In this week’s Parsha we have Yetzias Mitzrayim and
the Mitzvos that have to do with Pesach evening. I would like to start with a
Dvar Halacha and then a Dvar Machshava both relating to the Mitzvos that the
Torah gives us regarding the eating of Matzah on Pesach. The Meshech Chochmoh
(which is not found in his writings on this week’s Parsha) says that it says in
the Posuk 12:17 (וּשְׁמַרְתֶּם,
אֶת-הַמַּצּוֹת), that it is a
special Mitzvah to have Shmura Matzos. As you know it is a Mitzvah to have
Matzah that is Shomer (watched) L’sheim Mitzvah which applies only to the
Matzah that is being eaten on the first night of Pesach at the Seder. The rest
of Pesach however, it is enough that it is not Chometz, it doesn’t have to be
Matza that is Shomer (Shmura Matzah).
The question is (וּשְׁמַרְתֶּם,
אֶת-הַמַּצּוֹת) what type of a
Shemira is the Torah obligating? Rashi says (ושמרתם את
המצות: שלא יבאו לידי חמוץ) It
is an obligation to be careful in guarding the dough to not turn into Chometz.
The prohibition of not eating Chometz is the same the first night of Pesach as
it is on the entire Yom Tov of Pesach. The question then is why should the
Torah give a different level of obligation in Shemira on the first night of
Pesach then on the rest of the days of Pesach? Besides for the prohibition of
eating Chometz they are identical.
The Meshech Chochmoh answers with a Yesod. We know
that when it comes to Mitzvos we are allowed to rely on Rov. The Torah allows
us to rely on Rov. What would happen if someone were to rely on Rov, for
example you Shecht an animal properly and eat the meat. Unbeknownst to him,
there is a hole in the heart thus rendering the animal a Treifah. The Halacha
is that Ones K’man D’lo Ovid Dami. If someone does something B’ones he is not
guilty at all and then K’man D’lo Ovid, it is as if he did not eat Nivaila. There
is no Aveira at all. A person should be perfectly comfortable relying on Rov in
that the animal is not a Treifah and indeed we never check for any Treifos
outside of the lungs where finding them to be Treif is more common.
When it comes to a Mitzvas Asei however, the same
thing is not true. Let’s say someone would buy an Esrog in a manner in that he
was relying on Rov that it is a Koshera Esrog and it would turn out that it is
not a Koshera Esrog. Well he wouldn’t be punished for failing to take an Esrog
because he was an Ones but he would not get Schar for taking an Esrog because
in fact he did not actually take an Esrog. Which means to say, when you have a
good excuse it helps for a Lo Sasei. Somebody violates a prohibition then Unsa
K’man D’lo Ovid, if someone does something B’ones he is not guilty at all
because he did not do the Lo Sasei. However, when it comes to a Mitzvas Asei
even if one is guiltless in failing to do it, he still doesn’t benefit from
having done the Mitzvah.
With this Yesod the Meschech Chochmoh explains
beautifully. All Pesach we don’t have to guard the flour that it not turn into
Chometz. We are permitted to rely on Rov. Normally, kernels which are ground
into flour make flour that is not Chometzdik. Normally if you make dough by
mixing flour and water and bake it within 18 minutes it will not turn into
Chometz. There is no special need to watch it although occasionally things may
happen, but in a typical case the Torah allows us to rely on Rov. Therefore,
all of Pesach we are perfectly comfortable relying on that Rov. The reason is
even if it would turn into Chometz Unsa K’man D’lo Ovid and there is no
violation. The first night of Pesach is different because it is a Mitzvas Asei
so if we would eat something that we think is Matzah and B’ones it really is
not Matzah you wouldn’t be punished for failing to eat Matzah on the first
night of Pesach but you would be missing the benefit of eating Matzah as the
MItzvas Asei. Therefore, the Torah is teaching us that when you come to a
Mitzvas Asei (a Mitzvah that one does actively) a person should be extra
careful (וּשְׁמַרְתֶּם,
אֶת-הַמַּצּוֹת).
This is a beautiful explanation and with this the
Meshech Chochmo goes on to explain that the Halacha is that a person is
obligated to check his Mezuzas twice every seven years. The Bedika is an
obligation despite the fact that as we know most of the time the Mezuzas are
Kosher. They were Kosher originally and they stay Kosher. When it comes
however, to checking Treifos, checking the lungs, a Treifa that is common,
there is no biblical obligation to check, we rely on Rov. Checking the lungs is
a Chumrah which we do Mid’rabban. Why is checking Mezuzas different than
checking the lungs?
When it comes to Treifos we come to relying on
Rov, and therefore, we can eat without checking. Unsa K’man D’lo Ovid, the
Torah allows us to rely on Rov. If we accidently eat something that was Treif
there is no consequence. However, when it comes to Mezuza which is a Mitzvas
Asei, if we relied on Rov and in fact the Mezuza was Posel indeed we wouldn’t
be punished for failing to do the Mitzvah but still we would be failing from
having benefit of a Kosher Mezuza. This is a beautiful Vort based on a very
basic Yesod.
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