THE RABBINICAL ASSEMBLY PESAH GUIDE 1טתשע”

The Committee on Jewish Law & Standards (CJLS) Kashrut Subcommittee2
Introduction by Rabbi Elliot N. Dorff, Chair, CJLS

Stories play a key role in identifying a religion or nation, especially the ones at the center of a community’s history and ritual, the ones taught to members of the community from an early age and repeated often by adults in rituals and prayers. Such master stories express in easily understandable and emotionally compelling terms a community’s understanding of its origins, its values, and its goals. If one were to compare the view of life and humanity embedded in the master stories of, for example, Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Buddhism – and the United States, China, and Israel – one would find deep differences in how these various human communities understand who they are as individuals and as a community, what is important in life, and what they should strive for. Judaism’s master story is the Exodus from Egypt, followed by the trek to Mount Sinai and then to the Promised Land of Israel. We leave Egypt not as individuals but as a nation, and we do so only with the help of God. This is very different from the staunch individualism at the heart of the liberalism that has forged most Western countries. At Mount Sinai we engage in a Covenant with God that establishes the basis of our relationship with God – and the duties of that relationship  or ourselves and all our descendants.

This perception of ourselves, our links to one another and to
God, and our mission in life infuses much of our liturgy and many
of our holidays, but it is Passover that focuses on this story most
graphically. As the Haggadah says, “In every generation we each
must see ourselves as if we personally left Egypt.” To enable us to
identify with that story once again, we reenact the Exodus through
story, discussion, and song at the Seder table, and we restrict our diet to remind ourselves of the
slavery of Egypt and the need to redeem ourselves and others again and again. The Hebrew word
for Egypt, Mitzrayim, means “straits,” probably because the Nile enters the Mediterranean not as one
river but through multiple straits. Jewish interpreters, however, have understand the word
metaphorically as well, teaching us that in every generation we must seek to redeem ourselves and
others from the straits of life – poverty, ignorance, prejudice, illness, meaninglessness, etc. That is
our Jewish mission for life, the charge that God has given us and that the Passover story articulates
for us anew each and every year.
This Guide, prepared by the Kashrut Subcommittee and approved by the Committee on Jewish Law
and Standards, explains in detail the laws and customs regarding the dietary restrictions of Passover,
the rules that remind us each time we eat of Passover’s messages for us. Some of these guidelines

תשע”ט 2
We restrict our diet to remind ourselves of the slavery of Egypt are, frankly, quite technical and even complicated; that is the result of the special stringency of the Passover rules in Jewish law and the complex, new ways in which foods are processed in our time. We hope that this Guide will enable Jews to understand what they may eat on Passover and how to prepare their kitchens for the holiday in ways that are clear and understandable. We do not intend this Guide to replace your rabbi’s guidance on these matters; on the contrary, any question you have about what is written here or what is missing you should address to your rabbi.

One last, but important, comment. Because Passover involves more dietary strictures than the rest of the year, many Jews become downright compulsive about the rules of the holiday. We should be careful not to use these rules to assert our superior piety over others, and remember that observance of Passover should not come at the expense of the values of honoring our parents and treating everyone with respect.

Passover is really important – a central feature of what it means to live a Jewish life. Its very
meaning, though, is completely undermined if the dietary rules of Passover lead people to treat each
other with disrespect. So as we explain the dietary rules of Passover below, we fervently hope that
they will instead function as they are supposed to – namely, to serve as graphic reminders
throughout the holiday of the critical lessons of Passover, of the need to free ourselves and the
world around us of all the physical, intellectual, emotional, and communal straits that limit us and
others in living a life befitting of people created in the image of God. May we all succeed in making
this and every Passover the stimulus for us to fix the world in these ways every day of our lives.
8
Pesah is the Jewish festival which requires the most preparatory effort and is the most complex. Yet Jews are committed to
doing their best to observe the laws of Pesah. This Rabbinical Assembly Pesah guide is a brief outline of the policies and
procedures relevant to the preparation of a kosher for Pesah home. Please contact your local Conservative rabbi or local
religious authority if you have any questions.3
With significant changes in the nature and manufacture of kitchen products and food stuffs, new policies are required to
maintain a kosher for Pesah kitchen. There are also many significant differences of opinion amongst rabbis regarding the laws
of Pesah. We cannot present all of the various approaches.
This guide is intended to help families maintain a kosher for Pesah home in accordance with the principles of Conservative
Judaism and its understanding of Jewish Law.

