Which chametz may not be kept on Pesach and which may

Siman 112: Which chametz may not be kept on Pesach and which may

Presented here for study, not as a practical ruling. The Shulchan Aruch rules by Sephardi custom, the Rema's glosses by Ashkenazi custom, and the Kitzur follows Ashkenazi custom. For a practical question, ask your rabbi.

א כָּל דָּבָר שֶׁיֵּשׁ בּוֹ תַּעֲרֹבֶת חָמֵץ, וַאֲפִלּוּ אֵין בּוֹ חָמֵץ בָּעַיִן, רַק הַטַּעַם מֵחָמֵץ, כְּגוֹן שֶׁהֵסִירוּ אֶת הֶחָמֵץ, מִכָּל מָקוֹם אָסוּר לְהַשְׁהוֹתוֹ בַּפֶּסַח. אֲבָל דָּבָר שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה בּוֹ חָמֵץ כְּלָל, אֶלָּא שֶׁנִּתְבַּשֵּׁל בִּכְלֵי חָמֵץ, אֲפִלוּ הָיָה הַכְּלִי בֶּן יוֹמוֹ, אוֹ שֶׁנִּכְבַּשׁ בִּכְלִי חָמֵץ, מֻתָּר לְהַשְׁהוֹתוֹ בַּפֶּסַח. וְדַוְקָא שֶׁנִּתְבַּשֵּׁל אוֹ נִכְבַּשׁ קֹדֶם הַפֶּסַח, אֲבָל אִם נִתְבַּשֵּׁל אוֹ נִכְבַּשׁ בַּפֶסַח בִּכְלִי חָמֵץ, חַיָּבִין לְבַעֲרוֹ.

1 Any food that contains a mixture of chametz even if the chametz is not actually present, but only the taste of the chametz remained after the chametz itself was removed, is forbidden to be kept during Pesach. However, if the food never contained chametz but was cooked in a vessel used for chametz, even if chametz was cooked in the vessel that day, or if an item was pickled in a vessel used for chametz, you are permitted to keep it during Pesach, provided it was cooked or pickled before Pesach; but if the cooking or pickling was done on Pesach in a vessel used for chametz, the food item must be burned.

ב תְּבוּאָה שֶׁיֵּשׁ בָּהּ גַּרְעִינִים צְמוּחִים אוֹ מְבֻקָּעִים, וַאֲפִלּוּ הֵם מְעֹרָבִים מְעַט בְּהַרְבֵּה. וְכֵן תְּבוּאָה שֶׁנָּפְלוּ עָלֶיהָ מַיִם אוֹ שֶׁרְחָצָהּ בְּמַיִם, אָסוּר לְהַשְׁהוֹתָהּ. וְכֵן כָּל הַדְּבָרִים שֶׁנַעֲשׂוּ מִתְּבוּאָה זוֹ, אָסוּר לְהַשְׁהוֹתָן. וּמִי שֶׁמּוֹכֵר לַחֲבֵרוֹ תְּבוּאָה שֶׁנִּתְלַחְלְחָה, צָרִיךְ לְהוֹדִיעַ לוֹ שֶׁלֹּא יַשְׁהֶה אוֹתָהּ בַּפֶסַח. וּלְנָכְרִי אָסוּר לְמָכְרָהּ בְּמָקוֹם שֶׁיֵּשׁ חֲשָׁשׁ שֶׁיִּמְכְּרֶנָּהּ הַנָּכְרִי לְיִשְֹרָאֵל וְיַשְׁהֶה אוֹתָהּ בַּפֶסַח.

2 If grain contains some seeds that have sprouted or were split open, even if only a few of them were mixed in a large quantity, or if water has fallen on the grain, or it was washed with water, it is forbidden to keep (such grain during Pesach), and anything that was prepared from such grain, is forbidden to be kept during Pesach. If you sell your neighbor grain that has become wet, you must let him know this, so that he will not keep it in his possession during Pesach. You are forbidden to sell it to a non-Jew, when you are concerned that the non-Jew will sell it to a Jew who will keep it during Pesach.

ג בְּגָדִים שֶׁנִּתְכַּבְּסוּ וְנִתְקְנוּ בַּחֲלֵב חִטָּה (שטערק), מֻתָּר לְלָבְשָׁן בְּפֶסַח. אֲבָל אֵין לְהַצִּיעָן עַל הַשֻּׁלְחָן אִם יֵשׁ עֲלֵיהֶם אֵיזֶה מַמָּשׁוּת, שֶׁיֵּשׁ לָחוּשׁ שֶׁיִּתְפָּרֵר מֵהֶם אֵיזֶה פֵּרוּר, וְכָל שֶׁכֵּן שֶׁאָסוּר לָתֵת לְתוֹכָן קֶמַח שֶׁל פֶּסַח.

