The Ramchal on Pesach from Derech Hashem
Posted on | March 22, 2013 | By Guest Contributor | 4 Comments
The significance of matzah is related to the Exodus from Egypt.
Until the Exodus, Israel was assimilated among other peoples, one nation in the midst of another. With the Exodus, they were redeemed and separated.
Until that time, every aspect of the human being was darkened by the spiritual opaqueness and pollution that overcame it. With the Exodus, the Jews were set aside so that they would have the opportunity to purify their bodies and prepare themselves for the Torah and for dedication to God. In order for this to be possible, they were commanded to rid themselves of leaven (chametz) and eat matzah.
Bread which is designated as man’s primary food, is appropriate to the state that God desired for man in this world. Leaven is a natural element of bread, making it more digestible and flavorous, thus adding an element of pleasure and desire to its primary purpose of nourishment. This element feeds the Evil Urge (yetzer ha-ra) which is a necessary component of man in this world.
At a particular determined time, however, Israel was required to abstain from leaven, and be nourished by matzah, which is unleavened bread. This reduced the strength of each individual’s Evil Urge and inclination toward the physical, thus enhancing his closeness to the spiritual.
It would be impossible, however, for man to constantly nourish himself in this manner, since this is not the state desired for him in this world. This practice is therefore observed only on certain designated days, when he must be on an appropriately higher level. This is the main concept of Pesach as the Festival of Matzos.
The other rituals of the Seder night are also all details paralleling various particular aspects of the redemption from Egypt.
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March 22nd, 2013 @ 11:17 am
We also ate matzah as slaves in Egypt, prior to the first Pesach. Did this matzah help against the yetzer hara we had as slaves?
Also, does the passage below mean we ate matzah as slaves only on some days and ate chometz on other days?
“It would be impossible, however, for man to constantly nourish himself in this manner, since this is not the state desired for him in this world.”
March 22nd, 2013 @ 5:54 pm
ספר דרך ה’ – חלק ד פרק ח – במצות הזמנים
אמנם לזמן מיוחד ומשוער הוצרכו ישראל להמנע מן החמץ וליזון ממצה, להיות ממעטים בעצמם כח היצה”ר והנטיה החומרית, והגביר בעצמם ההתקרבות אל הרוחניות.
Thank you very much for this quote, which I intend IYH to say over this Passover at one of the daytime meals.
March 29th, 2013 @ 4:09 am
It is ironic that people still seek out food during Pesach that mimics what they usually eat. Thus the proliferation of all the substitute unhealthy cereals, cakes, fake pizzas etc. Thus instead of the spiritually of Pesach, one becomes even more stuck in the physical.
March 29th, 2013 @ 1:47 pm
Gabi,
If the basic problem is chametzdik ingredients, and not the physical form or taste, then an appealing kosher food that lacks the problematic ingredients would be perfectly OK to eat, but…
…if the copycat foods were unhealthy to eat, that would be reason enough not to eat them.
Also, I like kneidlach and other foods such as pancakes and lemony sponge cake made from matzah meal. Maybe plain matzah (which I also like) is more austere, but kneidlach, etc. have a special something that doesn’t degrade my spirituality (I hope). Enjoy yourself both spiritually and physically on the chag.