A Guide to a Meaningful and Enriching Pesach Page: 9 of 24
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38
THE SEARCH FOR CHOMETZ
BURNING OF CHOMETZ
MAROR (Bitter Herbs): The eating of bitter herbs is another Seder Night Mitzvah,
reminding us of the bitterness of slavery. Both men and women must eat the equivalent of a
K’zayit. To properly fulfill this religious obligation, we recommend that if horseradish is
used for the Maror, 1 ounce be the minimum amount used for each of the two times bitter
herbs are eaten at the Seder. If romaine (leaf lettuce) is used for Maror, we suggest a piece
the size of 3/4 of a matzoh.
THE FOUR CUPS (Arba Kosot): Another of the Seder Night Mitzvot is the drinking of
Four Cups of Wine, in tribute and as a toast to the Almighty for the four promises made and
fulfilled concerning the redemption (See Exodus VI: 6-7). Men and women are obligated to
drink the Arba Kosot. The obligation is discharged if more than half of each cup is
consumed (Rov Kos). Grape juice or diluted wine may be substituted for the wine for those
unable to drink the large quantity required for the holiday observance. How much wine is
required for each of the 4 cups? The technical Hebrew term is a "Reviit". This is
approximately 3-5 fluid ounces. Women and children may use a smaller cup (3 oz.) Health
permitting, one should use a 4-5 ounce cup.
All chometz in one’s possession, including that which was gathered the evening before in the
search for Chometz, that has neither been sold nor destroyed, should be burned on the
morning following the search, this year on Friday, April 10, by 11:00 a.m.
The night before the first Seder, immediately after dark, a final search for leaven called
"Bedikas Chometz" should be made in every home. This year we will search for the chometz
on Thursday, April 9. This search should be made by the light of a candle or a flashlight.
The search should be thorough even though usually the house has already been cleaned of
chometz by this time. The search is conducted with the house in complete darkness except
for the single candle or flashlight in the father’s hand as he trudges through the house with all
his children trailing behind. In some homes, it is customary for the mother to hide several
pieces of bread in the house so that the father and children will find something in their
search. Before the search, a spcial blessing is said, "Blessed art Thou, O Lord Our G-d,
King of the Universe, Who has sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us to
remove the leaven." After the search a special declaration renouncing ownership in any
chometz not found during the search is said. Following is the declaration transliterated and
its translation: Kol Chamirah Va-cha-mee-ah Di-ikah Vir-Shusi De-lah Chamisai U D'Lah
Bee-Arti Ud-Lah Yedanah Lai, Lee-Batail Velehevai Hefker Ke-Afrah De-ar-ah..."Any kind
of leaven which is in my possession, which I have not seen and not removed, shall be
regarded null and void and shall be considered as dust of the earth." All chometz found
during the search should be gathered together, tied in a cloth, and burned the following
morning. This year we bum the chometz no later than 11:00 a.m. on Friday, April 10.
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United Orthodox Synagogues of Houston. A Guide to a Meaningful and Enriching Pesach, pamphlet, Date Unknown; Houston, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1417199/m1/9/: accessed July 8, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Rice University Woodson Research Center.