Monthly Archives: April 2012

Professor : You are a religious, aren’t you, son ?

Student : Yes, sir.

Professor: So, you believe in GOD ?

Student : Absolutely, sir.

Professor : Is GOD good ?

Student : Sure.

Professor: Is GOD all powerful ?

Student : Yes.

Professor: My brother died of cancer even though he prayed to GOD to heal him. Most of us would attempt to help others who are ill. But GOD didn’t. How is this GOD good then? Hmm?

(Student was silent.)

Professor: You can’t answer, can you ? Let’s start again, young fella. Is GOD good?

Student : Yes.

Professor: Is satan good ?

Student : No.

Professor: Where does satan come from ?

Student : From … GOD …

Professor: That’s right. Tell me son, is there evil in this world?

Student : Yes.

Professor: Evil is everywhere, isn’t it ? And GOD did make everything. Correct?

Student : Yes.

Professor: So who created evil ?

(Student did not answer.)

Professor: Is there sickness? Immorality? Hatred? Ugliness? All these terrible things exist in the world, don’t they?

Student : Yes, sir.

Professor: So, who created them ?

(Student had no answer.)

Professor: Science says you have 5 Senses you use to identify and observe the world around you. Tell me, son, have you ever seen GOD?

Student : No, sir.

Professor: Tell us if you have ever heard your GOD?

Student : No , sir.

Professor: Have you ever felt your GOD, tasted your GOD, smelt your GOD? Have you ever had any sensory perception of GOD for that matter?

Student : No, sir. I’m afraid I haven’t.

Professor: Yet you still believe in Him?

Student : Yes.

Professor : According to Empirical, Testable, Demonstrable Protocol, Science says your GOD doesn’t exist. What do you say to that, son?

Student : Nothing. I only have my faith.

Professor: Yes, faith. And that is the problem Science has.

Student : Professor, is there such a thing as heat?

Professor: Yes.

Student : And is there such a thing as cold?

Professor: Yes.

Student : No, sir. There isn’t.

(The lecture theater became very quiet with this turn of events.)

Student : Sir, you can have lots of heat, even more heat, superheat, mega heat, white heat, a little heat or no heat. But we don’t have anything called cold. We can hit 458 degrees below zero which is no heat, but we can’t go any further after that. There is no such thing as cold. Cold is only a word we use to describe the absence of heat. We cannot measure cold. Heat is energy. Cold is not the opposite of heat, sir, just the absence of it.

(There was pin-drop silence in the lecture theater.)

Student : What about darkness, Professor? Is there such a thing as darkness?

Professor: Yes. What is night if there isn’t darkness?

Student : You’re wrong again, sir. Darkness is the absence of something. You can have low light, normal light, bright light, flashing light. But if you have no light constantly, you have nothing and its called darkness, isn’t it? In reality, darkness isn’t. If it is, well you would be able to make darkness darker, wouldn’t you?

Professor: So what is the point you are making, young man ?

Student : Sir, my point is your philosophical premise is flawed.

Professor: Flawed ? Can you explain how?

Student : Sir, you are working on the premise of duality. You argue there is life and then there is death, a good GOD and a bad GOD. You are viewing the concept of GOD as something finite, something we can measure. Sir, Science can’t even explain a thought. It uses electricity and magnetism, but has never seen, much less fully understood either one. To view death as the opposite of life is to be ignorant of the fact that death cannot exist as a substantive thing.

Death is not the opposite of life: just the absence of it. Now tell me, Professor, do you teach your students that they evolved from a monkey?

Professor: If you are referring to the natural evolutionary process, yes, of course, I do.

Student : Have you ever observed evolution with your own eyes, sir?

(The Professor shook his head with a smile, beginning to realize where the argument was going.)

Student : Since no one has ever observed the process of evolution at work and cannot even prove that this process is an on-going endeavor. Are you not teaching your opinion, sir? Are you not a scientist but a preacher?

(The class was in uproar.)

Student : Is there anyone in the class who has ever seen the Professor’s brain?

(The class broke out into laughter. )

Student : Is there anyone here who has ever heard the Professor’s brain, felt it, touched or smelt it? No one appears to have done so. So, according to the established Rules of Empirical, Stable, Demonstrable Protocol, Science says that you have no brain, sir. With all due respect, sir, how do we then trust your lectures, sir?

(The room was silent. The Professor stared at the student, his face unfathomable.)

Professor: I guess you’ll have to take them on faith, son.

Student : That is it sir … Exactly ! The link between man & GOD is FAITH. That is all that keeps things alive and moving.

Why is this important?? Iran’s march towards gaining nuclear weapons capability will destabilize the region; empower Iran’s dangerous proxies like Hamas and Hezbollah; lead to nuclear proliferation in the Middle East; harm America’s strategic interests; and prevent the peaceful people of Iran from prospering and joining the world community.
At this crucial moment, we urge President Obama and the Administration to continue to “hang tough” and not make concessions that would allow Iran to develop nuclear weapons capability.

Please sign this petition by clicking here

Forget the phrase: “Judge a book by its cover.” At RAJEMATE’s first exclusive event, singles will get to know each other in complete darkness.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – April 19, 2012 – New York, New York– RAJEMate has revolutionized dating by hosting its first official event at the DIALOG IN THE DARK exhibition, located in 11 Fulton St at South Street Seaport in Manhattan, NY. RAJEMate has found a way to break that “first-date awkwardness,” while participants simultaneously learn about blindness and visual impairment.

According to DIALOG IN THE DARK, their exhibit “leads visitors through a series of New York City environments, highlighted by city-centric scents, sounds, temperatures, and textures, in complete darkness.” This exciting event will feature forty of RAJEMate’s members who will meet each other essentially with their eyes closed, and their other senses will take over.

Reuven Ibragimov, the Executive Director of RO (RAJEon) noted, “DIALOG IN THE DARK will allow for relationship exploration. Where RAJEMate singles can push themselves and not only learn about who they are, but what they’re looking for in a potential significant other. The exhibit makes room for interaction on a deeper level by eliminating superficiality associated with dating, especially first dates.”

“RAJEMate is an essential part in creating a stronger community. There is no better outlet for Russian American Jewish singles to meet and develop relationships with each other. Even further, it’s a uniquely fun and creative way to have a singles socialize,” says Julia Mayrin, RAJEMate’s Senior Project Manager.

This unique event will take place on APRIL 23rd, 2012, and the excitement of connecting with someone on a deep level, and experiencing that without the sense of sight, has created an excitement among those who are participating. Even more exciting events are being planned, please stay tuned!

RAJEMate, a project of RO (RAJEon.com a grassroots community initiative bringing Russian American Jews together) in partnership with JWed.com, have created a space for marriage minded Jewish singles to meet and develop successful relationships. For more information visit RAJEOn.com/rajemate and RAJEMate.com.

Below is a short comment piece by the Chief Rabbi Jonathon Sacks about Yom HaShoah that was published in The Jewish News. Join RO this Thursday night at 7:30 PM at RAJE or Sunday at 5:45 for a Yom Hashoa Memorial Service.

By: Rabbi Jonathon Sacks

Tonight and tomorrow, the 27th of Nissan, we will be commemorating Yom HaShoah, the day set aside in the Jewish calendar for Holocaust remembrance.

