Chametz Sale

Deadline to participate: Monday, March 30, 5pm 

Passover has long been the most widely observed holiday on the Jewish calendar, perhaps because it reminds us to be grateful for our freedom.  This message seems even more relevant this year than most years.
 

One Passover practice with spiritual implications is the act of ridding our homes of chametz.

Chametz includes anything that has the potential to ferment and typically refers to grains that have come into contact with water. Top on the list is bread, but chametz also encompasses any food product made from wheat, barley, rye, oats or spelt that has been allowed to “rise.” Matzah, on the other hand, is a combination of flour and water that has been carefully assembled and baked quickly to avoid any fermentation. 
 

Though allegedly reminiscent of the dough that didn’t have time to rise as the Jews escaped slavery in Egypt under Moses’ leadership, matzah is also a reminder that all too often we get puffed up with pride and self-importance.  Passover is a time of year to do some spring cleaning not just in our homes but in our psyches as well.  Haughtiness, arrogance, and conceit need to be swept out to allow us to acknowledge our own faults and cut others some slack. 
 

Traditionally, Jews conduct a "virtual sale" of all their chametz for the duration of the Passover holiday.
 

If you'd like to facilitate this sale, please send an email to me, physicsrabbi@gmail.com, with subject line 'Chametz Sale' no later than Monday, March 30 by 5pm.  To participate, include your name AND physical address.

If you have any questions about chametz or Passover, please feel free to call (505.500.2668) or email.

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Thank you,

Rabbi Jack Shlachter
physicsrabbi@gmail.com