Leavened and Unleavened Bread Chapter 3

כְּשֶׁבוֹדֵק אָדָם וּמְחַפֵּשׂ בְּלֵילֵי אַרְבָּעָה עָשָׂר מוֹצִיא אֶת הֶחָמֵץ מִן הַחוֹרִים וּמִן הַמַּחֲבוֹאוֹת וּמִן הַזָּוִיּוֹת וּמְקַבֵּץ הַכּל וּמַנִּיחוֹ בְּמָקוֹם אֶחָד עַד תְּחִלַּת שָׁעָה שִׁשִּׁית בַּיּוֹם וּמְבָעֲרוֹ. וְאִם רָצָה לְבַעֲרוֹ בְּלֵילֵי אַרְבָּעָה עָשָׂר מְבַעֲרוֹ:

When a person checks and searches on the night of the fourteenth [of Nisan], he should remove [all] chametz from holes, hidden places, and corners, and gather the entire amount together, putting it in one place until the beginning of the sixth hour and [then,] destroy it. If he desires to destroy it on the night of the fourteenth, he may.

הֶחָמֵץ שֶׁמַּנִּיחַ בְּלֵילֵי אַרְבָּעָה עָשָׂר כְּדֵי שֶׁיֹּאכַל מִמֶּנּוּ לְמָחָר עַד אַרְבַּע שָׁעוֹת אֵינוֹ מַנִּיחוֹ מְפֻזָּר וּמְפֹרָד בְּכָל מָקוֹם אֶלָּא מַצְנִיעוֹ בִּכְלִי אוֹ בְּזָוִית יְדוּעָה וְיִזָּהֵר בּוֹ. שֶׁאִם לֹא נִזְהַר בּוֹ וּמְצָאוֹ חָסֵר צָרִיךְ לְחַפֵּשׂ אַחֲרָיו וְלִבְדֹּק פַּעַם אַחֶרֶת שֶׁמָּא גְּרָרוּהוּ הָעַכְבָּרִים:

The chametz which was put aside on the night of the fourteenth, so that it can be eaten on the next day until [the end of] the fourth hour, should not be spread out and scattered in every place. Rather, it should be put away in a utensil or in a known corner, and care should be taken concerning it. Otherwise, should some be found lacking, he would have to search for it and check [the house] a second time, for mice might have dragged it away.

חָל אַרְבָּעָה עָשָׂר לִהְיוֹת בְּשַׁבָּת בּוֹדְקִין אֶת הֶחָמֵץ בְּלֵילֵי עֶרֶב שַׁבָּת שֶׁהוּא לֵיל שְׁלֹשָׁה עָשָׂר וּמַנִּיחַ מִן הֶחָמֵץ כְּדֵי לֶאֱכל מִמֶּנּוּ עַד אַרְבַּע שָׁעוֹת בְּיוֹם הַשַּׁבָּת. וּמַנִּיחוֹ בְּמָקוֹם מֻצְנָע וְהַשְּׁאָר מְבָעֲרוֹ מִלִּפְנֵי הַשַּׁבָּת. וְאִם נִשְׁאַר מִן הֶחָמֵץ בְּיוֹם הַשַּׁבָּת אַחַר אַרְבַּע שָׁעוֹת מְבַטְּלוֹ וְכוֹפֶה עָלָיו כְּלִי עַד מוֹצָאֵי יוֹם טוֹב הָרִאשׁוֹן וּמְבָעֲרוֹ:

When the fourteenth falls on the Sabbath, we search for chametz on the night before Sabbath eve, the night of the thirteenth. We set aside [enough] chametz to eat until [the end of] the fourth hour on the Sabbath day. The remainder should be destroyed before the Sabbath. If some of the chametz remains on the Sabbath day after the fourth hour, he should nullify it and cover it with a utensil until the conclusion of the first day of the festival, and then destroy it.

הָיוּ לוֹ כִּכָּרוֹת רַבּוֹת שֶׁל תְּרוּמָה וְצָרִיךְ לְשָׂרְפָהּ עֶרֶב שַׁבָּת לֹא יְעָרֵב הַטְּהוֹרָה עִם הַטְּמֵאָה וְיִשְׂרֹף אֶלָּא שׂוֹרֵף טְמֵאָה לְעַצְמָהּ וּטְהוֹרָה לְעַצְמָהּ וּתְלוּיָה לְעַצְמָהּ. וּמַנִּיחַ מִן הַטְּהוֹרָה כְּדֵי לֶאֱכל עַד אַרְבַּע שָׁעוֹת בְּיוֹם הַשַּׁבָּת בִּלְבַד:

A person who has many loaves of bread that were Terumah and must burn them on the Sabbath eve; he should not mix the pure loaves together with the impure loaves and burn them. Rather, he should burn the pure loaves alone, the impure ones alone, and the ones [whose status is] left pending alone. He should leave a sufficient quantity, but no more than necessary, of the pure loaves to eat until [the conclusion of] the fourth hour on the Sabbath day.

