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PESACH QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

My most popular Jewish Heritage Question of the Week emails are the ones with questions and answers. If there's ever a time for that, it's now on the eve of Pesach. So in honor of Pesach, this week's email has nine Pesach-related questions sent to the Aish Rabbi at www.aish.com. (It's a little longer than the usual emails but, after all, you do have all night). You can also find some good questions and answers to liven up your seder, as well as some very interesting articles about Pesach, at www.ohr.edu. Or see our Pesach-related emails on our website at www.torahlearningcenter.com.

Have a wonderful Pesach.

Sincerely,Zev

PESACH QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

1. STOP THE MATZAH!

QUESTION:When is the last time before Passover that one is permitted to eat matzah?

ANSWER:Yes, not everyone knows, but there is a prohibition against eating matzah in the period prior to Passover. This is in order to ensure that when we fulfill the mitzvah of eating matzah on Seder night, we do so with special joy and intensity. There are two customs about when to stop eating matzah. Some only refrain from eating on the day before Passover. While others stop eating on Rosh Chodesh Nissan. (this year that was March 14). (source: Mishna Berura 471:12)

2. THE CLEANING CRAZE

QUESTION:I find it a bit confusing the requirements for cleaning chametz. On one hand, your web site says that we don't have to go crazy cleaning all crumbs. But then you say that we must make sure there are no crumbs around that could fall into our food. It sounds to me that we do have to go crazy!

ANSWER:Yes, it is confusing. That's because there are two separate issues at stake. On one hand, the Torah prohibits the mere possession of chametz during Passover, even if we will not eat it (Exodus 13:7). In Jewish law, any piece of chametz the size of a large olive (50 cc or larger) has to be removed from our possession. Thus, we should clean as much as we can, but not go crazy over tiny crumbs. The second issue is that the Torah prohibits eating chametz during Passover (Exodus 13:3). What quantity of chametz are we not allowed to eat? Even one tiny crumb! And that's where the "crazy" cleaning comes in. Because if there are any crumbs around, they could somehow make their way into the food. To prevent that, we clean very thoroughly the area where we'll be preparing and eating food. This includes washing the kitchen chairs, covering the table, using a different set of pots, dishes and silverware, covering the kitchen counters -- and even wiping off the light switches, doorknobs and telephone. We also make sure that our clothes are clean of chametz, in order that crumbs won't fall into our food during Passover. There is also a concern that, being as we are accustomed to eating chametz all year round, a person might find a juicy piece of chametz during Passover, and eat it without thinking. Areas of the house that you will not be touching during Passover, only need to be checked for the larger olive-sized pieces. (Source: Maimonides - Laws of Chametz 1:7, 2:13)

3. PESACH CLEANING

QUESTION:My wife and I are koshering are home for Passover for the first time this year. We have purchased new dishes, utensils, etc. When we remove our everyday kitchenware, do we put our Passover sets in to the same plastic containers? Can we put the everyday dishes in to the boxes that now hold the Passover dishes? Would it be more proper to have plastic containers for utensils that are only used to hold Passover utensils?

ANSWER:Congratulations - it's terrific that you're taking such an important step! The most appropriate way to change over your dishes and utensils is to do so totally. This means that shelf paper or contact paper should be placed into cabinets before the dishes are put there, in order that the dishes themselves not come in contact with any crumbs that are inadvertently left behind. Of course, any surfaces that you eat on during the year (or put down pots) during the year should be covered. The same holds true for drawers in which utensils are kept. Flatware should be placed in new trays that are used only for Pesach. If you consider all the Pesach's you will be using them, it is certainly worth the cost! It is best not to store Chametz dishes and Pesach dishes in the same boxes. This will also make the switching-over process easier. The idea is that Pesach dishes should be kept separate as much as possible from the year-round dishes, to ensure that no specks of chametz come in contact with our food on Pesach. There is a concise and practical guide called "Pesach Cleaning Made Easy" by Rabbi Yitzchak Berkowitz, the head of the rabbinic ordination program at Aish HaTorah in Jerusalem. It's a room-by-room, item-by-item tour of your home. I wouldn't think of cleaning without it! It is available in three formats: 1) Text version on-line at http://www.aish.edu/calendar/pesach, 2) RealAudio version avaliable at the same web site, and 3) you can purchase the cassette by calling 1-800-VOICES-3 in the USA. Above all, may you enjoy a Happy and Kosher Pesach!

