Passover is the time to reset oneself

  (photo credit: Ben Zion Atiya)
(photo credit: Ben Zion Atiya)

It’s a few days before Passover and Jews in Israel and in the diaspora are preparing for Passover by cleaning the house and baking matzahs.

Last night, Rabbi Yoshiyahu Pinto arrived at the mitzvah bakery in the Williamsburg district of New York. Surrounded by his sons, his successor Rabbi Yoel Pinto and Rabbi Meir Eliyahu Pinto, Rabbi Pinto himself inserted the matzahs in the oven and baked them for Passover.

  (credit: Ben Zion Atiya)
(credit: Ben Zion Atiya)

After observing the commandment of baking matzah, Rabbi Pinto spoke inspiring words to his students and others in the bakery. He explained, "Passover is the holiday of freedom. True freedom begins in a person’s heart. We all have ‘leaven’ in our hearts, in our feelings, and in our thoughts. We have lost our integrity and a straightforward view of the world.

"Passover has the power to liberate us from our bad habits and start a new, unfettered beginning. Its sears the leaven inside us and resets the brain and the heart," said Rabbi Pinto.

  (credit: Ben Zion Atiya)
(credit: Ben Zion Atiya)

Afterwards, Rabbi Pinto returned to his home in Manhattan, where he gave an inspiring Torah talk about Passover. During the talk, Rabbi Pinto answered dozens of questions sent to him from around the world.

This article was written in cooperation with Shuva Israel