Passover Guide 5770/2010
Congregation Ahavath Israel – Greenpoint Shul
R’ Maurice Appelbaum
Passover this year falls out on Monday evening, March 29 – Tuesday evening April 6, 2010. The first two days and last two days are holidays. The first two nights, Monday and Tuesday evening Jews around the world gather together for a seder. Our shul is hosting both, please see our website for more information, greenpointshul.org – we’d love to have you!
This elaborate guide is provided for you to help explain and clarify how the holiday and how to prepare one’s home. Credit is due to the following sources, The Laws of Pesach by R’ Avrohom Blumenkrantz, R’ Zwickler’s Pesach Guide, ou.org, star-k.org, Pesach Guidelines by R’ Daniel Wolff and How to Prepare by R’ Alan Garber.
Table of Contents
What is Chametz – Page 1
Cleaning for Passover – Page 1
Ritual Searching and Burning – Page 2
Preparing the Kitchen – Page 2
Miscellaneous – Page 4
Medicine – Page 4
Products Requiring Supervision – Page 5
Products Not Requiring Supervision – Page 5
Kitniyot/Legumes – Page 8
Selling One’s Chametz – Page 9
Sale Contract – Pages 10-11
What is Chametz?
The Torah prohibits chametz multiple times. In Deuteronomy 16:3 You shall not eat any chametz for seven days. For seven days you shall eat matzah…for you left Egypt hurriedly. For seven days no leaven shall be seen in all of your territory. Chametz is the product of one of the five species of grain, wheat, barley, oat, rye and spelt come into contact with water and have the opportunity to rise (more than 18 minutes). Examples of chametz are bread, cake, cookies, pretzels, beer, cereals, noodles, beer and scotch. Modern day flour has been soaked and thus is considered chametz. Mixtures with chametz in it are likewise forbidden.
CLEANING FOR PASSOVER
All property and possessions should be cleaned and checked to make sure that they are free of all chametz, except in the following cases:
An area/room into which chametz is never brought during the year.
Any article, which is not used on Pesach and which is put away or sold.
Chametz which has been rendered inedible to the extent that it is not fit to be eaten by a dog (eg by applying detergent).
Crumbs which are;
(a) less than the size of an olive (kazayis – approx 30 grams) and
(b) dirty enough that a person would not eat them .
Inaccessible areas, e.g. behind a fridge which is never moved
RITUAL SEARCHING AND BURNING
Sunday March 28, 2010, at night, there is a mitzvah/commandment to search one’s house for chametz by the light of a candle or flashlight. Given that one has spent days and weeks cleaning, it is not uncommon to find nothing when searching. There developed a custom to “hide” 10 pieces of bread/Cheerios so that the searcher actually finds something. One should make sure they find all 10 pieces – do not forget where you put it! Prior to the search one says the blessing, Baruch ata Adon-ai, Elo-heinu Melech HaOlam Asher Kiddishanu beMitzvotav v’tzivanu al Biyur Chametz. One should refrain from speaking minimally, until the search gets underway.
Following the search one should say:
“May all chametz and leaven that may still be in my property, which I have not seen or have not removed, shall be annulled and deemed valueless as the dust of the earth.”
Monday March 29th 2010
The last time one is permitted to eat chametz is 10:55
Chametz should be burned by 11:58
The last time one should (again) annul their chametz is 11:58
After one burns their chametz that they found from the search the previous night, one says the following, elaborated paragraph:
“May all chametz and leaven that may still be in my property, whether I have seen it or not, whether I have removed it or not, shall be annulled and deemed valueless as the dust of the earth.”
First born sons have the custom to fast on the eve of Passover. Unlike most other fasts, they can go to the completion party of a tractate (siyyum) and are then allowed to eat.
PREPARING THE KITCHEN
Fridge/Freezer – It should be cleaned thoroughly and it is a wide spread custom to cover it, with foil for example.
Sink – Stainless steel/metal sink, pour boiling hot water on all of it and it was not used with hot chametz for 24 hours.Porcelain/enamel sink then it should be cleaned and covered.
Oven – If you have self cleaning oven, just use that. Many rabbis say if you clean it thoroughly (with Easy Off), wait 24 hours, then put it on at the highest temperature (but not broil) for an hour.
Stove Top – In between the burners, ensure it wasn’t used in 24 hours and then pour boiling water on it and some have the custom to cover with heavy duty tin foil. The grates – if you can put them in a self-cleaning oven, that’s best. Alternatively, you can clean them off well and put the fire on highest until the grates get red hot, or for 20 minutes.
Electric burner – Clean well and turn on highest until they are red hot, or 20 minutes.
