The Rambam · Sefer Zemanim
הלכות חמץ ומצה ד׳Leavened and Unleavened Bread 4
Chapter 4 of 9 in Leavened and Unleavened Bread — 12 halachot
Halacha 1א׳
כָּתוּב בַּתּוֹרָה (שמות יג ז) "לֹא יֵרָאֶה לְךָ חָמֵץ". יָכוֹל אִם טָמַן אוֹתוֹ אוֹ הִפְקִיד אוֹתוֹ בְּיַד עַכּוּ"ם לֹא יִהְיֶה עוֹבֵר תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר (שמות יב יט) "שְׂאֹר לֹא יִמָּצֵא בְּבָתֵּיכֶם" אֲפִלּוּ הִפְקִידוֹ אוֹ הִטְמִינוֹ. יָכוֹל לֹא יִהְיֶה עוֹבֵר אֶלָּא אִם כֵּן הָיָה הֶחָמֵץ בְּבֵיתוֹ אֲבָל אִם הָיָה רָחוֹק מִבֵּיתוֹ בַּשָּׂדֶה אוֹ בְּעִיר אַחֶרֶת לֹא יִהְיֶה עוֹבֵר תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר (שמות יג ז) (דברים טז ד) "בְּכָל גְּבֻלֶךָ" בְּכָל רְשׁוּתְךָ. יָכוֹל יְהֵא חַיָּב לְבַעֵר מֵרְשׁוּתוֹ חָמֵץ שֶׁל עַכּוּ"ם אוֹ שֶׁל הֶקְדֵּשׁ תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר (שמות יג ז) (דברים טז ד) "לֹא יֵרָאֶה לְךָ" שֶׁלְּךָ אִי אַתָּה רוֹאֶה אֲבָל אַתָּה רוֹאֶה שֶׁל אֲחֵרִים וְשֶׁל גָּבוֹהַּ:
It is written in the Torah: "No leavened bread shall be seen with you" (Exodus 13:7). One might suppose that a man commits no transgression if he hides the ḥametz or deposits it with a non-Jew; the Torah therefore says plainly: "No leaven shall be found in your houses" (Exodus 12:19), even if he has deposited or hidden it. Furthermore, one might suppose that a man transgresses only if the ḥametz is inside his house, but if it is far from his house, in the fields or in another town, he does not transgress the law; the Torah therefore says plainly: "In all your territory" (13:7), meaning: wherever you have control. It is possible that one is obligated to destroy chamets of an idolater or of consecrated food. Hence we learn to say, "it shall not be seen with you" (Exodus 13:7; Deuteronomy 16:4) - you may not see yours, but you may see that of others and of the Most High.
Halacha 2ב׳
הָא לָמַדְתָּ שֶׁהֶחָמֵץ שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל אִם הֱנִיחוֹ בִּרְשׁוּתוֹ אֲפִלּוּ טָמוּן וַאֲפִלּוּ בְּעִיר אַחֶרֶת וַאֲפִלּוּ מֻפְקָד בְּיַד עַכּוּ"ם הֲרֵי זֶה עוֹבֵר מִשּׁוּם (שמות יג ז) (דברים טז ד) "לֹא יֵרָאֶה" וְ(שמות יב יט) "לֹא יִמָּצֵא". חָמֵץ שֶׁל הֶקְדֵּשׁ אוֹ שֶׁל עַכּוּ"ם שֶׁהָיָה אֵצֶל יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲפִלּוּ הָיָה עִמּוֹ בַּבַּיִת הֲרֵי זֶה מֻתָּר מִפְּנֵי שֶׁאֵינוֹ שֶׁלּוֹ. וַאֲפִלּוּ הָיָה שֶׁל גֵּר תּוֹשָׁב שֶׁיַּד יִשְׂרָאֵל שׁוֹלֶטֶת עָלָיו אֵין כּוֹפִין אוֹתוֹ לְהוֹצִיא הֶחָמֵץ מֵרְשׁוּתוֹ בְּפֶסַח. אֲבָל צָרִיךְ לַעֲשׂוֹת מְחִצָּה גְּבוֹהָה עֲשָׂרָה טְפָחִים בִּפְנֵי חֲמֵצוֹ שֶׁל עַכּוּ"ם שֶׁמָּא יָבוֹא לְהִסְתַּפֵּק מִמֶּנּוּ. אֲבָל שֶׁל הֶקְדֵּשׁ אֵינוֹ צָרִיךְ מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהַכּל פּוֹרְשִׁין מִן הַהֶקְדֵּשׁ כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יָבוֹאוּ לִידֵי מְעִילָה:
