Beit Midrash
As we learned in the previous chapter, a person who possesses
chametz on Pesach transgresses two prohibitions: "No chametz shall
be seen in your possession" (Shemot 13:7), and "No leaven shall be
found in your homes" (ibid. 12:19). In order not to violate these Torah
prohibitions a person must remove the chametz from his possession.
According to the Torah, it is possible to remove the chametz by
nullifying it verbally, because when a person nullifies the chametz in
his possession, it becomes like dust, no longer belonging to him, and
consequently, it does not cause him to transgress the prohibition of
bal yera'eh and bal yimatze.
Nonetheless, Chachamim ruled that we must not rely on this
nullification (bitul) alone; rather, a person must also physically
remove the chametz from his possession. There are two reasons for
this. Firstly, they feared that people would nullify chametz
insincerely, intending to benefit from it after Pesach, and this would
result in their transgressing the prohibition of bal yera'eh and bal
yimatze. Secondly, they feared that after nullifying the chametz, a
person might see an enticing piece of pastry and eat it, forgetting
that it is Pesach. Chachamim therefore ordained that, in addition to
itul chametz, a person must carry out bedikat chametz in order to
remove all chametz from his possession.
Seemingly, the appropriate time for bedikat chametz (searching for the
chametz) should be just before chatzot (noon) of the day of the fourteenth
of Nisan, since this is the deadline for removing chametz. However,
Chachamim ordained that we search for chametz at nightfall of the
fourteenth, because during the day people are busy with their
affairs, and if a person waits until the day of the fourteenth to do
bedikat chametz he is liable to forget it altogether. Furthermore, it is
good to use a candle to check the cracks and crevices of the house,
because candlelight is especially effective for such searching. But
during the day, candles do not illuminate well, since sunlight
prevents the eye from focusing on the weaker light of the candle.
Therefore, Chachamim instituted searching for chametz at nightfall of
the fourteenth, because at night people are usually at home and
candlelight is effective at this time (Shulchan Aruch HaRav 431:5).
At nightfall, most people are accustomed to praying Maariv.
Therefore, a person should first pray Maariv, for this is a frequent
mitzvah and deserves precedence, and then proceed quickly to
search for chametz (Mishnah Berurah 431:8). A person who is accustomed to
praying in a minyan later in the evening should search for chametz at
tzet hakochavim (the appearance of three distinct stars) and then pray at his
usual hour.
The obligation to search for chametz rests primarily upon the
father. However, if he must return home late on this day, it is better
that he appoint his wife or another adult family member to search in
place of him at the appointed hour, when nighttime arrives.
Regarding this mitzvah there is no difference between men and
women, and one should choose as a shaliach (proxy) the person who
can be most trusted to carry out the search properly (see Aruch HaShulchan
437:7). Bediavad, if it is difficult to appoint a shaliach, one should
perform the search himself later in the evening when he gets home.1
1. There are those who suggested that if one wants to engage in the search himself,
he should appoint one of his family members to search the house at the proper
time and leave one room unchecked, and when he returns later that night he can
search the unchecked room. He should be sure to ask them to remind him to check
the room when he returns, or if he does not return, to check the room themselves
(Teshuvot V’Hanhagot Vol. 2, 214). However, it seems to me that if there is someone in
the house who can perform the search instead, it is better to appoint this person as
an agent to conduct the search the entire house at the appropriate time. This issue
is dependent upon a fundamental question: did the chachamim decree that the
bedika should be conducted specifically at the beginning of the night, or is the
entire night acceptable for bedika since the candlelight is more visible at night, just
that in order to prevent a person from forgetting to check, the chachamim forbade
working and eating before the bedika? According to the majority of poskim, the
foremost time for the bedika is at the beginning of the night, and this is the opinion
of the Taz, Pri Chadash, Gra, and Shulchan Aruch HaRav in 431:5. Conversely, the
Rama and Mekor Chaim hold that the bedika can be done throughout the entire
night, and thus according to them, one can be more lenient to push off the bedika
as long as there is someone who will remind him to check later on. And I have
written in accordance with the view of most poskim, and in the next Halacha I have
written that it is proper to refrain from eating even casually once the time for
bedikat chametz (the beginning of the night) has arrived so as not to delay the bedika.
2. Activities Chachamim Forbade Before Bedikat Chametz
Chachamim prohibited starting work or a meal during the half
hour before the time of bedikat chametz, because they feared that a
person might become caught up in these activities and forget to
search for chametz. It is permitted, however, to snack on fruit or
pastry, or to perform light work that can be finished quickly.
Once the time for bedikat chametz arrives, it is unfitting to start
any sort of work, or to eat fruit, even as a quick snack, for this might
impede the fulfillment of the mitzvah at its proper time (Beur
Halachah431).
A person should not even begin studying Torah once the time
for bedikat chametz has arrived. If a person began studying Torah
beforehand, some Poskim rule that he may continue studying (Beit
Yosef). Nonetheless, according to many Poskim, even in this situation it
is best to stop studying at tzet hakochavim, in order to fulfill the
mitzvah of bedikat chametz at its proper time (Mishnah Berurah 431:11; Kaf
HaChaim 23).
If a group of people have a regular Torah class at this time, it is
best not to cancel it. Going ahead with the study will not cause
participants neglect of the mitzvah of bedikat chametz, for the search
can be performed after the lesson, but canceling the learning will
result in the loss of group Torah study (Shulchan Aruch HaRav 431:9).
However, The participants should remind each other after the lesson
to be prompt about searching for chametz.
