Passover Preparations

Passover is celebrated this year from Friday night, April 6th, through Saturday, April 14th (schedule of festival services). The Sedanm are held on Friday and Saturday nights, April 6th and April 7th.  All cleaning and preparations to make the house Pesachdik (Kosher for Passover) must be completed by 10:00 a.m. Friday, April 6th. If you have any questions, please consult with the Rabbi.  You may also want to visit the USCJ Passover Kitchen Countdown, the CRC Passover Guide, or Kosher 4 Passover, a website devoted to all aspects of Pesach observance.

What is Hametz?
If one of the five grains—wheat, oats, rye, barley or spelt—comes in contact with water after being cut off from the ground, it becomes fermented or Hametz. This fermentation takes 18 minutes, according to tradition. Pesachdik baked goods are made from flour which has not been fermented.  The term Hametz is also applied to dishes and utensils which have been in contact with Hametz foods during the year.

Why do most Ashkenazim not eat beans, rice, corn, peas or peanuts on Pesach?
Although these are not among the five species of grain that can become Hametz, the Rabbis forbade their use because flour was made from them in the past. They felt that people might become confused and be tempted to use regular flour if they were allowed to use flour made from those plants.  To avoid possible confusion, most Ashkenazic Rabbis ordained that these not be used at all.  (The Sephardim do not know of such restriction.)  Non-flour products, such as peanut oil, may be used if they are prepared under Rabbinic supervision and properly certified.

What is the Siyyum B'chorim?
On the day before Passover, the first-born of our people fast to commemorate their being spared the fate of the first-born Egyptians . But one may eat if he is participating in a Seudat Mitzvah, the festive repast which accompanies the performance of certain mitzvot.  One such mitzvah is Talmud Torah study.  Thus, when a scholar completes a significant section of material (e.g., a tractate of Talmud), it is customary for all present to join in a siyyum, a ceremony of completion with a meal.  Any first-born who participates in the ceremony may eat. This is known as the Siyyum B'chorim.  The Siyyum will be held at the morning minyan on Friday, April 6th, which begins at 7:15 a.m.

Why must we clean our houses so thoroughly before Pesach?
The rule against hametz on Pesach applies not only to eating but to enjoyment (hana’ah) and also involves removing all the hametz from one's home.  No hametz is even allowed to be in the possession of a Jew during Passover.  To facilitate this cleaning the following rituals are part of Passover preparations.  (The text for the ceremonies can be found in a good Haggadah.)

• Bedikat Hametz:  After the house has been cleaned, on the night before Passover, we search once again for any crumbs of Hametz we may have missed. We use a candle, a feather, and a wooden spoon. This symbolizes that all the hametz which we could see was removed. The ceremony of Bedikat Hametz is observed this year Thursday evening, April 5th.
• Bittul Hametz:  A formula renouncing any hametz left that we may have inadvertently missed is said canceling our responsibility for it, thus symbolically removing it from our homes. The formula for Bittul Hametz is recited this year on Friday morning, April 6th.
• Be-ur Hametz:  On the morning before Passover we burn the hametz that has been found during the search of the night before.  This ceremony should take place by 10:00 a.m. Friday morning, April 6th.
• Mechirat Hametz:  We are not always able to destroy or get rid of all the hametz. It may be economically disastrous.  So the Rabbis ordained that a symbolic sale is made of all the hametz to a non-Jew in the community who then sells it back to us after Pesach. The hametz is then no longer “in our possession.”  This is normally done by the rabbi or ritual director for the entire congregation.  Incidentally, it is only necessary to sell or destroy food stuffs; dishes and utensils are simply locked away in storage for the duration of the festival.

What foods may not be used during Passover?
All these foods are considered hametz and may not be used during Passover:  leavened bread, cake, biscuits, crackers, cereals, wheat, barley, oats, rice, peas, dry beans, and liquids which contain ingredients made from grain alcohol.

What foods require Rabbinic supervision for Passover?
Matzah, noodles, candies, cakes, beverages, canned and processed foods, butter, jam, cheese, jelly, relishes, wines, liquors, salad oils, vegetable gelatin, shortening, vinegar.  A "Kosher L'Pesach" label or tag without product name and Rabbinic signature is of no value.  This applies to products made in America, Europe, or Israel.

What goods require no certification?
Pure natural coffee (instant or ground), sugar (non-confectioners or powdered), brown sugar, saccharin, tea, salt, pepper, vegetables (dry beans and peas are forbidden, stringbeans permitted), pure garlic and onion powder, dried fruit, honey, Hershey's cocoa, pure unadulterated safflower or soybean oil, nuts (except legumes), dish detergent and scouring powders.  All these items should be bought before Passover and left unopened until Passover begins.

May canned or frozen fruits and vegetables be used for Passover?
Fruits and vegetables normally permitted for Passover use, when packed in water or their own juices, may be used. Avoid cans or packages containing added ingredients.

May tuna and salmon be used?
Oil packing introduces an uncertain element possibly containing additional ingredients.  Therefore, use the water-packed variety and purchase it before Passover.

May milk without a Hechsher be used?
With automation used in milk production, there is little chance for milk to contain any hametz.  Milk produced before Passover is permitted; therefore, buy milk before 12 noon on Friday, April 6th (milk can be frozen).

Can any dishes and utensils used during the year be used for Passover?
It is preferable to have dishes and utensils specifically reserved for Passover and stored away during the rest of the year. However, since this is not always possible, the rabbis ordained that certain types of utensils may be Kashered, specifically prepared for Passover. However, earthenware, enamelware or porcelain utensils, if used during the year, may not be used during Pesach.

How may utensils be kashered for Passover?

• Silverware, knives, forks, spoons made wholly of metal, if used during the year, may be kashered by scouring thoroughly and then immersing in boiling water.  They are then Pesachdik and parve.
• All table glassware is permitted after thoroughly scouring.  There is also a practice of soaking glassware for 72 hours before Passover; follow the custom used in your family.
• Fine translucent chinaware, if not used during the previous year, is permitted.
• Metal pots and pans used for cooking purposes only (but not for baking), if made wholly of metal, may be used during Passover if first thoroughly scoured and immersed in boiling water.  Kashering is done in the following way:  fill a large pot with water and heat to boiling.  Take the utensil, tie a string to it, and immerse completely in the boiling water.  For small items, a cord netting can be used to dip several at once.  This process renders utensils Pesachdik and parve.

How may the stove be kashered?
The stove is prepared by thoroughly scrubbing and cleaning all pans and turning on full flame or the clean cycle in the oven and all the grates.

How may a microwave be kashered?
Microwave ovens present a special case, since the inside surfaces do not become hot.  There is a difference of opinion as to whether, or how, one can be kashered.  We recommend thorough cleaning and then placing a dish of water into the oven and allowing it to boil as a symbolic kashering.

How may a dishwasher be kashered?
A dishwasher may be used for Passover after thoroughly scouring with boiling water and then running it empty for two cycles, one with soap and one without.

How may a refrigerator be kashered?
Remove all hametz food and opened packages.  Clean thoroughly with boiling water and scour the racks.  In a freezer, frozen hametz foods should be put in a special closed-off section and should be sold with other hametz.

What is Ma'ot Chittim?
Matzah for Pesach is a mitzvah, and a collection was taken up before Pesach to provide money for matzah and other Passover essentials to the poor.  This is called Ma'ot Chittim.

Issued by the Conservative Rabbinate of Minneapolis-St. Paul