Preparing for Passover

Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread; on the very first day,
​you shall remove leaven from your houses  . . . (Exodus 12:15)

One of the many fun customs associated with Passover is to search for, collect, and destroy any chametz (leavening or grain that ferments) in the house. Children are particularly enthusiastic about this “search and destroy” mission. Look any place in the house where chametz was used during the year. Or designate one family member to hide 10 pieces of chametz (a Kabbalistic tradition) throughout the house (just remember where you put them). Before the search this blessing is recited. Use the feather to sweep all the crumbs into the spoon and deposit them in the paper bag. The next morning, make one final search and then burn or discard the bag and its contents.

Search for the Chametz

Make the final preparations for Passover by searching for leaven bread throughout the house after evening services on the thirteenth of Nissan.

Light a candle before the ceremony of searching for leaven begins.

Recite.

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו, וְצִוָּנוּ עַל בִּעוּר חָמֵץ

Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech haolam, asher kid'shanu b'mitzvotav v'tzivanu al biur chametz.

Blessed are You, our God, Ruler of the world, who sanctifies us with mitzvot and calls upon us to remove chametz .

Eruv Tavshilin.

Search for leaven in silence.

Wrap the found leaven in paper.

Recite.

כָּל חֲמִירָא וַחֲמִיעָה דְּאִכָּא בִרְשׁוּתִי ,דְּלָא חֲמִתֵּהּ, וּדְלָא בַעַרְתֵּהּ, וּדְלָא יָדַעְנָא לֵהּ, לִבָּטֵל וְלֶהֱוֵי הֶפְקֵר, כְּעַפְרָא דְאַרְעָא

Any kind of leaven that may still be in the house, which I have not seen or have not removed shall be as if it does not exist, and as the dust of the Earth.


haggadah Section: Introduction