מִי שֶׁשָּׁכַח אוֹ הֵזִיד וְלֹא בָּדַק בְּלֵיל אַרְבָּעָה עָשָׂר בּוֹדֵק אַרְבָּעָה עָשָׂר בְּשַׁחֲרִית. לֹא בָּדַק בְּשַׁחֲרִית בּוֹדֵק בִּשְׁעַת הַבִּעוּר. לֹא בָּדַק בִּשְׁעַת הַבִּעוּר בּוֹדֵק בְּתוֹךְ הֶחָג. עָבַר הָרֶגֶל וְלֹא בָּדַק בּוֹדֵק אַחַר הָרֶגֶל כְּדֵי שֶׁיְּבָעֵר מַה שֶּׁיִּמְצָא מֵחָמֵץ שֶׁעָבַר עָלָיו הַפֶּסַח מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהוּא אָסוּר בַּהֲנָיָה:

A person who either inadvertently or intentionally did not search on the night of the fourteenth should search on the fourteenth in the morning. If he did not search on the fourteenth in the morning, he should search at the time for destroying [the chametz]. If he did not search at the time for destroying the chametz, he should search in the midst of the festival. If the festival passed without his having searched, he should search after the festival to destroy whatever chametz he might find which [he possessed] during Pesach, since we are prohibited against benefiting [from such chametz].

כְּשֶׁבּוֹדֵק הֶחָמֵץ בְּלֵילֵי אַרְבָּעָה עָשָׂר אוֹ בְּיוֹם אַרְבָּעָה עָשָׂר אוֹ בְּתוֹךְ הָרֶגֶל מְבָרֵךְ קֹדֶם שֶׁיַּתְחִיל לִבְדֹּק בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה' אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו וְצִוָּנוּ עַל בִּעוּר חָמֵץ. וּבוֹדֵק וּמְחַפֵּשׂ בְּכָל הַמְּקוֹמוֹת שֶׁמַּכְנִיסִין לָהֶם חָמֵץ כְּמוֹ שֶׁבֵּאַרְנוּ. וְאִם בָּדַק לְאַחַר הָרֶגֶל אֵינוֹ מְבָרֵךְ:

When a person checks for chametz on the night of the fourteenth, on the day of the fourteenth, and during the festival, he should recite the [following] blessing before he begins to search: Blessed are You, G-d, our Lord, King of the universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us concerning the destruction of chametz. He must check and search in all the places where chametz is brought in, as was explained. If he searches after the holiday, he does not recite a blessing.

וּכְשֶׁגּוֹמֵר לִבְדֹּק אִם בָּדַק בְּלֵיל אַרְבָּעָה עָשָׂר אוֹ בְּיוֹם אַרְבָּעָה עָשָׂר קֹדֶם שֵׁשׁ שָׁעוֹת צָרִיךְ לְבַטֵּל כָּל חָמֵץ שֶׁנִּשְׁאַר בִּרְשׁוּתוֹ וְאֵינוֹ רוֹאֵהוּ. וְיֹאמַר כָּל חָמֵץ שֶׁיֵּשׁ בִּרְשׁוּתִי שֶׁלֹּא רְאִיתִיו הֲרֵי הוּא בָּטֵל וַהֲרֵי הוּא כְּעָפָר. אֲבָל אִם בָּדַק מִתְּחִלַּת שָׁעָה שִׁשִּׁית וּלְמַעְלָה אֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לְבַטֵּל שֶׁהֲרֵי אֵינוֹ בִּרְשׁוּתוֹ שֶׁכְּבָר נֶאֱסַר בַּהֲנָיָה:

When he concludes searching, if he searched on the fourteenth at night, or on the fourteenth during the day before the sixth hour, he should nullify all the chametz that remains in his possession that he does not see. He should say: "All chametz which is in my possession that I have not seen, behold, it is nullified and must be considered as dust." However, if he searched after the beginning of the sixth hour and onward, he can no longer nullify it, for it is not in his possession, since benefiting from it is forbidden.

