Raise a Glass to Freedom
4 min read
On Passover, we purge our homes – and our lives – of chametz. But what is it?
One of the central commands of Passover is not to eat any chametz. What is chametz exactly? Here are six facts you need to know about chametz.
Chametz can be any one of five grains: wheat, spelt, barley, rye, or oats. If any of these grains is mixed with water and left to stand for 18 minutes or more, they become chametz.
In theory, if a piece of wheat, spelt, barley, rye, or oats has never touched water since the moment it was harvested, then it’s not chametz at all. In practice, it’s virtually impossible to buy one of these grains and not have them be chametz since the process of harvesting, storing, processing and packaging grain inevitably means that it is introduced to some sort of moisture along the way. Each time we buy a package of bread flour, instant oatmeal or the like, we’re purchasing something that is already chametz.
(The special, kosher-for-Passover items in the store - matzah, Passover mixes, etc. - are made with grains that have been carefully watched and stored in separate, kosher-for-Passover facilities, and have never been exposed to any of the moisture that is present in mainstream food manufacturing, and which renders grain chametz.)
One of the Torah’s central instructions about Passover is the injunction to rid our homes of any chametz: “You shall nullify the chametz from your homes, for anyone who eats chametz - that soul shall be cut of from Israel” during the entirety of the Passover holiday” (Exodus 12:15).
This passage recalls the night before the Exodus from Egypt, when God instructed every Jewish household to rid itself of ordinary pastries and grain, and to eat a special meal consisting of matzah, bitter herbs, and a roasted lamb. Each year, we recreate this meal at our Passover Seders, after making sure that our homes - like those of our ancient Jewish ancestors - is chametz-free. (The same goes for our cars, offices, and our belongings.)
Before Passover begins, many Jews sell their chametz to a non-Jew, so that they don’t own a single piece of chametz during the festival. Congregational rabbis typically arrange these sales. Contact your own local rabbi to participate.
The Passover Haggadah refers to matzah as lechem oni, the bread of poverty. In Jewish thought, it symbolizes humility and self-discipline, a commitment to Jewish peoplehood and to goals that are larger than ourselves. The great 12-century Jewish sage Ramban enjoined us to eliminate all chametz “in our minds” as well as in our homes, taking the opportunity that Passover presents to examine our lives and commit ourselves fully to others.
Even though chametz contains the same ingredients as matzah - grain and water - chametz products are leavened, filled with air and often contain other ingredients. This symbolizes human pride. On Passover, we work on overcoming our ego and self-centeredness, and return to the stripped-down essence of who we are.
The night before Passover begins, it’s customary to search our homes by candlelight for any chametz that we might have overlooked. Many families scatter ten pieces of chametz throughout the house, then search for them using a candle, a feather, a wooden spoon, and a bag (to place any chametz we find inside). It’s an old ritual, and a lot of fun, as well.
The next morning, with just hours to go before the first Seder, some families burn the chametz they found on their search outside. Others simply wrap them in a bag and throw them away.
The morning of the Seder, just a few hours before Passover begins, it’s customary to renounce ownership over any last pieces of chametz that we might have overlooked. The traditional wording is: “Any chametz that is in my possession, whether I did or did not recognize it, whether I did or did not see it, whether I did or did not remove it, shall be as if it does not exist and shall become ownerless, like the dust of the earth.”
Once Passover ends, we’re allowed to eat and own chametz once more, with one important exception: the chametz could not have been owned by a Jew during Passover. So it’s important to be aware in the weeks following Passover where we purchase any foods containing grains.
This Passover, may you eliminate all chametz from your life - both physically in your home, and spiritually in your outlook. Best wishes for a happy Passover!
Excellent, to-the-point, informative article. This is very helpful for true Pesach-cleaning (and not the spring-cleaning we often include within!).