Monday, April 15, 2024

Halocho #2392 - Selling Chametz to a non-Jew

Since most of us don't want to start selling Chametz on Erev Pessach, one can go to most local Rabbis and appoint them as a messenger to sell our Chametz.

The Rabbi will make a legal sale of the Chametz including a legal document and a deposit. Realize that this is a bona fide sale, and that the non-Jew is entitled to come to our homes and request we hand over our Chametz, as has occasionally happened.

After Pesach, the Rabbi goes to the non-Jew and asks to be paid the remainder of the debt and offers to buy back the Chametz from the non-Jew at a higher price. Since the non-Jew usually prefers to make a quick profit rather than paying for hundreds of items scattered throughout the city, he will sell the Chametz to the Rabbi.

One should only sell Chametz and not the containers it's in - especially not containers that require Tevila, like metal and glass, otherwise one would need to Toivel them in a Mikva after Pessach since they belonged to a non-Jew during Pesach.

Chametz that has been sold (via the Rabbi) must be locked away so that one doesn't accidentally use it, which would be a double problem: Chametz on Pessach and stealing from the non-Jew.

Even if one has no intention of keeping Chametz in one's home, one should still go to a Rabbi to appoint him to sell one's Chametz. Why?

A lot of products may be Chametz contrary to popular belief - depending on the latest production methods - like medications, creams, soaps or even food which one discovers later wasn't really Kosher for Pesach.

During Pessach one may discover Chametz that one wasn't aware of, or that one forgot to get rid of in the last-minute pre-Pessach rush.

If one sold all one's Chametz then one didn't own any during Pessach; a Torah prohibition.

Chametz that belonged to a Jew during Pessach may not be used after Pessach. This is a Rabbinical decree; a punishment for owning the Chametz.

Source: Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 114

 מִי שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ הַרְבֵּה חָמֵץ שֶׁאֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לְבַעֲרוֹ מִן הָעוֹלָם, צָרִיךְ לְמָכְרוֹ לְאֵינוֹ יְהוּדִי קֹדֶם הַפֶּסַח בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁהוּא עֲדַיִן מֻתָּר בַּהֲנָאָה. 
וְלֹא יְהֵא עִנְיַן מְכִירַת חָמֵץ אֵצֶל הָאָדָם כְּמוֹ מִצְוַת אֲנָשִׁים מְלֻמָּדָה, אֶלָּא צָרִיךְ שֶׁיִּגְמוֹר בְּדַעְתּוֹ שֶׁהוּא מוֹכְרוֹ בֶּאֱמֶת לְהָאֵינוֹ יְהוּדִי מְכִירָה גְּמוּרָה וַחֲלוּטָה. וְלֹא יִמְכּוֹר בְּיֹקֶר מִן הַמְּחִיר הָרָאוּי. וּלְאַחַר הַפֶּסַח יְבַקֵּשׁ מֵאֵת הָאֵינוֹ יְהוּדִי שֶׁיְשַׁלֵּם לוֹ אֶת הַחוֹב. וְכַאֲשֶׁר יְשִׁיבֵהוּ שֶׁאֵין לוֹ כֶּסֶף, יְבַקֵּשׁ מִמֶּנּוּ שֶׁיַּחֲזוֹר וְיִמְכּוֹר לוֹ אֶת הֶחָמֵץ עִם (הַחֶדֶר) בְּעַד כָּךְ וְכָךְ. 
וְלֹא יְהֵא הַדָּבָר כְּחוֹכָא בְּעָלְמָא, אֶלָּא כְּדֶרֶךְ הַסּוֹחֲרִים מַמָש.
צְרִיכִין לִזָּהֵר שֶׁלֹּא לֵהָנוֹת לְאַחַר הַפֶּסַח מֵחֲמֵצוֹ שֶׁל יִשְֹרָאֵל שֶׁהוּא חָשׁוּד שֶׁלֹּא מְכָרוֹ כַּדָּת.

- Danny Schoemann
Monday, 7 Nissan 5784

Please daven for the full recovery of the seriously wounded soldier
מֹשֶׁה אַהֲרֹן בֶּן לֵאָה בֵּיילָא
לרפואה שלמה

No comments:

Post a Comment