time, a holy convocation' (Leviticus 23:2) - that is one needs to call [to convocate] the holiness. But on Pesach the shining light needs to come in one moment, because 'in haste you came out of Egypt'(Deuteronomy 16:3) Chipazon [haste] its letters are chet"peh [and] zayin"nun, that is to say all the holidays the holiness comes from the Holy One as male [zayin] and female [nun], groom and bride; that is, the more the bride (the people of Israel) adorns herself all the more the groom (the Holy One) comes closer and closer to her. But on Pesach, because Israel needed to get out from Egypt, because were they to stay there for yet another moment they would not have been able to get out of there, and this is why the redemption needed to be in haste [chipazon] that is to say covered [from chupah] from the way of the male [zayin] to the female [nun], so the shining light comes in a skip and a leap but regardless [that fact] obviously a person needs to prepare oneself, as explained above in the simile of the sun and the windows.

(10) All places where one does bring chametz in, need to be searched ~ meaning, one needs to search every place where their yetzer harah, which is the chametz, usually resides. And this place is different for each and everyone: the one whose yetzer resides on finding fault on others, God forbid, or whose eyes are always turned to that that should not be seen, God forbid, they need to search, and destroy, and completely return from that path so they won’t do it anymore, and if they return from what did in the past in a complete return (teshuvah) obviously the Holy One of Blessing will forgive them. And in places where one does not put chametz in, there is no need to search ~ and it appears to me that this is a remez, hint: there are those who do not notice their own behavior, but only the behavior of other people. And the warning of our mishnah is regarding this: and in places where one does not put … there is no need to search, meaning, one should not investigate other people’s behavior, but should investigate their own, and fix their own behavior.

(11) Those (holes) that are too tall for the hand to reach, and those that are lower than nine inches do not need to be searched ~ here we read it as a remez, hint: one should never say ‘I won’t be able to check all my misdeeds and sins, because I don’t remember them all!’ To this is the reference Holes that are too tall for the hand to reach – if you don’t remember them, there is no need to search there. Yet regarding those one does remember, one needs to search, to fix and to return. And those one does not remember immediately will be cancelled, since the Holy One of Blessing will say ‘if s/he had remembered their earlier misdeeds and sins, obviously s/he would regret them and turn from them, just as s/he regrets and returns from those s/he remembers.

(12) Every person has to sweep his rooms before checking for chametz ~ this is a hint: every person needs to clear their thoughts on the 13th of Nisan, and get ready on the 13th so they can begin the search at night. This is because if one does not clear their thoughts beforehand, and wants to search suddenly, out of the blue, obviously they won’t see in themselves any chametz, and they will say “I am perfectly righteous!” One only needs to clear their thoughts beforehand, and obviously they will find chametz there.