3 Clothes that were laundered and starched with wheat starch are permitted to be worn on Pesach, but you should not spread a tablecloth if there is any starch on it, for there is concern that some particles may flake off, and most certainly it is forbidden to put the Pesach flour into such a cloth.

ד מֻתָּר לְדַבֵּק נְיָרוֹת בַּחַלּוֹן, אֲפִלּוּ בְּתוֹךְ שְׁלֹשִׁים יוֹם לַפֶּסַח, וּבִלְבַד שֶׁלֹּא יְהֵא הֶחָמֵץ נִרְאֶה, דְּכֵיוָן שֶׁהַדֶּבֶק אֵינוֹ חָמֵץ גָּמוּר, וְגַם הוּא מְכֻסֶּה, לֹא הֶחְמִירו בּוֹ. אֲבָל אִם נִרְאֶה בַּחוּץ, אָסוּר. וְקֹדֶם שְׁלֹשִׁים יוֹם, בְּכָל עִנְיָן מֻתָּר.

4 You are allowed to paste paper on a window even during the thirty days before Pesach, provided the chametz is not visible. Since the paste is not absolute chametz, and it is also covered up, the Sages did not rule stringently in this case. But, if the paste is visible, it is forbidden. But before the thirty days, it is permitted in any case.

ה דְּיוֹ שֶׁנִּתְבַּשְּׁלָה בְּשֵׁכָר קֹדֶם פֶּסַח, מֻתָּר לִכְתֹּב בָּהּ בְּחֹל הַמּוֹעֵד פֶּסַח, כֵּיוָן שֶׁנִּפְסְלָה מֵאֲכִילַת הַכֶּלֶב קֹדֶם הַפֶּסַח. וְכֵן כָּל כַּיּוֹצֵא בָּזֶה, שֶׁנִּפְסַל וְנִפְסַד הֶחָמֵץ לְגַמְרֵי קֹדֶם הַפֶּסַח, מֻתָּר בַּפֶסַח בַּהֲנָאָה וּבִשְׁהִיָּה. אֲבָל אֵינוֹ יְהוּדִי שֶׁבִּשֵּׁל בַּפֶּסַח דְּיוֹ בְּשֵׁכָר, אָסוּר לְיִשְֹרָאֵל בַּהֲנָאָה, מִשּׁוּם דְּחָמֵץ שֶׁל אֵינוֹ יְהוּדִי גַּם כֵּן אָסוּר לְיִשְֹרָאֵל בַּהֲנָאָה בַּפֶסַח (סִימָן תמ"ב ובחיי"א).

5 If ink was prepared with beer before Pesach, you are permitted to write with it on Chol Hamoed Pesach, because it has become unfit even for dog food before Pesach. The same law applies to all similar cases where chametz has become spoiled and totally unfit before Pesach. You may derive benefit from such chametz and keep it on Pesach. But if a non-Jew prepared ink with beer on Pesach, a Jew is forbidden to derive benefit from it, because the chametz belonging to a non-Jew is also forbidden for a Jew to benefit from on Pesach.

ו כָּל הַכֵּלִים שֶׁאֵינוֹ מַכְשִׁירָן לַפּסַח, צָרִיךְ לְשַׁפְשְׁפָן הֵיטֵב בְּעֶרֶב פֶּסַח קֹדֶם שָׁעָה שִׁשִּׁית וְלַהֲדִיחָן בְּעִנְיָן שֶׁלֹּא יְהֵא חָמֵץ נִכָּר, וְיַצְנִיעֵם בְּמָקוֹם צָנוּעַ שֶׁאֵינוֹ רָגִיל לֵילֵךְ לְשָׁם בַּפֶּסַח. וְטוֹב לְסָגְרָם בְּחֶדֶר מְיֻחָד וּלְהַצְנִיעַ אֶת הַמַּפְתֵּחַ עַד לְאַחַר הַפֶּסַח (תנ"א).

6 All vessels that you are not kashering for Pesach must be scrubbed thoroughly on erev Pesach before the sixth hour, and rinsed in such a way that no chametz is visible on them. They should be stored in a secluded place where you do not ordinarily go on Pesach. It is best to lock them up in a separate room and to hide the key until after Pesach.

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