Prepared for print by Faigy Peritzman

This time of year, I find myself with so many items that I don’t know what to do with: keep them over Pesach, sell them, toss them, or put in sheimos genizah. Which category do the following items fall into?

Note: This list covers items that are not certified kosher l’Pesach.

“Put away” refers to items that are not chometz but still may not be eaten over Pesach. These items should be removed from the kitchen and eating areas and stored away so that they do not come in contact with kosher l’Pesach food. It’s recommended, but not required, that these items be stored together with the sold chometz items.

Advertising circulars — may be discarded

Baby formula (gluten-free) — may be used for babies (check lists)

Baby powder — may be used

Barley (pearled and raw) — put away

Beer — sell, if your custom is to sell chometz gamur; otherwise discard

Bentsher covers — sheimos genizah

Bran — sell, if your custom is to sell chometz gamur; otherwise discard

Cake mixes — sell, even if your custom is not to sell chometz gamur, and put away

Canola oil — put away

Chewing gum — put away

Chicken/meat/fish (prepared on chometz equipment) — put away

Corn flakes (with malt) — sell, if your custom is to sell chometz gamur; otherwise discard

Cornstarch — put away

Cosmetics (possibly containing chometz) — some use and some put away

Couscous — sell, if your custom is to sell chometz gamur; otherwise discard

Cream of wheat — sell, if your custom is to sell chometz gamur; otherwise discard

Detergents (laundry) — may be used

Farfel — sell, if your custom is to sell chometz gamur; otherwise discard

Finger paint (Elmers) — sell, even if your custom is not to sell chometz gamur, and put away

Flour, whole wheat flour (with malt) — sell, even if your custom is not to sell chometz gamur, and put away

Fondants — put away

Food coloring — put away

Gefilte fish (with matzah meal) — sell, if your custom is to sell chometz gamur; otherwise discard

Glue (Elmer’s) — may be used

Grains (vacuum packed, unprocessed) — put away

Ketchup — put away

Kippahs — may be discarded

Kitniyos — put away

Licorice — sell, if your custom is to sell chometz gamur; otherwise discard

Lulav — preferably burn with chometz; otherwise wrap and discard honorably

Macaroni crafts (spray-painted) — sell, even if your custom is not to sell chometz gamur, and put away

Matzah and matzah meal — sell, if your custom is to sell chometz gamur; otherwise discard

Mayonnaise — put away

Mustard — put away

Oatmeal (instant, baby cereal) — sell, if your custom is to sell chometz gamur; otherwise discard

Parshah sheets — wrap and discard honorably

Perfume — check lists for approval; otherwise put away

Pet food — if contain chometz, sell if your custom is to sell chometz gamur; otherwise discard

Play-Doh — sell, even if your custom is not to sell chometz gamur, and put away

Popcorn — put away

Pudding mixes — put away

Quinoa (not kosher l’Pesach) — put away

Rice Krispies (with malt) — sell, if your custom is to sell chometz gamur; otherwise discard

Salad Dressing — put away

Skin-care products, ointment (with oats) — some use and some put away

Soup mix (powder) — sell, even if your custom is not to sell chometz gamur, and put away

Soy sauce (containing wheat) — sell, if your custom is to sell chometz gamur; otherwise discard

Stress balls (flour filled) — sell, even if your custom is not to sell chometz gamur, and put away

Sugar (confectioners’, brown) — put away

Sunflower oil — put away

Tallis katan with tzitzis (frayed or pasul) — sheimos genizah recommended; otherwise wrap and discard honorably

Tallis katan without tzitzis (frayed or pasul) — discard honorably

Tzitzis (strings) — sheimos genizah recommended; otherwise wrap and discard honorably

Vinegar — put away

Vitamin supplements — put away

Wedding invitations — may be discarded

Wheat germ — sell, even if your custom is not to sell chometz gamur, and put away

Whiskey — sell, if your custom is to sell whiskey; otherwise discard

Yeast (baker’s, powdered, extract) — put away

Yeast (brewer’s) — sell, if your custom is to sell chometz gamur; otherwise discard

(Originally featured in Family First, Issue 786)

The post Which Bin? first appeared on Mishpacha Magazine.

