We are commanded neither to eat nor to have in our possession any form
of Chometz for eight days of the Festival. Scrupulous care must be taken
in preparing for this Holiday, for foods about which there is even a suspicion
of Chometz may not be eaten. The Minutest amount of Chometz renders an
entire product impermissible for Passover use.
Chometz designates all leavened foods and drinks and ingredients, which
are made from or contain an admixture of wheat, rye, barley, oats, or
spelt. Therefore all grain products or admixtures such as cereals; breakfast
foods, grain alcohol, grain vinegar, yeast and malts are forbidden for
the duration of the Festival. Legumes, rice, mustard, corn and derivatives
of these foods are cognate to Chometz and are therefore not used. Passover
foods containing flour, such as Matzah, cakes, macaroons, egg noodles,
etc. require reliable Rabbinic endorsement. Endorsement is also required
for candy, soft drinks, wines, liquors, milk, and milk products, horseradish,
vinegar, and canned goods.
Don't be misled by signs reading " Passover Style", "Holiday
Goods", or "Holiday Cakes".
Caution - Labels bearing the inscription, " Kosher for Passover",
can be produced by any printer.
The presence of such does not by any means guarantee that the product
to which it is affixed is really Kosher for Passover. Only if the product
in question bears the signature of an authoritative Orthodox Rabbi or
Rabbinic body, is the certification reliable. When in doubt consult your
Rabbi. He is ready and most eager and happy to answer all your questions.
Plastics - New Teflon-ware, new plastic and coated paper dishes,
utensils and glasses and new plastic tablecloths may be used on Passover.
Aluminum foil may also be used. Aluminum pans should be washed with soap
before use.
Electric Mixers - If new bowls and beaters have been purchased
for the Passover Holiday, it is permissible to use various kinds of food
mixers, but all exposed parts, including the stand, must be cleaned first.
However, since the motor area of the electric mixer is often exposed to
Chometz and can only be cleaned with great difficulty, it is recommended
that a special mixer for Passover be used.
Sinks and Counter Tops - Special care must be taken to prevent
Passover utensils from coming in contact with the kitchen sink. New rubber
liners should be used to cover the surfaces. The counter tops should be
covered for the entire period.
Kashering of Ranges and Ovens - Every part of the range and oven,
which during the year has come in contact with food containing Chometz,
must be thoroughly scraped and cleaned. They must be burned at maximum
temperature. During Passover special material or aluminum foil should
be placed on top of the range to prevent contact with Passover utensils.
For oven cleaners that may be used consult your OU Directory.
THE FOLLOWING ITEMS CANNOT BE KASHERED:
Chinaware, pottery, and all earthen ware; utensils may be damaged
by hot water; knives with glued-on handles; utensils which can not be
thoroughly cleaned such as sieve, or a grater or food grinder; Pyrex dishes
or any glassware regularly used for hot food.
Dishes and Utensils - Since we are not permitted to have any trace
of Chometz in our possession during Passover, special attention must be
given to dishes and utensils. It is best to use dishes and utensils specially
set aside for use on Passover.
MECHIRAT CHOMETZ- SELL YOUR CHOMETZ
The Bible prohibits the possession of Chometz as well as its consumption
during Passover. Furthermore, any Chometz owned by a Jew during Passover
is unconditionally forbidden for use at any time from that date on. If,
therefore, one cannot dispose of all Chometz before the approach of the
Passover Holiday, one must arrange for a formal "MICHIRAT CHOMETZ"
or sale of Chometz to a non-Jew. The transaction is a completely legal
one, giving the non-Jew all rights of ownership over the Chometz that
has been sold to him. After the conclusion of Passover, your agent, the
Rabbi, may purchase back the Chometz from the non-Jew. However, none of
the Chometz sold to the Gentile, may be touched until after it has been
repurchased. It is therefore necessary that you give your Rabbi your name
and address when appointing him as your agent and wait a reasonable time
after Passover before using this Chometz to give him time to repurchase
it.
You may reach the Rabbi at the Adas, 565 Broadway or at his home, 460
Passaic Avenue, Passaic and he will assist you in the fulfillment of this
obligation. The Rabbi gives all proceeds of the sale of Chometz to charity.
