Question: Must one spend great sums of money and invest much effort in making one’s home kosher for Passover? Not all of us have such unlimited funds. Name Withheld (Via E-Mail)
Answer: We were asked a related question a number of years ago by a ba’al teshuvah who wanted a chametz-free home with minimum expense. The following is a somewhat expanded version of our response. (We will continue with our discussion on “Arabs Circumcise At 13” next week.)
I am sorry to say that there is a certain degree of effort that one must expend in the course of readying one’s house for Passover. However, one need not fall into a never-ending spring-cleaning quicksand to accomplish this. Remember, dust is not chametz.
The Mechaber (Orach Chayim 433:11) states that a person who cleans his residence on the eve of the 13th of Nissan, intending to search for chametz and destroy it, and is also careful not to bring in any more chametz into it, must still search for chametz by candlelight on the eve of the 14th of Nissan. There are many views regarding the requirement to search by candlelight. Some authorities state that if one is worried about causing a fire, an electric lamp (with a long extension cord) or a flashlight (there are many that provide a strong focused light) suffices.
The Rema (O.C. ad loc.) adds that before the search, all rooms – as well as pockets and sleeves of garments in which chametz is occasionally placed – must be cleaned thoroughly. (One is also required to check trouser cuffs.)
Contemporary practice is to do a thorough household cleaning prior to Pesach, particularly if there are young children at home. It is not beyond the realm of possibility to find that a small child, after being warned for weeks in advance that his favorite chametz candy will be verboten for eight full days, has hidden his little treat in a drawer or under his mattress for safekeeping. Thus, in addition to a thorough cleaning, one must teach the young the importance of ridding the house of all chametz.
Since most families clean extremely thoroughly (and sell whatever chametz hasn’t been disposed of), there is usually no available chametz left for bedikat chametz. The Rema (O.C. 432:2) cites an age-old custom of placing pieces of chametz in various places throughout the house so that the blessing we utter for bedikat chametz not be in vain.
The Mishnah Berurah (ad loc.) cites opinions that are critical of this practice, as some might only look for these pieces and neglect to do a proper thorough search. However, he notes that the Havvot Ya’ir states that we should not void a custom practiced by Jews. The Mishnah Berurah also notes the problem of making a blessing when there is no chametz left to be found and cites the Arizal who maintains that one should place 10 pieces of chametz around the house, taking care to note where one places them so that they aren’t accidentally left in the house over Passover.
These 10 pieces should be burned the next day before the designated time at which a person may no longer have chametz in his possession.
Preparing the kitchen properly is most crucial if one is to have a truly kosher-for-Passover home. Cabinets must be thoroughly cleaned and lined with shelving material – paper or plastic. Countertops (formica) and sinks (porcelain) must be thoroughly washed down and covered. Exceptions to the above are granite countertops and stainless steel sinks, which can be cleansed via purging, as we will explain.