The Pesach Page

Pesach Schedule 5777

click HERE to view or download

Passover Laws and Customs

I. Ma’ot Hittim
It is customary to give special tzedakah money in the days before Pesach so that the poor may be able to celebrate Passover with joy and plenty. Maimonides writes that one who eats large holiday meals without providing for the poor is not enjoying the “simcha of the mitzvah” but only the “simcha of his stomach.”

II. Mechirat Hametz
Please fill out the attached power of attorney form if you would like me to sell your hametz. It is important that the forms are returned to me before the deadline indicated on the forms. I will be staying late after Shabbat, April 1 and 8, as well as from 8:15-9:00, on Wednesday, April 5. For me to be your agent, you just need to appoint me in person (kinyan shaliyach) and return your form to me either in person, by email or in my mailbox. The forms must be signed. They can then be scanned and emailed, or handed to me in person. If you appoint me as your agent to sell hametz on your behalf, please wait at least one hour after the conclusion of Pesach before accessing the hametz again so there is time to re-purchase it. Hametz that you sell should be kept isolated from your other possessions in designated closets, cabinets, or shelves. You must provide access to the gentile who purchases our hametz should they wish to take possession of any of it on Pesach.

III. Bedikat Hametz
After our homes have been cleaned and made kosher for Passover, we engage in a ritual search for any hametz that we may have forgotten. This is done after dark on Sunday, April 9. Many have the custom to hide ten pieces of hametz (e.g. cheerios that will not leave behind crumbs) around the home and then find all ten pieces over the course of the search. One member of a household recites the blessing, “asher kidshanu b’mitzvotav, v’tzivanu al bi’ur hametz” before beginning the search. It is customary to search the home with a candle (a flashlight can be used as well), so that all of the nooks and crannies of the home can be inspected. Since our homes should already be clean and without hametz, the purpose of this search is to verify that we have not forgotten to dispose of any hametz. Remember to check your office desk drawers, car, school lockers, gym lockers, or other locations where you may keep hametz before returning home on Friday/Sunday. When the search is complete, we mentally nullify and renounce ownership of hametz we may have overlooked by declaring, “any hametz in my possession that I have not seen, have not removed, and do not know about should be nullified and become ownerless like the dust of the earth.” This nullification does not include hametz that you intentionally reserve for breakfast on Monday morning or to burn later on Monday. The blessing and declaration is printed on the first pages of every Haggadah as well as in the Koren or Artscroll Siddurim.

IV. Ta’anit Bekhorot
Firstborn children are invited to attend a siyum commemorating the completion of study of a seder of Mishnah, immediately following Shacharit on Monday morning. The siyum substitutes for a day of fasting that commemorates God’s saving of the Israelite first-born children when the Egyptian first-born were killed in the tenth plague. Shacharit should be at 6:50AM at Torah V’Avodah (it will be confirmed), followed by the siyum.

V. Bi’ur Hametz
Only small, symbolic quantities of hametz should be burned and no plastic may be thrown into the fire. The full declaration of hametz nullification is recited on Monday morning. This is said while burning hametz, and it can also be said at home by those who do not make it to burning. This declaration as well is printed in every Haggadah and can be found in the Koren or Artscroll Siddurim.

VI. Leil Ha-Seder
We light candles on Monday afternoon, prior to sunset, and recite two blessings, “l’hadlik ner shel yom tov” and the “shehechiyanu” blessing. At shul we will recite the Ma’ariv prayers immediately following Mincha so that everyone can make it to their Seder in a timely fashion. The recitation of kiddush, with which the Seder begins, should take place after dark, at 8:39 PM. If delaying 2 the start of the Seder until after dark will be highly problematic, or if you are attending a Seder whose start-time you cannot control, please speak to Rabbi Katchen to strategize the best way to fulfill the Passover obligations.

VII. Laws of Yom Tov
The first two days of Pesach, and the last two days (days seven and eight) have the status of yom tov. No work may be performed with the exceptions that it is permissible to carry on yom tov even without the benefit of an eruv, and food may be cooked and heated on yom tov without the restrictions of Shabbat. No preparations for the second day of yom tov, including candle-lighting, may commence until 8:42 PM on Tuesday, April 11. Yom tov candles for the second day of Pesach should be lit from an existing flame.

VIII. Liturgy
Shacharit on the first two days of Pesach contain full Hallel—singing in celebration of the miraculous exodus from Egypt and Mussaf contains birkat kohanim—the priestly blessing. On subsequent days of Passover we only recite half-Hallel. Our happiness is tinged by the realization that—because of Pharaoh’s intransigence—our freedom and survival came at the expense of many Egyptians’ lives.

