by Rabbi Yair Hoffman for 5TJT.com

[culled from 2 Shabbos HaGadol Darashos 5780 and 5779]

1. One should not order Chametz before Pesach from Amazon etc. to be delivered after Pesach.
2. There are two types of garbage bins – depending upon the city. Some garbage bins belong to the municipality – these may be filled with Chametz if put out on the curb before Pesach.  Those that belong to the homeowner may not.
3. The Burning of Chametz, (YH: where it is allowed by the Rabbonim) requires either one piece the size of a kzayis or combined smaller pieces totaling a kzayis – but then it needs to be in one kli.
4. When buying  a kli that requires tevilah from a store, it is best to sell it to the Goy. [YH:  I am selling both Chometz to a goy as well as keilim – on the day before contact [email protected]]
5. According to Rav Miller, not having in mind to acquire the kli when purchasing it is not an option.
6. One can do biur chometz by placing a kzayis of chometz on a fork and burning it over a candle. [YH: Be careful – still]
7. According to some, you can’t Kasher a quartz countertop. Some consider crushed stone as cheres- חרס.
8. The Torah specified only כלי חרס can’t be Kashered. Perhaps one can say that anything else could be Kashered. Therefore, some are of the opinion that one may Kasher even plastic.
9. Most alcohol in hand sanitizers are not made from grain and one can rely [YH: this year] on the majority that it is not chometz.

5779

10. “Food that the owner has a right to eat, even if there are some restrictions on them, is considered belonging to him. Therefore. one is in violation of bal year’eh and bal yematzeh on lachmei todah, as it is considered enough of lachem to merely have the right to eat them – (reshus Achila).
11. Similarly, one fulfills achilas matzah with maser sheini wheat – even though there are other restrictions on Maaser sheini.
12. Accordingly, if one is invited for the Seder, there is no need for the host to be makneh the Matzos to the guest. There is no need for the Matzos to belong to the guest. By having permission to eat it – that is enough.  And since there is no need to be makneh, one should perhaps not do it since a kinyan on Yom Tov is only permitted when there is a need or a Mitzvah – here there is no Mitzvah – so don’t do it.

These psakim were culled from emailim baTorah from Reb M. Friedman over two years.

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The author can be reached at [email protected]