3. The Bracha
Before beginning to search for chametz, one recites the bracha
(blessing), "Who commanded us concerning biur chametz." Though the
actual biur chametz will not take place until the following morning
with the burning and nullification of chametz, we nonetheless say
"concerning biur chametz" before the search on the night of the
fourteenth, because bedikat chametz is the first step in the process of
removing chametz from the home.2
2. If one forgot to make the bracha before the bedika and remembered while in the
middle, as long as he has other areas to check, he may still make the bracha.
However, if he remembered after the completion of the bedika, the poskim dispute
whether or not he can make the bracha before burning the chametz the following
day. According to the Mishnah Berurah 432:4, we do not prevent someone from
making the bracha in this situation, since the bracha is on the burning of the
chametz, and as long as he has not yet burned the chametz, he can make the bracha.
On the other hand, there are those who hold that the chachamim established the
bracha on the bedika and not on the burning, and therefore if one forgot to make the
After the bracha, it is forbidden to talk before beginning the
search. If at this point a person talks about matters unrelated to
bedikat chametz, he forfeits his bracha and must recite it again. If,
however, one talks about unrelated matters after beginning the
search, his bracha is valid, for it applies to the portion of the search
that was already carried out. L’chatchila, one should avoid talking
about unrelated matters during the search, in order not to become
distracted (Shulchan Aruch 432:1; Mishna Berura ad loc. 5, 6).
A person who owns a number of houses must search them all.
He recites the bracha before searching in the first location. He says
the bracha only once, even if the houses are located a distance from
one another.3
If a person must travel, and therefore performed bedikat chametz
before the fourteenth of Nisan, even though his search is valid, he
does not recite the bracha. A person only recites the bracha over a
search performed from the night of the fourteenth onward, because
such a search is adjacent to biur chametz. Any chametz found on the
evening of the fourteenth will be destroyed the next morning. If a
bracha by the end of the bedika, he lost his opportunity to do so, and this is the
opinion of the Bach, the Shulchan Aruch HaRav, and others. When in doubt about
whether or not to make a bracha, we are lenient, and one should not make the
bracha. And one should not make a bracha on the nullification of chametz alone,
since we do not make brachot on mere words or thoughts.
3.The authorities dispute this, as is quoted by the Mishnah Berurah 432:7, that
according to the Pri Chadash and Chayei Adam, walking a far distance is considered
a significant interruption, and he would have to make a new bracha. Conversely,
according to the Chok Yaakov and Ma’amar Mordechai, walking is not considered a
significant interruption. And this is also written by the Kaf HaChaim in 432:22, and
when in doubt about whether or not to make a bracha, we are lenient. The
Achronim also dispute the law in a situation where the owner of the house searches
part of his house and appoints an agent to search another part, and the agent did
not hear the bracha of the owner, whether or not the agent would make his own
bracha; see Sha’ar HaTziyun 432:9.
person was unable to search on the evening of the fourteenth, and
instead searched the following day, or during Pesach, he recites the
bracha, because he will immediately destroy any chametz he finds,
and it is appropriate to bless "concerning biur chametz" over such a
search. But if a person searches before the fourteenth, he does not
recite the bracha (Rama 436:1, and Beur Halachah ad loc.; Mishna Berura 435:5).
4. Places That Must Be Searched
Any property owned by a Jew which might contain a kezayit of
chametz must be searched. Therefore, the kitchen and the dining
room where people eat must be searched, and any room, storage
space, or porch where people sometimes bring chametz must also be
searched (Shulchan Aruch 433:3, 4).
4. Indeed according to the Ra’ah and Pri Chadash one who is halachically required to
check should make a bracha, since the purpose of the bedika is to ensure that he
doesn’t violate bal yira’eh/bal yimatzei afterward, and since the chachamim decreed
that one who leaves his house before the night of the 14th should check before he
leaves, he should also make a bracha. According to the Ritva and the Bach, he
should make the bracha as long as he checks within the 30 days before Pesach. But
as we have said, the Kolbo and the Rama (436:1) are of the opinion that the bracha is
also on the burning that takes place the following morning, and this is also the
opinion of the Gra, and seems to be the conclusion of the Magen Avraham, Taz, and
others. If one is uncertain about the bracha, we are lenient, and this seems to be the
opinion of the Bi’ur Halacha (ibid).
The Ba’al Ha’Itur writes that there are those who hold that one must also make the
bracha of shehecheyanu prior to the bedika, since it is a mitzvah that comes
periodically, and there are those who say not to recite this bracha. The Rosh rules
that one should not make this bracha, since the bedika is connected to the Pesach
holiday, when anyway he will recite shehecheyanu. The Shulchan Aruch does not
even mention the idea of shehecheyanu connected to the bedika. However, there are
some Achronim who suggest, as a nice custom, that one take a new fruit or new
garment and recite a shehecheyanu on it before the bedika (Kaf HaChaim 432:9).
Clothing closets that are not generally used during the course of
a meal need not be searched. However, if there are children in the
house, closets must be searched, because the children may have
opened them while handling chametz, or may have even hidden
chametz in them. Closets that are too high for children to reach need
not be searched.
A person must also search cars and carrying bags in which he
sometimes puts food. Adults who generally do not put food in their
pockets need not search them. However, the pockets of children
must be searched. Garments that were washed, and beforehand, had
their pockets emptied out, need not be searched on the night of the
fourteenth (see part 8 of this chapter). One who does not have a home does
not say the bracha when searching his car or pockets, for Chachamim
instituted saying a bracha only when searching a house (Kaf HaChaim 433,
91).
The stairwell of an apartment building or condominium is
shared jointly by all of the building’s occupants, and therefore
everyone is obligated to search it. In this case, one of the occupants
should be given the responsibility of performing bedikat chametz.