During the nightmare years of the Shoah one moment stands out for what it taught about the human spirit. It concerns a man almost unknown in Britain, the Polish-Jewish physician Janos Korczak.

Early on in his medical career, Korczak was drawn to the plight of underprivileged children. He wrote books about their neglect and became a kind of Polish Dickens. In 1911 he founded an orphanage for Jewish children in Warsaw. It became so successful that he was asked to create one for Catholic children as well, which he did.

He had his own radio programme which made him famous throughout Poland. He was known as the “old doctor”. But he had revolutionary views about the young. He believed in trusting them and giving them responsibility. He got them to produce their own newspaper, the first children’s paper in Poland. He turned schools into self-governing communities. He wrote some of the great works of child psychology, including one called The Child’s Right to Respect.

He believed that in each child there burned a moral flame that if nurtured could defeat the darkness at the core of human nature. When the time came for the children under his care to leave, he used to say this to them: “I cannot give you love of man, for there is no love without forgiveness, and forgiving is something everyone must learn to do on his own. I can give you one thing only: a longing for a better life, a life of truth and justice. Even though it may not exist now, it may come tomorrow if you long for it enough.”

In 1940 he and the orphanage were driven into the Warsaw ghetto. In 1942 the order came to transport them to Treblinka. Korczak was offered the chance to escape, but he refused, and in one of the most poignant moments of those years, he walked with his 200 orphans through the streets of Warsaw to the train that took them to the gates of death, inseparable from them to the end.

Janos Korczak’s actions were not unique; there are many inspirational and tragic stories of similar bravery and determination in the face of such adversity. What draws me to Korczak’s story is that it was about children. The Nazis were determined to not just wipe out the Jews of their generations, but to exterminate the Jewish future.

They failed and many of those children who survived have spent the years since telling their stories, educating Jews and non-Jews about the dangers of intolerance and the need to respect the dignity of difference. These survivors made a commitment to live for what the victims of the Shoah died for.

As a people, we not only share a covenant of faith we also share a covenant of fate. Today, as the number of Shoah survivors sadly declines, the duty of remembrance falls on our generation and on future generations not yet born.

Yom HaShoah is a vital day in the Jewish calendar, providing us with a focal point for our remembrance. We cannot bring the dead back to life, but we can bring their memory back to life and ensure they are not forgotten. We can undertake in our lives to do what they were so cruelly prevented from doing in theirs.

In doing so we make a great affirmation of life. We ensure that out of the darkest night, the light of the survivors and their memories remains. Faced with destruction, the Jewish people survived. Lo amut ki echyeh, says the Psalm: “I will not die, but I will live.”

The Shoah survivors are among the most inspiring people I have had the privilege to meet. Remarkably, despite coming eyeball to eyeball with the angel of death, despite the unimaginable losses each of them suffered, so many of them fulfilled the words of Moses’ great command Uvacharta Bachayim, ‘choose life’ (Deut. 30: 19). In doing so, they chose life not just for themselves, but for their children, grandchildren and all future generations of Am Yisrael.

Yom HaShoah calls on us to remember from the depths of our Jewish soul. Janos Korczak was right. Whilst we can remember the past, we cannot write the future. Only our children, the future of our community, can do that.

By: Groovin Reuven and Lana

So we came across this on the web: Text the Romance Back.  Can you really add spark and passion back to your relationship at the push of a button? WE SAY NO! Michael Fiore is  selling the notion that “use simple little text messages sent from your average cell phone to put the sizzle back in your relationship no matter how long you’ve been together and no matter how “bad” it’s gotten.” The idea that your relationship is based on a cell phone is nuts! He is making the assumption that people are like animals – with a nature that is set and a nature that can not change. I believe we have souls and with a soul the potential to change your human nature. His techniques were designed for men and women that have exhausted a healthy physical relationship and now need all sorts of tricks and methods to rekindle their lost spark of love (i.e. some “sure proof way of texting to ignite the romantic in him”). None of this is an issue for a healthy couple that has an understanding and sensitivity of the deeper nature of their relationship one that focuses on the mind and soul. Where every simple touch can be meaningful. A relationship at times is absent of the physical touch so that as humans we can reset our physical sensors. A relationship where words carry more weight than a touch. This shouldn’t include dependability on texting each other! So much gets lost in a text message.  How many times have you misunderstood a “tone” in a text message? Healthy relationships should be based on clear communication…not a misinterpreted text message. Search within your ancestral past for the ancient Jewish wisdom on relationships and sexuality. I believe what you will discover is far more sophisticated and meaningful to any of the modern day pop culture, hipster-psychology on human relationships.

And by the way, shoutout to RAJEMate for giving the personal touch needed to online russian jewish dating …. and making babushka happy!

PASSOVER MESSAGE FROM THE CHIEF RABBI LORD SACKS

The story of Pesach, of the Exodus from Egypt, is one of the oldest and greatest in the world. It tells of how one people, long ago, experienced oppression and were led to liberty through a long and arduous journey across the desert. It is the most dramatic story of slavery to freedom ever told, one that has become the West’s most influential source-book of liberty. “Since the Exodus,” said Heinrich Heine, the 19th century German poet, “Freedom has always spoken with a Hebrew accent”.

We read in the maggid section of the Haggadah of Rabbi Gamliel who said that one who did not discuss the Pesach lamb, the maztah and the bitter herbs had not fulfilled their obligation of the Seder. Why these three things are clear: The Pesach lamb, a food of luxury, symbolises freedom. The bitter herbs represent slavery due to their sharp taste. The matzah combines both. It was the bread the Israelites ate in Egypt as slaves. It was also the bread they left when leaving Egypt as free people.

It is not just the symbolism, but also the order these items are spoken about in the Haggadah that is interesting. First we speak of the Pesach lamb, then the matzah and finally the bitter herbs. But this seems strange. Why do the symbols of freedom precede those of slavery? Surely slavery preceded freedom so it would be more logical to talk of the bitter herbs first? The answer, according to the Chassidic teachers, is that only to a free human people does slavery taste bitter. Had the Israelites forgotten freedom they would have grown used to slavery. The worst exile is to forget that you are in exile.

To truly be free, we must understand what it means to not be free. Yet ‘freedom’ itself has different dimensions, a point reflected in the two Hebrew words used to describe it, chofesh and cherut. Chofesh is ‘freedom from’, cherut is ‘freedom to’. Chofesh is what a slave acquires when released from slavery. He or she is free from being subject to someone else’s will. But this kind of liberty is not enough to create a free society. A world in which everyone is free to do what they like begins in anarchy and ends in tyranny. That is why chofesh is only the beginning of freedom, not its ultimate destination.

Cherut is collective freedom, a society in which my freedom respects yours. A free society is always a moral achievement. It rests on self-restraint and regard for others. The ultimate aim of Torah is to fashion a society on the foundations of justice and compassion, both of which depend on recognising the sovereignty of God and the integrity of creation. Thus we say, ‘Next year may we all be bnei chorin,’ invoking cherut not chofesh. It means, ‘May we be free in a way that honours the freedom of all’.

