02 Apr MATZAH – TO ELEVATE AND CONQUER AREAS OF SPIRITUAL WEAKNES

The Mishna
(Pesachim 35a)
enumerates the types
of grains that can be
used for making
matzah to fulfill the
mitzva of eating
matzah on Pesach. The Gemara notes that the
five grains listed in the Mishna are an
exhaustive list, implying that—for example—
rice or millet, which are not mentioned in the
Mishna, cannot be used to make matzah. What
is wrong with using rice or millet? The Gemara
infers a connection between chometz and
matzah from the pasuk “You shall not eat upon
it chometz, seven days you shall eat upon it
matzah, the bread of poverty…” (Devorim
16:3): That which can potentially become
chometz(leavened) is the type of grain from
which we can make matzah. Rice, millet, and
other grains that are not listed in the Mishna
can reach the state of sirachon (spoilage) but
they cannot reach the state of chimutz
(leavened).
This concept may seem counterintuitive.
Since we are so particular about preventing
matzah from becoming chometz, shouldn’t we
go out of our way, when baking our matzah, to
specifically use grains which do not leaven?
Why do we put ourselves in a situation where,
if the dough is not baked quickly enough, it will
become chometz? With all the difficult
stringencies that are involved in baking matzah,
why didn’t the Torah sanction the use of a type
of grain that will never become chometz? Why
does the Torah insist that we use a type of grain
which could become chometz, necessitating
the baker to zealously guard that it does not so
become?
The Tolner Rebbe from Yerushalayim gave
several drashas when he was in Los Angeles for
Parsha Bo several years ago. In one of his
drashas, he commented that in this particular
halacha lies a great practical lesson.
Chazal teach that chometz is symbolic of the
Yetzer haRah (evil inclination). On the other
hand, matzah is symbolic of the Yetzer haTov
(good inclination). Chometz rises. It is puffy. It
is blown up. This is symbolic of a person’s
haughtiness and passions. Matzah, which is
plain and is flat, does not rise or get blown up.
It is not haughty. It represents modesty,
humility and the ability to manage with the
bare necessities of life. In other words, chometz
and matzah are at the opposite ends of the
spectrum. Chometz represents negative
spiritual character traits, and matzah represents
positive spiritual character traits.
The lesson, therefore, is that the Torah wants
us to take that very thing that could potentially
become chometz and make it into matzah.
Extending the analogy of the Yetzer haRah and
Yetzer haTov, the Torah wants us to take that
which is our Yetzer haRah (our problems, our
temptations, and our foibles) and convert it to
Yetzer haTov. This means that man’s spiritual
mission is to try to work on those very
personality traits and characteristics that in the
past have proven to be his weak points. If a
person is mute then he will not receive reward
in the World to Come for not speaking lashon
haRah (gossip, slander, etc.). That is not his
problem. The reason that it is not his problem is
because of an unfortunate physical disability.
But nevertheless, he will not receive reward for
that because there is no challenge.
Likewise, for example, if a person is
unfortunately blind, he has no challenge of
“shmiras aynayim” (guarding his eyes) from
viewing inappropriate matters. That is not his
challenge. The avodas ha’adam (man’s spiritual
challenge) is to take those very things that are
areas of spiritual weakness, where perhaps in
the past he has fallen short of the Torah’s ideals,
and to conquer them and elevate them. In fact,
perhaps he will even be able to take that very
thing and turn it into a dvar mitzvah.
Let the person channel his passions—which
have perhaps led him astray in the past—in a
positive direction. This is the symbolism of the
chometz and the matzah. Don’t try making
matzah out of something that cannot become
chometz anyway. That is no great
accomplishment! Take something that without
careful watching and care can become chometz.
That is the very item we turn into a “cheftza
d’mitzvah” (an entity with which a positive
command is fulfilled).
This halacha regarding the grains with which
matzah may be baked is a metaphor for a
person’s spiritual mission. We must seek out
that which has been our Yetzer haRah and turn
it into our Yetzer haTov.