A Summary of the Halachot of Pesach

Our ancestors had to leave Egypt so hurriedly that they did not have time to wait for their dough to rise while preparing food to take with them on their exodus into the desert.

To commemorate this, we refrain from eating and owning any leavened bread and only eat products that have no “chametz“, and ensure that we have none in our homes. So, the first thing to establish when preparing for Pesach is what constitutes “chametz”.

Where flour from one of the five types of grain, (wheat, barley, oats, rye, and spelt) is mixed with water and left to stand for at least eighteen minutes, it becomes “chametz“. Once the dough is baked in an oven, it can no longer become “chametz”.

So, not only are whole grains of wheat, barley, oats, rye, and spelt not “chametz“, but even flour made from one of these grains is not “chametz”, as long as it is not mixed with water.

Nevertheless, the custom is to include these items in the sale of chametz, together with any items that have a “chametz” ingredient, unless the “chametz” has been transformed into something that bears no resemblance to “chametz“, such as in the case of cosmetics, creams, and soaps. However, even these items are customarily included in the sale of “chametz” by many.

Kitniyot (legumes) are not chametz, but since grains of wheat or barley were often found mixed in, the custom amongst many is to not eat them at Pesach. One whose custom is to not eat kitniyot may eat from the utensils of one who does eat kitniyot.

One item that is certainly not “chametz” is dust. So, while spring cleaning is a great institution, it is not necessarily connected to Pesach cleaning.

Making the Home Kosher for Pesach

–        Porcelain or china crockery used with hot chametz, cannot be made kosher for Pesach and should not be used.

–        Pots, pans, and cutlery made of metal can be rendered kosher for Pesach by immersing them in boiling water (Hagalah – see below)

–        An electric stove and oven can be made kosher for Pesach by thoroughly cleaning and subsequently turning on till it gets as hot as possible. Some are accustomed to not using the oven for Pesach.

–        A gas stove must be thoroughly cleaned and the grates upon which the pots are placed, covered with aluminum foil, or replaced.

–        A microwave oven can be koshered by thoroughly cleaning, removing the rotating plate and pouring boiling water over it, and then filling two or three carton cups with water, placing them in the microwave, and heating till the majority has evaporated.

–        Countertops should be thoroughly cleaned, and have boiling water poured over them, or be covered.

–        A metal sink can be koshered by pouring boiling water, and an enamel sink should be either covered or an insert used.   

–        Glass and Pyrex made to withstand boiling temperatures can be koshered by hagalah, while if it is not, it should not be used for Pesach. The custom amongst many Sephardi communities is that such utensils do not require koshering.

–        A dishwasher must be thoroughly cleaned and run through its hottest cycle.

How to Do Hagalah

–        The utensil is not to be used for 24 hours.

–        Water is boiled in a large kosher pot that was also not used for 24 hours.

–        The utensil to be koshered is fully immersed in the boiling water.

–        The utensil is immersed in cold water (only where there is no danger that it will crack).

–        The utensil is now kosher for Pesach.

Bedikat Chametz

–        On the night of the fourteenth of Nissan, after dark, we check our homes for chametz.

–        The check is traditionally done with a candle, but a flashlight may be used.

–        All places where there may be chametz must be checked, including your car, office, and storeroom.

–        Places where chametz is never taken need not be checked.

–        A beracha, to be found in your Haggadah, is recited before the check, and all chametz is annulled on its conclusion

–        It is customary to hide either three or ten small pieces of chametz to be found when checking.

Sale of Chametz

–        All products with a chametz ingredient, or which may become chametz, are sold to a gentile.

–        Your local Rabbi can arrange this for you.

–        The sale should be done in the country you will be residing in for Pesach, and not necessarily in the country where the chametz is located.

–        Any chametz that remains in the possession of a Jew over Pesach, is prohibited for both consumption and sale.

Disposing of Chametz

On the morning of the 14^th of Nissan, no chametz should be eaten after 9:53 (In Jerusalem, for other locations, check local times) and any remaining chametz should be burnt by 11:15 (In Jerusalem, for other locations, check local times).

The Seder

Women are obligated in all the mitzvot of Pesach despite them being time-bound (from which women are usually exempt), as women were part of the miracles of Pesach in the same way as men.

The Passover plate requires: Three matzot, maror (traditionally horseradish, lettuce, or other bitter vegetable), karpas (usually celery or parsley, but there are different customs), salt water, Charoset, Shankbone (a chicken wing is often used), and a boiled egg.

Each participant should eat at least two kezetim of matzah, (A kezayit is a minimum of approx. 27 grams) one just before the meal, and another for the “afikomen” at the end. They should also drink four cups of wine, or grape juice for the faint hearted (at least 87cc each cup)

Yom Tov

All that is prohibited on Shabbat is equally prohibited on Yom Tov, except for cooking, the preparation of food, transferring a flame (not lighting), and carrying. Nevertheless, all preparations should be done before Yom Tov, except for those that taste better when freshly prepared.

A Few Thoughts on Pesach

Pesach is a time when stringencies are abundant, and many “chumrot” certainly have their place in our wonderful tradition. However, it is always important to know what is a basic halacha and what is a “chumra“, so that we can put things in proportion, and balance our behavior.

HaRav Yisroel Salanter zt”l was once asked by a group of talmidim on their way to bake matzot for the Seder, which halachot they should be especially careful about. His answer shocked them!

He told them that one of the women working in the bakery is a widow, and they must be especially careful, with all the pressure they will be under to ensure that the dough has no time to rise, to make sure that they do not raise their voice to her, as this may cause her distress due to her delicate position.

Of all the myriad of halachot involved in baking matzot, the Rav was more concerned with “midot tovot“, not upsetting a widow, than with those directly related to the baking process!

With Pesach approaching, we are all under a lot of pressure to ensure that our homes are spotless. We must however also ensure that our behavior is “spotless”, and keep our cool when the pressure is on.

The Seder night is one of the highlights of the Jewish calendar, and while the pressure is on, we must ensure that it is a beautiful and memorable time for all. This may include ensuring that the children have plenty of chocolate, to keep them going until the meal is served, and saving the longer “drashot” until after people have eaten.

Let us learn the lesson of HaRav Yisroel Salanter zt”l this Pesach, and be “machmir” about our “midot” at least as much as we are “machmir” about the halachot of Pesach. 

This article has been written as a general guide. There are many different customs amongst the varied Jewish communities, and each person should ask their community or Rabbi about their specific customs.