Joy in the Details - Pesach Prep 5786

 We have one week until Pesach, and this is the time to finalize our preparations for this great, uplifting, illuminating and exciting Holiday.  The better we prepare and the more we do to enhance the experience, the more uplifting, illuminating and exciting the holiday will be.  There are physical and material preparations, and there are spiritual and intellectual preparations.  I thought it would be a good idea to talk a little about some of the things we can do to ensure a truly meaningful Pesach.

The central pillar of Pesach is, of course, the Seder.  The Seder is one of the key factors that have enabled us to pass our Jewish traditions and identity to the next generation.  A meaningful and enjoyable Seder can have a lifetime effect on children and adults.  This is true in terms of the social, educational and intellectual experience, as well as the spiritual impact of the traditional Seder practices.  

For example, Chassidus teaches that a piece of hand-baked Shmurah Matzah (only) infuses us with a deep faith that lasts throughout the year.  Four cups of wine bring us a deep sense of joy and freedom.  The numbers - three Matzot and four cups of wine, as well as all the symbols traditionally passed down from our sages, each have a specific spiritual impact that cannot be replicated at any other time of year or with any substitute practices.

Besides the Seders themselves, there is the removal of Chametz from our possession and eating Matzah and other non-chametz foods throughout Pesach.  The great Kabbalistic mystics taught that being scrupulous not to have even a crumb of Chametz throughout the holiday brings us a level of spiritual protection in our kosher observance for the entire year.

In general, Pesach can be seen in different ways.  There is a lot of work associated with the holiday.  The cleaning, the cooking, the study, late nights and so much more can cause people to feel that it is a huge hassle.  On the other hand, when we realize the power of this holiday to lift us, even to transform us, and to remind us who we are and why we are here and why our suffering through the ages is not for naught, the work pales compared to the value.  

Like the story of two people carrying heavy bags of rocks up a hill.  A person comes along and asks if they can add another couple of rocks to the load.  The first person says: can’t you see how heavy this is already?  The second one says: pack them in.  The first is carrying coals, the second is carrying diamonds.  It is up to us to decide what kind of Pesach we will have.

So here are a few of the many things to think about over the next week.

Prepare the House:

Systematically clean each room and make sure there is no chametz.  The sooner you get started, the easier it will be.

Sell your Chametz:

This is a very important step we must take before Pesach.  The Torah very strongly warns us against possessing any Chametz on Pesach.  Even if we think we have discarded all our Chametz, it is inevitable that some is left.  So we sell the Chametz to a non-Jew in a true legally binding sale and it is no longer ours.  This process must be done by a competent Rabbi in order to be sure it is indeed a real sale and not a sham.  You can arrange for the sale here.

Get a Bedikat Chametz set:

On the night before Pesach, Tuesday night, we search for Chametz throughout the house by the light of a candle, using a feather to sweep up and crumbs, and a wooden spoon to facilitate the burning the next day.  Here too, there are modern ways to do it but each of these items carries great symbolism.  You can get a Bedikat Chametz set at our office.

Get Shmurah Matzah:

As I mentioned before, the only way to fulfill the Biblical Mitzvah to eat Matzah at the Seder is with hand-baked Shmurah Matzah.  You can get a pound or two if you have a crowd or a couple of Matzot that will provide enough for a third of a Matzah each.  We have both.

Spend Time Reviewing the Haggadah:

There are tremendous treasures in the Haggadah.  Every phrase carries so much meaning, but we miss most of it if we just go through it on the Seder night.  It is an ancient custom for at least the Seder leader to read up on the Haggadah explanations.  You can really bring it to life for the family and guests with historical, intellectual and even mystical insights with a little preparation.  It is also important to understand how to perform the rituals, in order to have an authentic Seder, which brings me to - 

Know the Seder:

The word Seder means order.  It is called the Seder because we follow the instructions set out by our Sages, who had deep mystical knowledge and understood how to draw down the Divine energy that is available to us on this night.  We can choose to run a Seder, or a “Bli Seder” (disorder).  There are many new ideas that people have that they think enhance the “Seder.”  Adding other meanings to the concept of freedom, finding all minds of new practices that have nothing to do with the Exodus from Egypt, etc.  All freedom is important and should be celebrated, but let’s remember what the Seder is about!

Having a “seder” on a different night than the fifteenth of Nissan, or starting to drink the wine before nightfall might be interesting, but it is Bli Seder. I believe there is nothing more interesting and exciting to our children than a true Seder following the order of the Haggadah, especially when we are properly prepared.  If for whatever reason you are not able to do this, at least eat a piece pf Shmurah Matzah after dark on wednesday and thursday night.  You will have fulfilled the minimum Bibllical requirement and get the spiritual energy that it brings.

May we all have a Kosher and Happy Pesach, with true freedom from all challenges, spiritual and material.