Preparation for Passover
The following is a brief synopsis of the laws about Pesach preparations. This article is meant only as a cursory overview. For more detailed information, please get in touch with the Rabbi.
Cleaning for Pesach
The Torah tells us that we may not possess Chametz during Pesach, regardless of whose property it is stored on. Neither may we store Chametz on our property on behalf of others. Our sages instituted the obligation of Bedikas Chametz, searching for Chametz, on the evening of the fourteenth of Nissan, the eve of Erev Pesach.
Since we are also responsible for disposing of Chametz that belongs to us but is not in our home, we should take a careful inventory of our Chametz possessions, regardless of location. An effort should be made to contact someone who can dispose of the Chametz on your behalf or at least sell or gift it to a non-Jew so that it no longer belongs to you during Pesach.
To lighten the load that is sure to fall upon the shoulders of the searchers on the day before Pesach, it is customary to clean the house of Chametz thoroughly several weeks before Pesach.
Many people like to clean all the nooks and crannies in preparation for Pesach. There are two reasons for this: (a) one can never know where a piece of Chametz may lie hidden, and (b) it is an opportunity to beautify the home in honor of the holiday.
Nevertheless, from a purely obligatory point of view, one is only required to clean the rooms in which Chametz is occasionally present. For example, the kitchen and dining area, cabinets, pantry, hallways, playrooms, bedrooms, etc. Note that even if one has a no-food rule in certain areas of the home, we cannot be certain that food was not brought into those rooms throughout the year if young children live with us.
Unfurnished basements and attics used solely for storage and not regularly used may be considered Chametz-free. One should also clean pockets, especially those of children. Books should be cleaned if they are left on the table together with food. However, Chametz under or behind heavy furniture that does not move easily is considered inaccessible and can be dismissed. We should have it in mind when we nullify our Chametz.
Though the biblical prohibition pertains only to Chametz, the volume of an olive, our sages mandated that we remove even little crumbs. This is because it is difficult to measure the precise size of a crumb. In the words of the Shulchan Aruch, the children of Israel are holy and have undertaken additional stringencies to clean walls, chairs, and tables, ensuring that even a crumb of Chametz is not present in the home during Pesach.
It is not possible to guard against every possible crumb in the home. It is our obligation to do our best and to rely on the fact that we abandon and nullify in our hearts all remaining Chametz that is unknown to us.
Kashering the kitchen
Many families have a separate set of pots and cutlery for Pesach. However, should you need to Kasher your pots for Pesach, the Shul kitchen will be open on Sunday, March 29, from 1:00 – 3:00 pm for this purpose (by request only). Rabbi Gurkow will be on hand to facilitate the koshering and help with any questions that arise. Year-round appliances that cannot be brought to the Shul for Koshering, such as sinks, ovens, stoves, and microwaves, can be made kosher for Pesach. This procedure is rather complicated; please get in touch with Rabbi Gurkow for guidance.
Sale of Chametz
Items that one does not wish to clean or dispose of may be sold to a non-Jew for the duration of Pesach.
These items should be stored in separate closets or rooms that are locked or, at a minimum, taped shut for the duration of Pesach. These closets or rooms are "leased" to the non-Jew at the time of sale. It is also possible to sell the Chametz of an entire building, such as an office building that will not be used for Pesach or a home if the family is away for the entire holiday.
Since there are many legal intricacies regarding the laws of this sale, one should entrust a competent rabbi with its execution. The rabbi acts as your agent both to sell the Chametz before Pesach and to buy it back after Pesach.
Once sold, one may not use these items, since they don’t belong to us. However, if you require occasional access to these areas during Pesach for non-chametz-related purposes, you may enter. It can be assumed that the rabbi did not sell the Chametz before the deadline and that he repurchased it about ten minutes after Yom Tov.
Please look for the Chametz sale form as an insert in this newsletter and send it in by Tuesday, March 29.
Kosher for Pesach foods
All items used in the home during Pesach must be Kosher for Pesach. There are many items that we do not usually associate with Chametz but that contain starch or other forms of Chametz. It is important to look for the Kosher for Pesach sign on the products that we purchase during this time.
There are also many products not marked as Kosher for Pesach, but some brands are, in fact, kosher for Pesach. The list includes hand soap, dish and laundry detergent, plastic plates and cutlery, paper towels, etc. Consult the Rabbi for a list of these kosher items. Many Kashrut organizations, including COR, publish Pesach magazines (also available online) that list Kosher for Pesach items.
Shabbat Hagadol
After Minchah on the Shabbos before Pesach, a portion of the Haggadah is recited.
Bedikat Chametz
The mitzvah of searching for Chametz begins on the evening of the fourteenth of Nissan, Tuesday night, March 31, 8:33 PM.
