BH
The Torah's definition of leavened bread is that enough time is allowed for the flour and water mixture to ferment. This basically means allowing for air to enter this mixture.
But what is the difference between the air found within the fermentation and souring of dough and the air we breathe? Why is one condition intake forbidden while the other is allowed?
Air is the main conduit for the sense of sound/hearing. Sight only passes through the airwaves without direct interaction with the air. The scent we smell deals with influencing the oxygen found within the airwaves, but not the airspace itself. Sound, however, actually touches and influences each "segment" of the air which influences the next segment of the air etc. until reaching the ear of the listener. In this sense air is mainly influenced by sound.
In the Torah, too, sound is considered the most encompassing of all senses as is expressed in the verse obligated for every Jew to live and die by: "Sh'ma Yisrael - Hear/Listen O Israel, Hashem is our Lord, Hashem is One!" We must listen to the message contained within the airwaves that Hashem is the Lord. He is here and everywhere. If we are attuned to the right frequency we can pick up this sound-message found in the air everywhere.
However, there is a lot of "static" which blocks us from hearing this sound-message. Static from sound expressed by worldly desires and habits turning away from the recognition of Hashem and His sovereignty.
Converse to this static noise is the expression of holy song. The Talmud, Zohar and Midrash relate that the entire book of Psalms was composed through the expression of 10 types of song used by King David and other Tzaddikim. With Divinely-influenced song, they were able to "rescue" air influenced by the negative static and sound, converting it back to the holy influence of Hashem's presence. (This is why reciting Psalms is such a precious and powerful devotion - as it cleanses and purifies the airwaves to the frequency attuned to Hashem.)
Food is the most essential necessity for life and survival in this world. At the same time it is also one the greatest lusts and desires to battle against, for the quality and quantity of food-intake have a direct influence on a person's thoughts and emotions. Because of this sanctification in this area is a major requirement for the pursuit of holiness and Divine connection.
And since the 5 types of grain are the main nourishment for mankind, it is here that worldly influence away from Hashem is most present. This is reflected and represented in the fermentation of dough with the influence of the airwaves and their negative sound-static.
For this reason a Jew is required to recite special blessings before and after eating bread with many other requirements such as proper handwashing and purity etc. prior and during eating bread. This framework allows a Jew to properly consume the bread along with it's "fermented" airwave influence, transforming them into holy sound. This sound becoming the words of prayer and Torah that a person expresses due to the energy of this food.
In the Egyptian bondage of Israel, the heretical influence was so strong that the Jews were, so-to-speak, trapped in "sound" exile without any expression of Divine sound-waves. The word for Egypt - Mitzrayim - is derived from the tightness of the throat - Meitzar HaGaron - i.e. the inability to express holy sound.
Thus, when Moshe came to redeem the Jewish Nation, 10 plagues were directed towards the Egyptians to sever their grasp on the "Jewish throat". Specifically 10 since the Egyptians prevented the Jews from accessing the 10 types of Song which promote Hashem's presence and recognition in the sound-waves.
And once the Jews were finally redeemed leavened and fermented bread became forbidden for a period of 7 days. For since they were under Egyptian-heretical influence for such a long time, a spiritual "detox" period without any fermentation of air in food items was necessary. After eating "Matzah" - unleavened bread - for a period of 7 days culminating in the splitting of the Red Sea, the Jews gained enough release from Egyptian-heretical influence to allow them to go back and face the challenges of turning fermented bread with it's negative sound-waves into holy sound of prayer and Torah etc.
To commemorate this the Torah requires every generation of Jews to refrain from eating leavened and fermented bread during the Pesach holiday. However it is not just a commemoration: we today, too, are under major influence of negative-static-airwaves which culminate in food, the 5 grains being the main area of nourishment and life-supply.
It gets so bad that by the time we reach the Pesach holiday of freedom/redemption we too need to detox ourselves so as to start again in cleaning the airwaves to be a proper conduit for the Divine message of Hashem's sovereignty in the world.
For this reason the custom on the Eve of Pesach (this year a day earlier due to Shabbat) is to have 10 pieces of leavened bread spread throughout one's home and to search for them. This symbolizes that we recognize the concealment of the 10 types of Song - which promote Hashem's Name in the world - caused by the worldly desires and static found in the airwaves that we cannot overcome. We burn and nullify these leavened pieces (along with all other fermented bread possibly in our possession) so that we can have a spiritually healthy detox period of 7 days to renew, re-energize and re-enforce ourselves to face the negative airwaves of life, and transform then into words of Torah and prayer - the main expression of Hashem's presence in the world.
(for more on these concepts please listen to: Likutey Halakhot, Yoreh De'ah, Chadash #4; Even HaEzer, Ishut #3)
To help a needy family of 7 here in Jerusalem to meet their Pesach needs and requirements in having Kosher Matzot and other Pesach needs, please follow this link.
Sincerely and with blessings for a Kosher and Happy "detox" Pesach experience.
Meir Elkabas
WhatsApp: +1-732-800-1863
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