Reb Nissen Pilchick was a holy Yid in Brooklyn. He was known for his great fire in avodas Hashem, and he approached every mitzvah with utmost love and care. Before Pesach, he worked relentlessly to rid the home of even the tiniest crumb of chametz. Even the heavy bookcase needed to be moved in the Pilchick home so he could ensure that no chametz had fallen behind it.
When he was older, his family asked him why he is so stringent in this, since this isn’t required by halachah. And Reb Nissen answered, “You may be right. It may not be required according to the letter of the law. But I know my yetzer hara by now. On the exalted Seder Night, I will be reciting Hallel with great joy and fervor, and he will come to me and say, ‘Nissen, Nissen... You’re percolating with Hallel...but right in this room, there may be chametz behind the bookcase!’ With this, he will dampen my entire feeling of connection to the Ribbono shel Olam—and this I will never allow.”
