Temporary Holiness

BS"D

Holiness is derived from abstinence. "קדש עצמך במותר לך". When one separates themselves from a given luxury or indulgence – a certain level of holiness is achieved. Yet, we are not a religion of meaningless asceticism. Dedication of a pleasure or an indulgence to a higher goal is even holier than refraining from it completely, as is evidenced by the consumption of intoxicating wine in a procedure known as "Enacting Holiness" – that is, "Kiddush". Colloquially, this can be described by the phrase – "It is harder to eat for G-d, than to fast for G-d".

So, for a week, we refrained from the more pleasing chametz in favor of the less palatable matza. This was, in addition to a commemoration of the exodus from Egypt, an act of holy abstinence. But, we have now returned to eating leavened bread. How are we to relate to our state of temporary holiness ? Was it a brief interlude from 'real life' – designed to shake us out of spiritual stagnation and then return us refreshed into our lives to resume business as usual ?

I say, no.

To view Pesach as a battery recharge would be to deny the lesson of holiness by abstinence. During Pesach we practice this holiness as we willingly forgo the tastier chametz. But in order to achieve the next level in our service of G-d – we must translate that effort into a greater holiness. If the chametz we eat in our post Pesach state is identical to the chametz we ate before, then it is nothing more than chametz she'avar alav haPesach – ( Chametz that was owned by a Jew illegally during Pesach and is therefore prohibited ). But if we manage to generate new eating procedures – whereby we dedicate ourselves and our eating to the service of G-d ( instead of our gut )  - the we have translated the temporary holiness of Pesach into a lasting one of the year 'round.

Hatzlacha !!