The process whereby a piece of dough turns into chometz requires only one
microscopic yeast cell. When this one little yeast cell flying around in the air
lands on a piece of dough, it begins to duplicate itself very quickly. One cell turns to
two, two into four, four into eight, etc. It takes only a short time for one cell to turn
into billions of cells. These cells start a chemical process whereby they
break down the dough and release carbon dioxide, which in
turn causes the dough to rise and turn into chometz. It all
starts with only one microscopic cell. The warmer
it is, the quicker it will happen.
Scientists have discovered the great
danger of viruses and bacteria. All it takes is
for one dangerous virus to enter a cell. Once
it gets inside, it takes full control of the cell’s
mechanism and begins to duplicate itself. In a
short time there are billions of them. These
new viruses each begin to attack the other
cells and destroy them as well. Bacteria, too,
grow at a very rapid rate. They can double every twenty minutes. Just take a calculator and see what happens when you keep
doubling a number thirty times.
An aveirah – a sin – operates in the very same manner. One small sin quickly
leads to many more. The Yidden in Mitzrayim had to be very careful not to become
contaminated by Egyptian morals and their perverted ways. Even the slightest contact
with Egyptian culture had to be avoided. Those who were not very careful soon
became totally assimilated and unfortunately died during the plague of Choshech
– Darkness.
The Torah clearly warns us of the dangers of even eating or drinking kosher food
with them. What starts out as a casual friendly meal may ultimately end up with a
romantic relationship which often ends in marriage. The Torah constantly warns us
of the dangers of following in their ways and warns us to keep a distance . Once we
begin imitating their foreign culture we will soon become just like them.
The most difficult part of our slavery in Mitzrayim was to remain completely
segregated and isolated from Egyptian culture and morals. Yidden kept their Hebrew
names and didn’t change their style of clothes or even their language so as to remain
easily identifiable and remain completely apart. Just look at what happened to
the many Jewish families that have lived on American soil far less than 210 years.
Once they lost their distinctiveness and began to imitate their ways, they became
unidentifiable. Intermarriage has unfortunetly taken a terrible toll with millions of
Jews no longer knowing what Torah and mitzvos are all about.
Hashem in His great mercy took us out of Mitzrayim on the condition that we
follow His mitzvos. Chometz alludes to the irreversible change caused by even the
slightest impurity. Allow the yetzer horah to enter through the eye of a needle and
soon he will become a permanent resident and take over the entire operation of the
house. Our chachomim compared him to “The yeast within the dough.” Just let an
immoral picture enter the human brain and it replicates itself very quickly causing
life-long damage.
The Gemorah in Mesechta Sukkah tells us that when Mashiach will arrive and the
yetzer harah will be killed, the r’shaim will perceive the yetzer harah as a tiny speck.
They obviously don’t realize the great danger of the yetzer harah and therefore failed
to keep their distance. The tzadikim, however, will perceive the yetzer harah as a
large mountain. They clearly understand that this tiny speck will eventually turn into
a large mountain and therefore kept their distance.
As the “Tree of knowledge” – The Eitz Ha’daas – grows larger and expands, we are
faced with ever-increasing dangers. Along with all the great benefits it has brought
in its wake, it has also enabled the worst of the world’s mores to make their way into
our homes through metal rods and disks perched on our rooftops and through wires
snaking their way out of the ground. Many have tragically allowed this perversion to
enter their living rooms and contaminate their homes. Some have even connected
their phones to sites that the Torah clearly forbids.
As in Mitzrayim, if we want to make sure that the Angels of Destruction don’t
enter our home, we must make
sure that the entrance has a
kosher mezuzah. The Rambam
explains that the mezuzah
serves as a constant reminder
of Hashem’s presence in our
lives and homes. “Every time a
person enters or leaves his house
and encounters the unity of the
Divine Holy Name, Blessed Be
He, he will recall his love for
Hashem, and will be aroused
from his slumber and errant involvement in the vanities of everyday life and
recognize that nothing lasts for eternity except for the knowledge of the World’s
Creator. This will immediately bring the person back to reality and get him to
walk in the path of the upright.” ( Rambam –Hilchos Mezuzah, perek 6:13).
ביחוד יפגע ויצא שיכנס זמן וכל תמיד הכל חובת שהיא מפני במזוזה להזהר אדם חייב
שאין וידע הזמן בהבלי ושגיותיו משנתו ויעור אהבתו ויזכור ב”ה הקדוש של שמו השם
לדעתו חוזר הוא ומיד העולם צור ידיעת אלא עולמים ולעולמי לעולם העומד דבר
ובזרועו בראשו תפילין לו שיש מי כל הראשונים חכמים אמרו מישרים בדרכי והולך
הם והן רבים מזכירין לו יש שהרי יחטא שלא הוא מוחזק בפתחו ומזוזה בבגדו וציצית
ויחלצם. ליראיו סביב יי’ מלאך חונה שנאמר מלחטוא אותו שמצילין המלאכים The
message of the mezuzah is that one’s house and possessions are only fleeting, and
the only real permanence is the awareness of Hakodosh Baruch Hu, the world’s
Creator.
In the merit of fulfilling this mitzvah, we are also assured of receiving Hashem’s
c o n s t a n t
protection. The
Zohar hakodosh
tells us that a
mezuzah on one’s
doorpost is similar
to the blood that
the Yidden put on
their doorposts
when they were
in Mitzrayim.
Hashem’s Name
of Shin Daled
Yud written on the
outside also hints
at Shomer Dalsos
Yisroel – He
protects the doors
of the Jew. What
greater protection
can there be than
having Hashem
Himself guarding
and protecting us
from all evil! Yet, what protection can a mezuzah provide when the yetzer horah is
allowed entry through the roof or through the wires coming up from the ground.
Our redemption from Mitzrayim was not just a physical one but a spiritual one
as well. Its ultimate purpose was Torah and mitzvos. When we search for the chometz,
we do so using a candle which represents the neshamah, as the posuk says “Ki ner
Hashem nishmas odom.” Our holy seforim tell us that we must at the same time
also carefully search our own home and ourselves and make sure to remove all the
non-holy contaminants from our possession. When we allow chometz which alludes
to the yetzer harah to enter our homes even momentarily, he will soon become a
permanent resident and even invite his friends into ones home to join in the “fun.”