Photos: Flash 90, personal archives

When Breslover chassidim learned that the Ukranian government had declared a lockout on the annual pilgrimage to Rebbe Nachman’s kever in Uman for Rosh Hashanah, banning foreigners from entry to the country starting last Motzaei Shabbos, they didn’t waste any time. Hundreds of chassidim flocked to Ben Gurion airport and scrambled for remaining available tickets at inflated prices, in both direct and roundabout routes, in order to make it to Uman before the gates shut. Ukraine International Airlines added additional flights to Kiev and Odessa to fly the many anxious Breslovers into Ukraine before the ban was to take effect.

But making it to Ukraine didn’t mean they were home safe in Uman. Chassidim who arrived Thursday morning were held for hours (many of them ordered to purchase return tickets to Israel) until the Israeli ambassador intervened and secured permission for them to continue on to Uman. But hundreds of chassidim who arrived on later Thursday flights, also before the deadline, were detained in the airport until an hour before Shabbos while Ukrainian authorities were insisting on sending them back on return flights on Shabbos. Following frantic diplomatic efforts and a bypassing maneuver by Interior Minister Aryeh Deri, the Israelis were released and allowed to spend Shabbos in Kiev, not knowing if they’d be deported Motzaei Shabbos. By Sunday, they’d all reached Uman.

Many veteran Uman travelers who didn’t want to spend the next three weeks in Ukraine but who would like to make the trip before Rosh Hashanah are still hoping things will change until the holiday. Will the Ukrainian authorities decide to welcome the chassidim who have become regular visitors — and who give their economy a major boost — or will they keep the gates locked?

Anyone whose associations with Breslov are limited to images of white-yarmulke and jean-clad young men dancing in the streets probably can’t help but wonder what the fuss is all about. Why are these chassidim working so hard, pulling all possible strings and pulling out all the stops to travel en masse to Ukraine when the world is still plagued by a pandemic? Why risk catching or transmitting a potentially fatal disease just for two days of prayer?

For Breslover chassidim, traveling to Rebbe Nachman’s grave for Rosh Hashanah is a cornerstone of the entire year’s avodah. The pilgrimage has traditionally included an element of hardship and sacrifice as well. Reb Nosson, Rebbe Nachman’s prime disciple, once said, ”Even if the road to Uman were paved with knives, I would crawl there — just so I could be with my Rebbe on Rosh Hashanah!” In fact, in Breslov, the obstacles (known as “meniyot”) are an important part of any spiritual quest — they are the all-important tests of one’s sincerity and dedication.

But this year, the pandemic has made all Jews question those very principles that used to seem so clear and basic, and terms like mesirus nefesh have taken on a new dimension. In a year when it was suddenly halachically preferable not to say Kaddish for a parent; in a year when visiting elderly relatives meant endangering their health; and when the very definitions of chesed, davening, and serving Hashem took on whole new proportions; the imperative for the Breslov pilgrimage to Uman has become murky as well. When the virus is still racking up casualties in Eretz Yisrael, when medical experts are cautioning about the risks, what’s the right course of action?

For Israel’s coronavirus commissioner Professor Roni Gamzu, the course is clear: Gamzu has been vocally opposed to this year’s pilgrimage, announcing that worshippers would have to forgo the “party,” predicting that it could prompt a major spike in coronavirus infections. “The hard way is not always popular. It is complex, it is complicated, and it takes time,” Gamzu said.

Last Wednesday, Gamzu went so far as to ask Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to ban chassidim from entering Ukraine, raising the ire of several Orthodox MKs. Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s office swiftly denied that the request came from Bibi, although Gamzu claims he didn’t act independently.

Ukraine is one of the few countries that are currently allowing in Israeli nationals, despite the high coronavirus infection rate in the Jewish state. Still, in deference to the Israeli request, Ukraine Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said last week’s ban was partly in response to a plea from Israel to prevent an influx of chassidim traveling to Uman, fearing it may become a virus hot spot. “We must protect our citizens and show responsibility to our foreign partners,” Shmyhal said.

