In Hebrew, leaven is called se'or (שְׂאוֹר) whereas a leavened product is called chametz (חָמֵץ). In ancient times, se'or was as a lump of old dough allowed to reach a high level of fermentation (sometimes called sourdough or yeast). When the piece of sourdough was kneaded together with a mixture of flour and water, it accelerated the rising process and created chametz (today yeast or baking powder function as se'or).

What's the difference between chametz and se'or? Chametz is food and is edible. You can serve and eat chametz (and often want to!). On the other hand, nobody eats se'or, which is inedible fermented grain which has the function of fermenting other dough.

What's wrong with Chametz?

During Passover - sometimes (erroneously) called the Festival of Unleavened Bread - no chametz may be eaten for a full seven days - from the 14th of Nisan through the 21st of Nisan (Exod. 12:15-18; 34:18). That means no leavened bread products of any kind may be eaten during this time. This is explicitly stated in the Torah (Exod. 12:15):

Chametz is considered a corrupting influence, a hidden uncleanness that manipulates purer elements. Like the influence of a lump of leaven in a batch of dough, "spiritual" leaven functions as an evil impulse within us (i.e., yetzer ra: יֵצֶר רָע) that corrupts and "sours" our soul.  This "yeast in the soul" is essentially pride that manifests itself in idolatrous desires and lusts.

Notice that the prohibition of chametz is not limited to the festival of Passover, since all of the minchah (meal) offerings banned its presence from the altar of God in the Mishkan (tabernacle):

No meal offering that you offer to the LORD shall be made with leaven (chametz), for no leaven (se'or) or honey may be turned into smoke as an offering by fire to the LORD. (Leviticus 2:11)

Using the metaphor of leaven, the apostle Paul writes:

Cleanse out the old leaven (חָמֵץ) that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened. For Messiah our Passover has been sacrificed (מָשִׁיחַ זֶבַח פִּסְחֵנוּ). Let us therefore celebrate the festival, not with the old leaven, the leaven of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. (1 Cor. 5:7-8)

The ceremonial search for chametz is customarily performed by candlelight on the night before the Passover Seder. This is called בְּדִיקַת חָמֵץ (bedikat chametz), and is customarily performed by candlelight just after nightfall. There is a custom that ten pieces of chametz are "hidden" in the rooms to be searched. If you hide ten and you (or your children) find only nine, just keep searching! The ten pieces remind us of the ten plagues. A feather and a spoon are often used to sweep up the last crumbs of bread, which will then be burned with the other chametz the following morning.

Before the search is started, the following blessing is recited:

Barukh attah Adonai eloheinu melekh ha-olam,
asher kideshanu bemitzvotav vetzivanu al bi'ur chametz.

Blessed are You, LORD our God, King of the universe,
Who sanctifies us with His commandments and commanded us
regarding the removal of chametz.

The Nullification Declaration

After the search, the chametz, feather, and spoon are wrapped up and stored in a safe location to be burned the following morning in the Bi'ur Chametz (destruction of the chametz) ceremony. The following declaration is then made:

"All chametz, leaven and leavened bread that is in my possession which I have not seen, removed or is unknown to me, shall be annulled and considered ownerless like the dust of the earth."

An Application for Christians

In 1 Corinthians 5:6 we read: "Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leavens the whole lump?" Sin has a "leavening" influence upon the soul: you simply cannot include a little sin in your life without it affecting your whole spiritual life. Hidden sin (i.e., hypocrisy) spreads like spiritual corruption throughout the body and will eventually be exposed. As Yeshua said, "Nothing is hidden that will not be made manifest, nor is anything secret that will not be known and come to light" (Luke 8:17).

Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. Let us therefore celebrate the festival, not with the old leaven, the leaven of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. (1 Cor. 5:7-8)

Here the apostle Paul enjoins you to undergo your own inward bedikat chametz and become a "new lump" - that is, a new substance that is untainted by the sour and rotting influences of your past life. Since the Mashiach has been sacrificed as your Passover Lamb, you are a new creation, made "unleavened" by the power of the Holy Spirit. Therefore put away from you the old nature - the yetser ha'ra - and purge from you the old influences that inwardly canker you and make you sick. Walk without hypocrisy in the truth of the love of God for your soul.

Amen.

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