Yizkor is recited in the morning on the eighth day of Passover. No shehechiyanu is said over candles on the last days of Pesach.

Supplement to Passover Food List 

COR maintains a comprehensive Passover Guide and lists which products do and do not require special Passover certification. The CRC, the OU Kashrut and Rabbi Eidlitz (here) do as well, but there are issues around country of origin. I am happy to help resolve disputes between the lists. See especially the cRc’s position on medications here.

What follows are some common questions concerning Passover food or exceptions to the above mentioned guidelines.

Coffee that is unflavored and caffeinated may be purchased before Pesach without any Kosher for Passover certification.
Black or Green Tea that is unflavored and caffeinated may be purchased before Pesach without any Kosher for Passover certification. It is not recommended to purchase coffee or tea from a coffee shop on Hol HaMo’ed, even though this can be done at other times of the year.
Decaffeinated Coffee or Tea and Flavored Coffee or Tea should only be purchased with Kosher for Passover certification.
Quinoa is permissible on Passover even for Ashkenazim who refrain from eating kitniot (legumes and items similar to hametz). Quinoa should be purchased with special Kosher for Passover certification.
Milk should be purchased before Passover begins or should have Kosher for Passover certification.
Eggs may be purchased on Hol Ha-Mo’ed even without Kosher for Passover certification. If your chicken lays an egg on the first day of Pesach, the egg may be eaten on the second day of Pesach.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil may be used on Pesach without Kosher for Passover certification (with issues relating to counterfeiting olive oil, it is best to get a brand with a reputable year-round hashgacha) if it was purchased before Pesach.
Nuts (From Rabbi Eidlitz): All raw, whole or chopped almonds, walnuts, pine nuts, without BHA, BHT or other additives, or preservatives are approved for Pesach use. However, if the label states that it is processed in a plant that processes Kitniyos or Chometz, then it requires a reliable Kosher For Pesach certification. Whole pecans and half pecans do NOT require Kosher for Pesach certification. However, pecan pieces and midget pecans must bear a Kosher for Pesach symbol. All dry roasted nuts and ground nuts require reliable KFP certification.
Ashkenazi Jews may eat food prepared in the kitchens of Sepharadi Jews who cook and serve kitniot and may eat on the same dishes and use the same utensils as Sepharadi Jews. An Ashkenazi may eat non-kitniot foods that were cooked together with kitniot (e.g. chicken that was cooked with rice). 

Guide to Preparing the Home and Kitchen
for Passover 

I. Dirt is Not Hametz
Cleaning for Pesach is not “spring cleaning.” There is no need to rid one’s home of all dirt. It is also not necessary to eliminate all crumbs from the house. The reason that we clean our homes and then search our homes before Pesach is to rid our homes of all “important hametz,” leavened products that someone might accidentally eat on Pesach. “Important hametz" could be bottles of liquor, cookies, crackers etc.
There is no obligation to eliminate crumbs from our homes, only to remove or sell “important hametz” and to clean away any crumbs that might contaminate our food. Tiny crumbs that are in locations where they cannot contaminate food (e.g. under the cushions of a living room couch) do not have to be cleaned before Pesach, for the sake of Pesach.
It would be a shame to approach Pesach with a sense of fear and dread, wishing that one could go to a hotel instead of cleaning sufficiently to stay at home. Celebrating Pesach, and the lead-up to Pesach, should be a period of happiness and redemption. How tragic (yet how common!) it would be to work so hard before Pesach that one enters the Seder exhausted and barely able to stay awake and enjoy the evening.