See, you have learned that [regarding] chamets of an Israelite: If he left it in his possession - even [if] concealed, and even [if] in a different city or even [if] entrusted to the hand of an idolater - this one is surely transgressing "it shall not be seen" and "it shall not be found." [Regarding] chamets that was consecrated or that belonged to an idolater and was with an Israelite - even if it was with him in the house - it is surely permitted, because it is not his. And even if it belonged to a resident stranger over whom the hand of Israel rules, we do not force him to remove the chamets from his possession on Passover. But [the Jew that has it in his house] needs to make a partition ten handbreadths high in front of the chamets of the idolater, lest [the Jew] come to supply from it. But consecrated [chamets] need not [be partitioned off], because everyone separates from consecrated [foods] in order not to come to [the prohibition of] misappropriation.
Halacha 3ג׳
עַכּוּ"ם שֶׁהִפְקִיד חֲמֵצוֹ אֵצֶל יִשְׂרָאֵל אִם קִבֵּל עָלָיו יִשְׂרָאֵל אַחֲרָיוּת שֶׁאִם אָבַד אוֹ נִגְנַב יְשַׁלֵּם לוֹ דָּמָיו הֲרֵי זֶה חַיָּב לְבָעֲרוֹ הוֹאִיל וְקִבֵּל עָלָיו אַחֲרָיוּת נַעֲשָׂה כְּשֶׁלּוֹ. וְאִם לֹא קִבֵּל עָלָיו אַחֲרָיוּת מֻתָּר לְקַיְּמוֹ אֶצְלוֹ וּמֻתָּר לֶאֱכל מִמֶּנּוּ אַחַר הַפֶּסַח שֶׁבִּרְשׁוּת הָעַכּוּ"ם הוּא:
[In a case of] an idolater who deposited his chamets with an Israelite: If the Israelite accepted responsibility upon himself - that if it is lost or stolen, he will pay him for its value - this one is surely obligated to destroy it. Since he accepted responsibility upon himself, it became like his. But if he did not accept responsibility, it is permissible to keep it with him; and it is permissible to eat from it after Passover - as it is in the possession of the idolater.
Halacha 4ד׳
עַכּוּ"ם אַנָּס שֶׁהִפְקִיד חֲמֵצוֹ אֵצֶל יִשְׂרָאֵל אִם יוֹדֵעַ הַיִּשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁאִם אָבַד אוֹ נִגְנַב מְחַיְּבוֹ לְשַׁלְּמוֹ וְכוֹפֵהוּ וְאוֹנְסוֹ לְשַׁלֵּם אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁלֹּא קִבֵּל אַחֲרָיוּת הֲרֵי זֶה חַיָּב לְבַעֲרוֹ. שֶׁהֲרֵי נֶחְשָׁב כְּאִלּוּ הוּא שֶׁלּוֹ מִפְּנֵי שֶׁמְּחַיְּבוֹ הָאַנָּס בְּאַחְרָיוּתוֹ:
[In a case of] an extortionist idolater who deposited his chamets with an Israelite: If the Israelite knows that if it is lost or stolen, he will obligate him to pay [for] it and [then] force him and extort him to pay - this one is surely obligated to destroy it, even though he did not accept responsibility for it. For it is surely considered as if it is his, since the extortionist obligates him [to accept] responsibility.
