This week I took our car to a car wash, and not just any car wash. Because I needed to make sure no remnant of chametz remains before Pesach, I chose the VIP wash.
With five kids, trust me, the back of that car was well beyond dirty. In fact, I wondered how in the world they could make that much of a mess!
How would they take my messy car and transform it in a shiny, good-as-new car?
First, the car was cleaned externally. A pressure sprayer covered the car with soap, and together with strong, foam brushes and power-sprayed water, all the layers of dirt on the outside of the car were stripped away.
Next, four attendants worked on the inside of the car. They went through the entire car, vacuuming the floors, wiping down the dashboard, steering wheel, and windows. Nothing was left untouched.
Lastly, three coats of wax were applied to the car, making it as shiny as a brand-new penny.
In just an hour they had completely changed my car. It looked and felt as good as the day I got it.
This is what Pesach is all about.
Chametz represents the ego and our poor character traits—our bad moods, addictions, etc. When we are commanded to remove all chametz from our possession, it includes this internal chametz too.
It’s time for a major overhaul—internal and external—just like my car. We need to remove every piece of dirt that tarnishes our souls, but unlike a car, we can’t just drive up to a car wash and let the attendants do the work. The only person who can do the deep inner work to remove the blemishes from our souls is us.
So what are we waiting for? Pesach starts in just a few days. Let’s get to work!