תשע”ט 3
KA S H E R I N G T H E KI T C H E N
It is customary (and easiest) to remove the utensils and dishes that are used during the year, replacing them
with either new utensils or utensils used year to year only for Pesah. This is clearly not possible for major
appliances and may not even be possible for dishes and utensils.
There is a process for kashering many, but not all, kitchen items thus making them kosher for Pesah:
Kashering Specific Appliances and Utensils
METALS
To kasher pots, silverware, and utensils wholly of metal not used for baking, thoroughly clean the item
with soap and water, then, following a strict 24 hour waiting period during which they are not used, immerse
the item in water that is at a rolling boil (הגעלה – hag’alah). For pots and pans, clean handles thoroughly. If the
handle can be removed, do so for an even more thorough cleaning. To effect הגעלה (hag’alah), the item must
be completely exposed to the boiling water. Pots and pans are either immersed in a larger pot of boiling water
(may be done one section at a time) or filled with water brought to a rolling boil and then a heated stone is
dropped into the pot such that the boiling water overflows to cover the sides of the pot. A safer alternative
might be let the water boil over the sides of the pot. In the case of silverware every part of each piece must be
exposed to the water at a rolling boil. Following this הגעלה (hag’alah) process, each utensil is rinsed in cold
water.
Metal bakeware used in a fire or in an oven must first be thoroughly scrubbed and cleaned and then must
be subjected to direct fire or an oven at its maximum setting. Thus using a blow torch or putting it in an oven
during self-cleaning are two ways to accomplish this purging (ליבון – libbun). This is a complicated and a
potentially dangerous procedure and may result in discoloration or warping of the metal being purged.
Exercise caution when performing ליבון (libbun). Metal baking pans and sheets require ליבון (libbun) at very
high temperatures which may warp the vessel. This may result in a reluctance to submit the vessel to the
required temperature.4
A metal kitchen sink can be kashered by thoroughly cleaning and scrubbing the sink (especially the garbage
catch), letting 24 hours pass during which only cold water is used, and then carefully pouring boiling water
over all the surfaces of the sink starting with the bottom first and working up towards the top including the
The general principle used in
kashering is that the way the utensil absorbs food is the
way it can be purged of that food, כבולעוכךפולטו (Ke-volo kach pol’to). This principle
operates on the basis of the quality or intensity of how the items absorb food. Things
used for cold food can be kashered by rinsing since no substance has been absorbed by the
dish or glass. Items used on a stove absorb the food and thus need a stronger level of
action namely expelling the food into boiling water, called הגעלה (hag’alah). The most
intense form of usage is directly on a fire or in an oven and these utensils require the most
intense method of kashering, namely ליבון (libbun), which burns away absorbed food.
תשע”ט 4
lip.5 A porcelain sink cannot be kashered, but should be thoroughly cleaned, then Pesah dish basins and dish
racks must be used, one each for dairy and meat.
GLASS
Glass dishes used for eating and serving hot foods are to be treated like any dish used for eating and serving
hot food. Kashering is effected by cleaning and immersing in boiling water (הגעלה hag’alah).6
Glass cookware is treated like a metal pot for kashering (see paragraph on metal, above). The issues regarding
glass bakeware are complex. Some authorities allow it to be kashered and others do not.7
Drinking glasses or glass dishes used only for cold foods may be kashered by a simple rinsing. Some follow
the custom of soaking them for three days.8
PLASTICS
Heavy duty plastics including dishes, cutlery or serving items, providing they can withstand very hot water
and do not permanently stain, may be kashered by הגעלה (hag’alah). If there is some doubt as to whether
particular items can be kashered, consult your rabbi. 9
CERAMIC DISHES
Ceramic dishes (earthenware, stoneware, china, pottery, etc) cannot be kashered. However fine china
that was put away clean and that has not been used for over one Jewish calendar year may be used after
thorough detergent and hot water washing. The china is then considered pareve and may be designated for
meat or dairy use.

