PREPARING FOR PASSOVER IN THE HOME

In addition to not using chametz products during the festival days, avoid the use of dishes and utensils that have been used with chametz all year round. For this reason, it is necessary to have two additional sets of dishes for Passover use. These are stored away in a closet throughout the year and brought out for use only on Passover. At the same time, the year-round dishes and utensils are stored away out of sight during the Passover festival.

There are certain types of utensils that can be ritually cleansed or kashered for Passover use. These are discussed below:

Silver and Metal Utensils

Silverware, small pots, and metal utensils with no wooden handles may be kashered for Passover use. They must first be cleansed thoroughly and then allowed to stand unused for at least twenty-four hours. They are then completely immersed in a kettle or vat of boiling water.

Larger pots and kettles may be kashered by first cleansing them as above and filling them with water to the very top, allowing the water to boil, and then placing a hot iron or stone inside the pot so that the boiling water runs over down the sides of the pot.

China, pottery, and utensils that have different parts glued together and items that cannot be cleansed thoroughly (such as a sieve) cannot be kashered for Passover use.

Glassware

Glasses or glass plates that have not been used for hot liquids or solids during the year may be kashered for Passover by immersing them in water at room temperature for a period of three days prior to Passover. The water is changed every 24 hours during this three-day period.

Glass utensils (such as Pyrex) that are used with hot foods must be treated as china and

cannot be kashered. The best procedure for glassware is to have separate glassware for Passover use.

The Stove and Oven

Every part of the stove and oven must be thoroughly cleansed with a chemical cleanser and then allowed to stand for 24 hours or more without being used. The top range and the oven must then be heated at the highest setting and allowed to stand for a period of at least 30 minutes at that setting. The oven, if self-cleaning, must be run through a full self-cleaning cycle, or, if not self-cleaning, must be heated at the highest setting (typically
500 Fahrenheit) for 3 ˝ hours. In addition, during Passover, a special metal sheet is placed over the top of the range to prevent contact with the Passover utensils.

PASSOVER FOODS

Most foods that are used on Passover require rabbinical supervision. This is especially true of all processed foods. It is important to realize that a label indicating that the product is “Kosher for Passover” does not assure us of the adequacy of the supervision. Whenever possible, one should use products that bear symbols indicating supervision by a recognized kashrut authority (e.g. OU-P).

Grain Products

All grain products require strict rabbinical supervision for Passover use.

Milk and Dairy Products

These, too, require Passover supervision.

Fresh Fruits and Vegetables

All of these may be used (except for legumes—peas, beans, rice, and corn, which are all treated like chametz). If these fruits and vegetables are sold in a general grocery store, they should be washed very carefully before being used on Passover.

Dried Fruits.

These should carry an acceptable Passover endorsement.