Halacha 5ה׳
יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁהִרְהִין חֲמֵצוֹ אֵצֶל הָעַכּוּ"ם אִם אָמַר לוֹ אִם לֹא הֵבֵאתִי לְךָ מָעוֹת מִכָּאן וְעַד יוֹם פְּלוֹנִי קְנֵה חָמֵץ זֶה מֵעַכְשָׁו הֲרֵי זֶה בִּרְשׁוּת הָעַכּוּ"ם וְאוֹתוֹ הֶחָמֵץ מֻתָּר לְאַחַר הַפֶּסַח. וְהוּא שֶׁיִּהְיֶה אוֹתוֹ זְמַן שֶׁקָּבַע לוֹ קֹדֶם הַפֶּסַח. וְאִם לֹא אָמַר לוֹ קְנֵה מֵעַכְשָׁו נִמְצָא אוֹתוֹ הֶחָמֵץ כְּאִלּוּ הוּא פִּקָּדוֹן אֵצֶל הָעַכּוּ"ם וְאָסוּר בַּהֲנָיָה לְאַחַר הַפֶּסַח:
[In a case of] an Israelite who pawns his chamets with an idolater: If he said to him, "If I don't bring you money from now until day x, you acquire this chamets from now" - it is surely in the possession of the idolater, so that chamets is permitted after Passover. But if he did not say, "you acquire from now" - it comes out that that chamets is like a deposit with the idolater, so it is forbidden to benefit [from it] after Passover.
Halacha 6ו׳
יִשְׂרָאֵל וְעַכּוּ"ם שֶׁהָיוּ בָּאִין בִּסְפִינָה וְהָיָה חָמֵץ בְּיַד יִשְׂרָאֵל וְהִגִּיעָה שָׁעָה חֲמִישִׁית הֲרֵי זֶה מוֹכְרוֹ לְעַכּוּ"ם אוֹ נוֹתְנוֹ לוֹ בְּמַתָּנָה וְחוֹזֵר וְלוֹקְחוֹ מִמֶּנּוּ אַחַר הַפֶּסַח. וּבִלְבַד שֶׁיִּתְּנֶנּוּ לוֹ מַתָּנָה גְּמוּרָה:
[In a case of] an Israelite and an idolater who were coming on a ship and there was chamets in the hand of the Israelite and the fifth hour arrived: That one may surely sell it to the idolater or give it to him as a gift and [then] purchase it back from him after Passover. And [that is] so long as he gives it to him as an outright gift.
Halacha 7ז׳
אוֹמֵר יִשְׂרָאֵל לְעַכּוּ"ם עַד שֶׁאַתָּה לוֹקֵחַ בְּמָנֶה בּוֹא וְקַח בְּמָאתַיִם. עַד שֶׁאַתָּה לוֹקֵחַ מֵעַכּוּ"ם בּוֹא וְקַח מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁמָּא אֶצְטָרֵךְ וְאֶקַּח מִמְּךָ אַחַר הַפֶּסַח. אֲבָל לֹא יִמְכֹּר וְלֹא יִתֵּן לוֹ עַל תְּנַאי. וְאִם עָשָׂה כֵּן הֲרֵי זֶה עוֹבֵר עַל בַּל יֵרָאֶה וּבַל יִמָּצֵא:
Halacha 8ח׳
תַּעֲרֹבֶת חָמֵץ עוֹבְרִין עָלֶיהָ מִשּׁוּם בַּל יֵרָאֶה וּבַל יִמָּצֵא. כְּגוֹן הַמּוּרְיָס וְכוּתָח הַבַּבְלִי וְשֵׁכָר הַמָּדִי שֶׁעוֹשִׂין אוֹתוֹ מִן הַקֶּמַח. וְכָל כַּיּוֹצֵא בָּאֵלּוּ מִדְּבָרִים הַנֶּאֱכָלִים. אֲבָל דָּבָר שֶׁיֵּשׁ בּוֹ תַּעֲרֹבֶת חָמֵץ וְאֵינוֹ רָאוּי לַאֲכִילָה הֲרֵי זֶה מֻתָּר לְקַיְּמוֹ בְּפֶסַח:
If one keeps food that contains an admixture of ḥametz during Passover, he transgresses the prohibition against its being seen or found. For example brine, Babylonian kutach and Median beer, that they make from flour, and all of the edible things that are similar to them. However, if the thing containing an admixture of ḥametz is not edible, it is permissible to retain it during Passover.
