The time of year for spring-cleaning has come around again – time to track down Hametz – leaven. Hametz is bad, and bodes ill at Pesah.
Let us track down our own hametz. Our own is worse, and bodes still worse. Let's try to rid ourselves for good, once and for all, of our bad habits and wicked thoughts.
This teaching should already be familiar to you.
A child in a village wanted to change the world, to make it better. He tried and tried – but could not manage it.
As a teenager he said to himself: to change the world is too tall an order. Let's change the country. That should be easier. For years and years he tried to change his country for the better – without success.
The seasons passed: our young man, now an adult, thought he could change his village. The country's too big, he thought. The village is more manageable and within reach. By changing his home town, he would bring change to his country. The world would follow.
Nothing happened. His village did not become better.
Married and now a father, the poor man despaired. He then had a brainwave: what if he tried to change his family ? Everything else was bound to follow: his town, his country and finally the world.
Winter followed autumn and summer followed spring – time after time. The man, bent over by the passing years, did not succeed in his task.
After a whole lifetime spent vainly trying to improve the human race, on the verge of his winter, the man had a flash of inspiration. "What if I changed ? If I succeed my family would have my example to follow - then my village would, then the world."
As children and teenagers did we not dream of changing the world? And was the world not waiting for us to change it ? Is today too late for us to change ourselves ?
This coming Pesah we re-enact the departure from Egypt of our ancestors. Let me remind you that according to the gematria the word for Egypt, Mitzrayim, has the same numerical value as metzarim, troubles. Let us leave Mitzrayim and our troubles behind us. Our ancestors were slaves in Mitzrayim. Let us not allow ourselves and others top continue with our, with their metzarim. I pray for a just and lasting peace, a peace just and wise, just and generous, with Israel's neighbours. Israel is my only permanent worry and peace its only solution.
Wishing you all a very Happy Pesah.