Shabbat Sheet

Shabbat Ḥol Hamoed Pesach

“You shall not offer the blood of My sacrifice with [עַל] anything leavened….” (Ex. 34:25)

The Torah portion we read on Shabbat Ḥol Hamoed Pesach mentions the seven-day festival of unleavened bread that we know as Passover, but it also includes the verse above, which our tradition reads as relating to the Paschal lamb. The question, then, is what the Torah means by “with.” How close is too close to chametz, the rabbis ask (in Pesachim 63b)? Obviously, you shouldn’t have chametz under or next to your Paschal lamb, but what if someone brought chametz into the Temple courtyard? What if someone left chametz somewhere back in his house, or in her possession? Rav Oshaya finally points out that if “with” is read expansively, it’s impossible not to violate this prohibition: there will always be someone at the ends of the earth who still has some chametz! And so, he concludes, only the people who are registered to eat the offering are responsible for getting rid of their chametz.

Observing our contemporary Passover restrictions can feel similarly impossible, especially if you have to work, travel, buy groceries, or simply set foot outside your house in the next several days. I’m happy to answer any questions that arise (ahem), but I also want to say that we can learn from Rabbi Oshaya: despite our best efforts, sometimes we’ll find ourselves in the same courtyard or city (or conference room) as chametz. It’s okay – we can only be responsible for the things we can control and for the chametz we can get rid of. Even when it’s (inevitably) not quite perfect, I hope your Pesach is still meaningful and joyful, for all eight days.