לְפִיכָךְ אִם לֹא בִּטֵּל קֹדֶם שֵׁשׁ וּמִשֵּׁשׁ שָׁעוֹת וּלְמַעְלָה מָצָא חָמֵץ שֶׁהָיָה דַּעְתּוֹ עָלָיו וְהָיָה בְּלִבּוֹ וּשְׁכָחוֹ בִּשְׁעַת הַבִּעוּר וְלֹא בִּעֲרוֹ הֲרֵי זֶה עָבַר עַל (שמות יג ז) (דברים טז ד) "לֹא יֵרָאֶה" וְ (שמות יב יט) "לֹא יִמָּצֵא" שֶׁהֲרֵי לֹא בִּעֵר וְלֹא בִּטֵּל. וְאֵין הַבִּטּוּל עַתָּה מוֹעִיל לוֹ כְּלוּם לְפִי שֶׁאֵינוֹ בִּרְשׁוּתוֹ וְהַכָּתוּב עֲשָׂהוּ כְּאִלּוּ הוּא בִּרְשׁוּתוֹ לְחַיְּבוֹ מִשּׁוּם לֹא יֵרָאֶה וְלֹא יִמָּצֵא. וְחַיָּב לְבַעֲרוֹ בְּכָל עֵת שֶׁיִּמְצָאֶנּוּ. וְאִם מְצָאוֹ בְּיוֹם טוֹב כּוֹפֶה עָלָיו כְּלִי עַד לָעֶרֶב וּמְבַעֲרוֹ. וְאִם שֶׁל הֶקְדֵּשׁ הוּא אֵינוֹ צָרִיךְ לִכְפּוֹת עָלָיו כְּלִי שֶׁהַכּל פּוֹרְשִׁין מִמֶּנּוּ:

Thus, a person who does not nullify [his chametz] before the sixth hour and discovers chametz which he: considered important and [valued] in his heart, then forgot at the time of the destruction of chametz, and hence did not destroy, transgresses [the prohibitions]: "[leaven] shall not be seen" and "[leaven] shall not be found." Behold, he has neither destroyed nor nullified [his chametz], and nullification at this time would not be effective, for [the chametz] is no longer in his possession. Even so, the Torah considers it as if it were in his possession, to obligate him for [transgression of the commandments:] "[leaven] shall not be seen" and "[leaven] shall not be found." [Therefore,] he is obligated to destroy it whenever he finds it. If he finds it on the day of a festival, he should cover it with a utensil until the evening, and then destroy it. [If the chametz] was consecrated property, there is no need to cover it with a utensil, for regardless, everyone shies away from its use.

מִי שֶׁיָּצָא מִבֵּיתוֹ קֹדֶם שְׁעַת הַבִּעוּר לַעֲשׂוֹת מִצְוָה אוֹ לֶאֱכל סְעֻדָּה שֶׁל מִצְוָה כְּגוֹן סְעֻדַּת אֵרוּסִין וְנִשּׂוּאִין וְנִזְכַּר שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ חָמֵץ בְּתוֹךְ בֵּיתוֹ. אִם יָכוֹל לַחֲזֹר וּלְבָעֵר וְלַחֲזֹר לְמִצְוָתוֹ יַחֲזֹר וְאִם לָאו יְבַטֵּל בְּלִבּוֹ. יָצָא לְהַצִּיל מִיַּד הַגַּיִס מִן הַנָּהָר מִן הַדְּלֵקָה וּמִן הַמַּפּלֶת יְבַטֵּל בְּלִבּוֹ וְדַיּוֹ. יָצָא לְצֹרֶךְ עַצְמוֹ וְנִזְכַּר שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ חָמֵץ בְּתוֹךְ בֵּיתוֹ יַחֲזֹר מִיָּד. וְעַד כַּמָּה הוּא חוֹזֵר עַד כְּבֵיצָה. הָיָה פָּחוֹת מִכְּבֵיצָה מְבַטְּלוֹ בְּלִבּוֹ וְדַיּוֹ:

A person who left his house before the time for destroying chametz in order to fulfill a mitzvah or in order to partake of a feast associated with a mitzvah - e.g., a feast associated with betrothal or marriage - and recalls that he possesses chametz at home. If it is possible for him to go back, destroy it, and then return to the fulfillment of the mitzvah, he should return. If not, he should nullify [ownership over the chametz] in his heart. Should he go out to save from a troop of attackers, from a [flooding] river, from a fire, from [being buried] under fallen objects, all that is necessary is for him to nullify it in his heart. Should he go out for his own purposes and remember that he possesses chametz at home, he must return immediately. How much [chametz] must be present [to require] him to return? the size of an egg. If there is less than the size of an egg, it is sufficient for him to nullify it in his heart.

