9 Responses

1. All the plastic thrown on a flame mely, usually right away. However, tragically the plastic at times pops and throws out napalm-like debris. Today I saw many, many children, and adults staring into the flame like a deer in a headlight.

2. Refuah shelaima to all the children who were burnt in various chometz fires.
   Perhaps next year there should be a rule that young children should not be allowed to be at chometz burnings, even accompanied by adults.
   Chag Kasher v’Sameach to all.

3. I hope they have a speedy recovery. WHY CANT COMMUNITY LEADERS INCLUDING HATZOLAH COMMANDERS SPEAK OUT ABOUT HOW TO SAFLEY BURN CHOMETZ BEFORE PESACH ALONG WITH ALL THE OTHER TIMES PEOPLE ARE AROUND FIRE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

4. 2 of the kids came home for yom tov and the 3rd one came home the 2nd day w/ burns to his face but they all be ok

5. Is the whole thing worth it if even one kid gets burned (sometimes to death?)

   We should have a few places to go to burn the chometz, by profesionalls, that’s all. Of course no body will listen and we will have problems next year as well.

6. Kel Na Refa Na Lohem

   One of the things that I have noticed through the years is that people put the craziest things into chametz fires. Bottles, plastic items, other kinds of garbage are NOT CHAMETZ and don’t need to be burned. These things are where the hazards lie. 10 pieces of bread wrapped up in PAPER TOWELS (not plastic bags) or brown paper bags will burn quite nicely, thank you, as will half a box of Cheerios.

   It is up to the parents to make sure that the chametz is eaten up, thrown out, or given to a goy BEFORE the last minute, so that people won’t feel any need to throw inappropriate items into the fire.

7. Yidishreder – there’s no need to burn anything at all. You can just as easily toss it into any public garbage bin or be mafkir it properly. The actual burning is performed because it is a minhag (mitzvah also?) to do so, and can be accomplished through a minimal amount of chametz.

   There should be restrictions on what can go in the fire – as you say, a small paper containg some chametz. The rest can (should!) go in a dumpster.

8. My mother was in the burn center of s.i. a few years ago and one of the non-jewish doctors asked her; “Arent the jewish people a smart nation? why do we get burn victims every year by pesach and chanuka?”
   Its so sad that people dont use their brains and let their kids get so close to the fire and throw in all kinds of stuff.
   Parents use some brains!!! why learn the hard way g-d forbid

9. I know this was said twice already, but it’s sure worth repeating:

   What should be thrown into the fire is:

   “10 peices of found chometz!”

   and maybe…
   a lulav and chanukah wicks if you saved them. All this should be in paper bags only.

   Even challah dough will not burn completely on erev pesach and if they don’t burn the way they should, them many sheilos come up….

   When you throw a jar of peanut butter, jam or Cherrios (or any ‘real’ chometz for that matter) into the Garbage truck, then it becomes ‘hefker’ and you have done exactly the right thing needed to be done for Pesach.
   It is NOT a bigger mitzvah to burn all your garbage and leftovers by ‘sreifas chometz – erev yom tov’. The chometz might not burn completely then…