Holidays – Passover
This year, Passover begins after dark on April 12 through the night of April 20.
The first Seder is the evening of April 12.
Mechirat Hametz: Selling of the Hametz
According to the Torah, Jews may neither eat nor own hametz (leavened foods) during the week of Passover. Many hametz foods can be disposed of prior to Pesach. Some cannot without significant loss. This problem can be resolved by selling, according to an ancient formula, any hametz foods to a non-Jewish person, who is not obliged to observe the Holiday.
The hametz is sold with the understanding that the seller will not partake of it during the week of Pesach. The hametz technically becomes the property of the non-Jewish person. However, it remains on the seller’s property, usually in a designated corner of the house or garage, “rented” to the non-Jewish person. The hametz is re-purchased immediately after Pesach for your continued use. CLICK HERE to sell your hametz online. A fully completed form, submitted by Wednesday, April 9, 2025, constitutes one’s authorization of Rabbi Sara Metz to sell one’s Hametz on their behalf.
A Virtual Siyum Via Zoom
7:00am Thursday, April 10, 2022
Ta’ Anit Bechorim – Fast of the First Born
It is customary that all first-born fast on the eve of Pesach commemorating the plague of the first born before the Exodus from Egypt. First born are excused from fasting if they attend a Siyum (end, completion or conclusion), in which we celebrate the conclusion of studying a significant portion of Rabbinic literature.
We invite you to join with Rabbi Metz for a “Virtual Siyum” on Thursday, April 10 at 7:00am.
Please check your email for the Zoom link.
Bedikat Hametz – Searching for Leaven
One of the pre-holiday ceremonies is Bedikat Hametz, searching for leaven, when we conduct a candle-lit search through our homes to ensure that no hametz is still present. It is a brief ceremony in which the entire family can and should participate.
IMPORTANT ADDITIONAL DETAILS FOR 2025,
AS PESACH STARTS SATURDAY NIGHT.
The times provided are for Tucson, AZ. Please contact Rabbi Metz to obtain times for other locations.
Bedikat Hametz, the formal search for Hametz that concludes cleaning our homes for Pesach, cannot take place the evening before the Seder, due to Shabbat. Instead, conduct that search on Thursday evening this year. We MAY continue to consume Hametz, including in our homes, until 10:14 AM on Shabbat morning.
The correct sequence for this year is as follows:
BEFORE BEDIKAT HAMETZ ON THURSDAY, April 10.
- Set aside any Hametz you plan to eat throughout the day on Friday and Shabbat morning, including Shabbat dinner and breakfast. This Hametz will NOT be covered in your search, NOR IN YOUR SALE.
- Thursday evening, at dark: Conduct Bedikat Hametz after dinner at Sweet Tomatoes and thoroughly eliminating or separating out Hametz, as usual. Recite the Bi’ur Hametz formula, found here.
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Friday morning, April 11, Rabbi Metz will sell all Hametz she has been authorized to sell (the form is below).
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Friday morning, by 11:19 AM, repeat the Bi’ur Hametz formula after destroying the Hametz collected the night before. The collected Hametz is typically destroyed by burning.
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The formula did not eliminate any Hametz knowingly still in our possession. All Hametz in your possession that was not included in the Friday morning sale must still be consumed or eliminated. After this time, any sale is no longer possible
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10:14 AM Shabbat morning, April 12 concludes the permissible time to eat Hametz. Any remaining Hametz must be eliminated or destroyed. As burning is no longer permitted (due to Shabbat), you must find a Shabbat-permissible way to destroy it or remove it from our possession, again by 11:19 AM.
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Option to destroy Hametz – Place it in a bag, mix with a toxic cleaning powder (rendering it inedible), and discard.
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An option to eliminate Hametz – A modest amount of Hametz might be put in a public garbage receptacle.
- We consume no more Hametz for the remainder of Shabbat and begin Pesach following Shabbat on Saturday evening, April 12, after 7:28 pm.
Make sure that all hametz has been removed or locked away, with the exception of what will be needed for the morning. Carefully hide some crumbs of bread. This is to ensure that the blessing and the ceremony will not be performed in vain. Take a candle, a feather or brush, and a box or cloth for the crumbs, and recite this blessing:
Baruch Ata Adonai, Eloheynu Melekh Ha’Olam Asher Kid’Shanu B’Mitzvotav V’Tsivanu Al Bi’Ur Hametz.
Perform the search and gather up all the crumbs; this is a family project. Tie the crumbs in a bundle, which will be burned the next morning. Recite the following: All manner of leaven, which is in my possession, that I have not seen or removed, shall be annulled and considered as the dust of the earth.
Click here for a more thorough description and blessing from the Rabbinical Assembly.
Pesach starts on Saturday night, April 12.
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