Microwave – One ideally one should not kasher their microwaves for Pesach, either buy a new one or don’t use it. There are only 3 days it can be used – as it can’t be used on Shabbat or the first two days and last two days. If one requires their microwave, there are opinions who say that if you clean it well, don’t use it for 24 hours, put a cup of water in it let is boil out it, for 20 minutes.The glass plate should be replaced or covered. {Note – during the year one can kasher microwaves through the method described without hesitation.}
Warming Drawers – Warming drawers cannot be kashered because the heat setting does not go high enough to constitute libbun. The warming drawer should be cleaned and sealed for Passover.
Oven Hoods & Exhaust Fans – Hoods and exhaust fan filters should be cleaned and free of any food residue.
Hot Plates and Blechs – It should be cleaned well and covered with double layer of heavy duty foil.
Counter Tops – Formica counters- they should be covered, but we have the custom to pour boiling water on it first. Granite counters – they should not be used for hot for 24 hours and then pour boiling hot water and one does not need to cover them. This is provided that there aren’t any cracks in the counter.
Toasters and Mixers – They should not be used and chametz is very hard to fully remove.
Cabinet Shelves – Thoroughly cleaned and some have the custom to cover with contact paper, for example.
Floors – Should be swept and mopped.
Carpets – Vacuumed well.
Kiddush Cups – Should be rinsed and cleaned well, unless you put in the dishwasher and then it should be boiled.
Tablecloths and Cloth Napkins – Launder them and they can be used. But many people have separate tablecloths for Pesach.
Barbecue – If it is possible to get new grates, do so. If not, it has to be cleaned very well and then it should run on high for a while.
Dishwashers – Most dishwashers are plastic and we try not to kasher plastic on Pesach. If there is made of stainless steel, clean out the filter very well, then wait 24 hours and run a cycle with soap.
MISCELLANEOUS
Clothes – If they have been washed in detergent, then there is no need to worry, even if you find crumbs in them on Pesach.
Benchers/Grace After Meals Book – If there is a chance that they contain chametz crumbs, then they should either be put away with other chametz utensils or checked.
Perfumes, Creams, Washing Up Liquid – Any chametz which is inedible for a dog, although one may not eat it, one can have benefit from it. Therefore, the above are permitted.
Vacuum Cleaner – Don’t forget to clean the vacuum cleaner and empty out its bag before Pesach [as it is very likely that there is chametz in there].
Brooms & Brushes – These should be properly cleaned before Pesach, which can be done by washing them.
Garbage Cans – One should ensure that all the chametz that is put in the wheelie bin is not fit for a dog to eat, ie pour bleach over the chametz.
Couches and Armchairs – These can often contain actual chametz and they must be properly checked.
MEDICINE
Liquid medicine often contains alcohol, which is chametz and may only be used under very specific circumstances and a rabbinic authority must be consulted.
All medicines that are in tablet form are permitted on Pesach.
Vitamins that are not necessary for medical purposes, even though they are swallowed need Passover supervision.
PRODUCTS REQUIRING SUPERVISION
Beverages
Candies
Canned fruits
Canned vegetables
Coffee-Unflavored Plain (not decaf) Ground does not need special certification for Passover. All instant and flavored and decaf ground coffee needs special Passover certification. Folger’s and Tasters Choice REGULAR (NOT DECAF) instant coffee is acceptable even without Passover certification.
Honey
Ices and ice cream
Instant tea
Jams and jellies
Ketchup
Mayonnaise
Non-dairy creamers
Parchment paper
Prepared horseradish
Quinoa: There is a difference of opinion regarding the status of quinoa. There is concern that some companies that pack quinoa also may pack other products that may be kitniyot/legumes or even chametz. Therefore, it is recommended that it only be purchased from a company that only packs quinoa. Ancient
Harvest brand from Gardena, California, only deals with pure quinoa, however, only the “whole grain” quinoa may be used. Trader Joe’s brand with the “half moon K”, is also acceptable. Other products such as pasta and flour should not be used for Passover.
Soup mixes
Sour pickles and tomatoes
Spices- Ground spices require Pesach certification. They can be processed on equipment that contains chametz and can also be adulterated with kitniyot/legumes or chametz.
Sugar –Brown sugar often shares tanks with items that contain chametz and
therefore requires special Pesach certification.
Sugar substitutes
Syrups
Tuna fish
Vegetables (frozen)
Vegetable oils and shortening
PRODUCTS NOT REQUIRING SUPERVISION
(It is preferable to purchase these items before Pesach.)
