Passover Laws

Pesach Foods & Medications
For information regarding food products needing supervision for Pesach and those that do not, as well as kashering of utensils, please visit Rabbi Eidlitz's website, www.kosherquest.org or call Rabbi Becker at 747-7780.

Selling Chometz
Chometz which is in the possession of a Jew during Pesach is a violation of Torah law and is also prohibited from use after Pesach. If your Chometz is sold to a non-Jew before Pesach there is no violation and it is permissible after the holiday. Rabbi Becker acts as your agent to assure that your sale is done in accordance with Halachah. To arrange for the sale of your Chometz, see Rabbi Becker beginning Sunday, March 18 after morning or evening services or during the week by appointment. The sale of Chometz must be completed by early Friday morning, March 30.

Shmura Matzoh
For the fulfillment of the mitzvah of eating Matzoh at the Seder, special Shmura Matzoh is used. If you are having difficulty acquiring it, please contact the Rabbi.

Fast of the First Born/Siyum
First born sons fast on Erev Pesach as a reminder of the miracle that took place when G-d spared the Jewish first born during the tenth plague. The first born may be exempt from the fast if they participate in a Siyum (celebration of the completion a section of Mishnah or Talmud). The Siyum at Chofetz Chayim will take place after morning services on Friday, March 30.

Search for Chometz
On Thursday, March 29, after 7:24 p.m., the house should be examined thoroughly using a single candle. Before beginning, a special blessing is recited. After completing the search, the ritual renunciation of ownership of undiscovered/found Chometz is recited in a language you understand. Both the blessing and renunciation (Kol Chamira) can be found at the beginning of the Haggadah.

Eating Chometz
No Chometz may be eaten on Erev Pesach after 10 am.

Burning Chometz
On Friday, March 30, from after services until 11:00 a.m. there will be receptacle in the Chofetz Chayim courtyard with a fire burning. The renunciation of ownership is repeated after the burning of the Chometz.

Maos Chitim
It is a time-honored tradition each year to collect funds to help needy families celebrate Pesach. Checks should be appropriately annotated and sent to the Shul as early as possible.

Counting the Omer
Counting the Omer begins the second night of Passover, Saturday night, March 31. See ArtScroll page 282 for details and the front inside cover of your Chofetz Chayim calendar for details.

Eruv Tavshilin

To be performed during the day of Thursday, April 5, 2018. Although it is permissible to cook on Yom Tov using a flame that has already been kindled, it is not permissible to prepare food from one day to the next. This presents a problem when the 2nd day of Yom Tov occurs on Shabbos since cooking is not permissible on Shabbos itself. If one makes Eruv Tavshilin on the eve of Yom Tov, then it becomes permissible to prepare food on Friday for Shabbos. To make the Eruv Tavshilin on the day before the festival, one takes a challah or matzoh along with another cooked food such as fish, meat or an egg and holds them while the special blessing and declaration are recited. See ArtScroll Siddur, page 655.

Yizkor
On the last day of Pesach, Yizkor is recited at the synagogue following the Torah Reading Service. A departed loved one can no longer perform mitzvos. The purpose of Yizkor is to offer a prayer to Hashem to remember the good deeds of our loved ones and to make a pledge in their memory. The new act of tzedakah is credited to the departed relative. This Passover Yizkor will take place on Shabbos, April 7 at approximately 10:45 a.m.