Chametz, Checked: Your Passover Game Plan for Cleaning, Searching, and Getting Rid of It

From Torah law, either one of two approaches is enough to avoid the prohibition 'it shall not be seen by you, chametz' (Exodus 13:7) and to fulfill 'you shall remove leaven from your homes' (Exodus 12:15):

A.Destroying the chametz by eliminating it completely (Pesachim 1:1).

B.Nullifying the chametz by verbally declaring that all chametz in one’s possession is null like the dust of the earth (Pesachim 6b; Shulchan Aruch siman 434 se’if 2).

Some explain that this nullification works as a form of hefker (ownerless): you relinquish ownership of your chametz, so it’s no longer yours. And even though hefker normally requires a declaration before three people, for matters of religious prohibition you don’t need three, because we trust and effectively “testify” that he sincerely doesn’t want to transgress and is truly relinquishing it (Tosafot to Bava Metzia 30b, s.v. Afkarei; see also Tosafot to Pesachim 4b, s.v. Min ha-Torah; and Ran to the beginning of Pesachim, s.v. U-mahu). Others explain that the Torah empowers a Jew to neutralize the very status of chametz before Passover and regard it as dust (Rashi to Pesachim 4b, s.v. B’bitul; see also Chazon Ovadia, Pesach, pp. 52–54, note).

Still, even though from Torah law either destroying or nullifying would suffice, our Sages required everyone to do both: to destroy their chametzand to nullify it (unless it was sold to a non-Jew and is no longer yours). The reason: If you only destroy, we worry some chametz might remain in the house, and you could accidentally transgress a Torah prohibition if you miss it. And if you only nullify, you might find a beautiful chametz cake on Passover and be tempted to eat it. Nullification helps you avoid the 'do not see/do not find' prohibitions, but it does not permit eating the chametz (Pesachim 6b; Tosafot to Pesachim 2a, s.v. Or).

Getting the House Ready

A. On the night of the 14th of Nisan, we search for chametz by candlelight. To make that search effective, we tidy and clean the home beforehand. Across Jewish communities, women traditionally begin this cleaning weeks before Passover—rooms, closets, drawers, clothing pockets, and schoolbags (Beit Yosef to end of siman 433 in the name of the Mordechai; Rema ad loc.; Chazon Ovadia, p. 32). The core goal: track down any place chametz might have wandered during the year and remove it (Pesachim 1:1; Shulchan Aruch siman 433 se’if 3; Mishnah Berurah ad loc. s.k. 13).

B. Books don’t need special Passover cleaning. Even if crumbs got in while someone ate chametz during the year, your nullification covers those tiny bits; they’re not part of the rabbinic concern that you’ll forget it’s Passover and eat chametz. Still, if a book likely harbors crumbs, don’t use it at the dining table on Passover so nothing falls into your food (Yabia Omer 7, O.C. siman 43; Chazon Ovadia, p. 35). For the same reason, if you plan to use benchers you’ve been using all year, clean them well before Passover.

הספר החדש 'ההגדה של פסח עם פירוש' של הרב זמיר כהן

The Nighttime Search for Chametz

A. Before the search, it’s customary for someone in the household to place ten small pieces of bread (chametz), each smaller than a kezayit (make them really small—certainly less than 18 cc, which is a kezayit according to the Rambam—so that if one isn’t found, the later nullification will cover it). Wrap each piece well in paper or plastic so you don’t leave crumbs where you hide them. The reason for placing these pieces is that the person reciting the blessing '…al bi’ur chametz' should actually find some chametz during the search so the blessing applies. The custom of 'ten pieces' follows Kabbalistic tradition (Rema siman 432 se’if 2; Mishnah Berurah and Kaf HaChayim ad loc.; Chazon Ovadia, p. 36). It’s wise to note where you put them, so if the checker doesn’t find one, you’ll know where to look. If a piece goes missing and a careful search doesn’t locate it, you can rely on the nullification (Sha’arei Teshuvah siman 432 s.k. 7; Chazon Ovadia, p. 38). This custom is not strictly required; if you searched without hiding pieces, you don’t need to redo the search. The blessing isn’t in vain, because you made it with the intention to destroy what you’ll find—and in any case you’ll certainly burn chametz the next morning. Beginning the search tonight is itself the start of the removal process (Rema ad loc.; Turei Zahav s.k. 4).

On the night of the 14th of Nisan, about twenty minutes after sunset, take a candle and recite the blessing: 'Blessed are You, Hashem, our God, King of the universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us concerning the removal of chametz.' Then begin the search immediately (Pesachim 7a; Shulchan Aruch siman 431 se’if 1; Mishnah Berurah s.k. 1; Shulchan Aruch siman 432 se’if 1; Chazon Ovadia, p. 33). Although on this night you’re searching rather than burning, we say '…on the removal of chametz' rather than '…on the search for chametz,' because the purpose of the search is to remove what you find; the search is the beginning of the removal (Ran to Pesachim 3b in Rif pages; see also Rosh to Pesachim 1:10).

B. You don’t need to turn off electric lights during the search. The candle is best for cracks and crevices, and for open areas the room light is even better (Chazon Ovadia, p. 40).

C. Search anywhere chametz could realistically have reached over the year: balconies, yard, storage areas—and your car, too (Shulchan Aruch siman 433 se’if 3; Mishnah Berurah ad loc.; Chazon Ovadia, pp. 35, 45, 52; see also Or LeTzion, vol. 3, ch. 7, sec. 12).