Air Fresheners
Rubbing Alcohol, Isopropyl Alcohol
Aluminum Foil, Aluminum pans, Wax Paper, any Styrofoam products, Plastic Wrap (any brand), Paper goods including plates, cups, tablecloths, bowls (paper goods should not be used with hot food).
Ammonia
Baby Oil
Baby Ointment
Baby Powder — Any brand
Baby Wipes — Any brand without alcohol
Bags
Baking (Bicarbonate) Soda — not Baking Powder
Balloons – without powder
Band-Aids
Bleach
Boby Wash
Bowl Cleaners
Braces, Orthodontia and Dentures and Wax used for braces
Candles –including scented
Carrots, including baby carrots, raw in plastic bags — Without additives
Cocoa- Hershey’s or any other 100% pure, not processed in Europe
Coffee Filters
Contact Lenses and Solution
Contact Paper
Corn Remover
Crock pot liners
Deodorants — Any powdered or stick type
Dental Floss — Any unflavored, including waxed
Detergents — Any powdered brands that are kosher year-round.
Dish detergents – The ruling of some rabbis is that all soaps, even those used for dishes, both liquid and powdered, do not need special Passover certification. However, the following brands have been researched for this year: Ajax, Brillo Pads, Dawn, Dermassage, Dynamo, Fab, Fresh Start, Ivory, Joy, Murphy Oil Soap, Palmolive, Scrub Free.
Eggs — Whole, fresh eggs should be purchased before Pesach. Since chicken feed contains chametz, it is customary not to eat eggs that were laid on Pesach. Other egg products, such as liquid eggs, egg substitute or cooked eggs, must bear Passover certification.
Eyedrops
Fabric Softeners
Fabric Protectors – Scotch Guard
Fish- All raw frozen fish that bears reliable kosher supervision year round is kosher for Pesach.
Fruit — Fresh or Frozen (only unsweetened, without syrup and additive free)
Furniture Polish
Glue
Hydrogen Peroxide
Ice in bags – plain, unflavored
Infant Formula — Isomil, Similac, Enfamil (using separate utensils due to kitniyot)
Insecticides – all sprays: Raid Roach and Ant Traps have been researched – approved this year.
Lactaid: Lactaid Milk must be purchased before Passover. Lactaid pills contain chametz and do not fall into the category of pill medication. They may not be used on Passover. If an individual who is lactose intolerant must drink milk or other dairy products on Passover, please see me. Most soy and rice milks, such as Rice Dream, contain chametz, and should not be used on Passover.
Laundry Detergent
Meat — Raw, fresh or frozen (not ground), which are kosher year-round
Milk – Ideally it should have Passover supervision, but otherwise it should be bought before Passover
Mineral Oil
Mineral Water –unflavored (not carbonated)
Mouthwash — All major brands, with the exception of Flourigard and Prevident Mouthrinse are OK. Listerine Pocketpaks are not recommended for Passover use.
Nail Polish — All
Nail Polish Remover – All
Nuts — Raw nuts in their shell do not require Passover certification. Shelled nuts that list BHA or BHT (preservatives) in the ingredients require special Passover certification. They are sprayed on the nuts using corn derivatives (kitniyot/legumes). One should not Peanuts and Pecan pieces as they are kityinot/legumeski
Nutritional Supplements – Ensure Regular, Light & Plus are acceptable. Ensure Puddings contains kitniyot. Ensure with fiber contains chametz.
Olive Oil — Extra Virgin (This does not include LITE or spray oils)
Orange Juice Frozen Concentrate – without additives.
Oven Cleaner — Any
Parchment Paper – Chefs Select, Norpak, Pantry Pro, Pure, Sunshine Ind., Wilton (Star K).
Petroleum Jelly – (i.e. Vaseline) – Any Brand
Plastic Cutlery
Potatoes – fresh, peeled – E.Z. Spuds
Poultry, Fresh and/or frozen (not ground) without spices –which has yearly reliable kosher supervision
Salt — Any brand without iodine, maltodextrin, dextrose, or polysorbates
Sanitizers
Scouring Pads
Silver Polish
Soap — Any
Spices – Any whole, unground.
Stain Remover
Sugar — Any brand white granulated cane sugar (not powdered); It is preferable to purchase the sugar before Pesach. Domino Brown or Sugar, Brownulated with “P” next to kosher symbol.
Tea — Lipton unflavored tea leaves or teabags including decaffeinated, and Nestea regular and decaffeinated unflavored.
