Passing Over Passover Tidbits 5773 (2013)
The big event in April is, of course, Pesach. Only this year it is in March. (Don’t even ask!) The month of Nisan is designated throughout the Torah as the First Month of the Year for the Jewish People because that is the month when Hashem bestowed on us the Gift of Freedom. The world was created in Tishrei, and that autumnal time indeed is Rosh Hashanah for humanity and for all of Creation. But our unique New Year starts with our unique first month, Nisan. The Month of Freedom.
Pesach is an amazing holiday, and it brings family together in a wonderful way. But there are so many things we do to prepare for Pesach that it can seem daunting. The laws often are quite complex, and the process is quite labor-intensive. In my preparing this roadmap for you through the basics, I hope you will find the material below to be helpful. You may even want to keep it on hand around the kitchen area for easy reference.
Burning the Chametz. We burn the Chametzon Monday morning, March 25. We may noteat Chametz that morning after 10:15 a.m. Thereafter, we must burn any remainingChametz by no later than 11:30 a.m. Some burn it in the family fireplace or by tossing it down an incinerator. Some burn it at the curb on the street. After the burning, we recite the “Nullification-of-Chametz Declaration” (Kol Khamira v’Khami’a). If you are not fluent in Aramaic, recite in a language you understand.
Koshering the Kitchenware. Most people no longer engage in the task of koshering their pots, pans, flatware, etc. for Passover. Instead, they buy separate complete sets of dairy-for-Passover and meat-for-Passover pots, pans, flatware, etc. The moving companies love it. “Hi, James. Let me show you what we will be moving. Here is my everyday dairy. Here is my everyday meat. Here is my special Shabbat dairy. Here is my special Shabbat meat. Here is my Passover dairy. Here is my Passover meat. That’s the flatware. Now, may I show you my pots and pans?”
The Sink. Stainless steel sinks can be koshered for Passover. You would clean the stainless steel sink incredibly well, leave it unused for 24 hours after the cleaning, then pour boiling water all over its entirety. For regular sinks, which most of us have: regular sinks typically cannot be koshered. Therefore, you clean the sink well with a basic cleaning agent like Comet, then line it for Passover. Most line it with aluminum foil. For the sink cover, you cut a hole for the drain.
Koshering Your Oven. To kosher your oven for Passover, if it is self-cleaning, simply run the self-cleaning cycle. For other ovens, clean the oven really well with an Easy-Off kind of cleaner. Wait 24 hours after it has been cleaned, not using it during that time. Then bring the oven to its hottest temperature for an hour.
Koshering Your Gas Stove. To kosher your gasstove for Passover, clean the burner-grates really well. Wait 24 hours after they have been cleaned, not using them during that time. Then turn the burner-grates upside-down over the respective flames, and turn on the flames for half an hour. If an electric stove, turn on the burners to get them red-hot and maintain that heat for half an hour.
Koshering Your Dishwasher. Although the question is open to some discussion, thehalakhically preferred opinion is that dishwashers cannot be koshered for Passover unless they are stainless steel and can reach 190 degrees Fahrenheit. There are evolving halakhic approaches to the question. Therefore, in a case of urgent need, please speak with me privately regarding alternatives.
Koshering Your Microwave Oven. To kosher your microwave, clean it all around – all six inner sides (ceiling, floor, three wall sides, inner side of the door) – with a soapy mixture. Remove the glass or pyrex-like base, because that cannot be koshered for Passover. Wait 24 hours thereafter, not using the microwave during that time. Then put a Styrofoam or other microwave-safe cup inside, filled with water, and nuke it at maximum for 10-15 minutes, enough to get some steam into the microwave environment.
The Refrigerator. Wash down the interior walls of the refrigerator and the glass or metal shelves with a soapy mixture. Then line the shelves and the side-door shelves. Aluminum foil works best for me as a lining. Ellen likes wax paper. There is no need to cover or line the three interior walls. Just line the shelves and the side-door shelves.
Clear out the Chametz. Remember to clear outChametz in your office refrigerator or desk drawers. Remember to get an interior car wash before Passover, so the interior is thoroughly cleaned of foods and crumbs. At home, check children’s bedrooms and closets, pockets in daily clothes and jackets.
Matzo. Use only Shmurah Matzo on the first two days of Passover. Ellen and I use Shmurahall 8 days, but that’s just my thing. You may use non-Shmurah as of the third day. Ashkenazim may not use egg matzo (or apple juice matzo or grape-juice matzo) at all. Nowadays, reasonably priced machine-Shmurah matzo can be found in general supermarkets like Ralphs or Albertsons In terms of Jewish law, there is no difference between square machine-Shmurahand round handmade Shmurah, although some find the latter niftier.
Maror. Use fresh grated horseradish, not the stuff in the jars that is diluted with vinegar and beets. Some use Romaine lettuce. I never use only lettuce for maror, although it is permitted, because it just is not bitter, so it lacks the “feel.” But it is permitted. In fact, some rabbis actually prefer using the Romaine lettuce, noting that it is humanly difficult to ingest the full measure of horseradish halakhically required, particularly within the time halakhically designated. Therefore, one approach is to use the Romaine lettuce for the bulk and then to put some raw grated horseradish into it for “feel.” If it ain’t got the sting, it don’t seem like the thing. (Then again, the slaves probably told their taskmasters: “Lettuce alone.” But that was only the ones who spoke English.)
