Chapter 117 : Chapter 117 Various Laws Concerning Pesach

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§1

If you find any chametz in food¹This is said, in reference to chametz in liquid form, that has become mixed with other liquid; or if the chametz has contributed to the taste of the mixture. Regarding dry chametz, that has been mixed with other dry foods, (see Shulchan Aruch and Ramah 447:4.) on erev Pesach, anytime before nightfall, it is like any other forbidden substance, which is nullified if it becomes mixed (into a permitted subtance), sixty times its volume.²This is true also if the chametz and the other food are of the same species, i.e. vinegar and vinegar, soup and soup. (Biyur Halachah 447:2) Therefore, if you find a grain of seed in poultry or in cooked food, you should throw away the seed, and you may eat the rest, even on Pesach.³This is true, only when the cooked food had been cooled before Pesach. (If the food was still warm on Pesach, it had absorbed the chametz on Pesach and would be forbidden). (Mishnah Berurah 447:19) But during Pesach, itself, even the smallest bit of chametz makes food forbidden (to eat) and to derive benefit from it. Thus, wherever you find a seed of the five species of grain, or a small particle of chametz, you should consult a competent Posek.

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§2

If grain seeds are found in a water well, you should not use this water, except in case of urgent need,⁴This is certainly true if the seed is still whole, but only soft. (Ibid. 467:62) for example, if no other water is available. But if you find a piece of bread in the well, the water is forbidden to be used, even if no other water is available and even filtering is of no use.

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§3

It is the custom not to singe poultry with straw bearing ears of grain, for we are concerned that one of the seeds may be chametz. We, therefore, singe poultry with grass, or we cut the ears off of the straw. But, if inadvertently, (the poultry was singed with straw bearing ears of grain), the poultry may be used. You should take care to remove the crop from the poultry, before you singe it.⁵Those who are scrupulous, in their observance, are careful to split the chicken in half, in order to examine it very carefully for any kernels of wheat or other chametz. (Ibid. 467:86)

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§4

All kinds of legumes are forbidden;⁶They are forbidden, only so far as eating, but they may be kept over Pesach, and their benefit is not forbidden. When there is an urgent need, such as when there is no other food to eat, or for a sick person (who needs such food), it is permitted. (Ibid. 453:6,7,12; 465:4) Some of the typical legumes that we must not eat are the various species of beans, rice and peas. and all kinds of dried fruit are forbidden, unless it is known that they have been dried in a proper way on planks, or in a stove that has been made kosher for Pesach (see above 110: 1 and 2). Even dried figs and raisins, whether large or small, are forbidden to be used; orange peels are also forbidden. Nevertheless, the beverage prepared from raisins, is customarily permitted to drink. It is the custom not to put cloves or saffron into food because they are suspect of containing chametz. Even in our regions, where saffron is raised in gardens, it is forbidden, in order not to make an exception (to the law). There are spices, including salt, that are not suspect of containing chametz. However, before putting them into the food, you should examine them to see whether there are any grain seeds in them.⁷Needless to say, that dried fruits, spices, salt, etc. are permitted in our times, when they have proper, authorative kosher certification.

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§5

You should only eat honey, that has not been removed from the comb, or honey, that has been taken out of the comb by a Jew, to be used specifically for Pesach.⁸See note 7.

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§6

In case of great urgency, for example, when it is needed for a sick or elderly person, it is permissible to bake matzos with eggs, fruit juice, milk, wine, or similar beverage, and this is called matzah ashirah (rich matzah). Care should be taken, however, not to mix any water with it. However on the first two nights of Pesach, actual matzah must be eaten; you have not fulfilled your duty, if you eat matzah ashirah. If there is no urgent need, it is forbidden to bake matzah ashirah, even before Pesach, to be used on Pesach.

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§7

If you feed grain or meal to fowl, you should be careful to put it in a dry place, so that it should not become wet. But it is forbidden to feed meal to cattle, since it becomes wet from their saliva; and when feeding them grain, you should be careful to give them a little at a time, so that no wet grain is left over. If there is any grain left over, you must clear it away immediately.

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§8

On erev Pesach, from the time chametz is forbidden, as well as during the entire week of Pesach, it is forbidden to derive any benefit, even from chametz belonging to a non-Jew. A Jew is, therefore, forbidden to haul or to guard chametz, belonging to a non-Jew. It goes without saying, that a Jew is forbidden to buy chametz for a non-Jew, even with the money belonging to the non-Jew.

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§9

During Pesach, it is forbidden to rent an animal to a non-Jew for the purpose of carrying chametz to him, or to rent him a room for the purpose of storing chametz in it, because it is forbidden to make profit from things, from which you are forbidden to benefit. But you are permitted to rent him an animal for the week of Pesach (except for Shabbos and Yom Tov), for an unspecified purpose,⁹This applies only to animals, but pots or other vessels, that are usually used for cooking, may not be rented to him, under any circumstances, because he will probably cook items containing chametz in them. (Ibid. 450:11, Shaarei Tzion 46) as when the non-Jew does not expressly state that he needs the animal to haul chametz. Even if you know that the non-Jew will use it to haul chametz, it does not matter, because, even if the non-Jew hauls nothing with the animal, he will still have to pay you the full amount of the rental fee. Consequently, you do not profit at all from (the hauling of) the chametz. It is also permitted to rent him a room to live in on Pesach, even though you know, that he will bring chametz there; nevertheless, you do not receive payment for letting him bring in chametz; rather only rent for the room, for, even if he brought in no chametz, you would not reduce his rent.

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§10

You are forbidden to entrust, your animal to a non-Jew even a long time before Pesach, if you know that he will feed it chametz on Pesach.

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§11

You are permitted to say to your non-Jewish servant, even at a time, when it is forbidden to derive benefit from chametz, "Here is money, buy yourself some food and eat," even if you know that he will buy chametz.¹⁰It is forbidden, however, to say to him, “Here is money, buy yourself some chametz (bread etc.) and eat.” (Ibid. 450:15) If it is urgent, you are also allowed to say, "Go and eat at the non-Jew's place, and I will pay him for it."¹¹Regarding servants, that you are responsible to feed, it is best not to tell them to buy food and charge it to you, but, rather, give them money and let them buy whatever they want. (Ibid. 450:16,17) Or you may say to another non-Jew, "Give my servant something to eat, and I will pay you for it." But you are forbidden to pay in advance for the food he will give your servant.¹²This is so, because you are responsible for their meals.

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§12

If it is necessary to feed chametz to a baby, he should be carried to the house of a non-Jew.¹³If it is impossible to carry the baby to the house of the non-Jew, and, therefore, the non-Jew must come into your house and feed him there, the non-Jew should remove any leftover chametz to his house, and bring it back when he returns to feed the child. (Ibid. 450:18) The non-Jew should feed him the chametz and the Jew should pay him afterwards, but the Jew, himself, should not feed chametz to the baby. But if the baby's life is threatened, of course, everything is permitted, (as I have written in Ch. 92 and in Ch. 192 below).

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§13

Some authorities forbid drinking the milk of a cow, belonging to a non-Jew, that is fed chametz on Pesach, while others permit it. The scrupulous should follow the stricter opinion. Certainly in a community, where it is the custom to forbid it, God forbid, that anyone should permit it.