The Pesach story, more than any other, remains the inexhaustible source of inspiration to all those who long for freedom. It taught that right was sovereign over might; that freedom and justice must belong to all, not some; that, under God, all human beings are equal; and that over all earthly power, the King of Kings, who hears the cry of the oppressed and who intervenes in history to liberate slaves. It took many centuries for this vision to become the shared property of liberal democracies of the West and beyond; and there is no guarantee that it will remain so. Freedom is a moral achievement, and without a constant effort of education it atrophies and must be fought for again. Nowhere more than on Pesach, though, do we see how the story of one people can become the inspiration of many; how, loyal to its faith across the centuries, the Jewish people became the guardians of a vision through which, ultimately, ‘all the peoples of the earth will be blessed’.

I wish you and all your family a Chag Kasher v’Sameach (Happy Kosher Passover).

Pesach 2012

When we talk about freedom on Pesach, we don’t ONLY mean the escape of the biblical Jewish people from unpaid labor and oppression in Egypt to a life of self determination in the desert and after that in the Land of Israel. Its important to focus on the internal journey too. The journey from a psychologically enslaved nation to a psychologically free one.

The Jewish people had been through hell. Enslaved, tortured, beaten, robbed of any dignity. For 210 years. Then we are freed, by miracles and find ourselves completely unfettered by the nation who had been our nemesis for centuries. And we find ourselves marching to get the Torah, a book of rules and laws that demands of us spirituality, forgiveness, honesty, humility, modesty, self sacrifice, commitment to learning, kindness, parenting, healthy and fair commerce, real justice for the wronged, a socially just society, no corruption, no exploitation and love for all.

Now I don’t know about you, but after 210 years of slavery, Id have liked a few years for some self indulgence, maybe a little bit of revenge, a lot of self pity and regular barbecues with beer and cigarettes with time to talk with my friends about how hard it has been to adjust back to normalcy

But this is not the way that the Rabbis teach as a route to greatness.

We leave Egypt and head out to get the Torah. We march from slavery towards the obligation to fix ourselves and the world, as detailed in the Torah. That is the action of a psychologically free people.

You see, freedom does not afford us the ability to indulge ourselves, to ensure our own advancement and comfort alone. Freedom affords us the ability to finally be able to care about others, to build for those who cannot build for themselves. A free person is one who can opt out of his own comfort zone, and choose to work on improving someone else’s life. a free person can look and see that there are a lot of people in our world. Jews and non Jews. Everywhere you turn. Everywhere you look.

If we take a deep breath and look outside there are a lot of children, women and men who are suffering in ways that we cannot imagine, people are struggling, hurting, failing, being beaten, starved, and sometimes dying simply because not enough is being done to focus on their situation.

Freedom is a gift that demands of us that we care. Freedom is a great responsibility and must be treated with respect and reverence.

We have to look at what can be done to help the physical conditions of the oppressed, the slaves, the poor, the sick and hungry. But we also have to look at the systemic problems that create these issues. The corrupt nature of many who have influence, the hatred of many who oppress, the greed of so many of the powerful and perhaps most of all, the indifference of so many of us who can make a difference if we prioritize appropriately and don’t turn away.

www.justifi.org, the organization we founded was created to help Jewish people unlock their potential and focus it on ending injustice and suffering worldwide. Truth is, Justifi is inspired in part by the holiday of Pesach. Its about the realization that there are real problems out there, just over the horizon, and that we can help. Its about realizing that if we dont stand up for justice, education and real freedom, we cannot expect others to. If we are lazy about fighting for a better world, we cannot expect others to pick up the slack. If we are not growing and striving to be better people, we cannot expect others to do so in our place. If we are not actively trying to be part of the solution, then we are part of the problem.

On Pesach, we eat Matzah; Matzah symbolizes the removal of ego from our dreams for the future of mankind. We eat it and we think simply about who we need to become if we really want to change this world. That is matzah, free of arrogance, focused on a better world for all of us.

On Pesach we tell the story of a nations rise from total slavery to complete intellectual and spiritual freedom. We listen to our elders, and we undertake to learn from history, from others, from our families and leaders, so we can push forward on creating a healthy civilization for everyone, not simply a comfortable one for ourselves. That is Seder, the mitzvah of telling the story of how we became free, so we can create a world where everyone is free.

On Pesach we eat bitter, bitter herbs. We undertake to feel the pain of living a life of slavery to goals that don’t bring us or anyone else meaning, to ideals that don’t bring us or anyone else happiness, to the indifference that leads to so much suffering worldwide, and the selfishness that drives us to ignore the plight of millions and simply get on with our lives. That is Maror, the mitzvah to internalize the bitterness of being a slave to stupid goals and selfishness.

But when we eat the matzah and the maror this Friday night, and we tell the story of our freedom, the Rabbis tell us that the biggest mitzvah of all is to feel as if we personally came out of slavery and into freedom this Pesach. Why is that the biggest Mitzvah? I mean, its not really true, right? We are far from being slaves. We live in Israel, In the USA, in SA, Australia, Canada and the UK. We are global citizens, with access to education, commerce, racial equality. What on earth could they mean?

But based on what we have just explained it should make a lot of sense.You see, what is the point of being free if you cannot use that freedom to become who you really want to be. What is the point of being free if you cannot find it in yourself to become who the world really needs you to be. On Pesach we don’t celebrate “Freedom”. We celebrate “the freedom to become”. Friday night you can eat the Matzah, the marror and tell the story, but as you bite into the bread of affliction, will you make the decision to change the direction of your life. Will you choose freedom to love, to forgive, to care, to invest in others, to fight injustice. You can enjoy the company of friends and family at the seder, but will you use your time this year to take the plunge and move in a more spiritual direction, a more altruistic direction, to learn how to lead and embrace your destiny as a person who is built to change the world.

When you eat and drink this Pesach, please think of your potential, where you would like to grow as a person, take a deep breath and then make the decision to hold back no longer. Stand up, step up, and together we as a nation can create a world free of ego and corruption, pain and oppression, wasted potential and meaninglessness.

Have a wonderful Pesach

Jamie Cowlan

PS, Please feel free to tell everyone about www.justifi.org, and the amazing trips we are running this summer in Thailand.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

In 1923, a very important meeting was held at the Edgewater Beach Hotel in Chicago attending this meeting were nine of the world’s most successful financiers,

Those present were:

The president of the largest independent steel company;
The president of the largest utility company;
The president of the largest gas company,
The greatest wheat speculator;
The president the New York Stock Exchange;
A member of the President’s Cabinet;
The greatest ” bear” in Wall St.;
Head of the world’s greatest monopoly;
President of the bank of international settlements;

Certainly we must admit that here gathered a group of the world’s most successful men. At least men who had found the secrets of making money. Twenty-five years later [1947], lets see where these men are:

The president of the largest independent steel company – Charles Schwab – died bankrupt and lived on borrowed money for five years before his death.

The president of the largest utility company – Samuel Insull – died a fugitive from justice and penniless in a foreign land.

The president of the largest gas company – Howard Hopson – is now insane.

The greatest wheat speculator – Arthur Cutten – died abroad, insolvent.

The president the New York Stock Exchange – Richard Whitney – was recently released from Sing Sing.

The member of the President’s Cabinet – Albert Fall – was pardoned from prison so he could die at home.

The greatest ” bear” in Wall St – Jesse Livermore – died a suicide.

Head of the world’s greatest monopoly – Ivar Krueger – died a suicide.

The president of the bank of international settlements – Leon Fraser- died a suicide.

All of these men learned well the art of making money…. But not one of them learned how to live.

* The facts in this story have not been verified and may contain elemnts of fiction.

