THE SEARCH FOR LEAVEN
Prior to Passover a thorough cleaning of the house is done to remove all leaven (yeast), leavening products (such as baking powder, baking soda and cream of tartar), and bread or cereal containing yeast. However, many feel that leaven, as a picture of sin, refers to anything that puffs up, as does the sin of pride (as referred to in 1 Corinthians 5:6), and choose to extend the ban to beans, peas, many other grains and by-products of those grains. The focus needs to be a spiritual one, of a spiritual house-cleansing.
The actual execution of the traditional search for leaven is done in the dark. One is guided only by the light of a single candle. Someone, usually the mother, will hide a few pieces of bread in inconspicuous places - like dark corners. Then the family, led by the father, will search with the candle to find the hidden bread. When each piece is located, it is swept up with a feather onto a spoon and then placed in a bag or wrapped in a linen cloth. This symbolic reenactment is to direct us to search out the hidden sin in our lives. It specifically reminds us to repent of the sins we may feel are little and hidden or secret - something you may believe nobody knows about.
Everyone in the family gets involved in the search, and individuals may take turns or be appointed the job of handling the candle, the feather, the spoon, or the bag. This tradition provides a very vivid lesson for children and adults alike. I will go into detail for each of these steps.
BEDICHAT HA CHAMETZ
Bedichat ha chametz is the term used in Hebrew, and it literally means "the search for leaven." A kit containing all the items needed (except matches) can be purchased at any Jewish gift shop.
Feather
Psalms 91:4
He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth [shall be thy] shield and buckler.
There are many Scriptures relating to G-d’s wings. In the search for leaven I see the feather representing the wings as a picture of the loving mercy of G-d as shown in Exodus 19:4, Deuteronomy 32:10-12, Ruth 2:12 and Psalms 17:8, to name a few. Even in the New Testament we find this analogy.
Matthew 23:37
O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!
A couple of years ago, I was emailed a story that, supposedly, was retold from an article printed in National Geographic. I have not been able to confirm this. However, the story itself is a poignant illustration of the above verse. The article gave an account of one of the horrific fires that plagues California's wooded acreage every year. I believe this report concerned Yosemite National Park and included a photograph of a soot-covered firefighter with a caption reporting that the firefighter, repulsed by the perfect, statue-like, charred remains of a bird at his (or her) booted feet, had kicked the blackened fowl, knocking it over. From under the wings of those remains emerged two live baby chicks, freed from the confines of the body of the parent that had sacrificed its own life to safeguard theirs.
Do you see the connection? Just as the parent protected its young from the flames at the cost of its own life, so Y’shua gave His life for us that we might not suffer the flames of hell.
In Jewish thought “wings” are a simile for the fringes attached to the corners of a specific article of clothing. Today this garment is referred to as a tallit, or prayer shawl, but in ancient times this would have been regular piece of clothing worn by the Torah-observant Jew all the time. It identified him as Jewish.
In the story of the woman with the issue of blood (Matthew 9:20), she touches the fringes or wings (in Hebrew, tzitzit) of Y’shua’s garment. Some translations call it a “hem” or even “the edge.” This ignorance of the symbolism behind the words makes it difficult for us to recognize the prophecy of there being "healing in his wings." (MalachI 4:2)
An amazing parallel is illustrated here: In Numbers we are told that the tzitzit are to remind us of the commandments of G-d. The commandments are His Word, and so, as we are told in John 1:14, is Y’shua, the Word that became flesh. Like the algebraic equation we learned in school: If A = B and B = C then A = C. The tzitzit (A) remind us of the Scriptures (B) which remind us of Y’shua (C). So the tzitzit (A) are to remind us of Y’shua (C). This is why when the woman with the issue of blood touched the fringes, she was healed. It was as though she touched Him: not just because He was wearing the garment, but those small, intricately tied tassels contained the healing power of The Word, the Messiah.
Wooden spoon
It is easy to see, though it won’t be found in Jewish sources, that the spoon could represent the cross on which Y'shua was crucified, since it is, of course, made of wood.