הלכות חמץ ומצה ג׳Leavened and Unleavened Bread 3

Halacha 1א׳

כְּשֶׁבוֹדֵק אָדָם וּמְחַפֵּשׂ בְּלֵילֵי אַרְבָּעָה עָשָׂר מוֹצִיא אֶת הֶחָמֵץ מִן הַחוֹרִים וּמִן הַמַּחֲבוֹאוֹת וּמִן הַזָּוִיּוֹת וּמְקַבֵּץ הַכּל וּמַנִּיחוֹ בְּמָקוֹם אֶחָד עַד תְּחִלַּת שָׁעָה שִׁשִּׁית בַּיּוֹם וּמְבָעֲרוֹ. וְאִם רָצָה לְבַעֲרוֹ בְּלֵילֵי אַרְבָּעָה עָשָׂר מְבַעֲרוֹ:

When one checks and seeks out the chametz on the night of the fourteenth [of Nissan], he removes it from the holes and the hiding places and the corners; and he gathers all of it and places it in one place until the beginning of the sixth hour and destroys it [then]. And if he wants to destroy it on the night of the fourteenth, he may destroy it.

Halacha 2ב׳

הֶחָמֵץ שֶׁמַּנִּיחַ בְּלֵילֵי אַרְבָּעָה עָשָׂר כְּדֵי שֶׁיֹּאכַל מִמֶּנּוּ לְמָחָר עַד אַרְבַּע שָׁעוֹת אֵינוֹ מַנִּיחוֹ מְפֻזָּר וּמְפֹרָד בְּכָל מָקוֹם אֶלָּא מַצְנִיעוֹ בִּכְלִי אוֹ בְּזָוִית יְדוּעָה וְיִזָּהֵר בּוֹ. שֶׁאִם לֹא נִזְהַר בּוֹ וּמְצָאוֹ חָסֵר צָרִיךְ לְחַפֵּשׂ אַחֲרָיו וְלִבְדֹּק פַּעַם אַחֶרֶת שֶׁמָּא גְּרָרוּהוּ הָעַכְבָּרִים:

[Regarding] the chametz that one leaves over on the night of the fourteenth in order that he will eat from it on the morrow until four hours - he should not leave it 'scattered and asunder' in every place. Rather he should store it in a vessel or a known corner and be careful about it. For if he is not careful with it and finds it missing, he needs to seek after it and and to search another time, lest the mice dragged it [around].

Halacha 3ג׳

חָל אַרְבָּעָה עָשָׂר לִהְיוֹת בְּשַׁבָּת בּוֹדְקִין אֶת הֶחָמֵץ בְּלֵילֵי עֶרֶב שַׁבָּת שֶׁהוּא לֵיל שְׁלֹשָׁה עָשָׂר וּמַנִּיחַ מִן הֶחָמֵץ כְּדֵי לֶאֱכל מִמֶּנּוּ עַד אַרְבַּע שָׁעוֹת בְּיוֹם הַשַּׁבָּת. וּמַנִּיחוֹ בְּמָקוֹם מֻצְנָע וְהַשְּׁאָר מְבָעֲרוֹ מִלִּפְנֵי הַשַּׁבָּת. וְאִם נִשְׁאַר מִן הֶחָמֵץ בְּיוֹם הַשַּׁבָּת אַחַר אַרְבַּע שָׁעוֹת מְבַטְּלוֹ וְכוֹפֶה עָלָיו כְּלִי עַד מוֹצָאֵי יוֹם טוֹב הָרִאשׁוֹן וּמְבָעֲרוֹ:

If the fourteenth fell out to be on Shabbat, we search for chametz on the night of the eve of Shabbat, which is the night of the thirteenth. And one leaves enough from the chametz to eat of it until four hours on Shabbat day and leaves it in a sheltered place; and he destroys the rest from before Shabbat. And if there is chametz left over on Shabbat day, one nullifies it and turns a vessel over it until the conclusion of the first holiday, and he destroys it [then].

Halacha 4ד׳

הָיוּ לוֹ כִּכָּרוֹת רַבּוֹת שֶׁל תְּרוּמָה וְצָרִיךְ לְשָׂרְפָהּ עֶרֶב שַׁבָּת לֹא יְעָרֵב הַטְּהוֹרָה עִם הַטְּמֵאָה וְיִשְׂרֹף אֶלָּא שׂוֹרֵף טְמֵאָה לְעַצְמָהּ וּטְהוֹרָה לְעַצְמָהּ וּתְלוּיָה לְעַצְמָהּ. וּמַנִּיחַ מִן הַטְּהוֹרָה כְּדֵי לֶאֱכל עַד אַרְבַּע שָׁעוֹת בְּיוֹם הַשַּׁבָּת בִּלְבַד:

[In a case in which] one has many loaves of priestly tithe and needs to burn it on the eve of Shabbat: He may not mix the pure with the impure and burn [them together]. Rather he must burn the impure by itself, the pure by itself and the suspended by itself. And he should only leave enough of the pure [tithe] to eat until four hours on Shabbat day.