Open yards need not be searched because we can reasonably assume
that animals ate any chametz that might have been there. But if there
are alcoves in the yard that might contain chametz, they must be
searched, because animals may not have crawled into them to eat
the chametz. Likewise, if a person knows for certain that there was
chametz in his yard on the night of the fourteenth, he must search it,
because he cannot be certain that animals will eat it by noon of the
fourteenth (Mishna Berura 433:27, like the opinion of Mekor Chaim). An enclosed
porch, even if it opens into a yard, must be searched.
Ownerless public domains need not be searched, for even if they
contain chametz, no violation has been committed. This is because
such chametz is not in the possession of any particular Jew, and the
chametz prohibition only applies where chametz is in the possession
of a Jew, and not in an ownerless domain (Shulchan Aruch 445:3; Mishna
Berura 18. The law regarding garbage containers will be dealt with in part 5 of chapter five).
5. The Candle and the Flashlight
Chachamim ordained that bedikat chametz be performed by
candlelight, because candlelight is focused and effective for
searching. During the day, the light of the sun detracts from the
brightness of the candle, and it is difficult for the eye to focus on its
weak light. Therefore, Chachamim ordained searching at night,
because at night candlelight is more brilliant and does a good job of
illuminating holes and crevices, which is the essence of the search.
One may not search for chametz by torchlight, i.e., a candle with
two or more separate wicks. There are a number of reasons for this,
the main one being that the large flame will cause the searcher to
worry about burning something, and as a result he will not be able
to concentrate on the search. If a person erred and searched by
torchlight, he did not fulfill his obligation. Additionally, a person
may not search by the light of an oil lamp, because the fear of
spilling oil and staining his belongings will prevent him from
maneuvering the lamp into narrow spaces to get a good look at
cracks and crevices. Likewise, a person should not use a paraffin
candle for bedikat chametz. Therefore, the widespread custom is to
prefer wax candles, because they do not drip excessively (Shulchan Aruch
and Mishna Berura 433:2).
In principle, it is permissible to use a flashlight for bedikat
chametz, because the reason Chachamim ordained using a candle is
that its light is focused, and the light of a flashlight is also focused.
In addition, a flashlight has an advantage in that one needn’t worry
about burning things, or spilling wax and oil, and if it is a good flashlight, its light is stronger and more focused than that of a
candle. Nonetheless, some people are stringent not to search with a
flashlight because Chachamim learned from Scriptural verses that the
search for chametz should be performed with a candle (Pesachim 7b). Yet
a flashlight can be considered a kind of candle, for the filament is
like the flame and the battery is like the oil (Shearim Mitzuyanim BeHalachah
111:4).
In practice, the prevailing custom is to search by candlelight, in
keeping with the practice of Chachamim. However, according to the
halachah, if a person wishes to search with a flashlight he may do so
with a bracha, and in places where the person conducting the search
is concerned that the candle will cause a fire, it is better to search
with a flashlight (see Sidur Pesach K’hilchato 13:10; Yechaveh Daat 1:4).
6. Must One Search for Less Than a Kezayit of Chametz?
The purpose of bedikat chametz is to find pieces of chametz that are
a kezayit or larger, for a person only violates the transgression of bal
’yera'eh and bal yimatze if there is a kezayit or more of chametz in any
one place in a person’s house. Therefore, any part of the house into
which people sometimes bring chametz must be searched. In a house
where children are present, a person must search all of the places
that children enter; however, one need not search closets or shelves
that are out of the reach of children.
Some Poskim take the stringent position that the purpose of the
search is to insure that not a single edible crumb of chametz remain
in one’s possession, for if even one crumb remains, somebody might
mistakenly eat it during Pesach and thus transgress a Torah
prohibition. And even though there is no punishment for eating less
than a kezayit of chametz, the Torah nonetheless prohibits this.
According to this position, one must search the entire house
meticulously and keep an eye out for even small crumbs that might be chametz. Such a search in a normal house should take at least two
hours. However, even according to stringent opinions, one need not
search for crumbs so small that they are not recognizable as food.
Likewise, there is no need to search for crumbs so filthy that they are
inedible. For example, it is not necessary to inspect the cracks
between the floor tiles, because the crumbs there are repulsive and
not fit to be eaten.
In practice, one who chooses to be stringent and search for
crumbs smaller than a kezayit merits a blessing. But halachah follows
the lenient opinion. The reason for this is that the obligation to
search for chametz is d’rabbanan (established by the Rabbis). According to
the Torah, one who nullifies his chametz in his heart is already
exempt from the prohibition of chametz and need not search his
house. It is the Chachamim who ordained that, in addition to the
nullification, we must search for and remove the chametz. And
whenever there is a disagreement in rabbinic ruling, Halachah
follows the lenient opinion.
All this applies to the house in general, but it goes without
saying that any object that will come into contact with food during
Pesach must be thoroughly cleaned, for even the slightest amount of
chametz renders Pesach food forbidden. Therefore, the dining table,
kitchen counter-tops and cabinets must all be cleaned well so that
not a single crumb of chametz remains.5
5. The Shulchan Aruch HaRav explains in 446, Kuntrus Acharon 1, that according to
most Rishonim, there is no necessity to burn a piece of chametz that is smaller than
an olive (k’zayit). (See Birur Halacha 45:1 on the topic of dough in the cracks of a kneading
tub.) The Mishnah Berura in 442:33 quotes a dispute amongst the authorities as to
whether a person must burn a piece of chametz that is less than a k’zayit; there are
those who say that since a person would transgress a prohibition by eating this
piece of chametz on Pesach, he must burn it beforehand, whereas others are more
lenient (and would not require him to burn it).