COOKING APPLIANCES
For ovens and ranges, every part that comes in contact with food must be thoroughly cleaned. This includes
the walls and the top and bottom of the oven. Then the oven or range should be heated as hot as possible.
The oven should be heated at maximum heat for an hour; the range top until the elements turn red and glow.
Then parts of the range top around the elements that can be covered should be covered, (usually with
aluminum foil). After a general and careful cleaning, self cleaning ovens are put through the full cleaning cycle
while empty.10 Following this process, the oven should be again cleaned to remove any ash. If the oven was
very dirty to start, two cycles may be needed to assure a thorough cleaning.
Smooth, glass top electric ranges require kashering by ליבון (libbun) and ערוי (iruy) – pouring boiling water
over the surface of the range top. First, clean the top thoroughly, and then leave it untouched for 24
hours. Then turn the coils on maximum heat until they are red hot. Shut off the elements and then carefully
pour boiling water on the surface area over and around the burners. The range top may now be used for
cooking.
Induction stovetops only generate heat when a pot with the appropriate composition of metals is placed on
the surface, therefore the method traditionally used for kashering stovetops needs to be slightly adjusted.
The tempered glass surface of an induction stovetop should be kashered in four steps:
1. Thoroughly clean the surface. Not just with a damp sponge, but with a cleaning agent designed
specifically for the purpose of cleaning tempered glass stovetops. If necessary, manufacturer’s
instructions for removing food stuck to the surface by using a razor blade should be followed.
2. Completely clean חמץ (hameitz) pots that work on your induction stovetop and that match as closely
as possible the maximum radius of each burner area. Leave the clean pots and the clean induction
stovetop untouched for 24 hours.
3. When the 24 hours have elapsed, partially* fill the prepared pots with water and place on their size-
matching burners. Turn up the temperature to the maximum for each burner until the water in each
pot is vigorously boiling. This will generate enough heat to kasher each burner area. Turn off each
burner as it reaches this maximum temperature.
4. When cool, thoroughly douse the entire surface with boiling water and then dry with a clean cloth.
*Partially filling the pots with water will protect the pots from burning when placed on the induction burners.
If it is your desire to kasher these pots for Pesah, simply fill them to the brim, proceed to bring the pots to a
boil as described above and allow the boiling water to spill over the brim of the pots. The pots and the
stovetop burners are now all simultaneously kashered!
Microwave ovens that have no convection option should be thoroughly cleaned. Then an 8 ounce cup of
water is placed inside and the oven is turned on until the water almost disappears (at least 6 of the 8 ounces is
gone). The cup should be moved midway through the process so that the area under the cup is exposed to
the steam. Heating to complete dryness may damage the oven. A microwave oven that has a browning
element cannot be kashered.
Convection ovens are kashered like regular ovens. Make sure that during the cleaning phase you clean
thoroughly around the fan.

ADDITIONAL KITCHEN APPLIANCES
A dishwasher needs to be cleaned as thoroughly as possible including the inside area around the drainage
and filters. After 24 hours of not being used the dishwasher is again run empty (with racks in), with soap in
the dispenser and in the main dishwasher, and set on the highest heat for the purpose of kashering. If the sides
of the dishwasher are made of enamel or porcelain, the dishwasher cannot be kashered for Pesah.11
Other electrical appliances can be kashered if the parts that come in contact with חמץ (hameitz) are metal and
are removable, in which case they may be kashered like all other metal cooking utensils. If the parts are not
removable, the appliances cannot be kashered. We recommend whenever possible that small appliances be
used that are strictly for Pesah, thus avoiding the difficulty of kashering these appliances.
Pesah Guide תשע”ט 6

