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Hilchot Pesach

Dov Levinson

Dov Levinson: Hilchot Pesach 1

Background of Pesach

• The holiday of Pesach commemorates and celebrates

Hashem’s redemption of the Jewish people from their enslavement in Egypt

• We celebrate and recall the history of the Jewish people and

their transition from slaves to free people

Dov Levinson: Hilchot Pesach 2

Names of the Holiday

Name Translation Reason

1) פסח

Passover

The holiday is called “פסח” in remembrance of Hashem “passing

• ver” the Jewish firstborn children

during the 10th plague

2) חג המצות

The holiday of the matzot

When Hashem took the Jews out of מצרים there wasn’t enough time for the bread to rise so it turned into מצה and we eat מצה to commemorate that

3) חג האביב

The holiday of the spring

This holiday takes place in the spring

4) זמן חרותינו

Time of our freedom

This is the time that the Jews were freed from the slavery in Egypt

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When is Pesach?

Dov Levinson: Hilchot Pesach 4

We celebrate Pesach during on the 15th

• f Nissan because the Jews left Egypt

the morning of the 15th

Fun fact: the 15th of Nissan is also the day that Yitzchak was born and the night that Achashverosh had trouble sleeping!

The First Month

• The Month of Nissan is the first

month of the Jewish calendar

• Why?
• Because that’s when the Jewish

people first became a nation!

Dov Levinson: Hilchot Pesach 5

Happy: We celebrate and praise Hashem for redeeming the Jewish people and freeing them from the Egyptians

Drink wine Lean at the seder Sing songs

Sad: We remember the suffering and slavery of the Jews in Egypt

Eat Matzah Eat Maror Dip into saltwater and Charoset

Throughout Pesach there are times when we are happy and times when we are sad

Happy, Sad, or Both?

Dov Levinson: Hilchot Pesach 6

Structure of Pesach (in America)

Day # Hebrew Date Yom Tov or Chol Hamoed? 1 15th ofניסן Yom Tov (Seder Night #1) 2 16th of ניסן Yom Tov (Seder Night #2) 3 17th of ניסן Chol Hamoed 4 18th of ניסן Chol Hamoed 5 19th of ניסן Chol Hamoed 6 20th of ניסן Chol Hamoed 7 21st of ניסן Yom Tov 8 22nd of ניסן Yom Tov

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Halachot of Pesach

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The Halachot of Pesach can be divided into two main categories:

1) The issur of chametz 2) The Seder

Key Questions About the Issur of Chametz

• What is chametz?
• Why is chametz not allowed?
• Where is chametz not allowed?
• When is chametz not allowed?
• How do we get rid of our chametz?

Dov Levinson: Hilchot Pesach 9

Issur of chametz

Dov Levinson: Hilchot Pesach 10

We eat matzah on Pesach to remember how quickly Hashem took us out of Egypt.

When the Jews were leaving Egypt, they were so rushed that they did not have time to bake regular leavened bread (chametz) and instead their dough was baked in the sun as they left and became matzah (unleavened bread)

What is considered chametz?

Chametz is when any of the 5 grains (or products made from those grains) comes in contact with water and rises

Dov Levinson: Hilchot Pesach 11

What are the 5 grains?

WHEAT BARLEY OATS SPELT RYE

Dov Levinson: Hilchot Pesach 12

How long does it take for dough to rise and become chametz?

• It takes approximately only

18 minutes for dough to rise and turn into chametz

Dov Levinson: Hilchot Pesach 13

What is Kitniyot?

For example:

Rice, corn, beans, and legumes

Kitniyot are foods that are similar to the 5 grains but are not grains

Dov Levinson: Hilchot Pesach 14

Can You Eat Kitniyot on Pesach?

According to some Sefaradim, Kitniyot are permitted to eat on Pesach According to Ashkenazim, Kitniyot are not chametz but they are not allowed to be eaten on Pesach

Dov Levinson: Hilchot Pesach 15

Why No Kitniyot?

There are 2 reasons that Kitniyot are prohibited:

• Other grains (that can become

chametz) are often mixed in with Kitniyot

• Kitniyot can be made into flour and

people may mistakenly think others are eating chametz on Pesach

Dov Levinson: Hilchot Pesach 16

Now we know what Chametz is…

What is the actual איסור(prohibition)

• f Chametz on

Pesach??

