The Easiest Mitzvah You’ll Do All Year
Each year before Passover, the synagogue sends out a form asking you to sell your chametz . And each year, a predictable pattern emerges. Some people return the form immediately. Some people return it the night before Passover. Some people ignore it. And some people discover the form three weeks after Passover and say, “Oh… was I supposed to send that in?” Let me reassure you: selling your chametz may be the easiest mitzvah you will perform all year. You don’t need special equipment. You don’t need to study a tractate of Talmud. You don’t even need to leave your house. All you need to do is sign the form. But behind this very simple step lies one of the most important obligations of Passover. What Is Chametz ? The Torah prohibits the eating of leaven during Passover (Exodus 12:15-20). Chametz refers to any food made from five grains—wheat, barley, oats, spelt, and rye—that has been allowed to rise. Matzah , of course, is made from those same grains—but without...