GLOBAL RELIGIOUS LEADERS

זצ“ל Mordechai Eliyahu

Cleaning for Pesach

he excitement of Pesach begins ark? They answer that when the The time for searching for chametz is well before the actual holiday teaches us the laws of kosher food, at the beginning of the eve of the 14th – Pesach preparations are an there is no reason to shorten its words, of Nissan. The Kaf HaChaim says this Tintrinsic part of this special chag. Rav because this is Torah and halacha, but means right before night begins. The Mordechai Eliyahu z”l shared a few when the Torah is only telling which Magen Avraham says it means before thoughts on the importance and inner animals entered the ark, which is not tzeit haKochavim, before three stars are meaning of cleaning for Pesach and practical halacha, it is necessary to add visible, even though there is still some searching for chametz: extra words and avoid using unclean light. language. Wise people should learn When there’s an argument between LeHalacha, we say the time for bedikat ֲאֶשׁר :from this. In the words of the Ran different groups of Jews, for example that are lacking purity”) chametz is when tzeit haKochavim“) ֵא ֶינ ָּנה ְטהוֹ ָרה between different political parties, ,impure”) begins, since during bein haShmashot“) ַה ֻּט ְמ ָאה .contains 13 letters the discussion should be conducted contains five. Eight letters were added the light of the candle doesn’t shine in a dignified, respectful and “clean” just so the language would be clean. well, and the mitzvah is to search at the ,אוֹ ר ְל ַאְר ָּב ָעה ָע ָ ׂ שר ,manner. The Gemara teaches this: “The beginning of the night verse did not speak to the disparage- We know we must check for chametz (the eve of the 14th), which is why the ח ֹ ו שׁ ֶ ְ ך and not א וֹ ר ment of [even] a non-kosher animal, in the holes and cracks. Our commen- Mishna uses the word as it is written: ‘From the pure animals tators suggest that a person should also (darkness), to imply the very beginning and from the animals that are lacking check his own “cracks,” his pockets. One of the night when it is not yet fully dark. purity’ (Bereishit 7:8).” should check if one’s money is ‘clean,’ and whether one gave charity to talmi- “In Nissan we were redeemed and in dei chachamim. As Yirmiyahu says, Nissan we will be redeemed.” Chazal When there’s an money which is not clean and pure con- say: we don’t want to wait, we want redemption immediately. argument between tains no sign of blessing: “the man who “” gains riches by unjust means – when different groups of As Rashi says, the future redemption his life is half gone, they [his riches] will may occur even at night, and the Beit Jews, for example desert him…” (Yirmiyahu 17:11). HaMikdash will descend, built and between different The writes: “In the complete. We believe in the coming of political parties, the beginning of the eve of the 14th of Mashiach every single day. Yehi ratzon that we merit to sacrifice the korban discussion should Nissan, chametz should be searched for by candlelight, in all of the places where Pesach in its set time, and we should be conducted in a one regularly brings chametz. merit the shleima, speedily in our dignified, respectful days, Amen. One should be careful not to begin any and “clean” manner work or eat before he searches. And even if he has a set time to study Torah In other words, the Torah wanted to at that time, he should not study until teach us how to speak cleanly, and he searches. If he started to learn while chose a longer expression, “from the it was still day, he need not stop. And animals that are lacking purity,” so as there are those who say he should stop.” not to say “from the impure animal.” If he is hungry and wants to eat before searching for chametz, he may eat fruits The commentators question this or less than a beitza-worth of bread. We though. In other places in the Torah, also do not set time for learning Torah “impure animal” is specifically used, so at the end of the 13th of Nissan, and a served as זצ“ל why is the longer, ‘cleaner’ phrase not Rabbi should not begin a drasha, lest he Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu used there like it is in the above verse, continue late and prevent bedikat cha- the Rishon LeZion and Sephardi listing the animals that entered the metz from being carried out on time. of Israel from 1983 to 1993.

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