Chameitz is not radioactive

The key advice is: Calm down

Jews prepare for Passover meticulously but we shouldn’t overdo it. One of the main reasons is that Pesach is a Feast and happiness is mandatory.

There is an unnecessary and unhelpful panic about leavened foodstuff which we are not allowed to eat, have, or show during Jewish Passover.

The stuff is called (in Hebrew) Chameitz.

It’s not radioactive, or dangerous to get close to. Dust is not Chameitz.

If your wife says to clean it, clean it. If your husband thinks he needs to order you around, ask the family rabbi if he’s right.

Places without Chameitz or that you can’t reach don’t need ‘cleaning.’

Unclean kitchenware that we don’t manage to clean can be stored away; a lot of Chameitz on it we can sell, a little, we will nullify.

Dry flour is not Chameitz. Dry wheat cornels are neither. Dogs eat almost anything; but when they wouldn’t eat something, it’s no longer Chameitz. (Some rule, if it reverts to be fit for a dog, its Chameitz status returns.) But Marmite, dry pasta, bread, and flour-based cookies are. You need to learn.

Before Pesach, if Chameitz got into the Pesach food, but you can’t tell and it’s less than a sixtieth of all the ingredients, you will first nullify it on the night before candle lighting with a special solemn declaration you’ll make.

(This year, the day before Pesach (“‘Erev Pesach“) falls on Shabbat, as it rarely does. Then, searching is a day earlier. The final Chameitz nullification is said Shabbat 11 AM-ish since we still have two bread meals on Shabbat.)

We eat, throw, give, sell (and pack) away any large chunks of Chameitz we still own before Pesach. So, there’s no risk it will enter our food.

That is important because, after the onset of Pesach, even a thousandth is not nullified. Therefore, our food should not come into contact with such big pieces of Chameitz that didn’t become nullified before Pesach.

Gentiles are allowed to own Chameitz. Still, also their Chameitz should not sit uncovered in our living spaces or have a chance to get into our food.

Some have a custom not to buy or bring anything into the house during Pesach that could have Chameitz in/on it that we didn’t personally nullify.

The worst problem is eating any Chameitz over Pesach. Chameitz that a Jew owned during Pesach cannot be eaten or profited from after Pesach.

Because of superficial similarities, there are old stringencies for different communities, like not eating a combination of matzo and fluid, or of matzo meal and anything but water, or (anything made from) rice or legumes. Yet, leniencies could apply (ask a rabbi in the know). And in any case, these restrictions aren’t by far as grave as the ban on Chameitz itself.

One of my favorite stories is about this hospitable family (Chabad) that invited (of course) Jews to the Seider evening who didn’t know any Jewish Law. So, one of the guests brought a delicious kosher cake, but not kosher for Pesach. Of course, the hosts didn’t embarrass the guest. They thanked her profusely. In the intermediate days, they buried the Chameitz gift.

In any case, try to learn a little about Pesach (or Shabbat) that it doesn’t seem a time of prohibitions. The injunctions are like the stone chips a stone carver cuts off, in order to bring out the sculpture s/he intended.

If you’re not very excited about Pesach, you’re doing something wrong.

Pesach kasher vesameiach to all Jews. And already Ramadam kareem and good health to all Muslims who soon will celebrate their greatest feast.