Q & A
FOR PASSOVER
1st Page
When is the appropriate time to begin studying the laws of Pesach?
- The Talmud (Pesachim 6a-b) teaches that one should begin learning the laws of Pesach
thirty days prior to onset of Pesach. - This is codified in the Shulchan Aruch (OC 429:1).
- The reason offered is that it is derived from the actions of Moshe who taught the laws of
Pesach Sheni (15 of Iyar) on Pesach Rishon (15 of Nisan) which is a month before the holiday began. - The Mishnah Berurah writes that the custom is to begin studying the laws of Pesach on
Purim day itself, which precedes Pesach by a month & each person is obligated to begin studying the vast laws of Pesach well in advance of the holiday. - The Bach (d.1640) writes that this obligation applies even to somebody who has learned
it in the past, because he should refresh his memory. - It is further explained that this does not require someone to stop what they are currently learning & only focus on Hilchot Pesach but rather it is important that one should begin
asking questions pertaining to Pesach. - Furthermore, a Pesach question must take precedence over any unrelated questions
one may have.
What is special about Shabbat HaGadol?
- We refer to the Shabbat before Pesach as Shabbat HaGadol to remind us of the great
miracle that Hashem performed for us on the last Shabbat that the Jews were in Egypt. - Each family was commanded to take a sheep & prepare it to be offered as a sacrifice
to Hashem. - The Egyptians were very upset at this, since the lamb was a deity for them, which is
exactly why it was chosento show the emptiness of idolatry. - Although the Egyptians were upset, they were not able to stop the Jews from preparing for
& carrying out this mitzvah on what was the Thursday before Pesach of that year. - Therefore, it is known as Shabbat HaGadol in recognition of this miracle & we continue to
mark it as a special pre-Pesach date. - It is customary on this Shabbat to attend a Shabbat HaGadol drasha to learn the halachot
of Pesach, and some have the custom to read through parts of the Haggadah.
What are Maot Chittim?
- There is an ancient custom recorded in the Talmud to take a collection before Pesach to provide every Jew who cannot afford food with maot chittim (lit. money for wheat).
- All Jewish residents of the city are obligated to contribute according to their means
ensuring
that everyone will have enough food on Pesach.
When do we do bedikat chametz when traveling?
- If you leave your home more than 30 days before Pesach & will not be returning until after Pesach, you are exempt from bedikat chametz (i.e. searching for hidden chametz).
- However, known chametz should be destroyed or arranged to be sold.
- If you leave within 30 days of Pesach & will not be home on the night of bedikat chametz
(this year, Thursday, March 29th), then you must do bedikat chametz without a bracha
the last night that you are home. - In addition, you must also do bedikat chametz on the regular night for bedikat chametz at |
|the hotel where you are staying. - Even if you are a guest at someone else’s house, you should still check your pockets
& belongings.
We're going away 2 days before Pesach for the entire holiday.
Do we need to do bedikat (search) chametz at home before we leave?
- The obligation to check the house begins on the night before Pesach.
- There is a dispute whether the fact that you plan to sell the next day is sufficient
to exemp
t you from the bedika obligation the prior night (see Mishnah Berurah 436:32). - In your case, you should make sure that the rabbi who will be your agent to sell your
Chametz, will do a 'mechirat yud gimmel' which means that he will actually sell your
chametz prior to the night of the bedika obligation. - According to the Chatam Sofer (Orach Chayim 131) it is sufficient to check 1 room the
night before leaving to fulfill the obligation of bedikat chamet.
When do we burn the chametz when traveling?
- If you did bedikat chametz early, you can simply throw away or sell any chametz found
after the fact. - The custom is not to burn chametz except on the morning of erev Pesach when there is a prohibition to eat chametz.
- Even if you are traveling & have chametz with you, that chametz must be burned or disposed
of before the end time of biur chametz.
When do we sell the chametz when traveling?
