ָ נוּ עַ ל אֲ כִ ילַ ת מַ צּ ָ הבָ רוּךְ אַ תָ ה ...אֲ שֶ ר קִ דְ שָ נוּ בְ מִ צְ וֹתָ יו וְ צִ וּ
Blessed are You... Who has sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us concerning the eating of the matzah
After growing up in a secular household and becoming religious at age twelve, I continued on to the Bais Yaakov in Brooklyn and from there to seminary in Israel. During one of my years spent in seminary, I returned home for Pesach intent on cleaning the house and readying it for Yom Tov. One morning I sat down with my older sister over a cup of coffee. A successful, pretty and popular girl, my sister was well-liked by literally everyone she came across. It was therefore a bit odd when she said, “I found your high school yearbook.” Knowing that the pictures in the yearbook of me and the rest of my classmates were not overly impressive compared to my sister’s standard, I felt like apologizing for having her see it. But then she said something which blew me away.
“How old are these girls?” “They’re about seventeen or eighteen,” I said. “They look amazing!” my sister exclaimed. “These girls look so pure and wholesome. Just looking at their faces it is clear that they are motivated and focused on what they want in life. I wish I was like them; I am jealous.”
Hearing this from my sister was very uncharacteristic of her. Known to have a great life by societal standards and receiving lots of attention, I was shocked to hear that she admired a bunch of religious girls who spent their days learning and growing instead of partying and having fun.
“I don’t know what it is,” continued my sister, “but I feel so hollow inside. I have a great and glamorous life, but I feel empty and as if I am missing something.” As I took to heart my sister’s words, I knew exactly how she felt. “You feel this way because you are more than just your body; you are also your soul. And if you starve your soul, you will be hungry and feel a void within yourself.”
The difference between chametz and matzah is the difference between body and soul. While chametz rises and looks from the outside quite glitzy and glamorous, it contains nothing more than air. Matzah on the other hand is pure and unadulterated. It represents the individual who does not live a life of fantasy and disillusionment, but rather focuses on accomplishing his or her goals. And being so, it is the perfect recipe for achieving meaning in life and actualizing one’s potential.