Dov Levinson: Hilchot Pesach 17

What does it say in the Torah? Source 1 Shemot 13:7

• ׳׳וְלֹא-יֵרָאֶה לְ

E חָמֵץ, וְלֹא-יֵרָאֶה לְ E שְׂאֹר--בְּכָל-גְּבֻלֶך׳׳

• “You can’t see chametz or leaven in all of your borders”
• This is a מִצְוַתּ לֹא תּﬠֲשֵֹה(commandment not to do

something)

• It is known as ׳׳בַּל יֵרָאֶה׳׳“not seeing chametz”

Dov Levinson: Hilchot Pesach 18

What does it say in the Torah? Source 2 Shemot 12:19

• ׳׳שִׁבְﬠַת יָמִים--שְׂאֹר, לֹא יִמָּצֵא בְּבָתֵּיכֶם׳׳
• “For 7 days one can’t find leaven in your home”
• This is anotherמִצְוַתּ לֹא תּﬠֲשֵֹה(commandment not

to do something)

• It is known as ׳׳בַּל יְמָצֵא ׳׳“not finding chametz”

Dov Levinson: Hilchot Pesach 19

What does it say in the Torah? Source 3 Shemot 12:15

• "

’ ’אַ֚ j בַּיּ֣וֹם הָרִאשׁ֔וֹן תַּשְׁבִּ֥יתוּ שְּׂאֹ֖ר מִבָּתֵּיכֶ֑ם

• “On the first day you must remove leaven from your houses”
• This is a מִצְוַתּ ﬠֲשֵֹה(commandment to do

something)

• It is known as ׳׳תַּשְׁבִּ֥יתוּ שְּׂאֹ֖ר ““removing chametz”

Dov Levinson: Hilchot Pesach 20

How do you “remove” your chametz?

There are two methods of removing chametz:

1.בְּדִיקַת/ בּיﬠֻר חָמֵץ—Checking for and destroying your chametz 2.בּיטוּל חָמֵץ—Verbally nullifying your chametz—make it meaningless

Dov Levinson: Hilchot Pesach 21

What do you do? מן התורה

• Technically, doing one of בְּדִיקַת/ בּיﬠֻר חָמֵץ
• r בּיטוּל חָמֵץ

would be enough to fulfill the מִצְוֹתּ לֹא תּﬠֲשֵֹה

• f בַּל יְמָצֵא (not finding

chametz) and בַּל יֵרָאֶה(not seeing chametz) and the מִצְוַתּ ﬠֲשֵֹה

• f

תַּשְׁבִּ֥יתוּ שְּׂאֹ֖ר(removing your chametz)

Dov Levinson: Hilchot Pesach 22

בְּדִיקַת/ בּיﬠֻר חָמֵץ מן התורה

• If you do בְּדִיקַת/ בּיﬠֻר חָמֵץ

you are searching and then removing any chametz in your house so none will be seen or found over Pesach

Dov Levinson: Hilchot Pesach 23

בּיטוּל חָמֵץ מן התורה

• According to Rashi, the Torah used the word

׳׳תַּשְׁבִּ֥יתוּ’’(remove) and didn’t specify physically removing the chametz, so by doingבּיטוּל חָמֵץ you are mentally removing your chametz

• According to Tosfot, the Torah says “לְ

X ’’ (yours) and by doingבּיטוּל חָמֵץ you are making itהפקר (ownerless) and there is no problem of ׳׳בַּל יְמָצֵא ׳׳ and ׳׳בַּל יֵרָאֶה׳׳

• n chametz that is not yours

If you do בּיטוּל חָמֵץ you are declaring that the chametz you have is “like the dust of earth” and is meaningless to you

Dov Levinson: Hilchot Pesach 24

What do we actually do? מדרבנן

Dov Levinson: Hilchot Pesach 25

They are worried that only doing בְּדִיקַת/ בּיעֻר חָמֵץ

• rבּיטוּל חָמֵץ

will lead to people not fulfilling their obligations ofבַּל יְמָצֵא ,בַּל יֵרָאֶה and תַּשְׁבִּ֥יתוּ שְּׂאֹ֖ר

The Chachamim require us to do bothבְּדִיקַת/ בּיעֻר חָמֵץ andבּיטוּל חָמֵץ

Why isn’t בּיטוּל חָמֵץ enough?

