Pesach countdown -- 8 Days to Go

The big effort in preparing physically for Pesach involves removing chametz from the house. We attack this effort on two fronts --

1 -- Getting rid of the food that contains chametz, either by eating it, giving it away, or (in a very few cases) throwing it away.

2 -- Cleaning.

I've talked a little about the business of clearing out and using up the food, but tonight I'm going to spend just a little time talking about Pesach cleaning.

Pesach cleaning can be as rigorous as you like. Or as superficial as you like, though not everyone would agree with me about this. Here's the thing -- you can choose to clean every crevice in your home, shake out all the books just in case someone dropped a crumb of chametz and it got caught in the pages, vacuum your cars, scrub every surface, and so on. Or you can do a good general cleaning and rely on a couple of formulas for the rest. More about that in a few paragraphs.

First of all, we are commanded to remove the chametz, by cleaning, by using it up, by selling it, or by whatever other means we choose. After doing whatever cleaning is necessary for our peace of mind, we search for any chametz that we may have forgotten or overlooked in a ceremony known as bedikat chametz. Bedikat chametz is usually performed the night before the first seder. Here's how it's done:

Most people hide at least 10 pieces of chametz (bread, crackers, cookies, pasta, etc.) around the house so that they will be sure to find something on their search.

The lights are turned out and a candle is lit.

With a feather (or the lulav saved from Sukkot) and the lit candle, you go around the house and find the chametz -- not only that which was prepared and hidden, but any other chametz that you may have missed while cleaning up (it happens).

After your search, you recite the appropriate blessing and the first of two nullification formulas: All leaven and anything leavened that is in my possession, which I have neither seen nor removed, and about which I am unaware, shall be considered nullified and ownerless as the dust of the earth. 

This formula allows you to hold aside some chametz-dik foods to have early the next morning. My family is very fond of having donuts for our breakfast the day of the first seder.

In the morning, usually by around 10:0 a.m., you burn the chametz that was set aside the night before and say a second nullification formula: All leaven and anything leavened that is in my possession, whether I have seen it or not, whether I have observed it or not, whether I have removed it or not, shall be considered nullified and ownerless as the dust of the earth.

This process is somewhat simplified. For full information, you should check a traditional haggadah, a web site,
or instructions from your local rabbi or synagogue. But almost all of it is fun -- especially the search by candlelight at night and the fire in the morning.

I love the simplicity of the nullification formula. Assuming that you have made a sincere effort to remove your chametz, anything that you missed (for example, the little snack crackers that your cats knocked under the radiators and decide to fish out halfway through your seder) is now dust of the earth. It is not chametz because chametz is food and you don't eat dust of the earth. Dust is something that you sweep up and throw away.

Many years ago, I attended a class on Pesach cleaning taught by an Orthodox rabbi. He said something in that class that I have always held close to my heart while preparing for Pesach. He told us that "Dirt is not chametz." So I clean, but I don't make myself crazy worrying about every little microscopic speck that might or might not be chametz.

Not everyone feels the same way about cleaning and chametz. My belief is that Pesach gives us a chance to examine our lives -- not only the places in which we live and eat, but also the way in which we live. I do not believe that G-d wants us to make ourselves crazy while preparing our homes for Pesach. In my mind, shaking out the pages of the 10,000 or so books that we own to make sure that there are no crumbs lodged between the pages is .... uh, yeah, crazy. But opinions differ. Each person has to do what is right for their particular circumstances.

Okay, having said all that, we did accomplish something today that moves us toward being ready for Pesach in 8 days. We cleared off some shelves in the garage so that we have a place to move our regular dishes:

I think those cornstick pans were put out there last year and never brought back into the house. Other than that, we have 3 shelves ready to hold dishes and other kitchen paraphernalia.