While Gamzu called the decision — which is supported by Health Minister Yuli Edelstein — “responsible and correct” and “in the spirit of the time,” which would “preserve the health of thousands of people in Israel and Ukraine,” the next day, United Torah Judaism head and Housing Minister Yaakov Litzman called for Gamzu’s ouster, claiming the coronavirus czar told Ukraine’s president that “Jews will dirty his city and bring diseases.”

Likud MK Miki Zohar lashed out at Gamzu, warning him during a news interview that the flights to Uman would happen anyway, and that he should prepare for that scenario “instead of sending letters to Ukraine in opposition to the prime minister’s point of view.”

A day later, Zohar’s prediction came true: “After swallowing all this criticism over the issue of Uman, I have been proven right by the facts on the ground,” he wrote on social media. “Instead of organizing closely supervised trips for around 6,000 chassidim [which Breslov rabbanim had been negotiating for] instead of the usual 25,000, with careful adherence to guidelines and so forth, what we have happening now is thousands of people traveling out there already without any supervision whatsoever.”

In fact, flying direct or roundabout through other countries, about 3,000 chassidim have already arrived in Uman since the beginning of Elul, much to the consternation of Professor Gamzu. Is there a better way to face the reality of Uman during the year of the pandemic?

The post Not Giving Up on Uman  first appeared on Mishpacha Magazine.

Whatever plans families may have had thought they had, it’s clear that there will be thousands of first-time Seder leaders this year, with little time and peace of mind with which to prepare. Mishpacha's Family First’s Family Table has even started a WhatsApp group for mothers, offering tips and advice from seasoned homemakers. But what about the fathers, who will now be in a position to create a mesorah for their nuclear families? We asked experienced teachers and rabbanim, those who’ve been inspiring others for years, to share their own insights.

I just found out I’m making my own Seder in my little basement apartment. Until now my experience has been that only older, wiser, and more experienced people – the real family patriarchs – lead the Seder. What's really important and what's really not important? Where should I invest my time and where does it make sense to take shortcuts?

I feel that the most important message of the Seder, and indeed one of the most important mitzvos of the night, is to walk away being a bigger maamin. And I think the way to do that, besides through reciting the actual Haggadah, is for every father -- and every person for that matter -- to relate his personal experiences of where he’s seen the Yad Hashem in his lifetime, how the Ribbono shel Olam has guided him, directed his life or even come to his rescue.  That, I believe, is the best way to make emunah real, which is the mitzvas halailah.

— RABBI YISSOCHER FRAND, renowned speaker and author

The words of Shmuel Hanavi come to mind when he tells Shaul Hamelech, “Even if you may think of yourself as being small and not relevant, know that you are a leader of Klal Yisrael.” These are defining moments of our history and, although traditionally the Seder has been led by the “patriarch,” this year all of us are being catapulted into patriarchal status. We will step up to the plate and hit it out of the park, im yirtzeh Hashem !

— RABBI ELIEZER FEUER, Rav of Young Israel of Bayswater

What resource (Haggadah, class, sefer, etc.) do you consider indispensable?   

I’m not kidding when I answer that the actual Haggadah itself is indispensable. This is the year to declare freedom from quoting others and feeling like you need some fancy footwork to lead a Seder. Just read the Haggadah out loud (in English, if you don't understand it), and whatever comes to mind -- questions, observations, applications to your situation -- those are the things to say. The goal is to appreciate what Hashem did. It is all there in the Haggadah, and there is no "right way" to comment on it. Just say what comes to you in the moment.

— RABBI ILAN FELDMAN, Rav of Congregation Beth Jacob of Atlanta

Regarding a particular sefer or Haggadah, I usually cull from many so it’s hard to pinpoint one thing. This year, however, as I’m not doing much new purchasing of seforim for Pesach, I’m seeing a lot of sublime messages in the timeless words of the Haggadah itself. We have a knack of picking up and seeing the most incredible messages and thoughts in the words of Hakadosh Baruch Hu, the words of the Neviiim and of Chazal through the generations... so my advice is go back to “the book” and just read it.

— RABBI ELIEZER FEUER

If there's one thing my children should remember from the Seder, what should it be?

They should be able to recall that, despite any circumstances, you were cheerful, excited, and determined to celebrate Pesach, and refused to let anything, including their possible misbehavior or lack of enthusiasm, get in the way. It will be a memory that can change their lives.