4. CHRISTIAN 'SEDER'

QUESTION:A good friend who is a Mormon invited my wife and I to a Passover Seder to be held at their church. I don't understand why a non-Jewish group would have a Seder, and I am uncomfortable about going. But I also do not want to offend my friend. What should I do?

ANSWER:Hmmm... These seem to becoming more popular. I also heard that the First Baptist Church in Delray Beach, Florida, has scheduled a Passover celebration for Palm Sunday. The church is inviting Jews from the community to join in the church's Passover Seder, which weaves the Last Supper and Passover together. Why would they do such a thing? One explanation is that it is a missionary activity. Jews are generally are turned off by Christianity, so missionaries use traditional Jewish devices in order to make Jesus more palatable to Jews. I'm sure there are different varieties, but I have heard that at such Christian Seders, the table appears quite traditional: Seder plate, matzah, and wine. Once the ceremony begins to unfold, however, things take on a decidedly non-Jewish tone. Participants are told that the Seder wine represents the blood of Jesus, and the matzah represents his flesh. The three matzot represent the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. Why the matzah is perforated, they ask. Because Jesus' body was pierced when he was crucified. Why is the matzah wrapped in a white cloth? Because Jesus was wrapped in a white burial shroud. Why is the middle matzah hidden? Because Jesus was hidden away in the tomb following his crucifixion. Why is the matzah brought back at the end of the meal? Because Jesus will return in the Second Coming at the End of Days. Etc., etc., etc. It is frightening to see Christians usurp Jewish traditions in what is either an overt or covert effort to convert Jews. The Mormon faith is particularly known to have a strong bent toward missionizing. This is not to say that your friends have any bad intentions. They are probably just encouraged by the pastor to bring friends, and felt that it would be nice to invite you also. But the thought strikes me: If missionaries really loved the Jewish people as much as they say, then they would support, finance, publicize and direct Jews to an authentic Jewish Seder with kosher food. The real issue here is that Jews need to learn more about their Jewish heritage. Too many people feel burned out after the Bar/Bat mitzvah grind, and as adults never really got the chance to experience what Judaism is meant to be about. Fortunately, many communities run authentic Passover Seders. Check your local Jewish newspaper for info. As for your friends, you can politely explain that Passover, as it says in the Torah, is a time to be dedicated to one's family.

5. PURGE THOSE VESSELS!

QUESTION:Is there any other way to kasher silver cutlery except by boiling it? Perhaps one can use some disinfectant?