Halacha 5ה׳

מִי שֶׁשָּׁכַח אוֹ הֵזִיד וְלֹא בָּדַק בְּלֵיל אַרְבָּעָה עָשָׂר בּוֹדֵק אַרְבָּעָה עָשָׂר בְּשַׁחֲרִית. לֹא בָּדַק בְּשַׁחֲרִית בּוֹדֵק בִּשְׁעַת הַבִּעוּר. לֹא בָּדַק בִּשְׁעַת הַבִּעוּר בּוֹדֵק בְּתוֹךְ הֶחָג. עָבַר הָרֶגֶל וְלֹא בָּדַק בּוֹדֵק אַחַר הָרֶגֶל כְּדֵי שֶׁיְּבָעֵר מַה שֶּׁיִּמְצָא מֵחָמֵץ שֶׁעָבַר עָלָיו הַפֶּסַח מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהוּא אָסוּר בַּהֲנָיָה:

One who forgot or was wanton, and did not search on the night of the fourteenth must search on the fourteenth in the morning. [If] he did not search in the morning, he must search at the time of the destruction [of the chametz. If] he did not search at the time of the destruction, he must search in the middle of the festival. [If] the holiday passed and he did not search, he must search after the festival in order to destroy what he finds of the chametz over which Passover transpired - since it is forbidden to benefit [from it].

Halacha 6ו׳

כְּשֶׁבּוֹדֵק הֶחָמֵץ בְּלֵילֵי אַרְבָּעָה עָשָׂר אוֹ בְּיוֹם אַרְבָּעָה עָשָׂר אוֹ בְּתוֹךְ הָרֶגֶל מְבָרֵךְ קֹדֶם שֶׁיַּתְחִיל לִבְדֹּק בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה' אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו וְצִוָּנוּ עַל בִּעוּר חָמֵץ. וּבוֹדֵק וּמְחַפֵּשׂ בְּכָל הַמְּקוֹמוֹת שֶׁמַּכְנִיסִין לָהֶם חָמֵץ כְּמוֹ שֶׁבֵּאַרְנוּ. וְאִם בָּדַק לְאַחַר הָרֶגֶל אֵינוֹ מְבָרֵךְ:

When one searches for chametz on the night of the fourteenth or the day of the fourteenth or in the middle of the festival, he should recite the blessing before he begins to search: Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the Universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments and has commanded us about destruction of chametz. And he searches and seeks [it] in all of the places into which we introduce chametz, as we have explained. But if he searches after the festival, he does not recite the blessing.

Halacha 7ז׳

וּכְשֶׁגּוֹמֵר לִבְדֹּק אִם בָּדַק בְּלֵיל אַרְבָּעָה עָשָׂר אוֹ בְּיוֹם אַרְבָּעָה עָשָׂר קֹדֶם שֵׁשׁ שָׁעוֹת צָרִיךְ לְבַטֵּל כָּל חָמֵץ שֶׁנִּשְׁאַר בִּרְשׁוּתוֹ וְאֵינוֹ רוֹאֵהוּ. וְיֹאמַר כָּל חָמֵץ שֶׁיֵּשׁ בִּרְשׁוּתִי שֶׁלֹּא רְאִיתִיו הֲרֵי הוּא בָּטֵל וַהֲרֵי הוּא כְּעָפָר. אֲבָל אִם בָּדַק מִתְּחִלַּת שָׁעָה שִׁשִּׁית וּלְמַעְלָה אֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לְבַטֵּל שֶׁהֲרֵי אֵינוֹ בִּרְשׁוּתוֹ שֶׁכְּבָר נֶאֱסַר בַּהֲנָיָה:

And when he finishes searching - if he searched on the night of the fourteenth or on the day of the fourteenth before the sixth hour, he must nullify all of the chametz that remained in his possession and that he does not see. And he should say, "All the chametz that is in my possession that I have not seen - behold it is like dust." But if he searched from the beginning of the sixth hour and onward, he is not able to nullify [it], for it is surely not in his possession - as it is already forbidden to benefit [from it].

