Vessels that are used for cold liquid or non-heated storage may be purged via iruy – soaking for three days – i.e., pouring in water and letting the vessels stand for 24 hours, then pouring the water out, refilling the vessels and letting them stand again for 24 hours, and then repeating the same procedure a third time. This method of purging can also be used for glassware (e.g. drinking glasses) that isn’t used for hot liquids. Glass cooking utensils, however, or those used to serve hot foods, may not be purged.
In many communities, the rabbi or another synagogue functionary will perform purging for people who find it too difficult to do on their own.
Rabbi Sholom Klass continues: “(3) No Israelite is permitted to have leaven in his home on Passover, whether intentionally or unintentionally. Every moment he possesses the leaven he is transgressing the law of ‘[chametz] shall not be seen and shall not be found.’
“Thus, to avoid this prohibition, he must sell his leaven to a non-Jew. To avoid any mistakes we sell the leaven to a rabbi who becomes our agent in disposing of the leaven to a non-Jew. The rabbi is experienced in drawing the proper bill of sale and is well versed in all the necessary requirements of the sale.”
May I take this opportunity to wish you and yours a joyous and kosher Pesach, and may this Pesach bring with it the ultimate redemption.