The Mishnah Berurah also writes in the Sha’ar Hatziyun (52) that the practice is to be
stringent and burn this chametz, but does not discuss if one must search for crumbs
smaller than a k’zayit during his bedikat chametz. However, it seems from his
comments in 442:60 that the main point of the bedikat chametz is specifically to find
chametz that is larger than a k’zayit, and indeed this is the opinion of the Pri
Chadash and many other halachic authorities. On the other hand, the Chayei Adam
(109:6) rules stringently, that a person must search even for small crumbs, and this
is also the opinion of the Chazon Ish (Orach Chaim 116:13, 17).
Ostensibly, it is possible to connect this dispute to the purpose of bedikat chametz.
According to Rashi, the purpose of bedikat chametz is to prevent the person from
transgressing the Torah prohibitions of bal year’eh and bal yimatzei, which
according to almost all authorities one does not violate with chametz that is less
than a k’zayit. The Sha’agat Aryeh explains that small amounts of chametz do not
combine (to the size of a k’zayit) to cause the person to transgress bal year’eh and bal
yimatzei, unlike small amounts of forbidden foods, which would combine to create
the size of a k’zayit. And according to the Chacham Tzvi, since there is no action
involved in the violation of bal year’eh and bal yimatzei, there is no significance to a
piece of chametz less than a k’zayit.
On the other hand, according to Tosfot, since the purpose of bedikat chametz is to
prevent a person from eating any chametz that remains in his house on Pesach, a
person would thus be required to check for (and remove) even small crumbs of
edible chametz from his home. And since we follow both Rashi’s and Tosfot’s
reasons, perhaps one must be stringent in this matter. However, it seems that even
according to Tosfot despite the fact that one would violate a Torah prohibition by
eating less than a k’zayit of chametz, still Chachamim didn’t decree to check for such
crumbs, since eating a piece of chametz this size does not incur a penalty of karet.
Additionally, Tosfot’s concern about a person finding chametz in his house on
Pesach and eating it applies mainly to a nice, significant piece of chametz, but
regarding a small crumb of chametz, the concern isn’t as severe. And even if a
person were to find, say, a small crouton somewhere in his house, it is not likely
that the person will eat it, since it was found in a place where food is not normally
stored. Furthermore, even of the person does eat this small crouton, it is possible
to say that the person didn’t intend to eat it; rather, he was cleaning, and instead
of throwing the crouton in the garbage, he put it in his mouth. Such an action is
not a Torah prohibition, and not something for which Chazal would require bedikat
chametz. Notwithstanding, perhaps someone who normally eats these types of
crumbs should be stringent in accordance with the ruling of the Chazon Ish.
7. Do Books Require Bedikat Chametz?
According to a number of Achronim, a person is required to
search all of his books, page by page, because a crumb of chametz
might have fallen into one of them. These authorities maintain that
the objective of bedikat chametz is to remove every crumb of chametz
from one’s possession. This was the practice of the Chazon Ish. He
would check page by page the books he planned to read on Pesach.
He would then sell the rest of his books to a non-Jew and put a
partition in front of them. In this manner, he exempted himself of
the obligation to search them all.
However, according to those Poskim who maintain that the
purpose of bedikat chametz is to find pieces of chametz the size of a
kezayit, clearly there is no need for such a thorough search of books,
for it is inconceivable that there could be a kezayit of chametz between
the pages of a book. In fact, even some of the stringent Poskim, who
say that all chametz must be sought out, maintain that a person is not
required to search for the sort of tiny crumbs one is liable to find in
books, because even if one sees them on Pesach, there is little concern
that one will want to eat them.
Therefore, a person should not search his books page by page,
because this is overly stringent behavior and is even liable to result
Also see the book Hilchot Chag B’Chag, chapter 6 note 2, where the author
discusses the two opinions in this matter, and brings a proof to the lenient
approach from the implication of the Gemara in Pesachim 4a, that bedikat chametz
lasts for less than an hour.
Also see the book Sidur Pesach K’hilchato Section 13, note 39, who rules according
to the stringent opinion that one must check for crumbs, and in the book Bedikat
Chametz U’Bi’uro, Chapter 2, 1, who is very strict regarding crumbs. However,
since this is a dispute about a Rabbinic injunction, the halacha follows the lenient
approach. However, one must differentiate between the places to which he brings
chametz and the rest of the house, similar to the distinction that is made regarding
koshering utensils and bedikat chametz.
in a waste of Torah study time. And indeed, the accepted practice is
not to be stringent in this regard.
However, a person should not put books on the dining table
during Pesach unless he was careful to distance them from chametz
throughout the year. Such books might contain a crumb of chametz,
which could fall into some food on Pesach, and any amount of
chametz on Pesach is forbidden, even if it is mixed with a much
greater quantity of other foodstuffs. It is permissible, though, to read
such books on a table at which one does not eat. And if a person
places such books on the dining table between meals, he must be
careful to clean the table well after eating, so that not a single crumb
remains. Even the stringent Poskim maintain that one who is careful
all year long to distance his books from chametz, and when bringing
them to the dining table is careful that no crumbs of chametz fall into
them, is not required to search his books, because they are already
considered chametz free.6
The status of the bookshelf itself depends upon the household. If
there are no children, and the adults are careful not to put any food
on the bookshelf, no search is required. If there are children in the
house who may have placed food there, one is required to search
among the books and behind them. If the bookshelf was cleaned
well beforehand, a casual search is sufficient.