Ashkenazim Eating at Sefardim. On Passover,Sefardim permit eating rice, beans, and peas. Ashkenazim do not. However, an Ashkenazi may eat at a Sefardi on Passover as long as he does not eat the actual beans, peas, or rice. The Ashkenazi even may eat food made in Passover pots or pans, and served on Passover plates that the Sefardi also uses for rice, beans, and peas. He simply must avoid eating the actual beans, peas, and rice. Sefardim also permit drinking certain things with corn sweeteners, and using corn oil, things that are problematic for Ashkenazim. Bottom line – For Ashkenazim, it is OK to eat at Sefardim on Passover. All we are saying is don’t give peas a chance.
Peanuts for Ashkenazim, and Hummus for Syrian Sefardim. Syrian Jews – who, like other Sefardim, may eat peas on Passover – have a custom not to eat Hummus on Passover, even though it comes from chick peas, because the word “Hummus” sounds like “Hammes,” which is how some of them pronounce “Chametz.” Meanwhile, Ashkenazim may eat nuts on Passover, as in the walnuts that help comprise the Charoset. Even so, it became customary for Ashkenazim not to eat peanuts on Passover. These are customs that have historic and cultural significance.
Does it need a label? Raw fruits and vegetables, etc., are permitted on Passover. All other foods, such as canned and bottled foods, should be labeled “Kosher for Passover.” A hundred years ago – and more – there were limited food choices. Nowadays, there are oodles of choices, and we never had it so good. Look for the label. Particularly note that, in cases of foods imported from Israel, there may be labels that say a food is “Kosher for Passover.” But if it has beans, peas, rice, or corn syrup, it might be OK for Sefardim but not kosher for Passover for Ashkenazim. If in doubt, call or write me. I am available to answer your queries on Passover, as I am all-year round.
Seder cups. We drink four cups of red wine. If you cannot tolerate that, use dark grape juice for some. Each cup must have the capacity to hold at least 3.4 ounces. You fill one of your cups with water before the Seder, and you pour it into a measuring cup. That tells you whether the cups are sufficiently voluminous. You must fill each of your respective cups of wine to the top, and you must drink at least half of each cup’s contents. Thus, if you do not want to drink too much, use smaller cups – half of a 3.4-ounce cup is 1.7 ounces, and four such drinks are 6.8 ounces. By contrast, half of an 8-ounce glass is 4 ounces, and four such drinks is 16 ounces. So it adds up. Of course, if you use large glasses, by the end of the Seder nothing is going to add up. But you won’t know.
Dry or Sweet Wine? I advise drinking dry wine throughout the Seder, not sweet wine. Each wine has similar alcohol content, but sweet wine sends the alcohol to your brain and stomach much faster. On an empty stomach, two cups of sweet wine have you feeling more uncomfortable by dinner at “shulchan orekh.” With dry wine, you will feel much better. The alcohol will “hit” when you are sleeping, and you won’t know what hit you.
Maggid. Make the Seder interesting. Don’t get tied to the Hebrew text if it has limited meaning. The Haggadah may be recited in any language. Read things in English to keep it interesting. Have the kids talk about things they have learned. Engage them. Talk about freedom. Seriously – engage people at the table to talk about freedom. What it means to leave an horrific job, a horrible employer., somewhere that makes your life an horrific hell. What it means to leave a horrible country (e.g., Communist Russia or Berkeley; Iran under Khomeini; Syria or Iraq under anyone; even countries where Jews once lived well and, with a change of regimes, freedom turned into a nightmare under new leaders “who knew not Joseph”). We live so well in America that it is valuable to engage in discussing slavery and freedom.
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Paper Plates. Despite concerns that certain paper plates are coated with starch (a kitniyotproduct forbidden to Ashkenazim), persuading certain agencies to advise against using paper plates on Passover, I follow the opinion of Rav Eliezer Eidlitz, who permits using the kinds of paper plates that are a bit shiny and tougher than the regular cheaper plates, with the coating aimed at preventing leaking. Rav Eidlitz specifically permits the following paper plate products: Paper (Plate) America’s Choice, Bi-Rite, Classic, Dixie Paper Plates, Finest, FMV, Fred Meyer (decorated paper plates, bowls and white paper plates), James River, Kroger (decorated and white paper plates and decorated bowls), Ralph’s (white paper plates, decorated paper plates and decorated bowls), Solo, Sweetheart (paper bowls, platters, plates and food trays), Big Y, Bi-Rite, Dixie Stoneware, Georgia Pacific/Dixie,Ralphs White & Decorated Paper Plates,Giant, Lowes, Pride Made, Shopper’s Value, Stop & Shop, Topco.
Milk. Here’s the deal on milk. If it is label-certified as Kosher for Passover, great. Otherwise, you still may use your usual not-Passover-certified store-bought milk throughout Passover . . . but only if you buy it beforePassover. There is an interesting halakhicanalysis behind this rule, and I will talk about it one of the Friday nights of Passover because, yes, we may as well milk it for all it’s worth.
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Bottom Line: Don’t sweat the small stuff –and none of it is small stuff! But it’s great fun, a great tradition we have handed down for ages, and it reminds us that the Torah story is true. We were slaves to Pharaoh in Egypt, and G-d liberated us with miracles and wonders, a strong hand and an outstretched arm. We are here 3,300 years later in an unbroken chain of generations, participating, never forgetting, and handing down the memory of slavery and the gift of freedom for future generations. Chag Same’ach.