Complete Hilchos Pesach Guide by Rav Zev Fund Shlita

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Cleaning the house

When cleaning the house there is a distinction between areas of the house where food will come into contact, and the rest of the house. We will begin by discussing areas of the house where food will not be placed.
The house should be cleaned in such a way that it will ensure there is no pieces of חמץ larger then a כזית, an olive. If someone would like to do a more thorough cleaning קדוש יאמר לו, but before they do so they must be sure that it doesn’t infringe on their or their spouses other obligations.
Couches should be moved, since many times there is real Chametz behind them.
Any area of the house where one thinks they don’t need to use on Pesach, can be closed off and sold.

Cleaning and koshering the kitchen

Self clean the oven for 3 hours, and if possible cover the oven door with silver foil. The oven door only needs to be covered when using the oven on Pesach, not before Pesach.
If it is not possible to self clean the oven: Turn the oven on the highest for 2 hours, cover the rack with silver foil, and all food that is cooked in the oven on Pesach should be covered.
The grates can be put in the oven during the self cleaning, however it will make the finish be not shiny. Another option is to turn on the flame on high, with a large pot or blech on the grate, in order for the flame to spread. Do this for each grate for 10 minutes. Do not do all 4 at the same time, covered by the blech, because this can break your oven. The rest of the stove top should be covered with silver foil.
Chametz microwaves and dishwashers should not be used. They should be taped up to ensure that they are not used inadvertently. Similarly, all cabinets with Chametz utensils should be sealed in such a way that they are not opened by mistake.
All counter tops should be covered.
For metal sinks: Do not use the sink for any hot items for 24 hours. Pour boiling hot water on every surface of the sink. Also pour over the faucet, while hot water is running through the faucet. You can use a Chametz pot that has not been used within 24 hours¹.
As an extra Chumra, it is preferable to pour the hot water over a hot stone onto the sink, or to just pour the hot water and also use a sink insert.
The shelves in the kitchen and refrigerator should be cleaned well. Some people cover them as well. There is no need to take apart the refrigerator.
Any metal or glass drinking cups (bechers), which are not generally used for hot items, can be kashered by putting into pot with boiling hot water. (You can use a Chametz pot that has not been used within 24 hours). Another option is to fill up the cup with cold water and let it sit for 24 hours, empty out water, and repeat process 2 more times.
Tablecloths can be washed well with hot water, and then covered with a plastic. Towels can be cleaned well, and then can be used.
Any glass or metal utensils that come in contact with food, which are bought from a non-jew are חייב in טבילה. Can openers are not חייב in טבילה.

Soaps, cosmetics, perfumes, etc.

Detergents, cleaning objects and the like can all be used.
Soaps, shampoos, creams, lipstick, cosmetics, toothpaste etc, the best thing to do is to check if on the list. Most are fine. Bear in mind that this is only a real Chumra, if there is any hardship at all then just use it.
Medications that are not for any life threatening issue, one should check to see if on the list, and if not on the list try to look for an alternative. If no alternative can be found then speak to a Posek.
All of the above, even if they do contain Chametz they do not have to be put away, just don’t use them.
Perfumes and rubbing alcohol containing Chametz should be put away and sold.

Bedikas Chametz

Before the Bedikah, ten pieces of bread should be placed throughout the house. Many people start doing the Bedikah holding a candle, and then switch over to a flashlight, in order to prevent a fire.
All the areas of the house were Chametz is generally brought, should be checked to make sure it was cleaned, and that there isn’t a כזית of Chametz.
After the Bedikah, כל חמירא should be recited.
Even those that are going away for the duration off Yom Tov, if they are home on the night of Bedikas Chametz, they should do Bedikas Chametz on at least a portion of the house, and they can seal off the rest of the house to be sold.
For those that are leaving their house before the night of Bedikas Chametz, they should perform Bedikas Chametz the night before they leave, however they should not make a Bracha. If the Bedika is not taking place on Thursday night then there is no need to put out ten pieces of bread.

Halachos of the four cups of wine

The four cups of wine should each contain a רביעית, a minimum of 2.9 fluid oz.
The first cup which is the כוס של קידוש should be larger if it’s שבת, however on יו”ט it is a מחלוקת amongst the ראשונים if the קידוש is מן התורה.
Larger shiur: לשיטת המ”ב is 4oz. ,לשיטת ר’ משה is 4.5oz and לשיטת החזו”א is 5.2oz.
If the בעל הבית says the קידוש and everyone else listens and is יוצא with him, then they can have the smaller שיעור of 2.9oz.
לכתחלה one should drink a whole shiur רביעית of 2.9oz, and if you use a very large cup לכתחילה you should drink the majority of the cup.
If it’s hard to drink a full רביעית, one can be יוצא by drinking a majority of it. If it is
hard for you to drink a lot, it is preferable to have a smaller cup so that one can drink a majority of the cup.
It’s preferable to use wine over grape juice.
Since after the fourth cup a ברכה אחרונה is recited, therefore one should make sure to drink from the fourth cup a minimum of 2.9 fluid oz.

