One of my favorite childhood memories of Passover was the night before the holiday, searching for hametz in the dark. My siblings and I would wrap small pieces of bread in tissues and hide them around the house. Then, when night fell, we turned off all the lights, and my father would begin his search with a candle wrapped in foil in hand. The light of the candle was so subtle, so we helped him out, calling out, “You’re getting warmer!” when he got close and giggling, “You’re getting colder!” when he moved away. In the morning we would burn the hametz. The ritual was complete, and we were ready for Pesah.
Jewish law teaches that the search for hametz isn’t just about making sure our homes are clean. The Shulhan Arukh states that even if one has already cleaned thoroughly, the search must still take place on the night of the 14th of Nissan. The Rama even adds that if we are unlikely to find hametz, we should hide pieces so that our blessing over the search is not in vain. This teaches us that bedikat hametz is not only practical—its value lies in the search itself.
Our tradition offers symbolic meaning for this search. The Talmudic sage Rabbi Alexandri described the yetzer hara, the evil inclination, as “the yeast in the dough” (Berakhot 17a). Just as yeast makes dough rise, our own egos can puff us up, leading to arrogance, resentment, or misplaced priorities. In this sense, hametz represents the inner obstacles that keep us from being our best selves.
When we conduct our search, we are not permitted to search by the light of the sun, the moon, or a torch. Rather, we use the more subtle and focused light of a candle, which forces us to look closely and carefully. A midrash teaches that just as we search for hametz, the Holy One will search Jerusalem (i.e. the Jewish people) with a candle, to root out the evil inclination, (Pesikta Rabbati 8).
The act of searching for hametz, then, becomes an act of careful introspection. It is an opportunity to ask ourselves: Where have we allowed our egos to take over? Where have we prioritized the trivial over the meaningful? What habits or attitudes do we carry that we know we need to let go?
Many of us already know what we will find. Our spiritual hametz—the struggles we face within ourselves—tends to be the same each year. Yet our tradition gives us this moment, year after year, to pause and check in with ourselves, to engage in the search once more.
Rosh Hodesh Nissan marks one of the four Jewish New Years, offering us a fresh start, much like Rosh Hashanah. Just as we use the High Holidays for reflection and renewal, Pesah gives us the same opportunity in a different form.
So as we sweep, scrub, and search this Passover season, let us remember that the process is not just about what we remove from our homes. It is about what we uncover within ourselves. May our search be meaningful, and may we emerge from it feeling lighter, freer, and ready for the season of redemption.
-Rabbi Willis
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