— RABBI ILAN FELDMAN

The dancing that we do at Leshanah Haba. If we can still be dancing at that unearthly hour there must be truly something to dance about.

— RABBI AVROHOM WEINRIB, Rav of Zichron Eliezer, Cincinnati

The Seder is a magical time which kids will literally engrave into their memories forever. We try to make the Seder as royal as possible -- the room should shine! The one catch is that this depends solely on one thing: if Daddy’s and Mommy’s faces are shining beaming with joy. This gives the evening its royal ambiance.

— RABBI ELIEZER FEUER

The tunes I sing at the end of the night to “Adir Hu” and “Echad Mi Yodeiah” are the niggunim I heard from my father a”h. My children sing those very tunes and their children do as well. I think this imbues a sense of mesorah, even if in the larger scope of things, it seems minor.  But this is the hemshech of doros.

— RABBI YISSOCHER FRAND

If you would rewind back to your first Seder, would what you have done differently?

It took a couple of years to figure it out, but once we did, it made all the difference in the world. It's challenging to get the kids to sleep on Erev Pesach and the first day of Yom Tov, so we instituted "Bazooka Naps." One Bazooka gum for every hour slept. You'll be amazed how many hours a child can sleep when every hour counts!

— RABBI AVROHOM WEINRIB

 (Originally featured in Mishpacha, Issue 805)

The post First-Timer Fundamentals first appeared on Mishpacha Magazine.

Episode 2: Would you prefer to be the one taking the Jews out of Egypt...or Egypt out of the Jews?

The post Mars & Venus Leave Egypt: Episode 2 first appeared on Mishpacha Magazine.

The post Mars & Venus Leave Egypt: Episode 1 first appeared on Mishpacha Magazine.

S

o. Plans fell through? Pesach program canceled, sister-in-law getting cold feet, mother-in-law wants to skip guests in light of the current situation? We get it: making Pesach for the fi rst time, especially if you only just realized you need to be making Pesach for the fi rst time, is daunting. Here’s a list of everything you need to get yourself ready for the Seder. And here’s a note: online shopping is ultra-convenient (always, but especially right now), but consider that frum-owned small businesses may really be hurting and could use your patronage.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD A PRINTABLE LIST!

Kitchenware

FLEISHIGS:

cutting board, plastic, for raw meat and poultry

cutting board, wooden, for vegetables

knives

peeler

can opener

corkscrew

wooden spoon

  spatula

whisk

ladle

large soup pot (7+ quarts)

medium pot (5 quarts)

2–3 frying pans in various sizes

MILCHIGS:

nonstick pan for eggs

spatula

Small Appliances

food processor

  mixer (hand mixers sometimes burn out from beating egg whites)

Grocery

CLEANING/KASHERING SUPPLIES:

aluminum foil

parchment paper

shelf liners

sponges

SEDER NIGHT:

matzah (1.5-2 lb per adult)

  wine and grape juice

eggs (don’t forget to hard-boil and roast one if it’s your minhag)

apples (for charoses)

walnuts (for charoses)

chicken wing (for zeroa)

romaine lettuce (for chazeres)

horseradish root

potatoes/celery (for karpas)

BASIC PANTRY GOODS:

  oil (a neutral oil like saffl  ower or walnut as well as olive oil)

almond butter

almond flour

potato starch

other flour substitutes, if desired

matzah meal, if applicable

baking powder

baking soda

salt

pepper

other spices, if applicable

coffee/tea

sugar

brown sugar

honey

tuna

mayonnaise

DAIRY:

milk

yogurt/leben

Disposables

hot cups

cutlery

napkins

foil pans

plates, cups (nice disposable if you haven’t invested in Pesach dishes yet)

2-lb, 1-lb, and ½-lb containers for storage and food prep

(Originally featured in Family Table Issue 686)

The post First Time Making Pesach? first appeared on Mishpacha Magazine.