SIYUM OF THE FIRST BORN
The Rabbi will conduct a Siyum on Monday morning, Wednesday Morning, April
12, immediately following morning services scheduled for 6:30 AM. All
firstborn males should fast on Erev Pesach. If, however, one attends a
"Seudat Mitzvah", feast that accompanies the performance of
a religious duty, one is not required to fast.
MAOS CHITTIM PASSOVER FUND
We refer your attention to the letter, which you received from our Rabbi
concerning the Maos Chittim Passover Fund. This fund is used for the purpose
of sending Passover packages to most needy families in Israel, Russia,
and locally.
Traditionally, no Jew should approach a Seder unless he has helped a less
fortunate brother to celebrate Passover. Passover Relief - "Maos
Chittim" is incumbent on each Jew.
It is imperative that we perform this mitzvah NOW, so that it is meaningful
to those in need. Dare we permit one family to be without Matzah because
of our tardiness?
If you have not mailed your contribution, please do so immediately. Put
the word "Passover" or "Maos Chittim" on your check.
From
The Rabbi
The occurrence of Erev Pesach on a Shabbat is so seldom that the Talmud
relates how the Great Sanhedrin in Jerusalem could not remember as to
whether the Pascal lamb could be offered that day. It was only Hillel,
The Elder, coming to Jerusalem from the great centers of learning in Babylonia,
who could provide the proof permitting them to prepare the sacrifice even
on the holy Shabbat.
Such hasn't happened since 2001, thus leaving most of us with dim recollections
of how to prepare for this day.
The areas of concern involve the following questions:
1. When is the Fast of the First Born?
2. When do we search for the Chametz?
3. When do we sell it?
4. When do we burn it?
5. When do we nullify it?
6. What kind of Special Shabbat Preparations are needed?
7. How do we manage to eat lechem mishne (two loaves)?
There is general agreement on how to proceed with the first five questions.
1. The Fast of the First Born takes place on Thursday. The traditional
siyum takes place Thursday morning.
2. Bedikat Chametz (the search) takes place Thursday night after nightfall.
3. The sale of the Chametz takes place Friday morning at the same time
as on a regular Erev Pesach morning (see schedule)
4. The burning of the Chametz takes place on Friday morning at the same
time as on a regular Erev Pesach morning (see the schedule). Any Chametz
needed for Shabbat should be securely wrapped or covered.
5. The Kol Chamira is not said on Friday morning but rather on Saturday
morning after all the leftover Chametz has been eaten (see the schedule).
With regard to the last two questions, there exists the possibility of
having either a Pesachdik or Chometzdik meal on Shabbat. Each choice does,
however, present its own difficulties.
If you choose to have Chametzdik meals, you must proceed as follows:
1. On Friday, the house is made completely Pesachdik.
2. On Friday night and Shabbat morning, the meals must be eaten with Chametz,
because of the requirement of Lechem Mishne. You can not eat matzah yet.
3. The Shabbat meals are served from Pesachdik pots into plastic plates
with Pesachdik utensils. A special small table with a plastic tablecloth
should be prepared on the side where food is placed and eaten with challah.
4. Davening on Shabbat morning begins very early so that the meal can
be concluded before the final time when it is still permitted to eat Chametz.
5. If sufficient time remains, one may, after a delay of a half hour,
again wash and eat lechem mishne for the third Shabbat meal. If this is
not possible, the fish and fruit may be eaten as the third meal in the
early afternoon.
6. By the required time in the morning, the plastic tablecloth, dishes
and crumbs are collected and put into a container and sealed. The Kol
Chamira is then recited.
If one chooses not to have any Chametz in the house on Shabbat, egg matzah
may be substituted for challah. Two egg matzot must, however, be eaten
both on Friday night and Shabbat morning in order to be able to wash and
bench. Furthermore, according to Ashkenazic tradition, the egg matzah
can be eaten only until 10:38 AM, thereby necessitating an early davening
on Shabbat as well. The remaining crumbs from the egg matzah are removed
from the table and placed in the garbage. Kol Chamira is then recited.
The charoset, zeroa, and beitza should be prepared before the Shabbat.
All other preparations for the Seder may be done only after the conclusion
of the Shabbat.