WORK SURFACES
Tables, closets, and counters should be thoroughly cleaned and covered for Pesah. The coverings can be
contact paper, regular paper, foil or cloth that does not contain חמץ (hameitz) (e.g. been starched with hameitz
starch). Note that the covering material should be made of material that is not easily torn.
Many counter top surfaces can be kashered simply by a thorough cleaning, a 24 hour wait and ערוי (iruy –
pouring boiling water over them). To have ערוי (iruy) be effective for kashering, the surface must have no
hairline cracks, nicks or scratches that can be seen with the naked eye.
• Plastic laminates, limestone, soapstone, granite, marble, glass, Corian, Staron, Ceasarstone,
Swanstone, Surell and Avonite surfaces can be kashered by ערוי (iruy).
• Wood without scratches is also kashered by ערוי (iruy).
• Ceramic, cement or porcelain counter tops cannot be kashered by ערוי (iruy).
The potential effectiveness of ערוי (iruy) depends on the material of which the counter was made. A full list of
counter materials that can be kashered (according to their decisors) may be found on the website of the
Chicago Rabbinical Council (CRC). 12 Refrigerators and freezers should be thoroughly cleaned with detergent.
If there are places where food can be stuck (e.g. cracks or difficult corners to reach), these areas should be
covered.

FO O D S
The Torah prohibits the ownership of חמץ (hameitz) (flour, food or drink made from the prohibited species of
leavened grain: wheat, oats, barley, rye or spelt) during Pesah.13 Ideally we burn or remove all חמץ (hameitz)
from our premises which may be effected by donations to a local food pantry.
In some cases, however, this would cause prohibitive financial loss. In such cases, we arrange for the sale of
the חמץ (hameitz) to a non-Jew and its repurchase after Pesah:
Prohibited foods
מכירתחמץ
(mekhirat hameitz – the sale of hameitz) is accomplished by appointing
an agent, usually one’s rabbi to handle the sale. This must be considered a valid and legal
transfer of ownership and thus the items sold must be separated and stored away from
all other foods and supplies. This means that non-Passover dishes, pots, utensils and
חמץ (hameitz) food that have been sold as part of the selling of one’s חמץ (hameitz)
should be separated, covered or locked away to prevent accidental use.
At the end of the holiday, the agent arranges to repurchase the items on behalf of the
owner, since the חמץ (hameitz) at that time is again permitted. One must wait until one is
sure the repurchase has been done. If ownership of the חמץ (hameitz) was not
transferred before the holiday, the use of any such חמץ (hameitz) remains prohibited after
the holiday ( חמץשעברעליוהפסח – hameitz she-avar alav ha-Pesah) and any such products
should be given away to a non-Jewish food pantry.
תשע”ט 7
Since the Torah prohibits the eating of חמץ (hameitz) during Pesah, and since many common foods contain
some חמץ (hameitz), guidance is necessary when shopping and preparing for Pesah.
Prohibited foods (חמץ – hameitz) include the following:
• biscuits
• cakes
• coffees containing cereal derivatives
• crackers
• leavened bread
• pasta
These are foods that are generally made with wheat, barley, oats, spelt or rye (grains that can become חמץ
(hameitz)). Any food containing these grains or derivatives of these grains must be certified kosher for Pesah.
Flavorings in foodstuffs are often derived from alcohol produced from one of these grains which would
render that food חמץ (hameitz). Such products also need Pesah supervision.
קטניות – Kitniyot
Until the fall of 2015, the CJLS position on kitniyot (for Ashkenazim) has followed that of the longstanding
Ashkenazi minhag of refraining from eating them. These foods included: beans, corn, millet, peas, rice, soy,
and some other plant based foods like mustard, buckwheat and sesame seeds. The one exception was an
approved permission of peanuts and peanut oil, provided said items have proper year-round kosher
certification and do not contain hameitz ingredients. 14
In the fall of 2015 the CJLS passed two responsa which permit the consumption of kitniyot for Ashkenazim.
To fully understand their positions, which differ in their argumentation, please see:
• David Golinkin, “Rice, beans and kitniyot on Pesah – are they really forbidden?” OH 453:1.2015a
• Amy Levin and Avram Israel Reisner, “A Teshuvah Permitting Ashkenzaim to Eat Kitniyot on Pesah”