6. The opinion of the Chazon Ish is quoted in Orach Chaim 116:18. The book Bedikat
Chametz U’bi’uro Chapter 2:1 is very strict regarding small crumbs, but regarding
the issue of checking books, he writes in Chapter 3:24 that the custom is not to be
strict like the Chazon Ish, since the crumbs in books are extremely small, so one
need not be concerned with them. The responsa Ohr LeTziyon (Vol. 1, 32) disagrees
with the Chazon Ish, and proves from the Rambam that one need not be concerned
with chametz that is smaller than a kezayit. However, as I have written in the
previous Halacha, whenever there is a concern that a small crumb might mix into
food, one must be stringent, and as such one should not bring books that may
have crumbs in them in contact with food on Pesach.
8. Do We Rely Upon the Cleaning Done Before Pesach?
Most of the Jewish families are accustomed to cleaning their
whole house thoroughly before Pesach. In this case, any part of the
house that was cleaned well, and into which people were careful not
to bring chametz afterwards, does not require a thorough search
(Shaarei Teshuva 433:1; Daat Torah 433:2).
However, some Poskim take a stringent position in this regard
and assert that the cleaning does not change a thing, for Chachamim
ordained searching the cracks and crevices of one’s entire house on
the night of the fourteenth. Other Poskim are stringent on the
grounds that one cannot rely upon previous cleaning unless it was
carried out at night by the light of a candle. Only in this manner,
they maintain, is it possible to discern the chametz in the cracks and
crevices.
In practice, though, the custom is to follow the lenient approach
and to search relatively quickly all those places that were cleaned
beforehand. This makes sense, for if a room has been cleaned well,
and afterwards, people were careful not to enter with chametz, it has
the status of a place into which no chametz is ever brought, and in
principle, it does not need to be searched. And though a search is
not effective unless it was carried out at night by the light of a
candle, a thorough cleaning is more effective than searching. For
example, when a person cleans a clothing closet, he takes out all of
its contents and wipes off all of the shelves. After this, the chances of
chametz remaining are less than the chances of finding chametz there
after a thorough search on the night of the fourteenth by candlelight.
Nonetheless, one is obligated to search for chametz with a bracha
on the night of the fourteenth, because the place where one eats
certainly needs to be searched. In addition, one may have forgotten
to clean one of the closets, drawers, or corners. Therefore, one is
obligated when performing bedikat chametz to search the entire house
and confirm that everything has indeed been cleaned well. If the
person performing the search did not participate in the cleaning, he
must ask those who did to accompany him in the search, so that he
can ask them if each part of the house he searches was properly
cleaned. Or, they can mark with stickers all the places that were
properly cleaned, and all such places need only be given a casual
search.7
However, even when performing a casual search, a person must
check every corner of the room, along the walls, and between the
7. See Sidur Pesach K’Hilchato (13, note 1) who leans towards a stringent ruling, and
quotes from Derech Pikudecha that those who do bedikat chametz by just glancing
quickly are in violation of the rabbinic decree and their brachot may be considered
wasted. And see also the comments in the book Hilchot Chag B’Chag (2:5) and in the
book Bedikat Chametz U’Biuro (Chapter 3, 16). However, like I have written, the
custom is to be lenient in this matter, as the Kaf HaChaim (433:85) writes as well.
This is true even though bedikat chametz with a candle during the day doesn’t
work, as per the Mishnah Berurah 433:1, and even though a proper cleaning of the
house doesn’t exempt a person from conducting bediakt chametz, as per the
Shulchan Aruch 433:11 and the Magen Avraham (20). There are two reasons
mentioned (as per the ineffectiveness of checking during the day): firstly, because only
at night does the candle illuminate the small cracks and holes properly, and
secondly, because Chazal decreed that the bedika should be done on the 14th of
Nissan at night. Thus, it is clear that our customary checks fulfill both aspects:
firstly, a full cleaning of the house accomplishes more than a daytime bedikat
chametz, and since the person is checking on the night of the 14th, he also fulfills
the second aspect of Chazal’s decree. Accordingly, one should not claim that he is
exempt from the bedika after cleaning his house, or that he cannot make a bracha on
the bedika, as per the reasons I have just mentioned. (And see also in the next halacha
which will explain that according to most authorities there is no obligation to place small
pieces of bread around the house for the bedika even though it is clear that no chametz
remains.) And since we have learned that bedikat chametz is a rabbinic decree,
coupled with what we learned earlier, that according to many authorities one
must only search for pieces of chametz that are larger than a k’zayit, it is certainly
permissible to be lenient and rely on a cursory bedika, provided that one has
already cleaned his house very well.
furniture, and one must open every closet and drawer that could
possibly contain chametz, in order to assure that they were indeed
cleaned and remain so. Searching a room in this manner should take
no more than a few minutes.
9. Hiding Pieces of Bread and Receiving Help From Family Members
There is a custom to hide pieces of bread before bedikat chametz,
so that the person performing the search will have to discover them.
Some maintain that this custom is meant to insure that the searcher
will find chametz, because if he does not find chametz his bracha may
have been said in vain. In truth, though, this is not the case, for even
if no chametz was discovered, there is no bracha le-vatala, since the
objective of the search is to insure that there is no chametz in the
house, and this objective is achieved even if no chametz is found. In
addition, the bracha is not directed at the search alone; rather, it
covers the entire process of chametz removal, which begins with the
bedika and ends with the biur and bitul of the chametz the following
day. This is evident from the fact that the bracha is said "over the
removal of chametz," and not "over the search for chametz."
Therefore, even if a person does not find chametz in his search, he
continues the following morning with the process of removing the
chametz, and hence his bracha in not in vain (Rama 432:2; Mishna Berura ad loc.
13).