II. Ovens, Stovetops, and Microwaves
The cRc maintains an excellent guide to kashering various kitchen materials and appliances of all kinds. The cRc guidelines can be relied upon without hesitation. Likewise, the OU has extensive Passover guidelines.
In a conventional oven, gas or electric, an oven cleaner may be necessary to remove baked-on grease. If a caustic type of oven cleaner (such as Easy-Off) was used to clean the oven and some stubborn spots remain after the caustic cleaner has been applied a second time with similar results, the remaining spots may be disregarded. Once the oven and racks have been cleaned, they may be kashered by turning the oven to the broil or highest setting for 40 minutes. In a gas oven, the broil setting will allow the flame to burn continuously. In a conventional electric oven, the highest setting, broil or 550°, kashers the oven. This method is also acceptable for the oven racks, (since it is usual to cook food in a pan, not directly on the racks themselves).
In a self-cleaning oven, the self-cleaning cycle will clean and kasher the oven simultaneously. CAUTION: There is a potential risk of fire during the self-cleaning process. Do not leave your oven unattended while in the self-cleaning mode.
Some ovens come with a convection feature. This feature allows for more uniform heat distribution by using a fan to circulate the heat. If the convection oven has the self-cleaning feature, it will be sufficient to kasher the fan as well. If there is no self-cleaning feature, the entire oven, including the fan, must be sprayed with a caustic cleaner (e.g. Easy-Off) and cleaned well. The oven should then be kashered by turning it on to its highest setting for 40 minutes.
The Cooktop: On a gas range the cast iron or metal grates upon which the pots on the range sit, may be inserted into the oven after they have been thoroughly cleaned. The grates can then be kashered simultaneously with the oven. Another method to kasher the grates is to run the burners on the highest setting for 5 minutes. Microwaves: To kasher a microwave oven, clean it thoroughly until absolutely no food debris is left. Special attention must be given to the internal vent of the microwave. After you are satisfied that there is no debris, the following steps need to be taken: 1. The glass turntable tray should be removed and replaced. Alternatively, use the microwave without the turntable for Pesach. 2. For the oven itself, after 24 hours without use, place a saucer of water inside and turn the microwave on and allow the microwave to be filled with steam. Repeat the same procedure with the saucer in a different spot.
Range Top: As long as the range top is not enamel, it can be kashered by cleaning it very thoroughly and then pouring boiling water over it. If it is enamel it should be covered with a double layer of heavy duty aluminum foil which should remain there during Pesach.
In an electric cooktop, one only needs to turn the burners on the high heat setting for a few minutes to kasher them, since the burners come to a glow in a few minutes. The drip pans should be thoroughly cleaned and need not be kashered. The 4 remaining cooktop areas should be covered. The knobs with which the gas or electricity is turned on should be cleaned. No other process is necessary to kasher the knobs.
Kashering a Glass, Corning, Halogen or Ceran electric smoothtop range for Pesach use is a bit complex. Please speak to Rabbi Katchen if you have this sort of range. The cRc maintains a very detailed set of guidelines as well for kashering kitchen materials of every variety.
The Broiler and Grills: The broiler pan and grill cannot be kashered by just turning on the gas or electricity. Since food is broiled or roasted directly on the pan or grill, they must be heated to a glow to be used on Pesach. This can be done either by using a blowtorch, or in the case of an outdoor grill, by sandwiching the grate between the charcoal briquets and setting them on fire. All food particles, clumps, etc. have to be removed before you can kasher. An alternate method is to replace the broiler pan or grates of the grill.
The empty broiler or grill cavity must then be kashered by cleaning and setting it to broil for 40 minutes. All food particles need to be cleaned off and then easy off or a bbq cleaner applied. If one does not intend to use the broiler on Pesach, one may still use the oven, even without kashering the broiler, so long as the broiler has been thoroughly cleaned.
As with all kashering, items need to sit for 24 hours after cleaning before they can be kashered.

III. Metal & Plastic Utensils
Metal utensils that have been used for cooking, serving, or eating hot hametz may be kashered by cleaning them thoroughly, waiting 24 hours, and then immersing them, one by one, into a kosher for Pesach pot of water which has been heated and is maintaining a rolling boil.
The effect of this process is immediate—a split second. Make sure that the item is completely immersed before it comes into contact with any other items. Be sure that the water is always boiling; if the water cools down and stops bubbling, you must wait for the water to bubble again before putting in the next item. The process is finalized by rinsing the kashered items in cold water. If tongs are used to grip the utensil, the utensil will have to be immersed a second time with the tongs in a different position so that the boiling water will touch the initially gripped area. The entire utensil does not have to be kashered at once; it may be done in parts.
A non-kosher-for-Pesach pot may also be used for the purpose of kashering, provided that it is thoroughly clean and has not been used for 24 hours. However, it is the custom to make the pot kosher for Pesach before using it for kashering. This can be accomplished by cleaning the pot, leaving it dormant for 24 hours, filling the pot completely with water, and waiting until the water comes to a rolling boil so that the water overflows. The pot is now kashered.
Extra Bonus: After the Pesach kashering process has taken place, the status of these newly kashered utensils may be changed from dairy to meat, or vice versa. This same process may be undertaken to kasher plastic utensils (as per the cRc, Israeli Chief Rabbinate, and more) but care should be taken to ensure that the plastic is not cracked, has been thoroughly cleaned, and will not melt upon immersion in boiling water – if you are afraid it will melt or break, it cannot be kashered.