453:1.2015b
This permission does not come without a few caveats that do appear in the body of the papers. The first is
that the CJLS affirms that this new position does not constitute an instruction to consume kitniyot during
Pesah, but rather a halakhic basis and guideline for those who choose to do so. We recognize that while
some individuals, communities, and institutions will utilize this new ruling, others may choose not to do so.
Both are equally legitimate and derekh eretz should be the guiding value with which we hold our communal
and interpersonal conversations around this topic. We encourage all decision-making parties to be
transparent in their policies and menus, as well as sensitive to the spiritual and dietary needs of others. For
those who do avail themselves of this ruling, it is important to note the following specific guidance, cited in
the
p’sak halakhah of the responsum by Rabbis Amy Levin and Avram Reisner:
1) Fresh corn on the cob and fresh beans (like lima beans in their pods) may be purchased before and
during Pesah, that is, treated like any other fresh vegetable.
Pesah Guide תשע”ט 8
2) Dried kitniyot (legumes, rice and corn) can be purchased bagged or in boxes and then sifted or sorted
before Pesah. These should ideally not be purchased in bulk from bins because of the concern that
the bin might previously have been used for hameitz, and a few grains of hameitz might be mixed in. In
any case, one should inspect these before Pesah and discard any pieces of hameitz. If one did not
inspect the rice or dried beans before Pesah, one should remove pieces of hameitz found in the
package on Pesah, discarding those, and the kitniyot themselves remain permissible.
3) Kitniyot in cans may only be purchased with Pesah certification since the canning process has certain
related hameitz concerns, and may be purchased on Pesah.
4) Frozen raw kitniyot (corn, edamame [soy beans], etc.): One may purchase bags of frozen non-
hekhshered kitniyot before Pesah provided that one can either absolutely determine that no shared
equipment was used or one is careful to inspect the contents before Pesah and discard any pieces
of חמץ hameitz). Even if one did not inspect the vegetables before Pesah, if one can remove pieces
of (hameitz) found in the package on Pesah, the vegetables themselves are permissible.
5) Processed foods, including tofu, although containing no listed hameitz, continue to
require Pesah certification due to the possibility of admixtures of hameitz during production.
6) Even those who continue to observe the Ashkenazic custom of eschewing kitniyot during Pesah may
eat from Pesah dishes, utensils and cooking vessels that have come into contact with kitniyot
(מי קטניות) may consume kitniyot derivatives like oil that have a KP
hekhsher.
Permitted Foods
An item that is kosher all year round, that is made with no חמץ (hameitz), and is processed on machines used
only for that item and nothing else (such as unflavored pure coffee) may be used with no special Pesah
supervision. As we learn more about the processing of foods and the ingredients they contain, relying on the
kashrut of a product for Pesah without a Passover הכשר (hekhsher) may be problematic.15 Wherever possible,
processed foods ought to have a “ כשרלפסח ” (“kasher l’Pesah”) הכשר (hekhsher) from a reliable source. Since
that is not always possible, however, our guidelines reflect some alternatives that are acceptable.
Any food that you purchase with a “ כשרלפסח ” (“kasher l’Pesah”) הכשר (hekhsher) must have a label that is
integral to the package and it should have the name of a recognizable, living supervising Rabbi or creditable
kosher supervision agency if possible. If the label is not integral to the package or if there are questions
regarding the labeling, the item should not be used without consulting a Rabbi.

NO PESAH HEKHSHER REQUIRED
Products which may be purchased without a Pesah הכשר (hekhsher) before or during Pesah:
• baking soda
• bicarbonate of soda
• eggs
• fresh fruits and vegetables
תשע”ט 9
• fresh or frozen kosher meat (other than
chopped meat)
• Nestea (regular and decaffeinated)
• pure black, green, or white tea leaves
• unflavored tea bags
• unflavored regular coffee
• olive oil (extra-virgin only)
• whole or gutted fresh fish
• whole or half pecans (not pieces)
• whole (unground) spices and nuts

