In Exodus 12, just before the final plague, God gave Israel detailed instructions for the Passover lamb and unleavened bread. Their obedience was a matter of life and death, sparing their firstborn from judgment.

A fascinating detail in Exodus 12:17 is often translated as “observe the feast,” but the original Hebrew reads, “you shall guard the matzah” (shemartem et-hamatzot). This implies a higher standard, requiring extra precautions to keep the bread from rising.

This offers a spiritual lesson. Regular bread and matzah share the same ingredients, but bread is left alone to “puff up” naturally, while matzah requires vigilance to remain flat. Because Hebrew uses no vowels, this phrase can also be read as “guard the commandments” (hamitzvot).

Leaven is a symbol for sin, pride, and corruption. Like bread, sin naturally creeps into our lives if we do nothing—if we fail to pray, study, or examine ourselves. We become “puffed up” without any effort.

Remaining pure, however, requires proactive effort. It means guarding our spiritual condition against the world’s influences instead of letting them slowly permeate our lives. That is the difference between an ordinary life and an extraordinary one.

As we approach Passover, we must ask ourselves: Have we let things spoil our spiritual matzah? How will we step up our game to ensure we remain unblemished?