The search for Chametz begins with reciting the appropriate blessing, found in the Siddur. The search should begin immediately upon the conclusion of the blessing. One should avoid unnecessary interruptions throughout the search.
It is important to search for Chametz in all the places described above in the section for cleaning Chametz, especially the corners and carpet lines where Chametz is often left unnoticed.
At the conclusion of the search, place all the Chametz that has been found into a bag and place the bag out of reach of small children and pets. The “Kol Chamira” declaration, found in the Siddur, is recited immediately following the search for Chametz. This is a critical step in the process because it entails nullifying all Chametz that was not found. We are not liable for these items of Chametz if we nullify them with this declaration. We must read this declaration in a language that we understand.
The obligation to search for Chametz begins at nightfall. It is important to refrain from engaging in preoccupying activities for the last thirty minutes before nightfall, for the concern that we may forget to perform this Mitzvah.
Disposal of Chametz
The prohibition against harboring and eating Chametz begins at midday of Erev Pesach, Wednesday, April 1. For precautionary purposes, our sages ordained that we refrain from eating Chametz roughly two hours before midday (this year, 10:58 AM) and that we dispose of Chametz roughly one hour before midday (this year, 12:13 PM).
These hours are determined in the following manner. The total number of daylight minutes is divided into 12 equal segments, with the result being the length of each hour. In this way, each day of the year is divided into twelve daylight segments.
Disposal of Chametz is traditionally done by fire. The second “Kol Chamira” declaration is recited during the disposal of the Chametz. It is important to understand the meaning of this declaration. If one doesn’t understand the Aramaic text, one should recite it in English. It is also important to chant the second Kol Chamira” declaration. The first is the one we chant the night before, after searching for Chametz; the second is the one we chant while we dispose of the Chametz. These declarations are clearly marked in the Siddur. One who chants the first one has not nullified Chametz left deliberately to be eaten in the morning. The second declaration covers all leftover pieces of Chametz in the home. The “Kol Chamira” declaration must be made before the deadline. One who intends to gift Chametz to a non-Jewish neighbor or friend must also do so before the deadline.
Fast of the Firstborn
It is a tradition for all male firstborn, beyond the age of bar Mitzvah, to fast on the day before Pesach to commemorate the miracle of being passed over during the plague of the firstborn. (Fathers fast for first-born children under the age of Bar mitzvah). Since Erev Pesach is a festive day, it is customary to avoid fasting on this day through participating in a meal associated with a Mitzvah, such as a Bris or a Siyam (conclusion of study) of a tractate of Talmud. Having broken the fast for this meal, we may now continue the day without fasting.
A modest Siyum breakfast will be offered at the Shul on Erev Pesach, Wednesday morning, April 1. The Siyum and breakfast will follow Shacharit, which will begin at 7:00 AM.
Chametz Found During Pesach
If Chametz is found in the home during Pesach, the following procedure is followed. If it is during the week, take care to burn it immediately. If the Chametz is in liquid form, it is sufficient to flush it down the toilet.
Chametz during Chag or Shabbat is Muktzah (forbidden to handle). Chametz that has been found during Chag or Shabbat must be immediately covered with a large pot and then burned or flushed immediately after the conclusion of Chag or Shabbat.
This is where the importance of reciting the Kol Chamirah prayer (mentioned earlier) comes in. If the Kol Chamirah prayer was recited on Erev Pesach, the finder of Chametz is not in violation of a biblical prohibition because the Chametz has already been nullified. It is still a rabbinical imperative to dispose of the Chametz through fire as soon as it is permissible to do so.
It is not sufficient to give away the Chametz; it must be destroyed.
If someone unknowingly offers you a gift of Chametz during Pesach, it is important to state openly that you cannot accept it. Ask this person to remove it from your home, and if this person is Jewish, explain about Chametz and suggest that they destroy it (or allow you to destroy it) in the prescribed manner. Similarly, if a non-Jew enters your home with Chametz in hand during Pesach, it is advisable to ask them to leave the Chametz outside your home. If this is uncomfortable, it is permissible to allow Chametz in the home, but we must ensure that all Chametz is removed upon their departure.
Eruv Tavshilin
Preparing the Eruv Tavshlin allows one to cook, wash and prepare on Friday for Shabbat even when Chag falls on Friday.
The Eruv must be set aside on Wednesday, April 1, Erev Yom Tov, and requires one cooked food item and one baked food item (a Matzah can suffice). Instructions for performing the Eruv ritual can be found in the Siddur. The Eruv foods should be eaten on Shabbat, preferably at the third meal.
The Eruv is only required for the first part of Chag since the second part of Chag does not lead into Shabbat.
