Cleansing the Mind for Pesach

We are at the Eve of Pesach. Not literally the day prior, but in the frenzy of preparations for Pesach.

What are these preparations? And why the frenzy?

Of course, the main reason is to clean the house thoroughly from chametz—that wheat-based bread (or barley, oats, spelt or rye) and other similar items such as spaghetti, noodles, cakes, pretzels and so on. That is the Torah’s commandment (which has developed into the universal custom of “spring cleaning!”). But the commentators all point out that there is so much more to in these ideas.

Each of us has leavened ideas, thoughts and possessions. Can we ask, “are our thoughts pure or at least good?” This is represented by a fermented mind. Are all our ideas virtuous or are there some leavening advice and opinions taking place in our minds? And possessions clean and genuine or were they gathered for insidious reasons?

The value of the cleaning of chametz lies not only in preparing for the festival so that it is honoring the Torah’s mitzvah. It implies a perception, to cleanse oneself of wrongful thoughts and deeds. The calmness found in a spotless house has a very soothing effect upon a person. How much more so the serenity of a pure mind and heart when we cleanse our approach to life and living!

Both Rebbe Nachman and Reb Noson in their discourses extoll the efforts that all Jews make when their efforts are made with simple devotion in their preparations for any mitzvah, especially in the run up to Pesach. Every action made for the mitzvah of Pesach is an extraordinary purification of the soul!

And, especially in these times, when Jews worldwide are experiencing the specter of the past holocausts and pogroms under the Iranian nuclear threat, with their missiles and drones that relentlessly pervade the skies of Israel, we must pray and pray that we do not end up in an Egyptian mentality of slavery to the dictates of oppressing powers. We must cleanse ourselves of the ideas that we are under a natural order of things and recognize that we are fortunate to have our Father in Heaven Who redeemed us from that Egyptian mindset.

The cleansing of Pesach comes every year. The cleansing of our minds and hearts can also take place all our lives. All we need to do is clean out the false faiths and chametz from our minds, to look upward and outward to HaShem. Then, we too, can experience the freedom of Pesach.

W wish all a very wonderful Pesach, especially with the Coming of Mashiach, the Ingathering of the exiles and the Building of the Holy Temple, Amen.