In a previous article about leaven, I found out that there are several words in a single verse in Exodus where we are given the command about leaven for the week of unleavened bread. I took a special look at that time at one word in particular, se’or. I found that it infers a “turning of the head,” the type of thing that causes a loss of focus on a goal – a detour, coming from another direction to our side (left or right) or even from behind.

Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread. Indeed on the first day you cause leaven to cease from your houses. For whoever eats leavened bread from the first day until the seventh day, that being shall be cut off from Yisra’el. Shemoth 12:15

Seven days, matzot you shall eat. Even in day first you shall cease se’or from your houses because all who eat chametz, cut off the being from Yisra’el. From the first day until the seventh day.

matzot – the word translated as “unleavened bread.” Also the very same root word for the sacred Words of YaHUaH, His instructions, His Torah, proclaimed by our Messiah that He is “The Bread from Heaven. It even has the same exact consonants in the word as mitzvot only with different vowel points (which were added later)

Se’or – instructions from “outside” and from “another source.” A thing “added’ that is no useable in reaching the goal. A roadsign along our journey back to Eden that speaks of ‘a different or alternate way’ to get there. All the leftovers that remain once the valuable part is consumed. Like chaff for wheat, dregs for liquids, etc. Anything else that does not come from the primary Master, from His Voice.

chametz – violence, חמץ chamets, cruel 1, dyed 1, grieved, be sour, to be embittered, grieved, to be cruel, oppress, be ruthless, to be red *as in ANGER.* There is reference to “violence to the Torah” and to our Messiah as well in scripture. When we do violence – we twist, turn, bend, negate, add to, take away from, disregard, change, puncture, wound, make void, bring to naught…. all those types of things.

So you see? It is not products with yeast in them that we have to run around our homes and get rid of. In fact, this very teaching is leaven… for it is not what our Father said. It is what tradition said, and what rabbis say, and what other people say.

The Concrete

OK. So throughout this past year for the first time, I learned about sourdough. I finally got a nice, active lump of sourdough starter going and have been making bread from it all year. This is the CONCRETE visual given me that I am now better understanding my Father’s Word and Instructions. I have taken photos of the process and will comment on each one as we go through together. And yes, it is just like making beer. If I were to leave this lump of leaven for too long without feeding it again some fresh flour, it would form a “hooch” on top. The bacteria would eat up all the carbohydrates and begin eating the protein. There would be a liquid separation and it would be alcohol fermentation.

Here is where I begin each time I am going to start a new loaf of bread. This container is holding a mixture of flour and water and it has good bacteria in there, eating up the carbohydrates of the wheat flour which produces air and some fermentation (but not too much). This is called – sourdough. See how the dough has risen to consume about 60% of my jar container? This is 24-48 hours old dough and it is ready to be stirred down. That is what I do next.

I gently stir it down and it loses at least 50% of its volume in height and then I take a big spoon and spoon out all the risen dough leaving only about 1/4 cup left.

This act, this act right here – is me “taking away from” the original lump. Remember, long ago I started with a pure flour water mixture of dough. But I no longer have that you see. For a year now, I have been taking from and adding to. This lump is no where near the original lump I started out with. Next, I add water to both my new lump of leavened dough and my old lump of leaven. Below is my spooned out leavened lump that I will make my bread loaf with.

After I make sure both lumps are wetted, I now add more flour to each of them… feeding both of them (fresh flour = fresh carbohydrates for the bacteria).

This Act… This very act… is me now “adding to” the original lump of flour dough I had. So every time I make a loaf of bread, I am taking from and adding to this left over remainder lump of dough.

I want you now to start thinking about our Father’s Word, and YaHUsHa’s Words. They are pure, fresh, the mahn (and yes, it is mahn… not manna) from heaven, the bread of life that we are to eat for life. He gives us a bite, a portion, our daily bread which is His Word. This is where it starts, hearing or reading the true word. Then what happens throughout the year?

We read stuff other people teach. We listen to men, women, friends, teachers. We hear rumors of this or that. We go to the internet and read stuff or watch videos. If we are not VERY CAREFUL and in fact it is near impossible… by the end of the year what do we have? A bunch of conflicting and confusing information and our precious, fresh, true lump of dough (the bread of life) is now reflecting nothing of what it once was.

So what does our Father instruct us to do each and every year?

cease the leaven from your homes!

Pour it out, get rid of it, and start over. Go back to the unleavened Bread – the matzah, the mitzvot… as He gave it out originally… and throw all that other stuff that we picked up and added to and took away from. This is leaven! False teachings, hypocrisy, etc.

YaHUsHa Messiah said,

How is it that you do not understand that I did not speak to you concerning bread, but to beware of the leaven (doctrine, teaching) of the Pharisees and Sadducees? Matthew 16:12

And so today we can ask one another the same exact question. How is it that you do not understand that HE did not speak to us concerning bread! This includes: pastries, cakes, bread, stuff with yeast in them, doughnuts… and all that other stuff we are taught to run around and throw or give away! Do we really think that is the teaching? What does it benefit the Spirit?

Part of the problem is, that today, hardly anyone has to work hard for food to eat. We simply go to the store and buy it. During the times of God’s Word being given to Israel… it was not so. Heavy, heavy, heavy and time consuming labor went into each days supply and preparation just to eat. This is why YaHUaH uses this idea of FOOD so often to teach us His concepts of wisdom and understanding.

So I implore you this year for the Feast… and I am doing this too, now more than ever… to meditate on His PURE mizvot — His beautiful commandments. Let us discard all the extra teaching and doctrine that does not line up with His Word… so that it is not found within our minds, hearts, and spirits. I absolutely will be throwing out my sourdough lump. My Messiah will not find it in my home and I will start with a fresh lump after the week of the feast. I pray His Spirit to teach and guide each of us as we keep His mitzvot both in truth and spirit and in the literal!

Hope you enjoy thinking on what has been shared. May we bless YaHUaH!

I want to look at chametz next to learn more.