Nonetheless, this Jewish custom should not be discontinued. The
Arizal himself had a custom to scatter ten pieces of bread before his
search. Some Poskim explain that the reason for this practice is so
that some chametz will remain after the search, and in this manner
one will not forget to nullify his chametz. Another explanation is that
by virtue of these pieces one will not be negligent about his search
(Chok Yaakov 432:14). Therefore, where the house has received a thorough
cleaning, and in principle a casual search is sufficient, the pieces of read should be put in places where they can be found without
much trouble; but where the house has not been cleaned well, they
should be hidden more carefully. At any rate, it is a good idea for
the person who scatters them to make a list for himself where he hid
them, so that if they are not found, it will be possible to remove
them.
After the search, one should nullify the chametz he did not find
and might remain in the house (as will be explained in part 1 of chapter five). A
person must exercise extreme caution with the chametz that was
found, and the chametz that he plans to eat until the following
morning, that they not become scattered about the house.
If it is difficult for a person to search the entire house on his own,
he can ask family members to help him. In this case, they should
stand next to him while he recites the bracha and answer "Amen."
Then they should spread out in the house to search it. If the owner of
the house is unable to perform the search, he should ask somebody
else to search for him, and the one who does the searching says the
bracha (Shulchan Aruch 432:2; Mishna Berura al loc. 10).
10. One Who Travels Abroad
If a person travels abroad before Pesach, and plans to return
home after Pesach, his performance of bedikat chametz depends on
when he departs. If he leaves his home during the thirty days before
Pesach, i.e., from Purim onward, he is required to search his home
for chametz before leaving. The fact that he will certainly nullify his
chametz is of no bearing, because, as we have learned, Chachamim
ordained that in addition to bitul chametz, one must perform bedikat
chametz, and since he is still at home within the thirty days before
Pesach, the mitzvah of bedikat chametz already applies to him.
Therefore, he must perform bedikat chametz on the last night he stays
in his house. However, he does not say a bracha over this search because it is carried out before the time Chachamim instituted for the
searching (as explained above in part 4 of chapter three).
But if a person leaves his home more than thirty days before
Pesach, i.e., before Purim, he is not required to perform the search
before he leaves. Then, on Erev Pesach, he must nullify all of the
chametz in his possession so that he will not violate the transgression
of possessing chametz. And when he returns home after Pesach, he
must physically remove all of the chametz in his home. However, if
at the time of departure one intended to return to his home before
Pesach, Chachamim ordained that he must perform bedikat chametz
before leaving, even if he sets out at the beginning of the year. This
is because something could go wrong on his journey, preventing
him from returning on time for bedikat chametz (Pesachim 6a, according to the
Rambam). However, if a person appoints a shaliach to search for him on
the night of the fourteenth in case he is unable to return in time, he is
not required to search before his departure. In our day, when it is
possible to make a phone call from anywhere in the world, if a
person has friends or relatives he can call and ask to perform bedikat
chametz for him, he need not search before setting out on a trip, for
even if he is unable to return in time for bedikat chametz, he will be
able to ask one of them to search for him (see Sidur Pesach K’hilchato 12, 13).
The Poskim differ over what should be done in a case where a
person was supposed to perform bedikat chametz before traveling but
forgot to do so. Some say he must return and others say he need not.
Therefore, if it is very difficult for him to return, and he cannot find
a shaliach to perform bedikat chametz for him, he may rely upon the
nullification of the chametz in his bitul chametz (Beur Halachah 436:1, s.v.
zakuk). Then, after Pesach, he must burn or destroy the chametz he
nullified, because if he derives benefit from it after Pesach, he
demonstrates that his nullification was insincere. The same applies
any time a person nullifies chametz but does not remove it –
Chachamim forbid eating or deriving benefit from it after Pesach
(Shulchan Aruch 448:5).
The best thing to do in a case where one forgot to search his
house before traveling is to rent it out to a non-Jew and sell him all
of the chametz.
11. Does Renting Out One’s Entire House to a Non-Jew Exempt It From Bedikat Chametz?
Some families leave home for the entire Pesach holiday, and the
question arises: Can these people exempt themselves of cleaning and
searching for chametz by selling or renting their entire house to a
non-Jew?
The Poskim differ on this issue. Some take the lenient position
that since the house is not actually in the owner’s possession on Erev
Pesach, he is not obligated to search it (Chok Yaakov; Gra’s understanding of the
Tur and the Rema). Many others, however, take the stringent position
that since the owner lives in this house during the thirty days prior
to Pesach, it becomes incumbent upon him to perform bedikat chametz
there. Only if he moves to another house in which he will become
obligated to search for chametz will he be exempt from searching the
house he rented or sold to the non-Jew (Shulchan Aruch 436:3, and Magen
Avraham, and the Graz’s understanding of the Tur and the Rema). In addition, it is
inappropriate for a person to avoid performing the mitzvah of bedikat
chametz.
In practice, in order to satisfy all opinions, a person must sell or
rent his entire house except for one room, and in it he fulfills the
mitzvah of bedikat chametz. Once a person has fulfilled the mitzvah of
bedikat chametz in this room, all Poskim agree that there is no need to
search the rooms that have been sold or rented out to a non-Jew.