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INTRODUCTION

God took the Jewish people out of Egypt in the springtime. The Talmud notes that God was very thoughtful. Not only was He interested in redeeming the nation, He wanted to do so at a time when the weather was just right. Not too hot, not too cold.

Everything about the Passover season is beautiful. The whole idea of re-doing your house — your environment — for the holiday should be a beautiful experience. For some reason, though, the burden of all that cleaning often hangs heavy over us, and as a result we lose much of the joy of Passover.

I’d like to not only make Passover cleaning a little easier, but above all to change the attitude once and for all to stop being frightened. Passover is not a monster. It’s the most beautiful time of the year.

In order to change our attitudes, two things are necessary. The first is to know the halacha. There are so many Passover preparations that are done unnecessarily, where if you want to do them for extra credit, that’s fine. But it’s important to understand what is necessity and what is voluntary.

Secondly, there’s practical advice. I want to share some tips that I’ve picked up over the years. Cleaning for Passover can actually be easy, there’s lots of room for creativity, and it’s fun.

THE OBLIGATION TO GET RID OF CHAMETZ

In cleaning for Passover, we are first and foremost fulfilling the mitzvah of biur chametz — getting rid of chametz. Biur chametz is actually quite an easy mitzvah in terms of physical exertion. The Torah says: “tashbisu se’or mibateichem” — make all your sour dough rest. The Torah commandment is that you can possess all the chametz you want, but in your mind it must be dust — ownerless and valueless.

Now obviously we are dealing with something subtle and vague. What goes on in your mind, no one knows except you and God. It’s quite easy to think you have considered everything “null and void,” when in truth you can’t wait for Passover to be over so you can partake of all those goodies!

So the Sages instituted a requirement to physically destroy chametz. This mitzvah is known as bedikat chametz. The Sages say it is not enough to emotionally write the chametz off as “dust”; you must actually search out any chametz you can find — and physically destroy it.

WHEN TO SEARCH

The mitzvah of bedikat chametz is to be done on the night of the 14th of Nissan, the evening prior to the Seder. Why at night? Because in your home there are crevices and corners that have to be illuminated by artificial light — and artificial light works best at night.

Why the 14th? The Sages said that if some people do it on the 12th and others on the 13th, you’d lose the power of the community reminding and encouraging each other. This way there is a set time; every Jew does bedikat chametz on the night of the 14th.

However, our homes over the years have grown in size, and consequently are more complicated to clean. As a result, the ability to do bedikat chametz in a few hours on the night of the 14th is no longer feasible. Even if you stay up all night, chances are there are parts of your home you’ll never get to. So we start our bedikat chametz early. So realize that when you start cleaning for Passover, you are doing bedikat chametz. This is important because there are specific rules for bedikat chametz.

CLEANING DAY OR NIGHT

As we said, bedikat chametz must be done at night, because that’s the only time that artificial light is effective. As a result, we have the following rule: You can inspect by daylight anything that does not need artificial light — i.e. anything moveable that you can hold up near a window, or any part of the house that has sufficient daylight. (If you choose to add artificial light during the daytime, it doesn’t hurt.)

On the other hand, any part of the house that needs artificial light — e.g. closets, corners, insides of cabinets — these places must be inspected at night. And make sure they are sufficiently lit.

The only time that you cannot do bedikat chametz altogether is in twilight. You don’t have enough daylight, and yet it’s not dark enough for the artificial light to be effective. Consequently, you could clean at twilight if it’s convenient — as long as you later inspect these cleaned areas (whether in daylight by day, or in artificial light at night).

WHAT ARE WE SEARCHING FOR?

What kind of chametz do we have to get rid of? And what is “chametz” anyway?

The Torah says: Lo yera’eh lecha chametz, velo year’eh lecha se’or bechol gevulecha – “neither chametz nor se’or shall be visible to you in all your boundaries.” Chametz is defined as the result of grain that ferments. Se’or is sourdough — highly fermented dough that is used to make another dough ferment. Instead of using yeast, what they did in the olden days (and many people do today as well) is to take a little piece of old dough, mix that with the fresh dough, and it causes the fresh dough to rise.

So chametz and se’or are the two things the Torah requires us to get rid of. But there’s a difference between the two. Chametz is food. It’s edible by human standards — you’d serve it, you’d eat it. If a human being wouldn’t eat it, then it’s not chametz, because by definition chametz must be food. On the other hand, nobody eats se’or — non-edible fermented grain which has the function of fermenting other dough.

There’s a third category: Non-edible chametz that is not capable of fermenting other dough. That is neither chametz nor se’or. Halachically we call this “garbage” — and it does not have to be gotten rid of for Passover. Similarly, the Talmud says that se’or which is so bad that even a dog wouldn’t eat it — i.e. it’s poisonous — is halachically not regarded as se’or and is therefore not a problem on Passover.

To review the three categories:

1) Chametz is food made of fermented grain.

2) Se’or is non-edible sourdough, which has the power to ferment other dough.

3) “Garbage” is something that is either incapable of fermenting other dough, or so totally non-edible that a dog wouldn’t eat it.

DEODORANTS AND COSMETICS

Let’s talk about different products we have around the house — for example, deodorants and cosmetics which may very well contain some grain products. Of course, you’re not going to eat it. Is it therefore automatically disqualified from the category of chametz? And what about se’or? Can deodorant be used to ferment another dough? It cannot, and consequently should not be se’or either.

Some years ago, Rabbi Moshe Feinstein came up with a unique approach that revolutionized the practical applications. He said that even if something in its present state is inedible, but if you can possibly distill it and produce edible chametz, then we would call that “chametz.” As a result, he ruled that anything containing grain alcohol (ethyl alcohol) is considered chametz. Even though you would never dream of eating it, nevertheless if you distill it, it would turn into drinkable alcohol. (Ask any alcoholic — in desperation, they may distill something poisonous like after-shave and drink it.) Therefore, any liquid cosmetic that has any form of grain alcohol is considered chametz and must be gotten rid of for Passover.

This idea only applies to liquids — because you can’t distill a solid. Therefore, any solid substance like stick deodorant or soap which is inedible (i.e. not chametz), and could not ferment a dough (i.e. not se’or), and cannot be distilled — the halacha is you can own these solid substances on Passover, and you don’t have to put them away. Technically, you could even use it on Passover, although the custom is not to use any stuff that has chametz in it as a cosmetic. That’s why people buy soaps that are special “Kosher for Passover.”

How about beer shampoo or liquid deodorant which contains no grain alcohol but has wheat germ in it. That’s not chametz, because you wouldn’t eat it. Can it ferment another dough? No. Can you distill it? No. (It’s only alcohol that you can get by distilling; you won’t get wheat germ vapor by distilling your deodorant.) Consequently, these things are not a problem. You’re allowed to keep them around during Passover — though again the custom is not to use them.

BREAD CRUMBS

What about bread crumbs on your kitchen floor? There are various opinions in halacha, but I’m going to present one in particular that is easier to understand.

We established that the third category — “garbage” — is defined as anything that cannot ferment another dough, and is so non-edible that even a dog wouldn’t eat it.

According to most halachic authorities, there is one more substance that is defined as “garbage”: Chametz that is smaller than a kezayit (about 30 grams) and you would not use it for anything. This is something most people call “garbage” — you would easily throw it away and in your mind it’s nothing. Crumbs fit into this category.