Tissues
Toothpaste —All in non-liquid form—will be elaborated on at the 3/15 shiur
Toothpicks — Any wood or plastic, unflavored and uncolored
Vegetables — Any fresh
Water, bottled — From U.S.A. even with electrolytes
Wax Paper — Any
Wax – For braces, any
KITNIYOT – LEGUMES
Ashkenazi Jews, Jews of Eastern European descent, as determined by the father, are not permitted to have legumes on Passover. This custom, quite different from the severity of chametz, arouse for two reasons. Firstly, legumes can be made into flour, creating a scary similarity to bread. Secondly, many legumes were stored in granaries where chametz was stored and may become mixed together. Legumes and derivatives of legumes are forbidden.
Sefardic Jews, Jews of Middle Eastern descent, are permitted to have kitniyot/legumes on Passover.
Sadly, one cannot switch descents, unless an Ashkenazi woman married a Sefardi man.
{One’s Jewish status is determined by the mother, while tribal/ethnic ancestors are determined by the father.}
Anise2
Ascorbic Acid1
Aspartame1
Beans – includes all
Bean Sprouts
BHA (in corn oil)
BHT (in corn oil)
Buckwheat
Calcium Ascorbate1
Canola Oil (Rapeseed)
Caraway Seeds2
Chickpeas
Citric Acid
(possibly chametz)1
Confectioners Sugar(possibly chametz, possibly
KFP – look for KFP symbol)
Coriander
Corn Cumin2
Dextrose
Emulsifiers
Fennel2
Fenugreek2
Flavors (may be chametz)
Glucose
Green Beans
Guar Gum
H.V.P. (possibly chametz)
Isolated Soy Protein
Isomerized Syrup
Kasha (Buckwheat)
Lecithin
Malto-Dextrin(possibly chametz)1
Millet
MSG (possibly chametz)1 Mustard Flour
NutraSweet1
Peanuts2
Peas
Poppy Seeds
Rice
Sesame Seeds
Sodium Erythorbate1
Sorbitan1
Sorbitol1
Soy Beans
Stabilizers
Starch
Stabilizers (chametz)
String Beans
Sunflower Seeds
Tofu
Vitamin C1
Key:
1 – Some rabbis maintain despite process, still prohibited, others disagree and permit based on changes made.
2 – Some suggest one should avoid these, others permit.
SELLING ONE’S CHAMETZ
The rabbis understood that for certain people it was very difficult to dispose of all of their chametz and would create a serious financial loss. Financial loss however is not sufficient to violate a Biblical prohibition, one is still not allowed to see or own their chametz. The rabbis allowed Jews then to sell their chametz to Gentiles, in a legal and binding sale. The chametz would then not be theirs and the Gentile would entirely own the chametz. After the holiday, if the Gentile wanted to sell it back, usually at a profit, they did so and the Jew reacquired his/her possessions.
Though this sale is completely valid, it should ideally only be done for those who have great need. One should not stock up on cereal for example before Passover only to sell it. One should try to finish all of their beer, bread and other actual chametz, rather than selling it. The sale does work for actual chametz, nonetheless.
Since the sale is legally binding, one should fill out the following form and give it to R’ Maurice Appelbaum. He will ensure the sale of our chametz. Please email (rabbi@greenpointshul.org) or call him to meet to sign over the power of attorney.
POWER OF ATTORNEY FOR SALE OF CHAMETZ
I, __________________________________________________, do hereby appoint Rabbi Yaakov Glasser of Passaic, NJ:
First: To act on my behalf to sell all chametz possessed by me knowingly and unknowingly as defined by Torah and rabbinic law. Also, all sorts of chametz mixtures, chametz that tends to harden and adhere to the inside surfaces of pans, pots, cooking utensils or tableware; all animals and livestock which consume chametz and chametz mixtures. Also, any chametz in transit that would be delivered to me during the Pesach holiday.
Second: To lease all premises wherein chametz owned by us may be found and especially the premises of:
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
and elsewhere.
Third: We hereby grant Rabbi Yaakov Glasser full and unqualified authority to delegate, if necessary, any or all of the foregoing powers to any person or persons whom he shall select to sell my chametz and to lease our property where any chametz is stored.
Fourth: These powers shall be in conformity with all Torah laws and rabbinic regulations, as well as the laws of the State of New Jersey.
______________________ ___________________________________________________
(Date) (Signature)
[see other side]
Check appropriate one(s):
____ I am / We are on the premises throughout Pesach
____ A key to the premises (should I/we not be there) is at ______________________________
____ A key to the premises is attached
____ Some chametz listed above is in the State of Israel or other time zones . Please adjust times of sale for me.
Amount Location Value
Foodstuff
Liquors
Medication
Cosmetics
TOTAL $