• Just doing בּיטוּל חָמֵץ

is not enough because:

• A) According to Rashi, perhaps the בּיטוּל חָמֵץ

was not done with a full heart and will regret your decision and regain ownership

• B) According to Tosfot, a person may find a good piece of chametz on Pesach,

forget that is אסור, and eat it

Dov Levinson: Hilchot Pesach 26

Why isn’t בְּדִיקַת/בּיﬠֻר חָמֵץ enough?

• Just doing בְּדִיקַת/ בּיﬠֻר חָמֵץ

is not enough because:

• A person may find a good piece of chametz that was missed during the

search and hesitate before destroying it

• This means you would not be fulfilling the מִצְוַתּ ﬠֲשֵֹה
• f תַּשְׁבִּ֥יתוּ שְּׂאֹ֖ר

and will be עובר(transgressing) on בַּל יְמָצֵא and בַּל יֵרָאֶה

Dov Levinson: Hilchot Pesach 27

When do we do בְּדִיקַת חָמֵץ?

Dov Levinson: Hilchot Pesach 28

On the night of the 14th of Nissan

What time?

בְּדִיקַת חָמֵץ should be done at “צֵאתהַכּוֹכָבִים” (3 stars out) which is about 45 minutes after sunset

• In Englewood: 7:56pm

Why do we do בְּדִיקַת חָמֵץ at night?

2 reasons

• 1. That is when people are home from work.
• 2. Candles are most effective at night for

searching cracks and crevices of the house

Dov Levinson: Hilchot Pesach 29

What Bracha do we make?

• Before beginning the מצוה
• f בְּדִיקַת חָמֵץ

we say the following bracha:

בָּרוּ% אַתָּה יְיָ אֱ.הֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶ% הָעוֹלָם אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָֽׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו וְצִוָּֽנוּ ﬠַל בִּעוּר חָמֵץ׃

• Why do we say “ﬠַל בִּעוּר חָמֵץ” and not “ﬠַל בְּדִיקַת חָמֵץ”?
• The whole reason we are doing בְּדִיקַת חָמֵץ

is to end up destroying the chametz that we find, so since the end goal is to destroy the chametz we say “ﬠַל בִּעוּר חָמֵץ”

Dov Levinson: Hilchot Pesach 30

Talking During בְּדִיקַת חָמֵץ

• You are not allowed to speak between the bracha and the בְּדִיקָה
• If you do talk during that time you must repeat the bracha
• If absolutely necessary, you can speak about the actual

בְּדִיקָה

• You should not speak during the actual searching of the house
• If you do talk, you do not have to repeat the bracha

Dov Levinson: Hilchot Pesach 31

Who makes the Bracha?

Dov Levinson: Hilchot Pesach 32

The obligation ofבְּדִיקַתחָמֵץ is on the owner of the property, so ideally, the owner should be the one to make the bracha If a family is doing בְּדִיקַתחָמֵץ together, the head of the family should say the bracha and everyone else should answer amen If a שָׁלִיחַ(messenger) will be doing the bedika, the שָׁלִיחַ should be the one to make the bracha

Hiding Chametz

Dov Levinson: Hilchot Pesach 33

There a few reasons given for why we do this:

To avoid a potential בְּרָכָה לְבַטָּלָה(wasted bracha) if you didn’t find any chametz The pieces serve as a reminder to doבּיטוּל חָמֵץ the next morning, since you will have חָמֵץ to destroy you will remember to also nullify your chametz You will make sure to search well because you know there is chametz to be found in the house

There is a מנהג(custom) to place 10 pieces of chametz around the house before starting בְּדִיקַתחָמֵץ

Light for בְּדִיקַת חָמֵץ

• The בְּדִיקָה

should be done with a wax candle (not oil) that has a single wick.