ANSWER:The timing of your question is particularly good because at this time of year people are busy making their utensils "kosher for Passover." The reason we boil non-kosher cutlery is because (for example) when a knife is used to cut hot pork, some pork flavor became absorbed into the knife. The only way to remove those "taste particles" is to boil it out. Spraying a disinfectant only addresses the surface issue, which can be rectified with soap and water. But the spray will not extract the particles that are embedded inside the knife. Here's the boiling procedure you should do, called "hagalah": For metal utensils: Let them sit unused for 24 hours, and make sure the item is completely clean. (If there are crevices, you will have to clean out any gook.) Then you need to find a really big pot. Fill it with water and bring it to a bubbly boil. Then insert the utensils you want to kasher. They must be fully covered by the water. Also, since the utensil will cool off the water somewhat, you have to leave it in long enough so that the water reaches a boil again. The optimum time is to leave the utensil in for 30 seconds, and then remove it. (If you leave it any longer, there's a problem of re-absorption.) If you want to kasher a pot that is too big to fit into another pot, then there is another option: Fill the pot to the very top with water and bring it to a bubbly boil. Then put something (like a stone) into the pot, so that the boiling water flows over the sides. Not complicated, just messier than the first method. "Hagalah" works for pots and cutlery - i.e. things that came into contact with non-kosher food through the medium of hot liquid. But frying pans used on the fire (without liquid) is more severe - because the pan absorbed the non-kosher substance more directly and intensely. So if you want to use kasher a pan, then you have to burn the bad stuff out! This is called "libun," literally getting the metal red-hot. You basically have two choices: use a blowtorch, or put the pan in with the cleaning cycle of a self-cleaning oven. (Just be careful that the plastic handle doesn't disintegrate.) Perhaps the most practical option is to call your local synagogue and find out when they have their pre-Pesach "kashering day." This is where they prepare a huge public vat of boiling water and bring out the blowtorches. Here in Jerusalem, you can even find kashering stations set up on the street corners! One final note: Generally speaking, people today try to have a separate set of pots and silverware for Pesach. If you can afford it, it certainly simplifies things.

6. MOM... I'M HUNGRY!

QUESTION:This will be our first year where we are trying to be very observant in everything. This site has been very helpful in planning our meals. But what do I do for breakfast? Other than eggs, what can I serve? All the packaged cereal my children (ages 6 & 8) like has leaven. They are not big fruit eaters, and pancakes are out. Can you offer any suggestions?

ANSWER:Matzah brie is great. Mix some eggs in a big bowl, and add a little milk or water. Run some matzah under water to get it wet, then dip it into the eggs (kind of like French toast). Break the matzah into little pieces and fry it in a pan. You can add cheese, vegies, whatever -- just like an omlette. It's great! Actually, there are Passover pancakes. Just use matzah meal. Also there is "kosher for Passover" breakfast cereal, made from potato starch. A city with a big observant community will surely have it in stock.

7. RICE AND BEANS - YES OR NO?

QUESTION:Can we eat rice on Passover?

ANSWER:Ah, the million dollar question! The Torah instructs a Jew not to eat (or even possess) chometz all seven days of Passover (Exodus 13:3). "Chometz" is defined as any of the five grains (wheat, spelt, barley, oats, and rye) that came into contact with water for more than 18 minutes. Chometz is a serious Torah prohibition, and for that reason we take extra protective measures on Passover to prevent any mistakes. Hence the category of food called "kitniyot" (sometimes referred to generically as "legumes"). This includes rice, corn, soy beans, string beans, peas, lentils, peanuts, mustard, sesame seeds and poppy seeds. Even though kitniyot cannot technically become chometz, Ashkenazi Jews do not eat them on Passover. Why? Products of kitniyot often appear like chometz products. For example, it can be hard to distinguish between rice flour (kitniyot) and wheat flour (chometz). Also, chometz grains may become inadvertently mixed together with kitniyot. Therefore, to prevent confusion, all kitniyot were prohibited. (see Smak and Beit Yosef) In Jewish law, there is one important distinction between chometz and kitniyot. During Passover, it is forbidden to even have chometz in one's possession (hence the custom of "selling chometz"). Whereas it is permitted to own kitniyot during Passover and even to use it - not for eating - but for things like baby powder which contains cornstarch. Similarly, someone who is sick is allowed to take medicine containing kitniyot. Interestingly, the Sefardi Jewish community does not have a prohibition against kitniyot. This creates the strange situation, for example, where a Sefardi family could be eating rice on Passover - when their Ashkenazi neighbors will not!