- When making the arrangements with your rabbi to sell your chametz, you should make sure
to let him know if you will be away for Pesach, especially if you will be in a different time zone. - For example, if you will be traveling east to Israel, the rabbi will need to execute the sale the night before Pesach.
Are any special precautions required
before eating in the workplace on Pesach?
- When eating outside the home on Pesach, you should not eat with those who are eating chametz.
- Therefore, even if you are accustomed to eating with non-Jewish co-workers the rest of the year, on Pesach you must remain separate.
- Also, you should not put your lunch directly on a table or desk, but rather cover the area
with a clean, kosher-for-Pesach tablecloth.
What to do with chametz found on Pesach?
- If you find chametz in your house on yom tov, it should not be moved.
- Chametz on yom tov is muktza (untouchable).
- It should be covered & left until after yom tov.
- If you had sold your chametz, then on chol hamo’ed the chametz should be placed in the
closet together with the chametz that was sold. - If you did not sell your chametz, then the found chametz must be destroyed.
May a year-round, sous vide machine be used on Pesach if I am sure I only put meat, fish or vegetables inside the machine?
Also, can a sous vide machine used with chametz be Kashered for Pesach?
- If you used a sous vide machine with chametz, it definitely requires kashering.
- Even if you feel certain that your machine was only used with non-chametz items, the custom
is that we don't use appliances that sat out on our chametz counters during the year without kashering them first. - At some point during the year, hot chametz might have fallen against the machine, or some chametz item that you no longer recall might have been cooked in the machine.
- Therefore, the machine should not be used on Pesach without kashering.
Extra Information About Kashering Sous Vide Machines
- Regarding kashering a sous vide machine, there are 2 parts to the apperatus: the water bath (pot) & the heating element.
- You may not kasher a utensil unless all sections are accessible & it can be scrubbed clean.
- Since the heating mechanism has a fan & narrow areas that are difficult to access, it
shouldn't be kasser (see Mishna Berurah 452:31). - The pot can be kashered following the regular rules of hagalah (boiling).
- If the pot is plastic, there are differing opinions as to whether you may kasser it for Passover.
- A ceramic pot can't be kashered.
How do I kasher a barbecue grill for Pesach?
- The metal grill of the barbecue requires libun gamur (burning), which can be accomplished by
placing the grill in the oven and running a self-clean cycle. - We do this because the grill sits directly above the fire and is in direct contact with chametz (e.g., hamburger buns).
- Alternatively, you can sandwich the grill between burning coals.
- The walls of the barbecue might also have direct contact with chametz, so they too require
libun gamur. - However, this is not easily accomplished.
- To avoid the need for libun gamur, you can clean the barbecue and then cover the walls with two layers of heavy-duty aluminum foil.
- The barbecue hood should be covered the same way.
How do I kasher Braces for Pesach?
- This question is relevant to almost everyone, since it also applies to fillings & crowns.
- Some have suggested that there is really no need to kasher these items, since we don’t ordinarily eat foods directly from a pot that was on the fire, but from a plate or a bowl
(kli sheini). - Since the chametz was already placed into a secondary utensil, the requirement to kasher
is only an added stringency. - Some have suggested that just as we are not concerned about the absorption of chametz
into our real teeth, we need not be concerned about absorption of chametz here either. - The natural process inside our mouths that breaks down food & begins the digestive process starts even after a short time; all the food in our mouths, even that which was absorbed, is destroyed by that process.
- The consensus of opinions is that since it is not possible to kasher our teeth for Pesach,
there is no need to kasher braces, fillings and crowns either. - We need only clean our teeth through brushing & flossing to the best of our ability.
- Some have suggested, as an added stringency, that we not eat hot chametz for a full 24
hours prior to Pesach. - Others have advised that after we finish eating chametz on erev Pesach, we should take a
drink of hot water, the same temperature as we would drink the rest of the yea & this would qualify as the appropriate kashering.
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