Whatever amount you think you need, buy one more! You think you need one oil? Buy two! Somehow the groceries get depleted lightning fast. Also, disposable pots are a lifesaver — one little burner and a few of those disposable pots were all I needed to make chicken soup, braised meats, or even fish for small meals.
—Rivki Rabinowitz

I’ve never seen my mother stressed out about making Pesach, so some of her attitude rubbed off on me. It’s eight days; we don’t need thirty cakes and ten batches of cookies. Also, I really limit side dishes. I make apple kugel and zucchinimushroom kugel in muffin tins so I can reheat what I need, and the rest is either fresh salads or roasted vegetables.
—Michal Frischman

I follow my mother’s path of being very organized with lots of lists, and to look for fun and creative Pesach utensils. We had some really memorable Pesach dishes when I was growing up, and it was always nostalgic to see them come out of their boxes. Do whatever you can to make the Pesach prep process fun and enjoyable for you and your family, so you’ll create traditions and memories! —Sarah Faygie Berkowitz

Stay organized and focused. Pesach is a privilege and not a burden. Don’t make it into one by doing unnecessary work!
—Brynie Greisman

Allow an extra cushion of time for kashering the kitchen. You think you’re going to be done when everything is cleaned,but you still have to cover everything, kasher the sinks, kasher any silver or pots you want to use, and bring in the Pesach dishes. Cleaning the bedrooms can be done in a more perfunctory way. And leave the car to your husband and kids.
—Barbara Bensoussan

I wish someone would’ve told me how expensive Pesach can be — especially the first time. Don’t go crazy the first year: buy a set of good meat pots, one or two dairy pots, and a frying pan. If you’re into pareve, buy a pareve pot for potatoes and eggs. If you plan to bake, buy a mixer. It doesn’t have to be a KitchenAid — it’s only used once a year, after all. Wait to buy dishes and silverware, it’s easier to just use nice plastic.
—Nina Feiner

Pesach is just seven (or eight) days long. The limited pantry actually makes cooking easier because it forces us to go back to the basics. Make delicious, simple recipes that highlight the ingredients for what they are without masking them in sauces and processed ingredients. Think roasted veggies, broiled fish, grilled chicken and meats, soup, salads, fruit, nuts, and chocolate! My number-one tip is to look for recipes in your own repertoire that you know your family likes — and that just happen to be kosher for Pesach all year long!
—Danielle Renov

The most helpful thing I received before my first Pesach was an allinclusive shopping list from my aunt. She also gave me a fabulous Erev Pesach checklist for the Seder. I am indebted to her to this day.
—Rivky Kleiman

A food processor may seem like a splurge, but if you can possibly swing it — get one! You will use it all Yom Tov. Think potato kugel, zucchini kugel, carrot kugel, sorbets, and did I mention potato kugel? If you don’t want to spend your entire Yom Tov at the sink, you may want to make the choice I did — and not purchase a set of china for Pesach. There are beautiful paper goods out there that will enable you to spend more time with your family and less time cleaning. And double everything you can. No one will complain if they have lemon ices on the first day and the last day.
—Bassi Gruen

The post What Do You Wish Someone Told You Before Making Pesach for the First Time? first appeared on Mishpacha Magazine.

There are many ways to make Pesach. None of them have to involve tears, extreme fatigue, or a week of pizza bagels. In this column we’ll meet women with vastly different methods, but who all share the goal of reaching Pesach calmly and happily.

Name: Chani Levin*

From: Lakewood, NJ

Been making Pesach for: 11 years

Cleaning crew: Me and my big girls

Motto: On Seder night we will be ready just like everyone else, no matter how ahead someone else is now.

Approach: I work full time and b”H have a family who needs laundry and food even before Pesach, so I have to spread out the cleaning. I write lists and schedules and rewrite them as I go along.

I start by:

Organizing. I do this Tu B’Shvat time, because when I’m Pesach cleaning I just empty, wipe, and lock up. So I check the medicine cabinet for expired medicines, organize the linen closets…it’s not happening erev Pesach! I also start thinking about Pesach when I shop. Do I really need six bags of lokshen? From the beginning of Adar through Purim, I’m busy with Purim, so my real cleaning starts after Purim.

I start cleaning the places the kids can’t get to. I clean whenever I have a spare hour, working on my bedroom, or my freezer (even if I put chametz back in it, it’ll be easier to clean it erev Pesach).

