Bedikas Chametz
⁃ The night before Pesach any places that will be lived in on Pesach have to be checked for chametz.
⁃ Cleaning is supposed to be done before bedikas chametz. Not while you do bedikas chametz.
⁃ Bedikas chametz should be done immediately after nightfall.
⁃ No eating a meal or learning or any other activities until after bedikas chametz is done.
⁃ Taking a snack is allowed.
⁃ Maariv can be davened before or after doing bedikas chametz.
⁃ The bracha should be said while holding a candle. After checking any part of the house with the candle switch to a flashlight.
⁃ There should be no talking until after the entire bedikas chametz is completed and Kol Chamira is said.
⁃ Talking for bedikas chametz necessities is allowed.
⁃ If the bracha was forgotten then the bracha can be made until the bedika is completed.
⁃ If the Bracha was forgotten until after bedikas chametz was completed then a bracha can be made the next day before burning the chametz.
⁃ The minhag is for someone to put out ten pieces of bread to be searched for during the bedika.
⁃ Any places that food could have potentially been brought into needs to be checked.
⁃ If you forget to do bedikas chametz and you’re not home or you’re unable to do bedikas chametz then an agent can be used to check on your behalf.
⁃ If you forgot to do bedikas chametz or are unable to do bedikas chametz then do it the next day with a bracha.
⁃ After completing bedikas chametz, bittul chametz should be done.
⁃ Bittul is the process of renouncing ownership of any chametz that one may have wherever it may be.
⁃ You must understand what you’re saying when you are nullifying the chametz.
⁃ There’s an additional bittul chametz in the morning after burning the chametz.
⁃ Chametz should be done the night before leaving the house/apartment, as above.
Burning the chametz
⁃ The chametz can be burned at night but the minhag is to burn it during the day.
⁃ The chametz should be burned by the end of the fifth hour into the day.
⁃ The chametz should be burned until its charred.
⁃ Chametz should preferably not be placed into garbage cans that won’t be picked up before six hours into the day.
⁃ The additional bittul chametz should be done before the end of the fifth hour.
Selling of the chametz
⁃ Everyone is required to sell their chametz to a non Jew because nowadays there are many things that have chametz in them that we may not be aware of.
⁃ If you can’t or don’t want to clean certain areas or rooms etc. then they can be sold to the non Jew. Since they’re sold they belong to a non jew on pesach and they don’t belong to you so they don’t require cleaning.
⁃ Because the procedure is so complicated, the sale should only be done through a Rav.
⁃ Have in mind that you’re not only selling the chametz that you’re aware of, you’re also selling any chametz that you may have that’s anywhere in the world.
⁃ Since we’re not allowed to have chametz of a non Jew in our houses, therefore we also must sell or rent the places where the chametz is to the goy.
⁃ The Rav will usually require a signature on the document in addition to the seller picking up something that belongs to the Rav (usually a handkerchief or a pen etc.) and in exchange give the Rav the authority to sell his chametz.
⁃ The Rav is not acquiring your chametz. He’s just agreeing to sell it or get rid of it for you.
⁃ If you’re traveling east and therefore pesach will come earlier then you must notify the Rav so that he can sell the chametz at an earlier time.
⁃ According to the Halacha, all chametz can be sold for Pesach. However many are strict not to sell chametz gamur (real chametz) This is a chumra. Here’s a basic list from Star K website: CHAMETZ GAMUR: Beer, bread, cake, cereal with wheat, oats or barley, cookies, cream of wheat, couscous, farfel, licorice, malt extract, all oatmeal’s, oat flour, pasta, pretzels, rolled oats, soy sauce, wheat gluten/wheat protein. NOT CHAMETZ GAMUR: barley (pearled, raw and packaged, dry cake mixes, glue, ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise, mustard, pickles, corn flakes, cosmetics, extracts, flour, food coloring, gefilte fish, kitniyos, matza/ matza meal that’s not kosher for Pesach, medicines with chametz in them, modified food starch, Rice Krispies, salad dressing, vanillin, vinegar, vitamins, wheat germ, yeast, whisky
(some sell it some don’t).
⁃ Selling sourdough starter:
⁃ The reason why people don’t sell real chametz on Pesach is because the sale to the goy has some doubts because the actual chametz isn’t handed over to the goy. Therefore if you actually hand over chametz to the goy then most, if not all, would sell real chametz. The way to do this is as follows:
1. Explain to the goy (cleaning lady is best) that you’re selling then this chametz until after Pesach. You can tell them that you’re probably going to buy it back.
2. The goy should give you at least a nickel and then pick up the starter and bring it home with them.
3. Make sure the goy understands that it’s theirs and they can use it as they please.
4. Take a picture of the sourdough so that you’ll recognize that it’s yours after Pesach.
5. After Pesach tell them you want it back
