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Matzoh-in 2k plus?!7

The seder might be the only last remaining connection for most of our brethren and the tradition of their parents. We buy matzo out of habit or for some mystical reason that eludes our awareness.

What is so special about the matzo that makes or breaks the seder?

Matzo is called bread of faith and bread of healing by the Zohar the handbook of Jewish mystical writings.

The Rabbis refer to the matzo as bread of poverty in the Hagaddah and in the Talmud. Why is matzo so

Essential and fulfill so many roles?

Let us examine the basis of this Commandment and let us do so together. Why do you think matzo is so important ? Why are you willing to pay the large asking price for what amounts to an unflavored cracker?

The answer you give is that’s the way it’s been as long as you remember .that’s not much of an answer to most cynics. There must be a reason that this touches your heartstrings.

According to the Zohar abovementioned, the matzoh has a direct effect upon your faith . Actually the eating of Matzoh brings faith to the Jew eating it on the night of Passover .

I could impress you with other analyses of the Mitzvah of eating Matzoh- would rather stick to the point if you will bear with me and not fall asleep as you usualy do with a boring sermon.

The alter Rebbe - the first of the Chabad Rebbes explains it thusly; just as a child begins to say dada and mama when he or she starts eating grains ,so too the Jewish child learns to recognize our Father in heaven -

Avinu BaShomayim , by eating the Matzo.

Eating is such a mundane act, so why did G-d choose to force us to eat ? Why couldn’t we just go on

Like a well oiled machine without having to kill chickens or cows for our fod and pleasure?

Mystically the human being is on a low spiritual level. However, the food comes from a higher world than we do. So when we eat our salads and diet shakes we are actually getting energies from a higher world .

These energies then allow us to grow emotionally and expand our intellect.

Just as the food gives us the power to have greater insight in mundane matters, the Matzoh allows us insight in spiritual matters . This is because Matzoh isn’t allowed to leaven.what is so special about leaven

you ask?

Leaven or chometz , is likened to the evil instincts of man. Our animal tendencies expand our self-importance like a blown-up dough while trivializing the other person. This is the core of evil . When I am filled with my self-worth who are you to get in my way ? This is the root of all strife selfishness and evil.

Matzoh on the other hand is flat-the dough hasn’t been allowed time to rise. Thus its’ flatness indicates a humility that allows us to be sensitive to G-d’s presence that is revealed on the night of the Seder. By eating Matzoh we not only gain insight , we receive spiritual awareness. We become G-d conscious.

This is because every first (and second) night of Passover, the episode of our Exodus repeats itself albeit on a higher spiritual level than 3319 years ago in the first ever night of Passover! The Matzoh serves as the conduit to allow us this revelation.

In fact the Matzo that we eat on the first night has even greater effect upon our souls than the Matzo of the Exodus. I will leave that concept for another occasion. In the mystical teachings there is a Divine presence that envelopes us on Passover . This is what happened at the time of the Exodus. This revelation was palpable to those who were prepared as well as to the firstborn . In fact all the firstborn whether Israelite or Egyptian felt this revelation more intensely than all others .

The Israelite firstborn felt the Divine and felt at home, because he was part of the Seder service . In fact he was fulfilling G-d’s will at that time and G-d felt at home with him. The Egyptian first born sensed G-d’s presence and neither he nor G-d felt at home there . The result was the souls of the first born Egyptians were drawn to G-d as iron to a magnet and both left the idolatrous environs . Of course , the results were catastrophic for all the Egyptian parents. The first born of Egypt felt they had come home.

In the future the Moshiach will reveal G-d’s presence visually first to us and then to all of the nations .

Those who feel at home with G-d will enjoy an eternal delight. Those opposed will share the fate of the first born of Egypt . Their souls will cling to G-d but only their souls.

In short the Matzoh is our channel to come close to the Divine . Soon all the world will share in this process. In the meantime we prepare ourselves and the world for the ultimate revelation!

Enjoy your Seder!

Chaim Moshe