VERY IMPORTANT
This year, when Erev Pesach falls on Shabbos, many special issues arise. In particular, when the sale of chometz takes place, the times for usual Erev Pesach activities, and how to eat the Shabbos meals present problems. We shall attempt to clarify what our tradition is, following the rulings of Rav Moshe ז״ל, whose opinions we follow.

MECHIRAS CHOMETZ
EXTREMELY IMPORTANT
The actual sale of the chometz to the non-Jew will take place Friday morning, April 11th at approximately 10:00 AM. Any chometz bought after that time will not be included in the sale, and must be used up or destroyed before Shabbos begins. Any remaining chometz must be thrown in the toilet on Shabbos before the time of prohibition, which is 11:34 AM.

MECHIRAS CHOMETZ - All Mechiras Chometz transactions with Rabbi Siff will take place at his home, 268 East Broadway, apartment A501 (not in shul).

The hours are: 6:00 to 6:50 (before Mincha) and 8:00 to 9:00 PM (after Maariv) and Sunday, April 6th from 10:30 to 12:30 AM and 8:00 to 9:00 PM until Thursday noon, April 11th.

If you are unable to come at the above times, you can make arrangements by calling Rabbi Siff at 212-228-7720 or 917-836-7704.

SIYUM BECHORIM – This year the Siyum, will be on Thursday morning, April 10th following davening which will begin at 8:00 AM at our 52 Cannon Shul location.

BEDIKAS CHOMETZ – will take place on Thursday night, April 10th following Maariv. The search is conducted as usual and the bitul/nullification of chometz takes place following the search.

BURNING THE CHOMETZ – The burning takes place Friday morning, April 11th , at the usual time, i.e., before 11:34 AM. No bitul is recited after, since chometz can still be eaten until 10:12 AM of the next day, Shabbos morning.

THE SHABBOS MEALS – The simplest method is to make everything ready for Pesach and instead of using challah, use egg matzah. Eat at least two matzos if possible and then the brocho is “Hamotzi” – i.e. the egg matzah which is really cake is treated as regular bread. Egg matzah, which is not chometz, can be eaten by everyone in the time that chometz can be eaten, i.e. until 10:12 AM Shabbos morning. After that time it is only eaten by the elderly who cannot eat regular matzah or by those who are sick. However, it can remain in the house and the crumbs present no problem. Of course, egg matzah cannot be used for matzah at the Seder.

Shacharis on Shabbos Hagodol, April 12th will begin at 7:00 AM so that we can complete the Shabbos meal by 10:12 AM. After the meal, we then recite the bitul/nullification of chometz as on the regular morning before Pesach.

We must remember that no Seder preparations can be made until after Shabbos (after 8:23 PM) is concluded and until after the women have recited “Boruch Hamavdil Bein Kodesh L’Kodesh”.

SHOLOSH SEUDOS – Sholosh Seudos on Shabbos Hagodol should be either meat, fish or fruit. We do not eat either egg matzah or cake containing matzah meal.

Pesach Sameach