The Selling of Chametz

Before the Passover holiday there is a time-honored Jewish tradition and extremely important mitzvah from the Torah not only to refrain from eating chametz but also to remove all chametz from our possession. This has deep spiritual meaning and relevance that is discussed in detail on our Passover site. Click here for an in-depth article (one of many) on the relevance and significance of Chametz.

What is Chametz?

Chametz includes:

Flour and leavened products like bread, cereals, and almost anything grain-based or with flour or yeast ingredients.

In the olden days families would literally remove all leavened products from their home and fulfil the mitzvah this way. 

As products began to have a longer shelf life, the rabbis devised a very simple way of fulfilling this mitzvah: we sell all our chametz to a non-Jew for the 8 days of Passover. This way we can keep the stuff in our homes and use it right after Passover is over.

It is very easy to do: just fill in the information below and sign, your ownership of the chametz is officially transferred for the required time.

Important Notes:

*       You are not selling any non-food valuables in the home. All you are selling are the chametz related foods and items.

*        No one will come to your home, or call you, to pick up your “leftover cereal” or chametz. You are one of tens of thousands of households doing this in Southern California alone. Conceptually—and actually—all this chametz will belong to one non-Jewish individual, who sells it back after Passover.

*        It is of great spiritual value even if you choose to keep this mitzvah only partially, by filling out this form. The ideal Passover observance includes not eating any chametz for the duration of Passover, and ideally all sold foods, etc,should be set aside in a separate place, or covered in the pantry, and manymore details that can be found online at www.chabadfmv.com/passover .

 Click here for the online form to sell your chametz