מִי שֶׁהִנִּיחַ עִסָּה מְגֻלְגֶּלֶת בְּתוֹךְ בֵּיתוֹ וְיָצָא וְנִזְכַּר אַחַר שֶׁיָּצָא וְהוּא יוֹשֵׁב לִפְנֵי רַבּוֹ וְהָיָה יָרֵא שֶׁמָּא תַּחֲמִיץ קֹדֶם שֶׁיָּבֹא הֲרֵי זֶה מְבַטְּלוֹ בְּלִבּוֹ קֹדֶם שֶׁתַּחֲמִיץ. אֲבָל אִם הֶחְמִיצָה אֵין הַבִּטּוּל מוֹעִיל כְּלוּם אֶלָּא כְּבָר עָבַר עַל (שמות יג ז) (דברים טז ד) "לֹא יֵרָאֶה" וְ (שמות יב יט) "לֹא יִמָּצֵא" וְחַיָּב לְבַעֵר מִיָּד כְּשֶׁיַּחֲזֹר לְבֵיתוֹ:

A person who put aside a rolled dough at home, [forgot about it,] went out and remembered after he had left [home]: Should he be sitting before his teacher and fear that the dough will become leavened before he can come [home], behold, he may nullify [ownership over the dough] in his heart before it becomes leaven. However, if [the dough] has already become leavened, his nullification is not at all effective, for he has already violated [the prohibitions]: "[leaven] shall not be seen" and "[leaven] shall not be found." He must destroy it immediately when he returns home.

כֵּיצַד בִּעוּר חָמֵץ. שׂוֹרְפוֹ אוֹ פּוֹרֵר וְזוֹרֶה לָרוּחַ אוֹ זוֹרְקוֹ לַיָּם. וְאִם הָיָה הֶחָמֵץ קָשֶׁה וְאֵין הַיָּם מְחַתְּכוֹ בִּמְהֵרָה הֲרֵי זֶה מְפָרְרוֹ וְאַחַר כָּךְ זוֹרְקוֹ לַיָּם. חָמֵץ שֶׁנָּפְלָה עָלָיו מַפּלֶת וְנִמְצָא עָלָיו עָפָר שְׁלֹשָׁה טְפָחִים אוֹ יוֹתֵר הֲרֵי הוּא כִּמְבֹעָר וְצָרִיךְ לְבַטֵּל בְּלִבּוֹ אִם עֲדַיִן לֹא נִכְנְסָה שָׁעָה שִׁשִּׁית. נְתָנוֹ לְעַכּוּ"ם קֹדֶם שָׁעָה שִׁשִּׁית אֵינוֹ צָרִיךְ לְבָעֵר. וְאִם שְׂרָפוֹ קֹדֶם שָׁעָה שִׁשִּׁית הֲרֵי זֶה מֻתָּר לֵהָנוֹת בַּפֶּחָמִין שֶׁלּוֹ בְּתוֹךְ הַפֶּסַח. אֲבָל אִם שְׂרָפוֹ מִשָּׁעָה שִׁשִּׁית וּלְמַעְלָה הוֹאִיל וְהוּא אָסוּר בַּהֲנָיָה הֲרֵי זֶה לֹא יַסִּיק בּוֹ תַּנּוּר וְכִירַיִם וְלֹא יֹאפֶה בּוֹ וְלֹא יְבַשֵּׁל. וְאִם בִּשֵּׁל אוֹ אָפָה אוֹתָהּ הַפַּת וְאוֹתוֹ הַתַּבְשִׁיל אָסוּר בַּהֲנָיָה. וְכֵן הַפֶּחָמִין שֶׁלּוֹ אֲסוּרִין בַּהֲנָיָה הוֹאִיל וְשׂוֹרְפוֹ אַחַר שֶׁנֶּאֱסַר בַּהֲנָיָה:

How must chametz be destroyed? It may be burned; crumbled and tossed to the wind; or thrown into the sea. If the chametz is hard and the sea will not cause it to dissolve speedily, one should crumble it and then throw it into the sea. If other substances fell upon chametz and it was covered by three handbreadths or more of earth, it is considered as having been destroyed. [Nevertheless,] one must nullify [ownership over] it in one's heart if the sixth hour has not arrived. A person who gave it to a gentile before the sixth hour need not destroy it. If one burns it before the sixth hour, he is permitted to benefit from the charcoal that remains during Pesach. However, if he burns it from [the beginning of] the sixth hour and onward, since benefit may not be derived from it, it should not be used as fuel for an oven or range. One may not bake or cook with it. If one did bake or cook [using the chametz as fuel], it is forbidden to derive benefit from that loaf or that dish. Similarly, it is forbidden to derive benefit from the charcoal that remains from it, because it was burned after benefit from it became forbidden.