NO PESAH HEKHSHER REQUIRED IF PURCHASED BEFORE PESAH
Products which may only be purchased without a Pesah הכשר (hekhsher) before Pesah. If bought during Pesah
they require a Pesah הכשר (hekhsher):
• all pure fruit juices
• filleted fish
• frozen fruit (no additives)
• non-iodized salt
• pure white sugar (no additives)
• quinoa (with nothing mixed in)*
• white milk
• Some products sold by Equal Exchange
Fair Trade Chocolate16
Frozen, uncooked vegetables may be processed on shared equipment that uses חמץ (hameitz). It is
preferable to purchase those with a “ כשרלפסח ” (“kasher l’Pesah”) label. One may, however buy bags of frozen
non-hekhshered vegetables before Pesah provided that one can either absolutely determine that no shared
equipment was used or one is careful to inspect the contents before Pesah and discard any pieces of חמץ
(hameitz). Even if one did not inspect the vegetables before Pesah, if one can remove pieces of חמץ (hameitz)
found in the package on Pesah, the vegetables themselves are permissible.17
*It has come to our attention that there is a possibility of grains being mixed with quinoa if it is not under
Pesach supervision. The best option is to purchase quinoa with a Pesach הכשר (hekhsher), if it is available.
Where that is not available, purchase Bolivian or Peruvian quinoa, marked “gluten free” before Pesah. Please
make certain that quinoa is the sole ingredient in the final packaging.18