What about derivatives of kitniyot - e.g. corn oil, peanut oil, etc? This is a difference of opinion. Many will use kitniyot-based oils on Passover, while others are strict and only use olive or walnut oil. Finally, there is one product called "quinoa" (pronounced "ken-wah" or "kin-o-ah") that is permitted on Passover even for Ashkenazim. Although it resembles a grain, it is technically a grass, and was never included in the prohibition against kitniyot. It is prepared like rice and has a very high protein content. (It's excellent in "chollent" stew!) You should be able to find it at most health food stores. Of course, it needs to be from a closed container that is new for Pesach. To learn more, see Maimonides - Laws of Chometz and Matzah 5:1; Code of Jewish Law - OC 453. So... are you Ashkenazi or Sefardi?!

8. CHAMETZ, CHAMETZ... SOLD!

QUESTION:Can you give me some info about selling chametz for Passover in the modern days?

ANSWER:One way to dispose of our chametz is to burn it -- as is customary to do the morning prior to the Passover Seder. However, many of us have a lot of chametz around the house and would like some way of disposing of it, without having to destroy it all. Hence the institution of selling chametz to a non-Jew prior to the holiday. The sale must be a full and valid sale. It is not a charade. If not done properly, then the chametz will mistakenly remain in our possession throughout Passover! This is why we have a knowledgeable rabbi arrange the sale. The contract is worded in a way so that the non-Jew has the option of purchasing all the chametz. Inevitably, the non-Jew winds up making a small profit from the entire transaction by re-selling the chametz back right after the holiday. The prevailing custom is not to sell real edible chametz like bread, crackers, whiskey, etc. The exception is when getting rid of it will involve a hardship -- i.e. you've got a large quantity of it, it's difficult to obtain, or it's expensive. Certainly you can include a half-bottle of scotch in the sale. Otherwise, you can give the food away to a non-Jewish acquaintance. Some cities specifically host food drives for poor people in the days before Passover. But what about food that's not "real" chametz -- i.e. a can of tuna fish that's not labeled "Kosher for Passover," or food that was cooked in a chametz pot? These things you can sell and just not use them during Passover. Whatever you are selling should be put it into a separate cabinet, then locked (or taped shut), and labeled "sold." Your chametz will be sold at mid-morning, your local time, on the day of the Seder. It may not be accessed after that time. By the way, even chametz belonging to a non-Jew that is in your possession must be put away and covered. Good luck -- and just hope that the non-Jew who buys your chametz doesn't decide to undergo conversion during the week of Passover. That would really complicate things!

9. CREATIVE SEDER

QUESTION:I want to do a Seder that is meaningful to us, so we'd listen instead of biding our time until the meal. I want us to hear voices of freedom that we can translate to our lives today from the Sages of the past. Should I feel guilty about this? What to do?

ANSWER:Regarding the content of the Passover Seder and unlimited creativity, I would like to make the following suggestion. Keep to the traditional Seder and make time for creative adventure. Why? But in order to preserve the true message of the Seder. Which is? National redemption from the shackles of Egyptian oppression by the All Powerful Creator of the World, Who subsequently gave us the Torah, the guide to life that teaches us how to free ourselves from our own personal shackles of oppression and live a life which brings true joy... which is closeness to the All Powerful Creator of the World. With all due credit and admiration for creative input, the concept of freedom can easily be misunderstood. After all, for some people "freedom" means freedom from the rules given by the All Powerful Creator of the World. Exactly the opposite of what the Passover seder is supposed to mean! Sticking to the traditional Seder guarantees that God will be part and parcel of the freedom message that will be given over at your Seder. And frankly speaking, any Seder that He isn't part of, is not a Passover Seder. It may be a nice get-together of Jewish people that happens to take place on the night of the 15th of Nissan, but Jews can get together to play Bingo on the night of the 15th of Nissan, too. So there you have it. I'm all for creativity. At my own Seder we act out different parts of the Haggadah and we all have a blast. You know, big plastic animals and ping pong balls (hail) flying around the room during the Ten Plagues. But we have the basic structure of the Haggadah there to preserve the integrity of the message that has been passed on for thousands of years. A time-tested message, woven with the self-sacrifice and devotion of countless generations. A priceless message which is the key to Jewish identity and survival.

Happy Passover!