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For the first time in our family, we are following the command of Yahweh not to have leavened bread in the house. We are still learning, though, and want to make sure that we actually got rid of all that has yeast. Is there anything else that we need to be getting rid of during this Passover / Unleavened Bread festival? ANSWER: We believe that "leavening" refers to anything that changes the food from its original form to a puffed up state. For example, angel food cake has nothing in it except beaten egg whites, but it swells up to be very light and fluffy and puffy. Other such examples are sourdough, baking soda, baking powder, popcorn, puffed cereals, etc. Anything which changes the nature of the food to cause it to swell, depicts our souls being swollen with the leaven of sin and pride, which in fact make us "light and airy", or like the chaff which the wind blows away (Psalm 1:4). We strive to eliminate all puffed foods from our diet during the days of Passover / Unleavened Bread. Of course the main goal of removing the physical leaven is to remind us to eliminate the spiritual leaven of selfishness, pride, and any other sinful tendencies from our hearts and lives. "Therefore, let us keep the Feast, not with the old leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavned of sincerity and truth." (1 Corinthians 5:8) This is the more important leaven. "Seven days shall there be no leaven found in your houses...." (Exodus 12:19) Our bodies / lives are the temple / house of Yahweh (2 Corinthians 6:16), and we are not to allow the leavening of sin to be found within the gates of our lives, whether during Passover or otherwise. Of course this requires a cleansing from Yahweh. The house cannot deleaven itself; nor can our hearts deleaven themselves. Just as the house needs us to cleanse it, we need Yahweh to cleanse us. "Behold, Thou desirest truth in the inward parts, and in the hidden part Thou shalt make me to know wisdom. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow." (Psalm 51:6-7) |