Articles About Pesach

 
What is Chametz?
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Tuesday 25th March 2014

One of the main prohibitions on Passover is the consumption and possession of chametz.  Additionally, we may not derive benefit from it either.

Chametz is formed when dough made from wheat, barley, rye, oats or spelt is allowed to ferment (or rise).  The time in which fermentation takes place is deemed to be 18 minutes.  Not only are all bread products considered chametz, but any products containing these ingredients will be unsuitable for Passover.

To ensure that a product is kosher for Passover, it must carry a reliable kosher logo.  Even though the ingredient listing may appear suitable for Passover, it is possible that traces of chametz from previous productions will still be present on the equipment.

It is also worth mentioning that only matzah made especially for Passover may be used during the festival.  Round-the-year matzah is not made to the strict guidelines required for Passover and therefore should not be used.