D. Also check suitcases, schoolbags, and clothing pockets if it’s plausible chametz went in during the year. If you laundered the clothes before Passover and made sure no chametz has gone into them since, there’s no need to check, because laundry detergent ruins any residue so even a dog wouldn’t eat it (Or LeTzion, vol. 3, ch. 7, sec. 11). That’s only if you’re sure no wrapped candies or similar items were left in the pockets (detergent wouldn’t ruin those). Many households check pockets before washing.

E. Even if a meticulous search feels like a lot, don’t resent the effort. Our Sages taught (Avot 5:23): 'According to the pain is the reward.' Still, there is some basis to be a bit less exacting during the search when the home has already had a thorough pre-Passover cleaning (Chazon Ovadia, pp. 35–36 and note 7).

F. The homeowner can gather family members to be present for the blessing and have them intend to be covered by it; then they can spread out and search different areas (Shulchan Aruch siman 432 se’if 2). It’s a mitzvah for the homeowner to participate personally—'it’s better to do a mitzvah yourself than via an agent' (Magen Avraham ad loc. s.k. 2; Chazon Ovadia, p. 49). If you know you’ll flag from the workload, it’s better to divide rooms among several searchers so each one can give their assigned area proper attention.

G. Between the blessing and the start of the search, don’t speak about unrelated matters (that would interrupt) (Shulchan Aruch siman 432 se’if 1). Once searching, you may speak about things needed for the search. Best to avoid unrelated conversation so you can focus (Mishnah Berurah ad loc. s.k. 6).

בדיקת חמץ (צילום אילוסטרציה: נתי שוחט / פלאש 90)

H. The search candle should be wax, paraffin, or similar, with a single wick. A candle that distracts you from the search is not appropriate—for example, one made of non-kosher fat (you’d worry about drips on dishes and making them non-kosher), or even kosher fat if you’d worry about drips on dairy utensils, or an oil lamp that might drip and soil items as you search, or a multi-wick torchlike flame that could start a fire. Anything that pulls your attention from the hunt is out (Shulchan Aruch siman 433 se’if 2).

I. Where there’s real fire risk or you prefer a flashlight—like when checking your car—you may use one. A flashlight also illuminates cracks and crevices well (Chazon Ovadia, p. 38, for cases without a candle; the same applies when there’s fire concern). But where a candle is practical, we keep our ancestral custom to use a candle (Or LeTzion, vol. 3, ch. 7, sec. 8).

J. Some have the searcher carry a bowl with a piece of bread to be burned the next day, plus a knife, scissors, or a feather to probe into crevices (Mishnah Berurah siman 433 s.k. 46; Chazon Ovadia, p. 51). Some place a little salt in the bowl as a good omen (Ben Ish Chai, Tzav 6).

K. If you have a room or a car you won’t use on Passover, you can include it in the sale of chametz to a non-Jew and you’re exempt from searching it—so long as it stays closed all through the holiday (Chazon Ovadia, p. 51; Or LeTzion, vol. 3, ch. 9, sec. 1).

L. If you’re staying in a hotel over Passover, search your room on the night of the 14th without a blessing. If you arrive only on Passover eve or during the holiday, search your room when you arrive.[1]

M. Starting a half hour before search time, our Sages prohibited beginning work and eating bread or cake beyond the volume of an egg (about 56 cc), so you won’t get drawn into eating or working and forget to search. Eating fruit or cooked foods is permitted.

Once search time begins, don’t start learning Torah until you’ve finished the search, lest you get absorbed and forget. Torah study is treated differently from eating or work because of its importance; it’s only restricted once the time for the search arrives.

A class for the public that isn’t in-depth pilpul—like Daf Yomi, halacha, or Mishnah—may begin even after search time, since at the end everyone reminds each other to go search. But a class that delves into pilpul should not begin then; people may be drawn into it and forget. If you know for sure the whole crowd will attend a Daf Yomi (or similar) only after doing the search, it’s better to delay the class so the search happens on time (Shulchan Aruch siman 431 se’if 2; Mishnah Berurah s.k. 6–7; Chazon Ovadia, pp. 41–43).

N. If search time has arrived and you haven’t yet prayed Arvit (evening prayer), pray first and then search. Arvit is a frequent mitzvah (every day), while the search is once a year; the rule is 'the frequent takes precedence.' If someone is with you, ask them to remind you to search after the prayer (Chazon Ovadia, p. 44).

O. At the end of the search, nullify any chametz you didn’t find by declaring: 'Kol chamira di’ika birshuti, d’la chaziteih u’d’la vi’arteih, libatil v’lehevei k’afra d’ara' (Shulchan Aruch siman 434 se’if 2).

Meaning: 'All chametz in my possession that I have not seen and have not removed shall be null and become like the dust of the earth.'

Say this in a language you understand, so you truly mean to nullify any chametz not found in the search, regarding it as nothing—like dust. If you recite the formula without understanding it, you have not fulfilled the nullification and must repeat it in a language you understand (Rema ad loc.; Chazon Ovadia, p. 54).

P. Repeat this formula three times—repetition underscores firm intent. Since some hold nullification works as hefker, it’s good on the third time to add the word 'hefker': 'Libatil v’lehavi hefker k’afra d’ara' (Chazon Ovadia, p. 54).

Q. After the search, set aside whatever chametz you’ll still need to eat and keep it in one designated place so it doesn’t get scattered—especially important with little kids around (Shulchan Aruch siman 434 se’if 1).