The only kind of crumb that’s problematic is one you’d pick up with your finger and put on your tongue. So leftover crumbs from the table are in fact “chametz.” Leftover crumbs on the floor, which you wouldn’t eat, are garbage. Therefore, any crumb that you would consider dirt (and is smaller than a kezayit) does not have to be gotten rid of.

(The fact that a baby eats it does not turn it into chametz. Because when a baby decides to eat something, it is not a conscious decision that “this is food.” If you have non-food around, a baby will eat that, too!)

A QUICK REVIEW

Before we go on, let’s make sure we’ve got it all straight. When we do bedikat chametz, what are we looking for?

One crumb of edible chametz cannot remain in your house and you’ve got to destroy it. Also, anything that contains ethyl alcohol, since it can be distilled, is called “edible chametz” and must also be disposed of.

We are also looking for something that is more than a kezayit — regardless of whether you would consider it food or not. If it’s less than a kezayit of non-edible chametz, you don’t have to get rid of it because you consider it dirt. Also, if it’s something even a dog wouldn’t eat, then even more than a kezayit is not problematic.

When you’re cleaning for Passover, all the goodies in your freezer and cabinets — bread, cakes, crackers — all of that is chametz. You have to get rid of it one way or another. But aside from that, you probably won’t find much edible chametz in your house. Bedikat chametz, therefore, is not so difficult. In the bedrooms, for example, you don’t have to sit with a pin scraping the corners!

Even further: Let’s say you have gook stuck to your chametz dishes. If the stuff is non-edible, then you can forget about it — as long as it does not total a kezayit of gook. But there is no need sit there and scrub the dishes with steel wool. Just make sure there is no edible stuff on them, and no kezayit of gook — and put them away.

One important point: If you feel like going beyond the limit and scraping the walls and ceiling, go right ahead. Of course it’s not required, but the halacha is actually stated in Shulchan Aruch that no one is allowed to laugh at you. In the words of the rabbis, Yisrael kedoshim heim — “Jews are holy” when they go beyond the letter of the law.

Be careful, however, not to go so far that you develop an antagonistic attitude toward Passover. If all this extra, non-required cleaning is going to make you dread the holiday, then forget about it. And certainly you should not clean so much that you’re exhausted for the Passover Seder. Part of being “holy” is appreciating the holiday, too!

THE PROHIBITION OF EATING CHAMETZ

Besides the mitzvah of bedikat chametz, there is a second, more time-consuming aspect of cleaning for Passover. And that revolves around the Torah prohibition of eating any chametz on Passover. In fact, if you intentionally eat even one molecule of chametz on Passover, you’re breaking a Torah prohibition.

Furthermore, when it came to Passover, the Sages built “fence around fence.” They prohibited things on Passover that we would not otherwise dream of.

Case #1: The Sages said that if one crumb of chametz falls into a huge pot of chicken soup, then — even if the crumb was removed — that negligible bit of “bread taste” will still render the whole mixture “chametz.”

Case #2: All year long, we know that you’re not supposed to use non-kosher dishes or pots. But what if you accidentally use a dish that was used for non-kosher food a long time ago (i.e. not within 24 hours)? The halacha is that your food is still kosher. There are some exceptions, but generally speaking, an “old taste” absorbed into a pot will not ruin your food. However, on Passover, the Sages said that if a dish or pot was ever once used for chametz in its whole long history, and then was used on Passover, the old chametz taste absorbed into the pot will wake up again and give your food the status of chametz.

This rule applies during Passover itself. But if case #2 occurred before Passover — i.e. if the pot was used ages ago for chametz and you mistakenly cook food in it before Passover — then the halacha is that your food remains kosher.

With regard to case #1, however, the Sages said that if there may be the tiniest trace of chametz still in your food — even if it happened before Passover — the halacha is that your food is considered chametz. (Note: This applies for Ashkenazim.)

As a result, we need special “Kosher for Passover” everything — pots, pans and even all the ingredients we cook with. Plus, we have to be extremely careful with what’s around the house, particularly in the kitchen. If there’s any bit of chametz that may make its way into our food, then we’ve got to get rid of that. And unlike the rules of bedikat chametz, it makes no difference whether there is more or less than a kezayit. Plus we have to make sure that any place that “hot” Passover food will touch (like a countertop) doesn’t even have an absorbed chametz taste.

One exception to this rule: Totally non-edible chametz that makes its way into your food is not called chametz and will not ruin your food — unless you purposely eat it. If it accidentally falls into your food that’s not a problem. (However, as we said, if it’s edible chametz, then even the tiniest drop in your food will ruin everything.)

CLOTHES

In preventing chametz from coming in contact with food, let’s start with some things you’d never think of. Any clothes that you’re going to wear to the Passover table, if it has a speck of chametz that may fall into your food, then you’ve got to get that speck off your clothes before coming to the table.

As a result, when cleaning your clothes closet for Passover, you should select the clothing you plan to wear for Passover — and these clothes have to be 100 percent clean. Put them in the laundry, send them to the dry cleaners, or at the very least brush them out well to make sure there is no chametz whatsoever.

What about the clothes you’re not going to wear during Passover? Just take a quick look, empty the pockets to make sure there’s no edible chametz, and put them away. Don’t worry about specks.

With regard to closets, try to keep your Passover clothes off the closet floor. And with regard to bed linens, be aware that during Passover you may get up in the middle of the night and walk to the kitchen. So be sure to change the sheets and blanket covers as close to Passover as possible.

CHILDREN’S TOYS

It’s best if children’s toys do not come to the table on Passover, but that’s wishful thinking. In reality, you never know when toys are going to come in contact with food. As a result, we do the following: First, take the toys that are complicated to clean and put them away. Don’t even attempt to clean them for Passover. Just make sure there’s no edible chametz on them, or a kezayit of non-edible chametz. That should take a total of two minutes. As far as selling the toys is concerned, the text of the sale document includes any chametz you’ve got around the house, so you don’t need to specify toys; it’s covered by the contract anyway.

As for toys that are going to be used on Passover, make sure they are washable. For small pieces, fill up a pillow case and put it in the washing machine. (Make sure to tie it tight or you may ruin your washing machine.) Another option is to put the toys in the bathtub. Let them soak, and give them a quick rinse under pressure. You don’t need anything more than that. It’s not necessary to wash the toys with ammonia. What about a bicycle? Make sure there’s no real chametz on it, and then it can be used during Passover. But the bike should not be ridden around the house on Passover — because once it’s been ridden outside, there’s bits of chametz all over the street that gets caught on the tires.

Some people have special Passover toys, and this is good practical advice. Children are fascinated by playing with toys they haven’t seen in a year. Even if you have some other toys that you wash, breaking out new toys is a great way to keep children occupied in those days just before Passover when you’re busy cooking and preparing.

BOOKS

Any book that will be brought to the table on Passover must be 100 percent clean. How do you do that? It is almost impossible. That’s why any books you are going to bring to the Passover table — like a Haggadah — should be kept wrapped in plastic or put away all year long so that it is 100 percent chametz-free. If you want to study the Haggadah before Passover, then get a different one which will be your “chametz Haggadah.”