Halacha 9ט׳
כֵּיצַד. עֲרֵבַת הָעַבְּדָנִין שֶׁנָּתַן לְתוֹכָהּ קֶמַח וְעוֹרוֹת אֲפִלּוּ נְתָנוֹ שָׁעָה אַחַת קֹדֶם הַבִּעוּר הֲרֵי זֶה מֻתָּר לְקַיְּמוֹ. וְאִם לֹא נָתַן הָעוֹרוֹת וְנָתַן הַקֶּמַח קֹדֶם שְׁלֹשָׁה יָמִים לִשְׁעַת הַבִּעוּר מֻתָּר לְקַיְּמוֹ שֶׁהֲרֵי נִפְסַד וְהִבְאִישׁ. תּוֹךְ שְׁלֹשָׁה יָמִים חַיָּב לְבָעֵר:
How is this? [In a case of] a tanners’ trough into which one placed flour and [animal] skins: This is surely permissible to keep - even if he placed [the skins] one hour before the [time of] the destruction. And if he did not place skins [into it], but placed the flour before three days from the time of the destruction [of chamets], it is permissible to keep it - for [the flour's] appearance has gone bad; within three days, one is obligated to destroy [it].
Halacha 10י׳
וְכֵן הַקִּילוֹר וְהָרְטִיָּה וְהָאִסְפְּלָנִית וְהַתְּרִיאַ"ק שֶׁנָּתַן לְתוֹכָן חָמֵץ מֻתָּר לְקַיְּמָן בְּפֶסַח שֶׁהֲרֵי נִפְסְדָה צוּרַת הֶחָמֵץ:
And likewise an eye salve, a plaster, a bandage or a teriak into which one put chamets is permissible to keep on Passover - for its appearance has surely gone bad.
Halacha 11י״א
הַפַּת עַצְמָהּ שֶׁעִפְּשָׁה וְנִפְסְלָה מִלֶּאֱכל הַכֶּלֶב ומְלוּגְמָא שֶׁנִּסְרְחָה אֵינוֹ צָרִיךְ לְבָעֵר. בְּגָדִים שֶׁכִּבְּסוּ אוֹתָן בְּחֵלֶב חִטָּה וְכֵן נְיָרוֹת שֶׁדִּבְּקוּ אוֹתָן בְּחָמֵץ וְכָל כַּיּוֹצֵא בָּזֶה מֻתָּר לְקַיְּמָן בְּפֶסַח וְאֵין בָּהֶן מִשּׁוּם (שמות יג ז) (דברים טז ד) "לֹא יֵרָאֶה" וְ(שמות יב יט) "לֹא יִמָּצֵא" שֶׁאֵין צוּרַת הֶחָמֵץ עוֹמֶדֶת:
One does not need to destroy bread itself that spoiled and became disqualified from the eating of a dog, nor an emollient that became putrid. It is permissible to keep garments that were laundered with wheat fat, and papers that were glued with chamets and anything that is similar to it. And no [prohibition of] "it shall not be seen," and "it shall not be found" [applies] to them - as the appearance of chamets does not remain.
Halacha 12י״ב
דָּבָר שֶׁנִּתְעָרֵב בּוֹ חָמֵץ וְאֵינוֹ מַאֲכָל לְאָדָם כְּלָל. אוֹ שֶׁאֵינוֹ מַאֲכַל כָּל אָדָם כְּגוֹן הַתְּרִיאַ"ק וְכַיּוֹצֵא בּוֹ אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁמֻּתָּר לְקַיְּמוֹ אָסוּר לְאָכְלוֹ עַד אַחַר הַפֶּסַח. וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֵין בּוֹ מִן הֶחָמֵץ אֶלָּא כָּל שֶׁהוּא הֲרֵי זֶה אָסוּר לְאָכְלוֹ:
[Regarding] something with which chamets is mixed and it is not a human food at all; or it is not a food for all people, such as teriak and that which is similar to it - even though it is permissible to keep it, it is forbidden to eat it until after Passover. And even though it only has a minimal amount of chamets, it is [still] surely forbidden to eat it.
Mishneh Torah, Torat Emet 363 edition, via Sefaria — public domain
English: Sefaria Edition, tr. R. Francis Nataf, 2019 — CC BY