Halacha 8ח׳

לְפִיכָךְ אִם לֹא בִּטֵּל קֹדֶם שֵׁשׁ וּמִשֵּׁשׁ שָׁעוֹת וּלְמַעְלָה מָצָא חָמֵץ שֶׁהָיָה דַּעְתּוֹ עָלָיו וְהָיָה בְּלִבּוֹ וּשְׁכָחוֹ בִּשְׁעַת הַבִּעוּר וְלֹא בִּעֲרוֹ הֲרֵי זֶה עָבַר עַל (שמות יג ז) (דברים טז ד) "לֹא יֵרָאֶה" וְ (שמות יב יט) "לֹא יִמָּצֵא" שֶׁהֲרֵי לֹא בִּעֵר וְלֹא בִּטֵּל. וְאֵין הַבִּטּוּל עַתָּה מוֹעִיל לוֹ כְּלוּם לְפִי שֶׁאֵינוֹ בִּרְשׁוּתוֹ וְהַכָּתוּב עֲשָׂהוּ כְּאִלּוּ הוּא בִּרְשׁוּתוֹ לְחַיְּבוֹ מִשּׁוּם לֹא יֵרָאֶה וְלֹא יִמָּצֵא. וְחַיָּב לְבַעֲרוֹ בְּכָל עֵת שֶׁיִּמְצָאֶנּוּ. וְאִם מְצָאוֹ בְּיוֹם טוֹב כּוֹפֶה עָלָיו כְּלִי עַד לָעֶרֶב וּמְבַעֲרוֹ. וְאִם שֶׁל הֶקְדֵּשׁ הוּא אֵינוֹ צָרִיךְ לִכְפּוֹת עָלָיו כְּלִי שֶׁהַכּל פּוֹרְשִׁין מִמֶּנּוּ:

Hence if he did not nullify [it] before six [hours]; and he found chametz from six hours and onward that he had his mind upon and he forgot it at the time of the destruction and did not destroy it - this one has surely transgressed, "it shall not be seen," and "it shall not be found." For he surely did not destroy [it], nor did he nullify [it]. And nullification now does not help him at all, since [the chametz] is not in his possession. Yet Scripture made it as if it was in his possession, to make him liable for "it shall not be seen," and "it shall not be found." So he is obligated to destroy at any time that he finds it. However if he found in on the holiday, he covers it with a vessel until the evening and destroys it [then]. And if it is of consecrated [foods], he does not need to cover it with a vessel, since all separate from it [regardless].

Halacha 9ט׳

מִי שֶׁיָּצָא מִבֵּיתוֹ קֹדֶם שְׁעַת הַבִּעוּר לַעֲשׂוֹת מִצְוָה אוֹ לֶאֱכל סְעֻדָּה שֶׁל מִצְוָה כְּגוֹן סְעֻדַּת אֵרוּסִין וְנִשּׂוּאִין וְנִזְכַּר שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ חָמֵץ בְּתוֹךְ בֵּיתוֹ. אִם יָכוֹל לַחֲזֹר וּלְבָעֵר וְלַחֲזֹר לְמִצְוָתוֹ יַחֲזֹר וְאִם לָאו יְבַטֵּל בְּלִבּוֹ. יָצָא לְהַצִּיל מִיַּד הַגַּיִס מִן הַנָּהָר מִן הַדְּלֵקָה וּמִן הַמַּפּלֶת יְבַטֵּל בְּלִבּוֹ וְדַיּוֹ. יָצָא לְצֹרֶךְ עַצְמוֹ וְנִזְכַּר שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ חָמֵץ בְּתוֹךְ בֵּיתוֹ יַחֲזֹר מִיָּד. וְעַד כַּמָּה הוּא חוֹזֵר עַד כְּבֵיצָה. הָיָה פָּחוֹת מִכְּבֵיצָה מְבַטְּלוֹ בְּלִבּוֹ וְדַיּוֹ:

[In a case of] one who went out of his house before the time of the destruction to do a commandment or to eat at a commanded meal - such as a betrothal meal or a marriage meal - and remembered that he had chametz in his house: If he is able to return and destroy it and come back to his commandment, he should return. But if not, he should nullify [it] in his heart, and that is enough for it. [If] he went out to save [Jews] from a [foreign] troop, from a [flooding] river, from a fire or from the collapse [of a structure], he should [just] nullify [it] in his heart and that is enough for it. [If] he went out for his own sake and remembered that he had chametz in his house, he should return immediately. And [what is the minimum for which] he must return? Up to a kabeitsah (the size of a large egg). [If] it was less than a kabeitsah, he should nullify it in his heart and that is enough for it.

