schechte@csd2.UUCP (asher schechter) (03/27/85)
This week is Shabbos Hagodol and therefore I will speak about Pesach.
I heard an interesting p'shat (explanation) from Rabbi Kirzner N'Y and I
would like to tell it over. In the beginning of Messeches (tractate)
Pesachim the Mishna discusses the requirement for each family to search
their house for chametz (leavened bread) on the eve of the fourteenth
day of Nissan (the first month in the jewish year). The question is raised
in Tosfos that since one can fulfill his obligation of "Tashbisu" ( to
destroy ) by being Mevatel (consciously disowning or considering it like dirt)
his chametz, why must we then search our homes for chametz ? Let us just
be Mevatel our chametz by saying Kol Chamira (the traditional text which is
used to be Mevatel chametz) and not worry if we have chametz in our possession.
Tosfos' question follows from the following assumption. The Lav
(transgression) of Bal Yeroeh and Bal Yimozeh (not to see and not to find)
chametz applies only to chametz that belongs to you. Chametz that was
disowned, through Bitul (by being mevatel) is not included under this
Lav. Therefore Tosfos asks if we are just mevatel our chametz that should
suffice and we should not need an additional Bdika (search) for chametz.
Tosfos gives two answers to this question.
1. Since people eat chametz all year round they may by mistake eat the
chametz that is left around the house on Pesach. So the Rabbonon (Rabbis)
required a Bdika. Although all other Isurim (forbidden foods) one may keep
around the house , they are different than chametz because they are Asur
(forbidden) all year round as well so people don't usually eat them.
2.Since the Torah was so stringent with chametz on Pesach by giving
two additional Lav's Bal Yeroeh and Bal Yimozeh the Rabbonon saw fit
in the spirit of the importance of the law to add an additional
requirement of Bdika.
Rabbi Kirzner explained that both of these reasons of Tosfos are
hinted to in the Torah. The Posuk (verse) Shimos (Exodus) 12,15 reads
"Shivas yomim matzos tochelo ach bayom harishon tashbiso saar mebotechem
ke kol ochel chametz venichresa hanefesh hahee miyisrael mayom harishon ad
yom hashviey".(Seven days you shall eat matzoh but the first day you shall
destroy chametz from your house because whoever eats chametz will be cut off
from Israel, from the first day to the seventh day.) Now the requirement of
Tashbiso as explained before refers to the act of being Mevatel chametz.
However we could use it in another sense also to refer to the act of Bdika
that the Rabbonon required. So both of the reasons are hinted in the posuk.
Tashbiso , why ? "ke kol ochel chametz venichresa..." (because whoever eats
chamez will be cut off) which is reason 2 above , that it is because of the
strictness of the chametz laws that we make a Bdika. For the Torah tells us
that the reason for the laws of Bal Yeroeh and Bal Yemozeh are because
of the punishment of kares (cut off) for eating chametz (ibid 19). Thus
the Bdika is required because of the stringency of chametz.
Then the posuk continues and gives another reason.
"mayom harishon ad yom hashviey" (from the first day to the seventh day)
So people are not used to refraining from chametz because it only lasts
for seven days. Therefore it was necessary to make a Bdika so that people
would keep away from chametz. This is the first reason of Tosfos above.
So both of Tosfos' reasons are hinted in this posuk.
I would like to wish everyone a "Kosher Pesach" and
Lishono Habo BiYerushalayim Habnuya.
Asher Schechter