The answer is: Leaven

Exo 12:19

When it comes to Passover, the prohibition against leaven, or "chametz," isn't just a culinary preference but carries a deep symbolic weight. Leaven represents the idea of pride, puffiness, and sin, something the Israelites needed to cleanse from their lives before escaping slavery in Egypt. Imagine baking bread without that rising agent—it’s a big deal and draws attention to humility and simplicity in the face of liberation.

The practice of removing leaven can remind us of a spiritual spring-cleaning. In the modern context, many families still go through their homes and rid them of leavened products leading to an intense moment of focusing on communal bonds and shared history. Did you know that during the days leading up to Passover, children play a game kind of like hide-and-seek with crumbs? They search for every last bit of leaven until it’s gone—making a fun learning experience about faith and heritage!

Similarly, in the New Testament, leaven is often used metaphorically. Jesus warns his followers to “beware of the leaven of the Pharisees,” signifying a caution against hypocrisy and misleading teachings (Matthew 16:6). So, while leaven might just make your bread fluffy, in scripture it dives deep to invite readers into self-reflection—urging them, much like the message of Passover itself, to seek genuine transformation and relationship with the divine.