Halacha 10י׳

מִי שֶׁהִנִּיחַ עִסָּה מְגֻלְגֶּלֶת בְּתוֹךְ בֵּיתוֹ וְיָצָא וְנִזְכַּר אַחַר שֶׁיָּצָא וְהוּא יוֹשֵׁב לִפְנֵי רַבּוֹ וְהָיָה יָרֵא שֶׁמָּא תַּחֲמִיץ קֹדֶם שֶׁיָּבֹא הֲרֵי זֶה מְבַטְּלוֹ בְּלִבּוֹ קֹדֶם שֶׁתַּחֲמִיץ. אֲבָל אִם הֶחְמִיצָה אֵין הַבִּטּוּל מוֹעִיל כְּלוּם אֶלָּא כְּבָר עָבַר עַל (שמות יג ז) (דברים טז ד) "לֹא יֵרָאֶה" וְ (שמות יב יט) "לֹא יִמָּצֵא" וְחַיָּב לְבַעֵר מִיָּד כְּשֶׁיַּחֲזֹר לְבֵיתוֹ:

[In a case of] one who left a kneaded dough in his house [on the festival] and went out and remembered [it] after he left; and he is [now] sitting before his teacher and is afraid lest it rise before he comes back: Such a one should surely nullify it in his heart before it leavens. But if it [already] leavened, the nullification does not help at all. Rather, he has already transgressed "it shall not be seen," and "it shall not be found." And he is obligated to destroy it immediately when he returns to his house.

Halacha 11י״א

כֵּיצַד בִּעוּר חָמֵץ. שׂוֹרְפוֹ אוֹ פּוֹרֵר וְזוֹרֶה לָרוּחַ אוֹ זוֹרְקוֹ לַיָּם. וְאִם הָיָה הֶחָמֵץ קָשֶׁה וְאֵין הַיָּם מְחַתְּכוֹ בִּמְהֵרָה הֲרֵי זֶה מְפָרְרוֹ וְאַחַר כָּךְ זוֹרְקוֹ לַיָּם. חָמֵץ שֶׁנָּפְלָה עָלָיו מַפּלֶת וְנִמְצָא עָלָיו עָפָר שְׁלֹשָׁה טְפָחִים אוֹ יוֹתֵר הֲרֵי הוּא כִּמְבֹעָר וְצָרִיךְ לְבַטֵּל בְּלִבּוֹ אִם עֲדַיִן לֹא נִכְנְסָה שָׁעָה שִׁשִּׁית. נְתָנוֹ לְעַכּוּ"ם קֹדֶם שָׁעָה שִׁשִּׁית אֵינוֹ צָרִיךְ לְבָעֵר. וְאִם שְׂרָפוֹ קֹדֶם שָׁעָה שִׁשִּׁית הֲרֵי זֶה מֻתָּר לֵהָנוֹת בַּפֶּחָמִין שֶׁלּוֹ בְּתוֹךְ הַפֶּסַח. אֲבָל אִם שְׂרָפוֹ מִשָּׁעָה שִׁשִּׁית וּלְמַעְלָה הוֹאִיל וְהוּא אָסוּר בַּהֲנָיָה הֲרֵי זֶה לֹא יַסִּיק בּוֹ תַּנּוּר וְכִירַיִם וְלֹא יֹאפֶה בּוֹ וְלֹא יְבַשֵּׁל. וְאִם בִּשֵּׁל אוֹ אָפָה אוֹתָהּ הַפַּת וְאוֹתוֹ הַתַּבְשִׁיל אָסוּר בַּהֲנָיָה. וְכֵן הַפֶּחָמִין שֶׁלּוֹ אֲסוּרִין בַּהֲנָיָה הוֹאִיל וְשׂוֹרְפוֹ אַחַר שֶׁנֶּאֱסַר בַּהֲנָיָה:

How is destruction of chametz [done]? One burns it, or crumbles [it] and winnows [it] in the wind. Or one throws it to the sea - but if the chametz is hard and the sea does not break it up quickly, he should surely crumble it and afterwards throw it to the sea. [In a case of] chametz upon which a collapsed [structure] collapsed and there was three or more handbreadths of [debris] found upon it: It is surely like it is destroyed. But he must [still] nullify it in his heart if the sixth hour did not yet begin. [If] he gave it to an idolater before the sixth hour, he does not need to destroy [it]. And if he burned it before the sixth hour, it is surely permissible to benefit from its coals in the middle of Passover. But if he burned it from the sixth hour and onward - since it is forbidden to benefit [from it], he surely may not feed an oven or stove with it and he may not bake with it and he many not cook. However if he did cook or bake [with it], it is forbidden to benefit from that bread or that cooked food. And likewise is it forbidden to benefit from its coals - as he burned it after it became forbidden to benefit [from it].