• This type of candle projects light forward, so you can check all cracks and crevices of your

house

• We use a single wick candle because there is less chance of an accidental fire while

checking cracks and crevices

• We can use a flashlight for בְּדִיקַת חָמֵץ

because they project light forward and there is no concern of an accidental fire

• Nowadays, many people start with a candle and then switch to a flashlight in the middle

Dov Levinson: Hilchot Pesach 34

Feather and Spoon

• There is a מנהג

to have a feather and a spoon while you are searching for chometz

• The feather can help scrape out the corners where there may be chametz
• The spoon can help remove any chametz crumbs
• The spoon should be burnt with the chametz the following morning,

so it also serves as reminder to nullify the chametz as well

Dov Levinson: Hilchot Pesach 35

Where Do We Check??

• Any place that there is a chance חָמֵץ

was brought into must be checked

• All rooms of a house must be checked if there are

children who live there

• You must check all the places the children could reach

Dov Levinson: Hilchot Pesach 36

What about my…..

CLOTHING POCKETS YES CARS YES OFFICES YES FURNITURE YES PET CAGES YES

Dov Levinson: Hilchot Pesach 37

Now what do I do with it?

Any chametz that you find during your search must be put in a safe place until you burn it in morning Any chametz that is being saved for eating the next morning must be set aside in a secure place as well

Dov Levinson: Hilchot Pesach 38

בּיטוּל חָמֵץ Round 1

• Immediately after finishing the בְּדִיקָה

you must do בּיטוּל חָמֵץ and nullify your chametz

• You must understand what you are saying or else the chametz will not be

nullified

• The basic text for בּיטוּל חָמֵץ

is in Aramaic, which most people do not understand

• Therefore, you should say it in any language that you understand

Dov Levinson: Hilchot Pesach 39

Text for בּיטוּל חָמֵץ by night

׳׳כָּל חֲמִירָאוַחֲמִיעָאדְאִיכָּאבִרְשׁוּתִי, דְלָא חֲמִתֵּיהּ, וּדְלָאבִעַרְתֵּיהּ, וּדְלָאיְדַעְנָאלֵיהּ, לִבָּטֵל וְלֶהֱוֵיהֶפְקֵר כְּעַפְרָא דְאַרְעָא׳׳

“All chametz and leaven that may be in my domain which I have not seen and which I have not destroyed, or I don’t know of, shall be nullified and considered ownerless and deemed valueless like the dust of the earth.”

Dov Levinson: Hilchot Pesach 40

What is Nullified?

The בּיטוּל חָמֵץ said following בְּדִיקַת חָמֵץ applies only to unknown chametz that may still be in your house It does not apply to the chametz you found duringבְּדִיקָה

• r food

leftover to be eaten in the morning

You must own the chametz that you burn during בִּעוּר חָמֵץ the following morning

Dov Levinson: Hilchot Pesach 41

How to Destroy Chametz

For chametz to be considered “destroyed” it must completely eliminated Any method that does this is an acceptable way to “destroy” your chametz

• Crumbled chametz can be…
• Tossed into the wind
• Tossed into the sea
• Flushed it down the toilet

Dov Levinson: Hilchot Pesach 42

Burning Chametz

• Theמנהג

for most people is to burn their chametz

• n the morning of the 14th of Nissan
• The chametz must be burned until it is completely

charred

• You should not put any chemicals over the chametz

until some of the chametz is already burning

Dov Levinson: Hilchot Pesach 43

We also burn….

Because they were used for a mitzvah it is proper to use them for another mitzvah

Some have the custom to burnלולבים from Sukkot as fuel for the fire

So, you will have to buy new supplies and won’t forget to do the mitzvah of בִּעוּרחָמֵץ next year

Some say you should burn the candle, wooden spoon, and feather from בְּדִיקַתחָמֵץ

Dov Levinson: Hilchot Pesach 44

בּיטוּל חָמֵץ Round 2

• Immediately after finishing בִּעוּר חָמֵץ

you must do בּיטוּל חָמֵץ and nullify your chametz for a second time

• This בּיטוּל חָמֵץ

is not made after the burning because you need to burn your own חָמֵץ to fulfill the mitzvah of בִּיעוּר חָמֵץ.

• During this 2ndבּיטוּל חָמֵץ

we are nullifying allחָמֵץ that we have

• This includes all known and unknown chametz

Dov Levinson: Hilchot Pesach 45

Text for בּיטוּל חָמֵץ by day

All chametz and leaven that may be in my domain which I have seen or have not seen and which I have destroyed or not destroyed, or I don’t know of, shall be nullified and considered ownerless and deemed valueless like the dust of the earth.”

