Sunday, April 1, 2007

The Only Difference Between Chametz and Matza is a "Mashehu"


The Meor Einayim from Chernobyl says the following pshat in Parshas Tzav regarding the fact that chametz is asur even b'mashehu (and isn't batul even 1 in a thousand):

The letters in the words "chametz" and "matza" are almost exactly the same. Two out of the three letters in each word (in Hebrew) are the same: mem and tzadi. The only difference is that Chametz has a Ches. And Matza has a "hay." And the only difference between those two letter is just a little line connecting the vertical line to the horizonal line on the top left side of the letter. That little line, that mashehu of a line is so small that you would think it wouldn't matter. But that mashehu makes all the difference between the word being "chametz," or "matza." That is why chametz is asur even b'mashehu.

The yetzer hara doesn't usually try to get us to do aveiros that are open and obvious to us as aveiros. First, it tries to blur the distinction between them by making the aveira seem to us to be a mitzva. That is how it tricks us. And often the distinctions can be very slight (outwardly) (only a mashehu) but that mashehu makes the difference between aveira and mitzva, between chametz and matza.

May be be zoche to be makpid on that mashehu seeminly small difference between the yetzer tov and the yetzer hara, and may we be zoche to be meva'air and mevatel all of our inner chametz!

-Dixie Yid

1 comment:

A Simple Jew said...

Very nice!

Chag kasher v'sameach!