Halachos of Matza and Maror

שיעורים for מוציא מצה – based on a Matzah which is seven matzos per pound.
לשיטת הגר”מ פיינשטיין – is 1/3 of a Matzah.
לשיטת המ”ב- is 22 percent of a Matzah.
לשיטת החזון איש – is 1/6 of a Matzah.
For כורך is 1/5 of a Matzoh suffices, if difficult 1/7 of a Matzah suffices.
For the אפיקומן one should try to eat 1/3 of a Matzah, if difficult even 1/6 suffices.
For מרור- Romaine lettuce- 1 large leaf. If difficult a little less is ok.
For כורך- A little less than a large leaf.

Broiled and Roasted Meat at The Seder

We are not permitted to eat meat or chicken, which was broiled or roasted.
If it was baked or cooked with liquid added, then it is permitted to be eaten.

The Seder

Married, Ashkenazi men, should wear a Kittel by the Seder.
There are different customs how to arrange the items on the Kaara plate^₂. Most Haggados have a picture how to do it.
The 3 matzos should be covered during Kiddush.
קדש: It is preferred that each participant’s cup should be poured by someone else.
Following Kiddush, the cup should be drunk leaning on the left side.
ורחץ: Wash your hands without a Bracha.
כרפס: Take a small piece of vegetable (many people use celery), less then the size of an
olive, and dip it into saltwater. When reciting the Bracha, have in mind that the Bracha
is also on the Marror. Most people do not lean while eating the כרפס.
יחץ: Crack the middle Matza, and put away the larger half to be eaten for the אפיקומן.
הא לחמא עניא : Uncover the matzos, lift the matzos (or the Kaara which contains the matzos), and recite the passage of³ הא לחמא עניא.
Cover the matzos and pour the second cup.
מה נשתנה : If children are present they ask the נשתנה מה. If not, an adult should say the מה נשתנה.
During “והיא שעמדה” the cup should be raised. So too it should be raised from “לפיכך אנחנו” until⁴ “גאל ישראל”. During these times, the matzos should be covered.
When drinking the second cup lean to the left side.
רחצה: Wash your hands, with a Bracha. One should not talk about anything unrelated
to the Seder until after the כורך is eaten.
מוציא מצה: Hold all 3 matzos, recite the Bracha of המוציא, then lower the lower matzah
down, and then make the Bracha of על אכילת מצה. The head of the household should eat from both of the top matzos. Everyone else should also eat a כזית of matzah. We eat the matzah while leaning on the left side.
מרור: Dip the מרור into the חרוסת, then shake off the חרוסת, so that there is not a
large amount of it left on the Marrror.
Make the Bracha “על אכילת מרור”, and eat a כזית of the Marror. Do not lean while
eating it.
כורך: The head of the household should take the bottom matzah, and make a sandwich,
with the Marror (dipped in חרוסת (in the middle. Everyone else should do the same
with other matzah. Say “זכר למקדש כהלל”, and then eat it leaning on the left side.
שלחן עורך: Some begin by eating the hardboiled egg from the Kaarah. Make sure to
leave an appetite to eat the אפיקומן. Please see above, for the Halachos on eating and
drinking after eating the אפיקומן.
צפון: Eat a כזית of the אפיקומן, leaning on the left side. The rest of the household can
eat a כזית from any Matzah.
ברך: Pour the third cup, and recite המזון ברכת. After המזון ברכת, drink the third cup,
leaning on the left side.
הלל: Pour the forth cup and the כוס של אליהו. Open the front door and say “שפוך חמתך”. Say the remainder of the הלל.
Drink the fourth cup, leaning on the left side. You should drink a minimum of 2.9 fluid
oz., in order to be able to make a ברכה אחרונה.
נרצה: Say the remainder of the הגדה.
Make sure to count Sefiras Haomer, on the second night of Pesach.
Eating and Drinking after the Seder
After the eating of the אפיקומן it is prohibited to eat anything.
After the Seder it’s best to refrain from drinking anything besides for water, seltzer or
tea.

לשנה הבאה בירושלים הבנויה

_____________
_{1 Some are machmir to first boil up water in the pot and spill it out and only then boil up the water to be used for Kashering.
2 I think that the most prevalent Minhag is that of the Arizal.
3 לשון השבלי הלקט (סימן רי”ח) הוא “ואומרים פה אחד בהלל בשיר ובנחת הא לחמא עניא
4 However, some have the minhag to put down the cup during the recital of הלל.}