As we approach the final days of Pesach, we have an opportunity to pause and reflect on the enduring lessons of the holiday. At the Seder, we retold the story of the Exodus, recreating the experience for ourselves and our children. We ate Matzoh and Maror, recalling how Hashem brought us out of Egypt with such great haste that there was no time for the dough to rise.
If someone were to ask you what first comes to mind regarding Pesach, you would likely answer “Matzoh.” Indeed, the Torah itself refers to the holiday as Chag HaMatzos.
Yet, surprisingly, the specific Mitzvah to eat Matzoh only applies to the first night at the Seder. For the remainder of the holiday, there is no formal obligation to eat Matzoh. However, the prohibition against eating (or even owning) Chometz applies consistently throughout the entire holiday of Pesach.
When we consider the difference between Matzoh and Chometz, we see they are essentially composed of the same two ingredients: flour and water. It starts as pure as you can get. The only difference is time. If one waits too long, the dough is affected by the yeast and bacteria in the air; it begins to rise and becomes Chometz.
The “problem” with Matzoh is that if you delay, outside forces begin to influence the dough. If you allow these external influences to take hold, you end up with Chometz.
The Torah tells us (Shemos 12:17), המצות ושמרתם את “U’shmartem es ha-matzos”—”And you shall guard the Matzos.” Rashi quotes Rabbi Yoshiya in the Mechilta, who notes that these same letters can be read as “U’shmartem es ha-mitzvos”—”And you shall guard the Mitzvos.” This teaches us that just as we must ensure Matzoh does not become Chometz, so too we must not allow a Mitzvah to become “Chometz.” We should not delay in the performance of a Mitzvah; rather, we should perform it immediately and not allow it to “ferment” through hesitation or procrastination.
When we fail to act immediately when an opportunity arises, there is a strong possibility that either circumstances will change and the opportunity will disappear, or we will simply never get around to it.
Chag Sameach,
Rabbi Shaps and the JET Team
