Passover Preparations Chamtez non Kosher Foods Cleaning
Preparing the home for Passover is an important aspect of planning for this celebration in Jewish homes. The Passover is a time for celebrating the event in which Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt and freed them from slavery. The celebration of this event lasts for seven days and each day has a special significance. Unleavened bread is the focus of the celebration because the Israelites did not have time to bake their leavened bread before they had to leave.
The first aspect of the preparation is that of Chametz, which is the giving away of leavened products. This can be to a non- Jewish family, but the typical custom is to give these products to the rabbi, who will then distribute them to needy families or they may be sold to raise money for a charity. According to the Torah, the home should be cleansed of leavened products, such as bread or cakes or agents that will cause leavening, such as yeast or baking powders.
Cleaning the house is an important part of the overall Passover preparation. This involves cleaning the interior of the home from top to bottom and the cleaning of the exterior as well. Bedclothes are washed and curtains and draperies are taken down and cleaned. The walls, ceilings and floors are washed and the furniture is polished to a gleaming shine. The object of this activity is to make your home feel new to signify rebirth.
You do have to either purchase new dishes for the Passover or use ones that you keep especially for this occasion. Even though you may have lots of dishes in the house, they are not supposed to be used during Passover because they may have been used for non-kosher foods at other times of the year. Even though they have been washed and are clean, they cannot be used during this week. If you cannot afford to purchase a new set of dishes for this occasion, you can use disposable plates. Since glass does not absorb the traces of non-kosher food, most Jewish families continue to use the glassware that they use all year.
The food that you eat during the Passover must be entirely kosher. The preparations for this occasion will likely necessitate grocery shopping to make sure you have this food ready to serve. In some Jewish communities, the women gather together in the weeks prior to the Passover to make Matzo bread which has not been contaminated by any leavened products. Other foods needed for Passover include lamb, parsley, eggs, horseradish, apples and raisins. These are essential for the Seder meal. You should also have a quantity of Passover wine in the house.
When you set the table for the Seder using the dishes you have just for this occasion, each place setting must have a wine glass. The Haggadah, or the story of the Exodus, must also be present on the table.