In Eretz Yisrael, it is forbidden to sell a house to a non-Jew (Shulchan
Aruch, Yoreh Deah 151:8), and it must therefore be made clear in the
mechirat chametz (sale of chametz) contract that a rental is being
transacted. In addition, the homeowner must sell the chametz in all of
the rented rooms, and by doing this he becomes exempt from
searching these rooms.8
When possible, it is best to rent out one’s house before the night
of the fourteenth, because some Poskim maintain that if, on the night
of the fourteenth, the rooms are still in the homeowner’s possession,
he becomes obligated to search them (Mekor Chaim and Chayeh Adam). When
it is difficult to rent out the house before the night of the fourteenth,
because most rabbinical authorities carry out the sale (and rental) on
the morning of the fourteenth, one may rely upon the lenient
opinions. Since he intends to rent out these rooms, there is no longer
a fear that he will violate the law of bal yera'eh and bal yimatze, and
he therefore need not search them (Binyan Olam, Chatam Sofer, as brought in
Mishna Berura 436:2).
8. The Shulchan Aruch expresses the same opinion as the Avi Ezri. The Achronim
disagreed regarding the opinion of the Tur and Rama. According to the Magen
Avraham (436:17) and Shulchan Aruch HaRav, one is only exempt from the bedika if
the Gentile will actually enter his house before Pesach. According to the Chok
Yaakov and the Gra, even if the Gentile will not actually enter the house, since the
Jewish owner abandoned the chametz in it, there is no need for bedikat chametz. The
Mishnah Berurah (436:32) seems to lean toward a strict ruling (see Sha’ar HaTziyun 31-
32).
In Israel, where it is forbidden to sell a house to a Gentile, one is permitted to rent
out his house. However, the Mekor Chaim (437:4) and the Chayei Adam (119:18) in the
name of the Eliah Rabbah write that one who rents his house to a Gentile still must
conduct bedikat chametz. Nonetheless, it seems that if one sells all of the chametz in
his house, even these poskim would agree that no bedika is required. This is what is
written in the Chatam Sofer 136 and in Hilchot Chag B’Chag Chapter 6, 20 (pages 103-
104), and is the opinion of the Nodeh B’Yehudah, Shulchan Aruch HaRav, and Kitzur
Shulchan Aruch. Another benefit to renting one’s house is that it is done
wholeheartedly, as is written in the Beit Shlomo (2:91) and Zecher Yehosef (238).
The utensils and the stove should be cleaned of all tangible
chametz before Pesach, for if this is not done, it will be necessary to
clean them after Pesach in order to avoid eating chametz she’avar alav
haPesach (chametz that was in a Jew’s possession during Pesach). But it is
inadvisable to sell the utensils to a non-Jew because this will
necessitate immersing them in a mikveh after Pesach, in keeping with
the law regarding utensils bought from a non-Jew. (And to sell the chametz
on them, or absorbed into them, makes no sense at all, as will be explained below in part 4
of chapter six).
12. Bedikat Chametz After the Proper Time and the Rule for One Who Rents a Hotel Room
Chachamim ordained searching for chametz on the night of the
fourteenth of Nisan. If a person does not search at this time, he is
required to do so on the fourteenth by day, and to say a bracha over
the search. If one did not search before Pesach at all, he must search
on Pesach, with a bracha. The fact that he nullified his chametz before
Pesach does not change this, because he is still required to fulfill the
ordinance of the sages, and secondly, because there is a possibility
that he will come across some chametz during Pesach and, forgetting
the prohibition, eat it. If, after Pesach, one suddenly realizes that he
did not perform bedikat chametz, he must do so, in order not to
violate the rabbinic prohibition of chametz she’avar alav haPesach. This
search, however, requires no blessing (Shulchan Aruch 435).
One who rents a hotel room has the status of a tenant. This is
because he pays for the room. It is at his disposal, he receives a key
to lock and unlock it, and only with his permission are strangers and
hotel personnel allowed to enter. Therefore, he is commanded to
recite a bracha and search his room on the night of the fourteenth,
and afterwards he must nullify any chametz in his possession that
may have gone undiscovered. A person who checks in to a hotel
during Pesach must inquire if the rooms were searched for chametz. If they were not searched for chametz, but were merely cleaned in the
routine manner, the guest himself is obligated to search. In this case
no bracha is required.
A hospital patient is required to search his room and his closet
on the night of the fourteenth. However, no bracha is said over this
search, for the room is not at his disposal, and at any time he can be
moved to a different room, or other patients can be moved into his
room.9
A hotel owner is required to perform bedikat chametz in every
room of his hotel, and if it is difficult for him to do this himself, he
can hire a shaliach. Regarding rooms rented to non-Jews, or to Jews
who do not perform bedikat chametz on the night of the fourteenth, a
problem arises. On the one hand, the rooms are rented to them, and
the owner cannot force them to search for chametz in keeping with
the halachah. On the other hand, if they vacate during the holiday, he
will have to search their rooms immediately and remove any chametz
left behind, and he might not have time to do this. The solution,
therefore, is to sell or rent out all of the hotel rooms to a non-Jew
before Pesach, and to have the hotel owner serve as an intermediary
during Pesach between the non-Jew and the guests.
13. Beit Knesset, Dormitory and Yeshiva
Synagogues and study halls require bedikat chametz on the night
of the fourteenth, because people sometimes eat chametz in them.
This is true even of synagogues where people generally do not eat,
for children sometimes enter them with chametz (Shulchan Aruch 433:10).
However, when it comes to saying a bracha over this search, there is
some uncertainty. Therefore, it is best that the person responsible for
9. This is what the Sidur Pesach K’Hilchato (12:8) writes regarding a hotel, and this is
what the Torat HaYolodet (43:1) writes regarding a hospital. And see Piskei Yeshuvot
437:1-2 who brings other sources regarding this matter.
searching the beit knesset first search his own home, and when saying
the bracha there, intend to include the beit knesset.