I start the bedrooms on Rosh Chodesh Nissan. They take me about a week. I lock up most bedroom closets and drawers—this way, my husband doesn’t need to do bedikas chametz on them. The clean laundry just stays in laundry baskets over Pesach.

I spend the next week cleaning my kitchen and shopping. I don’t scrub my pots or oven—that black isn’t chametz. If it’s clean enough for me all year round, it’s clean enough for Pesach.

I lock up all my cabinets. I bought a plastic cabinet for my groceries. I don’t have to empty or line shelves—I put all of my groceries straight from the bags into the closest. As far as pots, pans, and silverware, I don’t have that much and whatever I have is always on my counter—either it’s being washed or it needs to be washed. If something’s not in use, or if I’ve finished with the mixer, I put it back in the box and keep it in my bedroom.

The post Pesach Without the Pressure: Chani Levin first appeared on Mishpacha Magazine.

The same process improvement tools used by billion-dollar corporations can transform your Pesach prep so it’s manageable and efficient — and you can attend the Seder like a queen

Processes are like junk drawers. If you don’t clean them up every so often, they just fill up with stuff, getting bigger and messier. To become efficient and productive in all areas of home management, we need to redefine everything we do as a process

Meet the Cohens

"D

on’t go in there with pretzels! I just cleaned that room!” shrieks Mrs. Cohen.

“But I need my hoverboard,” explains Chaim, exasperated. “My class is getting together at the park this afternoon!” Chaim can’t understand. Doesn’t Mommy want him out of her way?

“Chani, did you finish the dishes?”

“I’ll get it to them as soon as I’m off the phone,” says Chani. “Dini is describing her new Yom Tov outfit. By the way, when are you going to take me shopping?”

Moishy pops in. “I’m hungry. What’s for lunch?”

“I’ll put up some noodles as soon as I finish this drawer.”

Mr. Cohen kicks open the door, holding an oversized can of fresh white paint. “Everyone out of the way. I’m starting!”

Pesach at the Cohens is underway!

It’s All a Process

So many tasks need to be managed in the month preceding Pesach, from regular household chores — laundry, daily meals, Shabbos prep — to a thorough cleaning of each room, shopping for clothes, errands, entertaining the kids on vacation, cooking, maybe even some home improvements.

Instead of another futile attempt at getting family members to help or reorganizing a closet, let’s refocus on the root of all homemaking issues. It’s time to confront the Pesach preparation process at the core.

At the base of everything we do in our homes are the processes we subconsciously follow. This Erev Pesach, before organizing the rooms, first organize the processes taking place.

“If you can’t describe what you do as a process, you don’t know what you are doing,” says W. Edwards Deming, forerunner of the Lean Six Sigma philosophy. Processes are like junk drawers. If you don’t clean them up every so often, they just fill up with stuff, getting bigger and messier. To become efficient and productive in all areas of home management, we need to redefine everything we do as a process.

And once you have a process, you can employ process- improvement techniques to fix the things that keep going wrong. One effective tool is the Lean Six Sigma methodology, used by billion-dollar corporations worldwide. It’s actually a combination of two effective continuous process improvement methods: Lean and Six Sigma.

Lean focuses on eliminating waste so that we can use our resources better, as well as engaging the people involved in the process so there’s constant improvement.

Six Sigma is a statistical means of collecting and analyzing data. It focuses on eliminating defects from a process.

How can Lean Six Sigma help the Cohen family? Eliminating waste from a production process is one of the underlying concepts of Lean Six Sigma. Until now the Cohens have thought of “waste” only as Moishy’s half eaten sandwich, Chani’s stained sweater, or Chaim’s broken bicycle. Lean Six Sigma waste is broader. It’s defined as unnecessary time, material, and labor in a process. The more waste we eliminate from a process, the more time and resources we have for achieving our goal.

The Cohen family has gotten so used to the disorganized “jump at the task that screams the loudest” method of preparing for Pesach that they are blinded to doing things differently. Let’s teach the Cohens how to view the Pesach-making process with new eyes and eliminate their waste.

(Excerpted from Family First, Issue 583)

The post Streamline Your Pesach Cleaning first appeared on Mishpacha Magazine.