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Tuesday, March 23, 2010

PESACH, Searching for Chametz

8th of Nisan, 5770

After our house is clean of Chametz and ready for Pesach, the night before the Seder (Sunday March 28th ) we do the Bedikat Chametz, which is an “inspection” in which we search for any Chametz that might have remained unnoticed in our property after cleaning. With the aid of a candle or a flashlight, we search all spots in our house where we might have brought food. We should especially search the kitchen, food storage spaces, the pantry, the refrigerator, the freezer and all other places in which we usually store or keep food.


In the Bedika we’re looking specifically for Chametz “food” that we could have overlooked during the cleaning process, and not so much for Chametz crumbs that are anyway declared owner-less (“eliminated”)” by the Bitul (See BH tomorrow). The Sepharadim, then, do not have any tradition regarding the use of a feather and/or a knife, which is essentially part of the Ashkenazi -or Kabbalistic- approach which emphasizes the mystical symbolism of Chametz.


It is customary among some families in our community to place some Chametz, for instance 10 pieces of well-wrapped bread, at certain locations before proceeding to do the Bedika.


We should search our house, offices, workplaces and even cars, since it is not uncommon to bring food or a snack to these places. Cars should be washed and cleaned before the night of the Bedika and then they should be searched for any Chametz, usually after we search our homes.


VERY IMPORTANT PESACH LINKS:

For a timetable Bedikat Chametz chart etc, see: http://www.mashadi.info/pdf/timetableforpesach.pdf

To download Mekhirat Chametz (selling of Chametz) form see: http://www.mashadi.info/pdf/sellingofchametzform.pdf

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