“Any article that requires purging by means of hagalah cannot be made valid by scraping, but must be purged. A vessel that cannot be thoroughly cleansed, such as a sieve, the receptacle of a mill, a basket used for leaven, and a grater, as well as any vessel that has a narrow neck which makes it impossible to cleanse it from within, e.g., tubes, cannot be made valid by purging.
“Purging is done only in boiling water and nothing should be mixed therewith, not even ashes and the like. If one has purged many vessels in one boiler [i.e., a large pot with sufficient room to immerse the utensils], so that the water becomes turbid [murky], no more purging should be done therein.
“One should not purge a vessel unless 24 hours have passed since leaven was cooked therein. Likewise, the boiler in which the purging is done should not have been used for leaven that same day [a full 24-hour period must have elapsed]. Also, carefully observe each time you put a vessel in the boiler that the water comes up boiling hot. If it is necessary to purge the boiler, then it must be full when the water is boiling therein and hot stones should be thrown therein in order that the boiling water should overflow its edge. Purging should only be done until noon on Passover eve.
“After the purging it is customary to wash the vessels with cold water.”
We must make note of the fact that drinking or measuring vessels also need to be purged. Glass vessels – even if one uses them mainly for hot liquids – need not be purged according to the Mechaber (Orach Chayim 451:26) because he maintains that they do not absorb and mere rinsing (after they have been cleaned of any chametz residue) therefore suffices. However, the Rema notes that some authorities opine that even purging by means of hagalah will not suffice. He notes that the custom in Ashkenazic lands is to follow the opinion of these authorities.
On the other hand, 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 it stand for 24 hours, then pouring it out, refilling and letting it stand again for 24 hours, and repeating the same procedure a third time. This method of purging is applicable as well to glassware that is not used with heat. However, glass cooking utensils or those used to serve hot foods may not be purged.
(In many communities the rabbi or other functionaries in the synagogue purge utensils for people who find it too difficult to purge on their own. One quick call will determine who and where in your community.)
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 through 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 Passover, and may this Pesach bring with it the ultimate redemption.