As for books that will not be brought to the Passover table, all you have to do is make sure they have no edible chametz or a kezayit of gook. You may have some edible crumbs there, so turn each book upside down and bang it out. That’s sufficient to assume that no edible chametz remains.

DINING ROOM – LIVING ROOM

Things in your dining room may certainly come in contact with food.

Table: The table itself will need to be kosher because you put hot food down on it. Of course, this is not always so practical to clean — even though you can kasher wood by dousing it in boiling water, you don’t want to do that to your fine wood table. Besides, tables usually have hard-to-reach crevices that can be filled with crumbs.

What should you do? Cover the table with something waterproof. Otherwise, if you put a hot dish down on your table, the moisture will penetrate your tablecloth, creating a direct line of moisture going from the table to your food — making your food chametz! So the table must have a waterproof layer — either plastic over the tablecloth, or the tablecloth over plastic. If you prefer, corrugated cardboard works, too, because it’s so thick that we assume there will not be a direct line of moisture going from your food all the way down to the table. Of course you also have to clean the entire table. You don’t have to sit there with a toothpick picking out chametz stuck in a crevice of the legs. But make sure there’s nothing loose that can fall onto the floor and eventually make its way back onto your table on Passover.

Chairs: If you have upholstery, you have to clean that very well. It’s best to shampoo the furniture if you can do so without ruining it. If there is a removable part to your chair, check there and you’re certain to find lots of crumbs. Check carefully, because chairs get moved up and down, and some crumbs may come off onto someone’s clothing and then into the food on Passover.

Couch: Remove the cushions and check there. It is common to find a kezayit of chametz stuck inside the couch. Also clean in any cracks or crevices. A vacuum cleaner works best for this.

Light switches: Since you often touch light switches during the meal, make sure they’re perfectly clean. It is sufficient to dampen a cloth with ammonia or any strong cleanser, and go over the switch once so that nothing edible is left there.

Doorknobs: Again, use a damp cloth with cleanser. However, this is not enough if you’ve got a fancy doorknob with crevices. In that case you should use a cloth that’s more saturated, so any chametz that may remain will be totally non-edible.

KITCHEN BASICS

There are surfaces in the kitchen that will not touch your food, but that may come in contact with food indirectly — because you touch them while you make food. Examples include doorknobs, doors, windows, cabinet covers, radio, and especially the telephone. These surfaces must be perfectly clean, or at least nothing edible should be left on it. Use ammonia or a strong cleanser. (Window cleaner contains ammonia.) If you can unscrew part of the telephone, it’s a good idea, because you never know how many crumbs are in there.

Some items in your kitchen are on even a lower level. This is the category of things that you are going to put away in storage — e.g. your chametz dishes. All you have to do is make sure there’s no edible chametz and no kezayit of gook — then put them away in a cabinet which is closed shut, then taped, locked or labeled. This way you won’t accidentally take it out during Passover.

What about chametz dishes that are used only for special occasions — e.g. a breakfront where you have china and crystal on display? These you can continue having on display. Since you don’t take these out regularly, there’s no danger of you accidentally taking it out during Passover. (Additionally, there is no Passover prohibition of owning the “taste” of chametz absorbed in a plate.) People may feel uncomfortable about leaving these dishes on display, and of course it’s perfectly acceptable to put them away. But the halacha is that you are allowed to leave them out.

Speaking of discomfort… On Passover, some people will cover up a piece of artwork that shows bread. Certainly there’s no requirement to do so, but you can appreciate someone not wanting to have a picture of challah hanging next to their Passover table!

UTENSILS USED IN COOKING

Now we get to the surfaces that will actually come in contact with your food. The most obvious example is pots and pans. Of these, the most severe category is those things used on the fire without liquid — e.g. a frying pan. If you want to use this pan for Passover, you’ll have to burn the chametz out. This is called libun, literally getting the metal red-hot. You basically have two choices: use a blowtorch, or a self-cleaning oven. (Just be careful that the plastic handle doesn’t disintegrate.)

What about pots that are used on the fire with water — e.g. your spaghetti pot, or utensils that were used with hot food — e.g. silverware? If you want to use this for Passover, then you have to boil it completely. This is called haggalah.

How do you do haggalah? First, make sure the item is completely clean. Then, fill up a big, big pot with water. Get it boiling, and then completely immerse whatever you want to kasher in the water. Since the item will cool the water somewhat, you have to leave it in there long enough so that the water reaches a boil again. The optimum time is to leave it in for 30 seconds, and then remove the item. If you leave it in any longer, there’s a problem of re-absorbing some of the chametz. Thirty seconds is ideal.

Haggalah becomes a bit more complicated if the item you want to kasher is a big pot. What can you immerse that in?! One option is to fill the pot to the very top with water, then bring it to a boil, and finally throw something in so the water boils over the sides.

The other option is to call your local synagogue and see if they offer a “kashering day.” This is where they prepare a huge public vat of boiling water. Just make sure that whoever is dipping your pots is patient enough to leave it in for the requisite 30 seconds. The custom is not to kasher anything that was used for chametz within 24 hours. And generally speaking, people today try to have a separate set of pots and silverware for Passover. If you can afford it, it certainly simplifies things.

THE CANDLESTICKS STRINGENCY

There is another level which is a stringency for Passover. The Ashkenazi custom is that anything that came to the table during the year cannot be brought to the Passover table, unless you kasher it first. That includes items that have only come in contact with cold chametz during the year, like a Kiddush cup. Generally there’s no “chametz taste” absorbed in that, because the medium of heat is necessary to infuse a taste. Nevertheless, if you want to use the Kiddush cup on Passover, you must kasher it in boiling water. The same applies to candlesticks if they’ve been brought to the table.

There is one leniency here, however: it’s enough to just pour boiling water over them (as opposed to the regular immersion). But don’t forget — if the Kiddush cup is a fancy silver one with a lot of crevices, you have to clean it well with silver polish before koshering. If you can’t get it fully clean, then it’s best to use a different one for Passover.

To review: Anything that you cook in needs to be immersed in boiling water. (Though the custom is to have a separate set for Passover anyway.) Whereas anything that you do not cook in — but came to your table during the year — needs boiling water poured over it.

STOVE GRATES

Surprisingly, you don’t really have to kasher stove grates. This applies all year as well. For example, if some meat juice spills on your stove grate, and then some milk spills there — it’s still kosher. Why? Because since the grate is constantly over the fire, any spill is regarded as burned up before the taste can become absorbed into the grate.

For Passover, we make the same assumption — i.e. any chametz was burned up before its taste became absorbed. However, the Ashkenazi custom is still to kasher the grates. We use a “light” form of “burning out” called libun kal. Practically speaking, you heat up the grate until it is so hot that if a piece of paper touched it, it would turn brown. The easiest way to do this is to heat up your oven, stick in the grates, and that will be sufficient. Or, you can turn on a few burners, and put your Shabbos blech right on top of the grates. (Don’t turn on all four burners, because with the blech there is not enough oxygen and the fires will go out. Instead, turn on two diagonal ones, then do the other two on the other side.) In either case, be sure the grate is hot enough so that a piece of paper touching it would turn brown.

KITCHEN COUNTERTOPS

Stainless steel counters can be kashered. First, make sure they’ve not been used for hot chametz in the past 24 hours. Then, clean them well. And finally, pour boiling water from a kettle all over them.

