There are only two ingredients in traditional Passover matzah: wheat flour and water. So why should you pay extra for “organic” matzah when wheat is not on the “dirty dozen” foods it’s most important to eat organic, and water is, well, water?

Oh, so many reasons!  Passover is a highly symbol-rich holiday, so here are 3 symbolic connections that come to mind:

1. Freedom: This is the fundamental meaning of Passover, a celebration of the Jewish people’s freedom from slavery.  What a powerful gesture of freedom it is to choose a pure, un-tainted version of matzah, the central symbol of the holiday.

2. Respect for the Divine:  In some interpretations, matzah is said to replace the traditional Passover sacrifice to God.  If that’s true, if matzah is what we’re offering God in gratitutde for our freedom, then choosing matzah made with organic wheat is a gesture of respect–we are doing our part to protect the earth we were freed to inhabit.

3. Respect for Our Bodies: During Passover, we luxuriate in the many trappings of freedom.  We eat a sumptuous meal, we recline on comfortable cushions, and we tell the story of the exodus.  Again, the freedom that we enjoy can be symbolized by choosing to put into our bodies products that have been made with care, with ingredients that were grown with care.

Have you tried organic matzah?  What symbolic meanings would you add to this list?