10
Boys or girls living in a dormitory and paying for this facility
have the status of tenants, and if a kezayit of chametz remains in their
room during Pesach they violate the prohibition of bal yera'eh and bal
yimatze. Therefore, they are obligated to search their rooms before
Pesach, and if they will be staying there during Pesach, they are
required to search on the night of the fourteenth with a bracha. If
they leave the dormitory a number of days before Pesach, they are
required to search on the night before they leave, without reciting a
bracha.
11
10. The opinion of most poskim is that he should recite the bracha, since this is a
mitzvah, and this is what the Mishnah Berurah writes in 433:43 in the name of the
Shulchan Aruch HaRav. But the Aruch HaShulchan writes in 433:12 that one of the
reasons for bedikat chametz is to prevent violation of bal yira’eh, and since a
Synagogue does not belong to any one individual, no one would violate bal yira’eh
on any chametz that remains there. According to this reason then, there is no
mitzvah to check the Synagogue, and thus no bracha should be recited. And this is
what the Maharsham writes in 5:49. Nonetheless, if the Synagogue or Beit Midrash
belongs to one particular individual or to several partners, according to all
authorities he/they must check and recite a bracha. However, if the Synagogue
owner recited the bracha in his house already, he need not recite another bracha in
the Synagogue.
11. The Chazon Ish writes that even if Yeshiva students will not be in their rooms
over Pesach, it is preferable for them to check their rooms on the night of the 14th
with a bracha. And this opinion is quoted in Sidur Pesach K’Hilchato 12:9. Some
authorities debate whether or not the Yeshiva student is considered a renter, since
the Yeshiva administration can switch him to a new room at whim (see Piskei
Teshuvot 437:4). However, it appears that Yeshiva administrations generally do not
transfer older students to new rooms without prior agreement. Therefore, this is
similar to a standard rental agreement where there are conditions that if the renter
transgresses the owner can nullify or change the details of the rental, and thus
older Yeshiva students are considered renters of their respective rooms.
The responsibility for searching the rest of the rooms and halls in
the yeshiva belongs to the yeshiva administration. It is also possible
for them to sell the rooms to a non-Jew and thus exempt themselves
from the obligation to search.
A person who buys or begins renting a home before Pesach must
search it even if he has not yet occupied it, because the previous
resident may have left some chametz there. Since the house is in his
possession, this chametz will cause him to violate the prohibition of
bal yera'eh and bal yimatze. If he owns another house where he will be
fulfilling the mitzvah of bedikat chametz, he can sell or rent out the
new home to a non-Jew and thus exempt himself from the obligation
to search it (see part 11 of this chapter).
14. Chametz Buried Under a Pile of Dirt and the Question of Searching a Storeroom
In a case where chametz is buried under stones, dirt, and the like,
if it is covered by less than three t’fachim (24 centimeters), it does not
have the status of "removed," and it must be uncovered and
disposed of before Pesach. This is because it is possible for a dog to
smell it and dig it up.
However, if the chametz is covered by more than three t’fachim, it
is considered "removed" and does not cause a person to transgress
the prohibition of bal yera'eh u'bal yimatze. Therefore, it needn’t be
dug up and disposed. Bitul chametz is nonetheless required, because
it is possible that some of the stones will be moved during Pesach,
and the chametz will no longer be covered by three t’fachim, causing
the person to violate bal yera'eh uval yimatze.
12
12. I have written according to the opinion of Rashi, Ran, and the majority of
poskim that if the chametz is under a covering larger than three tefachim
(handbreadths) it is considered destroyed and one would not violate bal yimatzei
with this chametz. However, the opinion of the Smak (Sefer Mitzvot Kattan) is that if
Likewise, in a case where chametz falls into a pit in one’s yard, if
it is the sort of pit one does not generally enter, one may nullify the
chametz without extracting and disposing it.
Accordingly, if chametz is stuck behind a wall cabinet, and it is
impossible to remove it without first taking the cabinet apart, or
emptying it out and moving it, one need not remove the chametz. In
this case one may rely upon its nullification (Shulchan Aruch Harav 333:19). If
chametz is located in a place where it can only be removed with some
difficulty, one may pour bleach or soapy water on it until it is no
longer fit for consumption, and hence no longer considered food (not
even for an animal). Once this has been done, it need not be removed.
A storage room where one keeps articles not in use, or
merchandise that he has no intention of using until after Pesach, need
not be searched for chametz. It is sufficient to nullify any chametz that
might be there. However, if one wishes to fill the storage room
during the thirty days prior to Pesach, he must search it first, because
the obligation to prepare for Pesach has already taken effect. If one
does not search it beforehand, it must be thoroughly searched for
the covering is the type that is generally moved, the chametz would indeed be
considered in the owner’s possession and he would violate bal yimatzei. In such a
case, he would only be exempt from destroying the chametz if he nullified it
verbally.
In a case where the chametz is covered by less than three tefachim, one would be
required to remove the chametz, as I have written. If one is certain that there is
chametz under this particular covering, he is required to remove it, and if there is a
danger of snakes and scorpions, he still must take a shovel and remove the
covering to expose and destroy the chametz. However, if one suspects that there is
chametz under the covering, but he is not certain, he is not required to check for the
chametz if there is a danger of snakes and scorpions, and is only required to nullify
the chametz verbally. If there is no danger, though, he is required to check (Shulchan
Aruch 433:8, Mishnah Berurah 35). In any situation where one is required to check, he
can exempt himself from checking by selling the item to a non-Jew.
chametz on the night of the fourteenth (Shulchan Aruch 336:1). If it is
difficult to move all of the storeroom’s contents in order to carry out
the search, it is possible to sell or rent it to a non-Jew and thus
exempt oneself from the obligation to perform bedikat chametz there.
