Leaving before Pesach BEDIKAS CHAMETZ:
LEAVING FOR THE ENTIRE PESACH BEFORE THE NIGHT OF BEDIKAS CHAMETZ (FOURTEENTH NIGHT OF NISSAN):
Three options:
1) Have in mind to sell the entire house/apartment to the goy except for one room. In that room, do bedikas chametz the night before you leave without a bracha.
2) Sell the entire house/apartment to the goy. Rent the room where you are going to be staying on bedikas chametz night from the owner. This will require you to check it that night. A bracha can be said on this bedika.
3) Do both of the above.
LEAVING FOR THE ENTIRE PESACH AFTER THE NIGHT OF BEDIKAS CHAMETZ (FOURTEENTH NIGHT OF NISSAN):
The entire house/apt can be sold to the goy except for one room. Bedikas chametz should be made in that room on the night of the fourteenth with a bracha.
LEAVING FOR THE ENTIRE PESACH BUT LENDING OUT THE HOUSE/APARTMENT:
1) All closets, dressers, cabinets etc. can be sold to the goy.
2) They must be clearly marked with tape etc. that they are sold.
3) Floors, countertops etc. should be cleaned.
4) Bedikas chametz should be done the night before leaving the house/apartment, as above. Alternatively the guest can do bedikas chametz.
– Bedikas chametz should be done in the hotel room on the night of the fourteenth. If you brought chametz into the room before evening then make a bracha on the Bedika.
– If you arrive on Erev Pesach, inquire if bedikas chametz was done in the rooms. If it wasn’t then bedika should be done without a bracha.
– If there’s food for sale in the room, the hotel should be asked to remove it or they should be told that you take absolutely no responsibility for the food.
Bedikas Chametz during Pesach
⁃ We’re not allowed to live in a place on Pesach if bedikas chametz was not done.
⁃ This is because we may forget that it’s Pesach and we may come to eat Chametz that’s found there.
⁃ Therefore, when moving into a hotel or home (Airbnb etc.) for Pesach, bedikas chametz must be done immediately (even during the day).
⁃ If chametz is found, it must be disposed of immediately. Either with fire or disposing of it in the bathroom.
⁃ If there’s food for sale in the room, the hotel should be asked to remove it or they should be told that you take absolutely no responsibility for the food.
⁃ Spices etc. that are in the house can’t be used.
Kashering during Pesach
⁃ According to Ashkenazim, Kashering with hot water is not allowed on Pesach. Sfardim can kasher with boiling hot water.
⁃ Therefore, for Ashkenazim the countertops and sinks can’t be kashered. They must be covered.
⁃ Tables should be covered with something thick. If there’s nothing thick available then put at least two coverings on the table.
⁃ Water from the kitchens sinks shouldn’t be used for cooking. Get bottled water or use the water from the bathroom
⁃ Microwaves should not be kashered. If necessary ask a shaila.
⁃ Kashering with Libyan Gamur is allowed. This is heating the metal up until it gets white hot.
⁃ Therefore, Kashering a self clean oven is allowed.
⁃ One does not have to wait 24 hours before kashering with libun gamur.
⁃ If there’s no self clean option then ask a Sheila.
⁃ The stovetop can be kashered with fire in the standard way.
⁃ Kasher Stovetop:
1) place a large pot or heavy duty aluminum foil on each burner individually, preferably covering the entire burner (so the fire spreads as far as possible).
2) turn each burner on high for 20 minutes (don’t turn on all the burners at the same time).
3) cover the drip pan (the area in between each burner) with heavy duty aluminum foil for the duration of pesach. You don’t have to wait 24 hours before kashering.
⁃ Glass stovetops: the actual burner area is kashered after turning on high for fifteen minutes. The areas in between the burners can’t be kashered. Covering those areas may break the glass. Best is to get metal trivets and put them around each burner so that the pot rests on them and not on the glass.
⁃ Barbeque Grill. From the Star K website: The grates of a barbecue grill must be kashered with libun gamur, which is not recommended for the average consumer. If a person purchases separate grates for Pesach, the rest of the grill can be kashered with libun kal, which can be accomplished relatively easily, as follows: If the grill comes with a cover, light the grill with coals or gas, close the cover, and allow it to burn on its highest setting for an hour. If the grill does not have a cover, follow the same procedure, but make sure that all surfaces of the grill are covered with coals. As with all items being kashered, it is crucial that the grill be cleaned thoroughly of all food residue, which is often a particular difficulty in a barbecue grill. In fact, if the grill has too many holes, cracks, and crevices where food may get trapped, one should refrain from kashering the grill at all.
⁃ Can opener should not be used.
⁃ Corkscrew can be used if it’s extremely clean.
Tevilas Keilem
⁃ Disposable utensils don’t need tevila. Even if they’ll be used multiple times (tin pans disposable grills etc.).
⁃ Non disposable utensils need tevila even if they’ll only be used ONE time.
⁃ When buying utensils that require tevila and there’s no Mikva around, have in mind that you’re not halachically acquiring the utensils from the store. They will then still belong to goy and they won’t require tevila. This is only a short term solution. Long term they’ll need to be Toveled.
⁃ Toveling utensils in a lake may be a problem because it’s kashrus will depend on the source of the water.