כָּלחֲמִירָאוַחֲמִיעָאדְאִיכָּאבִרְשׁוּתִי, דַּחֲמִתֵּהּדְלָאחֲמִתֵּיהּ, דְּבַעֲרִתֵּהּ וּדְלָאבִעַרְתֵּיהּ, וּדְלָאיְדַעְנָאלֵיהּ, לִבָּטֵלוְלֶהֱוֵיהֶפְקֵרכְּעַפְרָאדְאַרְעָא

Dov Levinson: Hilchot Pesach 46

מְכִירַתּחָמֵץ

What?

The Chachamim established the concept of מְכִירַתּ חָמֵץ, which allows Jews to sell their chametz to a non-Jew over Pesach

How?

By selling your chametz to a non-Jew you avoid the issues of בַּליֵרָאֶה and בַּליְמָצֵא

Why?

To avoid big financial losses for those who have large amounts of chametz

Dov Levinson: Hilchot Pesach 47

Who?

• Nowadays, it is suggested that everyone sell their

chametz just in case as an extra precaution

• For מְכִירַתּ חָמֵץ

to work, the sale must be a legitimate sale

• The procedure is very complex, so it is highly

recommended to have a Rabbi facilitate the sale

Dov Levinson: Hilchot Pesach 48

What’s the process?

Set aside the chametz that you want to sell in a safe and separate area of your property You designate a Rabbi as your שָׁלִיחַ(messenger) The Rabbi sells your chametz (and the space it’s in) to a trustworthy Non-Jew for the value of the chametz After Pesach, as your ,שָׁלִיחַ the Rabbi buys back your chametz from the non-Jew

Dov Levinson: Hilchot Pesach 49

When?

The chametz must be sold by the end of the 5th hour

• n Erev Pesach (14th of

Nissan) During the 5th hour you are not allowed to eat chametz, but you can still benefit from it After Pesach, you must wait to until your Rabbi has

• fficially bought back the

chametz from the non-Jew If you eat the chametz before it has been bought back, you will be stealing from the non-Jew

Dov Levinson: Hilchot Pesach 50

חָמֵץ שֶׁﬠָבַר ﬠָלָיו הַפֶּסַח

• Chametz that was owned by a Jew over Pesach is called חָמֵץ

שֶׁﬠָבַר ﬠָלָיו הַפֶּסַח

• The Chachamim established a punishment thatחָמֵץ שֶׁﬠָבַר ﬠָלָיו הַפֶּסַח

is forbidden to all Jews forever

• When buying chametz from a Jewish store after Pesach, you must

verify that the food was sold and bought back properly and was not חָמֵץ שֶׁﬠָבַר ﬠָלָיו הַפֶּסַח

Dov Levinson: Hilchot Pesach 51

תַּﬠַנִיתּ בּכוֹרוֹתּ

• On Erev Pesach (14th of Nissan) all first-born males are

required to fast

• The fast is in commemoration of the Jewish first-born

males being saved duringמכת בכורות in Egypt

• There is a מנהג

nowadays to partake in aסעודת מצוה following a siyum, which permits them to break their fast

Dov Levinson: Hilchot Pesach 52

Food on Erev Pesach

• Some have the מנהג

not to eat מצה from the beginning of Nissan

On Erev Pesach it is prohibited for everyone to eat מצה

• The Pasuk says אַךבַּיוֹםהָרַאשׁוֹןתַּשְׁבִּיתוּ,

which tells us that prohibition starts at some part of the day before Yom Tov.

מִדְאוֹרַייתָא the prohibition of חָמֵץ begins at Chatzot

• n the 14th

Dov Levinson: Hilchot Pesach 53

According to the Chachamim

You can’t have any chametz from the start of the 6th hour You can own chametz until the end of the 5th hour (includes selling or nullifying) You can eat chametz until the end of the 4th hour

Dov Levinson: Hilchot Pesach 54

Englewood 2020

Event Hour Time Sunrise Start of the 1st hour 6:27 AM Latest time to eat chametz End of the 4th hour 10:46 AM Latest time to own chametz End of the 5th hour 11:52 AM Midday End of the 6th hour 12:57 PM Sunset End of the 12th hour 7:29 PM

Dov Levinson: Hilchot Pesach 55