Delving into the Depths of Passover and the Struggle Against Our Inner Chametz

Have you ever found yourself whispering a silent plea for just one good day? Our latest session taps into that universal yearning, guiding you through the profound teachings of the Jewish tradition to address the very core of our daily struggles. We uncover the wisdom of Rav Alexandri, who, after his Amidah prayer, sought freedom from the internal "yeast in the dough" that hinders us from reaching our truest potential. This episode is more than a conversation; it's a journey to the heart of spirituality, where we dissect the metaphor of the Yetzer Hara, our inclinations toward ego and desire, and how these shape our life's path.

As we approach Passover, join us in exploring the rigorous practice of removing chametz from our homes, a meticulous act that reflects our quest to purge the Yetzer Hara from our beings. This isn't just about the symbolic; it's a profound act of reclaiming our spiritual clarity. We contrast the unadorned matzah, free from the Yetzer Hara, with the complexities of leavened bread and life itself when inflated by ego and desire. Embrace this opportunity to shift your perspective on your daily pursuits and the choices you make as we seek to reclaim the essence of freedom and holiness in our everyday lives.

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:00

people are frequent in asking God for their own personal necessities, especially at the end of Shemona Esrei. People will close their eyes and say, god, just give me a good day. But Rav Alexandri, when he would finish his Shemona Esrei, his Amidah prayer, the Gemara tells us on 17a, in Masech Debrachos, he would finish off with a specific prayer that would go God, it is revealed before you that I want to do your will, but something is holding me back, and it's not my fault. It is the yeast in the dough that shackles me from performing and prevents me from performing your will. The yeast in the dough, rashi comments the Yetzirah.

Speaker 1: 0:48

The Yetzirah is defined by yeast. What does yeast do? What is yeast? Well, according to science, yeast is actually a single-celled microorganism classified from the fungus family. But what it basically does in the regular wine yeast and baker's yeast is puff things up, make them more enticing. They build it up, they hype it up. It's propaganda, it's marketing, and that's the Yetzirah, and that's what Rav Alexandri was praying for. God, I want to do your will, but things don't appear as they are and objects in the mirror look closer than they appear. So save me from the Yetzirah.

Speaker 1: 1:36

And this should give us a new perspective on. We're on our hands and knees, scraping out every crumb of chametz that we find. Scraping on every crumb of chametz that we find because we're trying to eradicate the pump, the flare, the propaganda of kind of the dog-like panting that someone will do when he's running after some sort of enticement, something that Yitzhak is dangling like a carrot in front of his eyes. But it's all just pump and flare Because, matzah, look at it, the beautiful $30 a pound matzah with that crunch, the holiness, without any of the Yetzirah, baked in the clarity, the freedom, the glory.

Speaker 1: 2:27

That's what matzah is, that's what bread is and life is without the yitzhar, without the yeast. We hate yeast, we hate the tzarshevisa. And on this holiday we take a couple days to remind ourselves that when the Yitzhar comes back and enticing us, making our hearts race to go after the next thing, we say whoa, quit the pump, stop your propaganda. I've seen this before. You can keep your yeast for the challah. I'm a matzpe, yed and Yetzirah. I want no more of your yeast. I'm a free man.