Chametz — What Is It?
- Zac Waller
- Mar 27
- 2 min read
“For seven days no leaven (se’or) shall be found in your houses, since whoever eats what is leavened (chametz), that same person shall be cut off from the congregation of Israel, whether a stranger or native of the land. You shall eat nothing leavened (chametz); in all your dwellings you shall eat unleavened bread” (Exodus 12:19–20).
So what exactly is chametz?
The Hebrew word se’or refers to sourdough starter—fermented batter used to cause bread to rise. In practice, it functions the same way as chametz because it creates leaven.
Chametz is formed when three things come together:
• One of five grains: wheat, barley, rye, oats, or spelt
• Water or moisture comes into contact with the grain
• The mixture sits uncooked for more than 18 minutes, allowing natural fermentation (yeast) to develop
When these elements combine and fermentation begins, the result is chametz—leavened grain products. Interestingly, this includes things like noodles (unless it was cooked within 15 minutes of mixing the dough) but not baking soda (no grains). Some may choose to add a fence to (do more than) the literal meaning of the text and exclude items that function similarly to chametz.
Removing the chametz from our homes carries a deep spiritual reminder. Scripture often uses leaven as a picture of sin and pride. "Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened. For Messiah, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. Let us therefore celebrate the festival, not with the old leaven, the leaven of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth." 1 Corinthians 5:6–8
Just as leaven spreads through dough, pride and sin spreads through our lives. Removing chametz during Passover points to the call to examine our hearts and remove the “old leaven,” remembering that Messiah, our Passover Lamb, has made a way for us to live in sincerity and truth.
(Please leave a comment below and let us know your thoughts on this article!)
I agree. Thus, wet grain is likened to sin . Grain isn’t. Moisture isn’t. But when the two come together there’s trouble. Grain seeds rot when they get wet. When made into dry flour all is good until moisture hits it and only a quick response makes the mix good.
It’s the mix of two opposites-wet and dry- that creates multiplication. And when left too long will overflow the container.
So too, when sin (a mix of opposites, right and wrong) remains in me it will ferment ( spread, overflow, contaminate) unless I quickly teshuva.