A Guide Getting Rid of Your Hametz for Passover
A GUIDE TO BEDIKAT/BI’UR HAMETZ
The laws of searching for and disposal of Hametz
Go to kanestreet.org/hametz to “sell” your Hametz!
Bedikat Hametz (search for leaven) & Bi’ur Hametz (removal of leaven):
At the onset of the night of the 14th of Nisan (as is, the night before Passover), the search should take place as soon as possible after nightfall, which is around 8:00pm on Tuesday evening, April 4. It is customary, but not mandatory, to place ten pieces of bread or other “hard core” hametz around the house. The following blessing is recited before the search commences:
Barukh atah Adonai, Eloheinu melekh ha-olam,
asher kideshanu be-mitzvotav, ve-tzivanu al bi’ur hametz.
Blessed are you, Lord our God, ruler of the universe, who has sanctified us with Your commandments and commanded us concerning the removal of hametz.
After the recitation of the blessing, participants should remain silent until the search begins. Extraneous matters unrelated to the search should not be discussed until the search is complete. The search is conducted by candlelight. A flashlight may also be used, but a candle is preferable. The residents search the house for hametz and collect it, traditionally with a feather and a spoon (but a paper towel and some other receptacle for catching the hametz works just fine). After the conclusion of the search the following Aramaic declaration is recited by all members of the household, declaring any hametz in one’s possession to be null and void. The declaration should be said in English* unless one understands Aramaic.
Kol hamira vahamiyah de-ika virshuti de-la hamitei ud’la vi’artei
ud’la yeda’ana lei libateil ve-lehevei ke-afra de-ara.
Any leavening agent or leavened item that is in my possession which I have not seen, have not removed, and do not know about should be annulled and become ownerless, like dust of the earth.
[FINAL Hametz EATING THIS YEAR IS UNTIL 10:50am on Wednesday morning, 4/5]
The hametz found during the search should be wrapped carefully and put aside until the next morning; it should be burned before 11:54am on Wednesday, April 5. A second declaration is made after burning, once the last of the hametz has been eaten/disposed of*:
Kol hamira vahamiyah de-ika virshuti de-hazitei ud’la hazitei, de-hamitei
ud’la hamitei, de-vi’artei ud’la vi’artei, libatel ve-lehevei hefker ke-afra de-ara.
Any leavening agent or leavened item that is in my possession, whether I have recognized it or not, whether I have seen it or not, whether I have removed it or not, should be annulled and become ownerless, like dust of the earth.
[*While the tradition is to burn your hametz (and to recite the above following the burning), one’s hametz can also be disposed of by placing in a public (or even private if you pour chemicals on top making inedible) garbage – for questions about this, please contact Rabbi Dardashti.]