From what has been said thus far it will be clear that it is forbidden for any Jew to have Chometz in his possession during Pessach. This prohibition is דאורייתא (that is, from the Torah). No benefit may be derived from Chometz which was in the possession of a Jew during Pessach — ever. It follows therefore that after Pessach we may not buy any Chometz or anything containing Chometz from a Jewish grocer or merchant about whom there is any suspicion that he had it in his possession during Pessach. In such cases one must allow enough time to pass that this stock be exhausted before buying such products from such a person. The same applies to supermarkets or chain-stores which are even only partly owned by Jews (or in which Jewish shareholders have a controlling interest).
Where one does not find it possible, or one does not want, to consume all one’s Chometz before Pessach, or it is not feasible to destroy it (if one owned a bakery, shop, distillery, etc.) our Rabbis, of blessed memory, authorized the disposal of such Chometz by way of a correct and valid contract of sale or hire of the room or location where the Chometz is kept, to a non-Jew (as mentioned above). Since the conditions of contract of such a sale are various and complicated in their legality, it is best that a qualified Rabbi be properly empowered to complete the sale on one’s behalf. The exact location and nature and value of the Chometz to be sold must be made known. (The scrupulous person will also see to it that the carefully cleaned vessels and utensils which are used during the year, too, should be deposited in the room with the Chometz to be sold so that any Chometz in them should be included in the sale.) It is imperative that the sale be concluded before eleven o’clock on the morning of Erev Pessach after which time it is forbidden to have any Chometz in one’s possession. It must be remembered to turn out the pockets of clothes worn during the year and to brush them clean. The same applies to turn-ups of trousers, etc., and cases, bags, school satchels, etc..
Inks, paints, glues, etc., may be used on Chol HaMo’ed Pessach (where the הלכות of חול המועד allow this) even when in their manufacture or preparation (before Pessach) Chometz was used so long as they are not at all edible, even to a dog. Care must be taken with tablecloths that the starch used is not Chometz and likewise wherever something comes in contact with food on Pessach extra caution must be exercised that there is no danger of contamination with Chometz. Shelves in food-cupboards should be re-lined. Microwave ovens, electric hobs and modern cooking ranges require special treatment and guidance about modern appliances in the kitchen is given in the better kind of Kashrus manual. General practice is that ovens and stoves are thoroughly cleaned and, depending on the surface material, scoured and ideally an insert oven is used for the duration of Pessach. There are Halachic authorities who permit the direct use of the oven (that is, without an insert oven) on Pessach if, after being scrupulously cleaned, the oven is “kashered” as follows: Firstly, the oven must be left unused for at least twenty-four hours and then (together with the oven shelves) it is heated to its maximum heat for about twenty minutes. After this, nothing more needs to be done. (However, if during the year Chometz food came into direct contact with the oven shelves, then on Pessach food must not come into direct contact with those shelves — this, even with the oven being “kashered.”) Tables and work-surfaces in the kitchen and dining-room must be permanently covered for the duration of Pessach.
During Pessach it is forbidden to use artificially-dried fruit of any kind nor any spices, ground or whole, unless they have a Hechsher, that is, rabbinical certification that they are correct for Pessach use. (In the past, the lack of properly supervised foods restricted the foods that one could use on Pessach but nowadays, thankfully, there is a very wide range of various foods available, all with a Hechsher.) While there is a tradition amongst most Ashkenazzim that neither rice, beans, pulse, nor peanuts are allowed on Pessach, the custom of most Sefaraddim is that these are allowed. Generally, the wise and conscientious person has a golden rule for Pessach: “When in doubt — do without!”
