Religion

Prayers to accompany the search for chametz

Below you’ll find two prayers by Jon Kelsen and Dina Weiss, written to accompany the search and nullification of chametz in our homes. I found them meaningful – hope you will too.
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The Torah instructs us to clear our homes of all hametz (leavened foods) prior to the onset of the holiday of Pesah.  In the Talmud, R’ Alexandri refers to his yetzer hara (evil inclination) as “leaven that is in the dough” (TB Berakhot 17a).  The Midrash provides a way of understanding this equation:

‎“ושמרתם את המצות” ר’ יאשיה אומר: אל תקרא כן, אלא ושמרתם את המצוות.  כדרך שאין מחמיצין את המצה, כך אין מחמיצין את המצוה; אלא, אם באה מצוה לידך, עשה אותה מיד:

“And you shall guard the matzoth. ” R.  Yoshayah said: Rather read [the word “matzoth”] as “mitzvoth. ” For just as we may not allow matzah to rise, so too we may not “ferment” [i. e.  delay] a mitzvah.  Rather, if a mitzvah comes your way, do it immediately
(Mekhilta d’Rabbi Yishmael, m.  d’ Piskha 9).
Because leavening is a process that takes place over time, R’ Yoshayah equates hametz with laziness.  In other contexts, hametz is equated with the attribute of self-inflation, of arrogance.  This more expansive definition of hametz invites us to link the process of destroying and relinquishing hametz with the complementary practices of working to remove those “hametzdik” attributes which we have allowed to grow within our souls, and which manifest themselves in multiple ways, including in the maintenance of superfluous possessions and even income.
Using the traditional liturgy as our template, we have composed two prayers intended to frame our intentions as we work to discard our hametz, clean our homes, and engage in bedikat and bi’ur hametz (the search for and destruction of hametz).  The first text is designed to be recited during the days and weeks prior to Pesah as we clean and dispose of our hametz; the second text is meant to be recited after the burning of the hametz, on the morning of April 18, erev Pesah.  We hope that these texts resonate with you and move you to adapt them to fit your own circumstances.
Hag Kasher v’Sameah,
Jon Kelsen and Dena Weiss
Hineni
I am present, in body and mind, to fulfill the positive commandment of “On the first day, you shall dispose of hametz from your homes. ”
As I prepare to destroy all the leavened food in my possession, so I commit to removing all objects and aspects of my life which share distinct features with hametz:
clothing I do not wear which might clothe another,
tzedakah I am withholding which might sustain another;
love I have not shown which might inspire another. 
I also prepare to challenge my traits of procrastination, selfishness and narrow perspective, arrogance, and fear.
Yehi Ratzon

God, should it please You, help me to grow from the experience of discovering and destroying the hametz from my home and office, my closet and my desk, my heart and my mind.  I recognize that I have not done so completely.  Regard my efforts as achievements.  Help me to turn my mistakes into lessons and to continue this process of purification throughout the coming year. 
This year we are here, next year may we be in Eretz Yisrael.  This year we are slaves, next year may we be free.

‎הנני מוכן ומזומן
הנני מוכן ומזומן לקיים מצוות עשה כמו שכתוב בתורה “אך ביום הראשון תשביתו שאור מבתיכם. “
וכמו שאני מוכן להשבית כל מחמצת שברשותי, כן אני מוכן להשבית שאר דברים שברשותי שיש בהם מעין תערובת חמץ:
בגדים שאינני לובש היכולים להלביש ערומים,
צדקה שקפצתי בידי היכולה להקים דלים,
אהבת חינם של חננתי. 
ואף אני מוכן להתמודד עם יצרי הרעים שבכל מחבואות מחשבותי ,שאור שבעיסה:
החמצה, אנוכיות, מוחין דקטנות, גאווה, ופחד.

‎יהי רצון
יהי רצון מלפניך ה’ אלוקינו ואלוקי אבותינו, שתעזרני ללמוד לעלות ולהתקדש על ידי עבודת בדיקת וביעור החמץ:
הן מביתי הן ממשרדי,
הן מארוני הן משולחני,
הן מליבי הן משכלי. 
מתודה אני לפניך שלא סיימתי את מלאכת הקודש בתמימות. 
צרף יגיעתי להשגתי, מחשבתי למעשי. 
הפוך שגגות לזכויות, ירידות לעליות, ותזכני למשוך שפעת הקדושה והטהרה של מצווה זו. 
השתא הכא, לשנה הבאה באראע דישראל .  השתא עבדי, לשנה הבאה בני חורין.

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