The problem is this is a really messy job and you may have to fill up lots of kettles. So one alternative is to put cold water all over your counter (put something on the side so the water doesn’t spill over), then take an electric steam iron, and go over the entire countertop. This will make the water “sizzle,” which is the halachic equivalent of using a red-hot stone — eh’ven meluban. (Don’t worry, a steam iron is waterproof and this will not ruin your iron.) But remember — this only works on stainless steel counters.

What if you have stone or marble counters? That depends on the type of stone. In Israel, most people have what is called shayish. This is a combination of stone and epoxy — and cannot be kashered for Passover. You have to cover it with something waterproof. And although it’s not required, some people pouring boiling water over it before covering it properly.

If you have what they call “granite,” that is real stone and can be kashered for Passover. (Use the methods described above for stainless steel.) The only problem spot is the seams where you have a little crack filled with plaster. Some people put rubber mats over their granite (even if they do kasher it) just to cover these seams. But halachically, if you pour boiling water there, it should be sufficient.

What about the wall behind the countertops? Since your pots touch the wall during the year, make sure to cover it. It doesn’t make a difference what the wall is made of, you should cover the wall behind the counter.

Additionally, you should cover the underside of the upper cabinets that overhang the counter. Why? Because some Passover food may touch it. But beyond this, there is steam that can go up and absorb the taste of chametz steam that was absorbed there. Not everyone agrees, but I believe that surface should be covered.

As for the outside of the cabinets themselves, we assume that food will not touch there directly. But make sure you clean them well.

As for the kitchen table, it is the same as we said for the dining room table: cover it with something waterproof. If your tabletop is made of wood, metal or stone, you could pour boiling water from a kettle directly onto your table, and that would actually enable you to use the table without any covering. This method does not work for formica.

REFRIGERATOR

Most people generally don’t put hot food directly into the refrigerator. But if you do during the year, don’t do it on Passover!

The basic rule with a refrigerator is the same as doorknobs: It must be cleaned spotlessly. First take out the shelves, then clean the entire inside very well with something that renders food non-edible. It may be a little difficult to bend in there, but the surface itself is smooth and not too hard to clean.

What about the shelves themselves? If you try going over every surface by hand — in between the little slats — it’s going to take forever. So the best thing is to fill the bathtub about halfway with water, add some ammonia, and put all the shelves in there. Wash them off under pressure, and make sure that nothing edible remains.

Although this is sufficient, some people still feel uncomfortable putting Passover food directly down onto the shelves. You can cover the shelves, but be careful: If you cover them with something that air cannot go through, then there will be no circulation in the refrigerator, the thermostat will get confused and the motor will run forever. You can kill your fridge that way! Instead, cover the shelves with something that air can circulate through — like paper towels or aluminum foil poked with holes.

As for the freezer, defrost it and clean it out thoroughly. If you have a self-defrosting freezer, make sure to pull out the water pan at the bottom. If you haven’t cleaned that pan out lately, there could easily be a kezayit of crumbs down there!

Next: the rubber gasket around your refrigerator door. Obviously clean it well with a cloth. But more important, you need to clean the accordion folds. The most effective way is take a Q-tip, dip it into ammonia (or windex), and run it through the folds. The Q-tip will do a great job of picking up all the dirt.

What about food that you want to leave in your refrigerator (or freezer) and include in the sale of chametz? You should wrap it up, put it in a corner of your refrigerator (or freezer) and then cover it to avoid any contact on Passover.

For the outside of the refrigerator, make sure to clean the door and handles, because you’re going to be touching that frequently during Passover. Also check on top of the refrigerator, especially if there are kids in the house. Who knows what may have gotten tossed up there! As for the exterior sides, just clean them well. Some people like to cover them, but the halacha does not require it.

KITCHEN CABINETS

We already spoke about the outside of kitchen cabinets. But what about the inside shelves? Since you normally don’t put hot food there, you don’t have to use boiling water. Just clean it very well with detergent and make sure there’s nothing edible left.

Still, many people feel uncomfortable putting Passover dishes and food down on surfaces that are used for chametz all year long. This is the source of the “ancient Jewish custom” of shelf paper. Many people put shelf paper on the bottom of drawers and cabinets, and some put it on the sides as well.

KITCHEN SINK

The sink obviously has to be kosher for Passover. A stainless steel sink can be kashered by dousing it with boiling water. It is important that for a period of 24 hours prior to koshering, the sink cannot have come into contact with hot (non-Passover) food.

The drain of the sink has a seam that you can’t really get perfectly clean. One solution is to clean the stainless steel sink by blasting it with a blowtorch. However, most halachic authorities maintain that blowtorching is not necessary, and it is sufficient to pour strong detergent down your drain. This way, anything that is stuck — either on the seam of the drain or in the drain pipe itself — will be rendered totally non-edible. If you have plastic pipes, drain cleaner may disintegrate plastic pipes, so strong detergent is good enough. Additionally (although this is not really necessary), some people put a plastic insert or rubber mat in the sink so that nothing touches the sink itself.

A porcelain sink cannot be kashered. You must clean the sink thoroughly and then put a plastic insert. But sometimes your sink can back up with water, and you can end up getting drain water coming onto the plastic insert! This obviously defeats the whole purpose. The key is to remove the strainer from the drain in your sink, and instead to put a strainer securely in the insert. This way, all the dirt will get stuck on top, which you can clean out, and if anything goes through, it will go all the way down and not stay in the sink.

Furthermore, the insert should be slightly raised, not sitting directly on top of the sink. You can put two little pieces of wood in the sink, which the insert will sit on — as long as it’s slightly removed and not touching directly.

What about lining a sink with contact paper? The problem is that you may get a water bubble inside it, and then that water would transmit taste from your non-Passover sink. If you can be sure that there is no water under the contact paper, then contact paper is okay.

While we’re on the subject of the sink, don’t forget the faucet itself. The handles should be cleaned perfectly. Some people actually have different handles for Passover. If you don’t feel like unscrewing them, at least wash them in detergent to render any particles non-edible. With regard to the faucet itself, you have to pour boiling water on it because it comes in contact with chametz steam all the time.

A plastic faucet is a very big problem because it cannot be kashered. So you will have to keep the faucet moved to the side during Passover, and keep it away from your pots, to make sure that no steam comes on it.

DISHWASHING ON PASSOVER

In order to avoid all sorts of problems in your sink, don’t wash dishes in very hot water on Passover. This will avoid getting any residual chametz to a point where it can cook. (The halachic cooking point is called yad soledet bo — literally “too hot to the touch” — which is 45 degrees Celsius, 112 degrees Fahrenheit.) It’s not forbidden to wash with very hot water, but it’s a way to avoid many problems. You can get your dishes just as clean by using very warm water that’s not too hot. This caution is only necessary on Passover.

THE OVEN

Our final appliance is the oven. If you have a self-cleaning oven, put it through the self-cleaning cycle and that will make your oven “Kosher for Passover.” In a self-cleaning oven, if you have any interior parts that are rubber — or other substances which halachically cannot be kashered — then you should cover those pieces with aluminum foil, and make sure they stay covered whenever you use your oven.

If you do not plan to use your oven during Passover, all you have to do is look inside: If there is no edible food inside and no kezayit of gook, just close the door, tape it shut, and that’s all. If you want to be stringent, spray some oven cleaner inside, wait three minutes, wipe it off, and close the door. Halachically, if you’re not using your oven on Passover, it does not have to shine. Please don’t make anyone scrub your oven for hours because of a stringency! Simply make sure there’s no edible chametz and no kezayit of gook.

