Resent from 2018 Passover (Seventh Day) (Exodus 13:17–15:26) Passport Control at Charles de Gaulle Airport.

GOOD MORNING! An elderly American man was waiting in line for Passport Control at Charles de Gaulle Airport. While he was fumbling for his documents, the agent chastised him: “You should have your passport ready! Everyone knows you cannot enter France without one!”

The American softly replied, “You know, the last time I visited France, no one asked for my passport.”

“Impossible!” declared the agent. “No one enters France without a passport!”

“Well,” the American responded, “I can guarantee you that when my unit hit Omaha Beach on D-Day, there wasn’t a single Frenchman there asking to see my papers.” Then, the American asked the agent, “Excuse me, but do you speak German?”

In a huff, the agent replied, “Of course not!”

To which the American quietly responded, “You’re welcome.”

Connections to Pesach
How does this connect to Pesach?

Arrogance: Arrogance is a major obstacle to both spirituality and healthy human relations. There is a deep connection between chametz (leaven)—which we remove from our homes and hearts—and the “puffing up” of pride.

The Power of Inquiry: The Haggadah is built entirely around questions. It is vital to have good questions and even better answers.

The Value of a Laugh: If you can share a story that lightens someone’s burden with a laugh, you have earned your keep for the day.

Q&A: Why the Emphasis on Being Chametz-Free?
On Pesach, we are forbidden from owning or possessing chametz (leavened bread or virtually any flour product not specifically produced for the holiday). This is why we conduct a thorough search of our homes and purchase Matzah specifically marked “For Passover Use.”

The Symbolism of Chametz
Chametz represents arrogance. Passover is a time of spiritual freedom—the primary reason the Almighty brought us out of Egypt. As the saying goes: the only thing that stands between you and God is you. To draw closer to the Divine, one must remove arrogance. Removing chametz is a physical manifestation of this internal process.

True Freedom vs. Slavery
Freedom is the ability to use your free will to grow. Many people believe they are free when they are actually “slaves” to societal fads and fashions. Slavery is characterized by non-thinking, rote behavior, and following physical impulses. Our task on Pesach is to transition from that slavery into true freedom.

Freedom of the Mouth
The Sages view the mouth as a uniquely sensitive organ because it functions in two directions: what enters (food and drink) and what exits (speech). It is so well-guarded that it has two “gates”: hard teeth and soft lips. Most of us are slaves to our mouths, both in our consumption and our conversation.

On Seder night, we rectify this through:

Elevated Speech: The mitzvah of retelling the Exodus story.

Elevated Consumption: Eating Matzah and drinking the Four Cups of wine.

Linguistic Hints
The Hebrew language itself highlights this goal:

Pesach can be read as Peh Sach, meaning “the mouth speaks.”

Paroh (Pharaoh) can be read as Peh Rah, meaning a “bad mouth.”

Perech (the “harsh labor” of Egypt) can be read as Peh Rach, meaning a “loose mouth.”

May we all merit this Pesach to free ourselves from the “bad mouth,” and overcome the “loose mouth” that lets in the wrong things and lets out inappropriate words.