“On the night before Passover, the Jewish people gather in their homes at sundown and begin searching for any remaining chametz.

This stage of the Passover prep is known as bedikat chametz. Traditionally, we use a beeswax candle, a feather, a wooden spoon, and a paper bag for collecting any chametz found.

On the next day, all found chametz gets burned before the fifth seasonal hour, and the ‘search and destroy’ process officially comes to a close.

Chametz represents our puffed-up ego that exists inside each one of us, and the bedikat chametz represents the checking, cleansing, and purifying of ourselves from those negative traits that veer us away from doing good. The holiday of Passover is referred to as ‘a time of our freedom.’ It’s a unique opportunity to tap into the spiritual forces of true freedom that are more accessible this time of the year as we experience our own exodus.”