IV. Sinks
China or Porcelain sinks cannot be made kosher for Pesach. To use them on Pesach you must keep a rack on the bottom of the sink. If your usual method of cleaning dishes is to fill the sink with water and to let the dishes soak, then a rack is not adequate. In such a case a sink insert is required.
Stainless Steel or Granite sinks can be kashered using the following method: Clean the sink thoroughly and leave unused (cold water only is OK) for 24 hours. Pour boiling water from a Pesach kettle/pot over every part of the stainless steel sink. It is likely that the kashering kettle will need to be refilled a few times before the kashering can be completed.

V. Counters and Countertops
It is better to kasher your countertops instead of simply covering them. The covering is not as nice as the original and diminishes from the holiday atmosphere that should exist in the home.
Wood, Formica, Plastic, Corian, Granite, Marble, or Stainless Steel must be kashered by pouring boiling water over them after they have been cleaned thoroughly. The cRc maintains a comprehensive list of counter materials and the method for kashering each one.

VI. Dishwashers (per the cRc guide)
Enamel Dishwashers cannot be made kosher for Passover. Plastic and metal dishwashers: Make sure there are no cracks in the plastic lining of the racks.
1. Clean the inside of the dishwasher and the racks to remove any crumbs or food that is adhering to any surface. Also, if your dishwasher has a removable filter it must be cleaned.
2. Before kashering the dishwasher, it must be left unused for 24 hours.
3. Run the dishwasher on the hottest setting using soap. Keep the racks in to kasher them along with the dishwasher. 

VII. More Pesach Cleaning…
Bedrooms: The only hametz that you have to look for in a bedroom is “important hametz” (see page 3).
Cars: Cars can be checked for “important hametz.” Other hametz only has to be removed if you fear it will stick to your clothing and end up in your food, or if children may come to eat it.
Cabinets: Cabinets, closets, etc., do not need to be kashered, lined, or covered. Clothing: Pockets should be checked if you plan on wearing them on Pesach. Cuffs of pants do not need to be checked unless you eat with your feet. If you eat with your feet, please speak to Rabbi Katchen ASAP.
Dining Room: Hametz dishes do not have to be removed from a display or breakfront. Garbage Pails: Garbage pails do not have to be cleaned since there is no fear that you will want to eat out of the garbage can.
Toys: The only hametz one needs to be concerned about on toys is hametz that children may eat on Pesach. Caked on or embedded hametz need not be cleaned before Pesach. Glue and shellacked pasta, and the like, do not have to be removed, since they are designated as non-food items.
Vacuum Bags: Vacuum bags do not have to be emptied since there is no fear that you will want to eat that kind of hametz.

VIII. Kitchen Utensils FAQ
Baby Bottles: Plastic bottles can be kashered by immersing them in boiling water. Most infant-formulas contain kitniyot ingredients and bottles should therefore be segregated from other Pesach dishes and washed separately, e.g. in a bathroom sink and not in a kitchen sink. It is completely permissible to feed kitniyot to infants and young children.
Dentures, Bite Plates, Braces: Clean thoroughly after finishing eating hametz.
Metal Wine Goblets / Kiddush Cups: Pour boiling water inside and outside. Hot Water Urn: If it is only used for water and is not brought to the table, it only needs a thorough cleaning.
Refrigerator / Freezer: Thoroughly clean or line the shelves. It is only necessary to do one or the other.
Napkin rings: Clean.
Shabbat Electric Warming-Tray / Platte: Cover or use one that is especially set aside for Passover use.
Tables: Clean by wiping them down or using your regular polish. They need not be covered with anything special for Pesach use. Use only hotplates or trivets that are exclusively for Passover use.
Towels, Tablecloths, etc.: Those used during the year with hametz may be used on Pesach if they have been laundered.
Water Filters: Walter filters that are connected to the faucet need not be removed. They should be thoroughly cleaned and may be used on Pesach without changing the filters.

Kitchen Items that cannot be made kosher for Pesach:
Items that you are packing up and putting away for Pesach such as toaster ovens, breadbaskets, mixers, etc. do not have to be cleaned (unless they have sizeable crumbs). The mental declaration (bittul) on erev Pesach is sufficient.
Bread Machine
Crockpot
China
George Foreman Grill
Pasta Maker
Porcelain (Enamel) Utensils
Sandwich Maker
Stoneware Teflon frying pans
Toaster oven
Waffle Iron
Strainers and colanders