If you never use your oven for chametz and you want to use it for Passover, you still have to kasher it. However, here you can rely on turning on the thermostat to the highest setting and waiting until it reaches its highest temperature.

What about the top of the stove, where the burners sit? We already discussed how to kasher the stove grates — they need libun kal, which means they get hot enough to turn a piece of paper brown. The same rule applies to the burners that the fire comes out of — just clean them well, and then turn them on to make sure you burn out any food.

The top of the stove, however, is a different story. In reality, that surface is always treif, because it gets splashings of milk and splashings of meat. During the year, this is not a problem. Why? Because first of all, you’re careful that those splashings don’t touch what you’re cooking. And if it does, then it all depends on whether the splashings are “edible food,” and what the proportion is, etc. Furthermore, if your stovetop is cleaned, then the only problem is that it has absorbed milk and meat “taste” — which we assume happened more than 24 hours ago. So during the year, it’s very unlikely that these splashings can render your food “non-kosher.”

On Passover, however, the 24-hour leniency doesn’t apply. Something that was used for chametz a year ago is still chametz. Consequently, Passover food cannot touch your stovetop and it must be covered. The easiest way is to take aluminum foil and cover the whole stove top. Use the heavy-duty kind so it doesn’t tear.

The most problematic part of your stove is a part you may have never seen: under the top platform. If you remove that, you will find remnants of all the different cereals and soups you cooked during the year. There may likely be some edible crumbs there, as well as a kezayit of gook. So you have to remove the entire stovetop. Hopefully, you have one that’s removable (perhaps with screws). Otherwise it means getting under there with your fingers. That is very difficult, and the only advice is to pry it open and then spray some ammonia detergent to make everything non-edible.

Assuming you’ve removed the stovetop, the first thing is to get a vacuum cleaner and get rid of all the crumbs. This way, you won’t have crumbs flying all over the place. If you don’t have access to a vacuum, then take a damp cloth and go over the area. The crumbs will stick to the cloth. Don’t make the cloth wet, because that will make a mess of your whole oven. This is necessary even if you’re not going to use your stove on Passover.

If your stove is built into the counter, the top is generally not a problem, because spills have no place to fall into.

Other stoves are more problematic. If you have one big glass or porcelain top with heating elements under it, then kashering that for Passover (because of the material) is not possible. The only thing you could do is to cover it with aluminum foil, but the problem is that when you cover these things, they don’t work as well. Unless you can find a way of covering it without losing efficiency or ruining your food, the best solution may be to get a different stove for Passover.

If you have electric elements that are exposed, then the elements have to be cleaned but not kashered.

An electric warming tray (plata) should be cleaned as well as possible. And if you want to use it for Passover, cover it over with heavy-duty aluminum foil that won’t tear. A metal burner cover (blech) has to be either kashered or totally covered. It makes more sense to buy a thin blech especially for Passover; otherwise heavy-duty aluminum foil should suffice, although it may emit harmful and unpleasant fumes.

Some stoves have a cover that you can put down when not using your stovetop. Since this gets splashed all year long, you must clean and cover it (or else detach it completely). Similarly, the wall behind your stove has definitely absorbed some chametz — so either move the stove away from the wall so no pots will touch it, or cover the wall.

If you have a ventilator above your oven, that’s a problem — a breeding ground for chametz steam and particles. The best thing is to cover the vent and don’t use it during Passover. Additionally, if there’s anything edible in there (or a kezayit of gook), you have to clean it out.

MICROWAVE AND DISHWASHER

A microwave itself can be kashered for Passover, providing that the inside is metal (or even painted metal). Simply insert a bowl of water and have it make a lot of steam for 20 minutes. It’s preferable that you get a new glass plate for Passover, or at least cover it.

If you have different parts in the microwave — like little rubber pieces — this is a big problem. First of all, rubber is a substance that can’t be kashered. And secondly, since this is a microwave, the pieces obviously can’t be covered with tinfoil. The best solution is to get replacement parts and save those for Passover only. Otherwise, you can’t use your microwave for Passover.

A microwave with a plastic interior cannot be kashered for Passover.

In order to kasher a dishwasher for Passover, it must be metal. Additionally, you should have a separate rack for Passover.

SMALL KITCHEN APPLIANCES

There are other appliances that we do not use on Passover. These include a toaster, toaster oven, and mixer — things that you use for bread and cake all year long. Although it may be possible to kasher these things, it’s just going a little too far and we don’t do so.

So what do you do? First of all, if you think there’s anything edible, clean it. Take the crumbs out of your toaster and toaster oven. Do the best you can, but don’t go crazy. You don’t have to take apart your toaster, toaster oven or mixer.

The reason you don’t have to be as careful cleaning these items is that you’re going to include them in your sale of chametz anyway. So even though we have a custom not to sell chametz gamur (i.e. bread and cake), there is no problem of selling a toaster that has some crumbs left in it. Just remove whatever chametz you can, and whatever you can’t reach, rely on the sale.

As for your mixer: If you’re afraid it has a bunch of dough still attached, it’s probably not edible. In which case just make sure you don’t have a kezayit. The best way to solve all this is to wash it with detergent which makes it totally non-edible.

THE FLOOR

Crumbs on the floor, assuming they’re less than a kezayit, are regarded as dirt. The problem, however, is that clothes fall on the floor, children play on the floor, etc. So to minimize problems in general, try to keep the floors fairly tidy during the days you’re cleaning for Passover. And then, as the final step when everything else in the house has been kashered for Passover, wash the floors very well. (You don’t have to use ammonia.)

What about during Passover itself? Realize that every time anyone enters the house from outside, they’re carrying many potential chametz particles on their clothes, and particularly their shoes. You can keep sweeping your house, but that won’t do a perfect job.

So the rule is: Anything that falls on the floor during Passover does not go back on the table. The original custom was that it didn’t go back on the table at all for the duration of Passover. Today, we’re lenient to permit washing it off. For instance, if a piece of silverware falls on the floor, just wash it off and then you can use it again. The same with toys — if a child wants to bring it to the table, it must first be washed off.

With about rugs? They’re full of crumbs — even edible crumbs — and they’re very difficult to clean. The best option is to shampoo the carpet before Passover, which will eliminate anything edible. Otherwise, many people just roll their carpets up, put them away, and sell them for Passover. This is not required, but is certainly advisable (unless you’re shampooing).

One crucial thing to remember: You spend your whole time cleaning for Passover, and where does all your chametz go? It gets stuck in the broom, goes into the garbage can, and into the vacuum cleaner bag. You must clean your broom well, so that there’s nothing edible left in it. Or preferably have a special broom for Passover that you put away from year to year. Make sure your garbage can is cleaned well. And above all, make sure to throw out the vacuum cleaner bag. That’s one instance where you’re likely to have a whole kezayit of chametz gook together!

SALE OF CHAMETZ

The prevailing custom is not to sell real edible chametz like bread, crackers, 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 put away in a cabinet and sell them. Taping the cabinet closed is only necessary if out of habit you may open it on Passover. By the way, even chametz of a non-Jew must be put away and covered.

Have a happy and kosher Passover — and an easy cleaning!