PESAH HEKHSHER ALWAYS REQUIRED
Products which require reliable כשרלפסח (kasher l’Pesah) certification (regular kosher supervision being not
sufficient) whether bought before or during Pesah:
• all baked goods
o farfel
o matzah
o any product
containing matzah
o matzah flour
o matzah meal
o Pesah cakes
• all frozen processed foods
• candy
• canned tuna
• cheeses
• chocolate milk
• decaf coffee
• decaf tea
10
• dried fruits
• herbal tea
• ice cream
• liquor
• Butter
• oils
• soda
• vinegar
• wine
• yogurt
Regarding cheeses and non Grade AA butter, an inspection by a rabbi of a local dairy may suffice to resolve
potential questions in some cases.
BABY FOOD
Baby food with a Passover הכשר (hekhsher) is sometimes available. Of course, home preparation of baby
food, using כשרלפסח (kasher l’Pesah) utensils and kitchen items is always possible. Pure vegetable prepared
baby food that is כשר (kasher) the year round is acceptable for Pesah. For those who do not use קטניות, the
use of קטניות (kitniyot) for babies is also acceptable with care taken that this baby food does not mix with
food from the rest of the family. Separate dishes and utensils are recommended. Most infant formulas are
made from soy and the use of קטניות (kitniyot) does not apply to infants. Thus infant formula products, כשר
(kasher) the year round, are acceptable for Pesah. Here as in baby foods, the bottles, nipples and formula
should be kept away from the general kitchen area and clean up should be done out of the kitchen area (e.g. a
bathroom sink).
MEDICINES
If someone has a life-threatening illness or there is a possibility that untreated it could become life
threatening, all medications are permitted.
Any contemplated changes of medicines should be discussed first with your doctor and made only with
his/her permission.
Your Rabbi may be able to advise you as to what acceptable alternatives are available for needs that are
necessary but not life threatening, such as antacids, analgesics, cold medications, vitamins etc.
All prescription or non-prescription drugs in the form of topical medications, including creams, lotions,
ointments, foams, gels, drops, patches and inhalants as well as non-chewable tablets and injections may be
owned, used and consumed on Passover, even if they contain חמץ (hameitz) or קטניות (kitniyot) (for those who
maintain this custom), since they are inedible. This covers most medicines used by adults. All medications for
babies may be used.
Liquid medicines, chewable tablets and or tablets coated with a flavored glaze are considered edible and may
contain chametz. Soft gelcaps may present a problem because they may contain non-kosher edible porcine
Pesah Guide תשע”ט 11
gelatin. Please consult with your Rabbi on when these may be used and to find substitutes that are acceptable.
PET FOOD
The prohibition against חמץ (hameitz) during Pesah includes not owning, not seeing and not benefitting from
חמץ (hameitz). Therefore, we are not allowed to own or make use of חמץ (hameitz) during Pesah; even that
which is exclusively for our animals’ consumption.
The most appropriate way to take care of your pet during Pesah may be a function of what kind of animal/s
you own. We provide three different systems for feeding your pet during Pesah, in descending order of
desirability.
1. Identify and switch your pet to a חמץ (hameitz) -free diet before Pesah (and perhaps permanently).
This is a particularly easy solution for dogs and cats. In recent years, there has been a trend toward
eliminating gluten from dog and cat foods in recognition of the fact that their digestive tracts were
not designed for these foods to begin with. There are many brands and grades of kibbles, frozen or
refrigerated raw or fresh and canned dog and cat foods that use fillers like rice, lentils or beans
instead of wheat. You do still need to read labels carefully, as oats may appear as a filler in some of
these foods. Snakes and spiders eat prey, not plant matter, so they are חמץ (hameitz) -free year-
round. For other animals (turtles, gerbils and hamsters, ferrets, fish, frogs, lizards and birds)
there are חמץ (hameitz) -free options available, although they may be harder to track down and
acquire. Consult with your veterinarian about quality חמץ (hameitz) -free foods that may be
appropriate for your pet and also the best way to transition your pet to that new food. Please note
that even Jews of Ashkenazic descent who prefer to observe the more stringent custom of forgoing
קטניות (kitniyot) (legumes and rice) during Pesah, are not prohibited from owning, seeing or
benefitting from kitniyot. There is no need for a Kosher for Passover hekhsher [certification] on
commercially prepared foods for your pets, but it is your responsibility to read the labels carefully
before making your purchase.
2. If your larger pet has a condition that requires a special diet that must include חמץ (hameitz), or if you
have smaller and more transportable animals, you have the option of asking non-Jewish friends to
take in your animal for the week of Pesah. Thus your pet does not have to adjust to a new diet and
there is still no חמץ (hameitz) in your possession.
3. Some authorities allow for the pet to be sold along with the חמץ (hameitz) and, since the pet does not
belong to the Jewish owner, the pet eats its normal diet. Note that the document of sale must include
the pet as well as the חמץ (hameitz). If you have these pet foods in your home be careful to keep them
away from the general kitchen area. Washing of pet utensils should be done out of the kitchen area
(e.g. a bathroom sink). This is the least satisfactory option and is included in this Guide as a last
resort measure: unlike the חמץ (hameitz) you are selling before Pesah, which is then stored out of sight
and is inaccessible to you during Pesah (since it doesn’t belong to you), this last option involves your
actively seeing and handling that חמץ (hameitz) on, at least, a daily basis.
תשע”ט 12
NON FOOD ITEMS
Any detergents, cleaners, etc. which are not a food stuff and which are not eaten, may be used for Pesah with
no hekhshered supervision. This would include:
• aluminum products
• ammonia
• baby oil
• bleach
• candles
• contact paper
• charcoal
• coffee filters
• fabric softener
• isopropyl alcohol
• laundry and dish detergent
• oven cleaner
• paper bags
• paper plates (with no starch coating)
• plastic cutlery
• plastic wrap
• polish
• powder and ointment
• sanitizers
• scouring pads
• stain remover
• water with no additives
• wax paper
NOTES:
1 Updated January 2018
2 This guide was prepared by the kashrut subcommittee of the CJLS, chaired by Rabbi Paul Plotkin. We give special
thanks to Dr. Regenstein for lending his expertise on matters of food production to our discussions.
3 For Conservative rabbis in your area, see:

In the USA: uscj.org/kehilla.aspx
Internationally: masortiworld.org
4 Of course there is nothing inherently wrong with using a warped pan on Pesach. The fear is that the possibility of
ruining the pan will cause the owner not to subject the pan to the appropriate heat to effect kashering. We thus
recommend simply purchasing some new pans specifically for Pesach.
5 The Star-K allows the sink to be used during the 24 hour waiting period provided that no hot water is used during that
time. This alternative is doable only if care is taken that any water used is not hot enough to cause our hand to feel pain
(yad soledet bo).
6 The Committee on Jewish Law and Standards passed a teshuvah on glass bakeware written by Rabbi Kassel Abelson
that permits kashering of such bakeware. The teshuvah is available on the Rabbinical Assembly website:
rabbinicalassembly.org/orah-hayyim#pesah and kashering
7 Ibid.
תשע”ט 13
8 Most authorities treat glassware as a non-porous substance and require the same kashering process as other dishes or
utensils. Those same authorities rely on the principle of רוב תשמישו (rov tashmisho – majority of usage) to determine the
status of the item. A glass cup for example, used mostly for cold drinks, only requires ערוי (iruy) to effect kashering. Only
the חיי אדם(Hayyei Adam) (125:22) posits the three day soaking ritual. The process of soaking is as follows: Immerse the
glassware completely in warm water for 72 hours, changing the water every 24 hours.
9 The manufacture of plastics has changed and many plastic dishes and utensils are made to withstand water at high
temperatures. The issue has been that, since some plastic can be ruined in very hot water, the fear was that the owner
would not subject any plastic to water hot enough to effect kashering. And lest one think that plastic does not absorb,
think of how red sauce, for example, stains a plastic container such that it is difficult to remove the stain. With care, we
do feel that proper kashering can be effective for many plastic items. (Information on kashering of dishwashers made of
plastics is found in note 11 below).
10 The racks, however, are left in the oven during the full cleaning cycle.
11 For more information about koshering dishwashers please see: On the Kashrut of Dishwashers by Rabbi Loel M. Weiss.
The teshuvah is available on the Rabbinical Assembly website:
rabbinicalassembly.org/jewish-law/committee-jewish-law-and-standards/yoreh-deah#mixtures
12 Many countertops appear not to absorb but actually do. Marble for example is very difficult to clean properly. Also,
pouring hot water on countertops may inadvertently cause damage to the floor when the water runs off the counter. The
alternative is simply to clean the counters and cover them. As sensitive Jews however we must be aware of the mitzvah
of בל תחשית (bal tashhit – not wasting resources) such that a covering that is thrown away after Pesach is wasteful. A
plastic covering that is affixed to the counter, removed after Pesach, cleaned and stored for the future use would be one
way to be sensitive to this mitzvah.
13 Technically one of the prohibited grains becomes חמץ (hameitz) when, during processing, it comes in contact with a
leavening agent for more than 18 minutes. Thus, matzah, while made from wheat, is not חמץ (hameitz), for in the
processing no leavening agent comes in contact with it for more than the specified time before it is baked. Matzah
sh’murah is made from wheat that has not come in contact with a leavening agent (this could include water) from the time
it is harvested, not simply from the time it is processed. (The additional care taken to keep the wheat free from leavening
agents from the farm is, in part, the reason for its higher price.) It has become the custom of same Hasidic Jews not to
cook matzah or matzah meal in any way that might cause the matzah to be in contact with a leavening agent even in the
cooking process. They do not for example eat matzah balls, for those consist of matzah meal cooking in water for more
than 18 minutes. They consider matzah balls and all such creations to be gebracht and forbidden on Pesach, except for the
8th day which is only celebrated outside of Israel.
14 A full discussion of these issues is contained in the paper entitled “A New Look at Peanuts—From the Ground Up”
by Rabbi Ben Zion Bergman, which is an official position of the CJLS. The teshuvah is available on the Rabbinical
Assembly website:
rabbinicalassembly.org/orah-hayyim#pesah and kashering
15 A full discussion of these issues is contained in the paper entitled “Supervision of Passover Food” by Rabbi Paul
Plotkin, which is an official position of the CJLS. The teshuvah is available on the Rabbinical Assembly website:
rabbinicalassembly.org/orah-hayyim#pesah and kashering
Pesah Guide תשע”ט 14
16 Rabbi Aaron Alexander. Has determined that the products listed on this website are acceptable.

17 See note 13
18 After doing research, we have made our ruling based on the following understanding: Quinoa is gluten free and is not
kitniyot. Quinoa is grown at 12,000 plus foot elevations in regions of Bolivia and Peru. It is grown in very arid conditions
which will not support the growth of חמץ (hameitz) producing grains. Thus, there is no possibility of field contamination
from such grains. In addition, the FDA has proposed a standard for any packaging marked “gluten-free” which will
further guarantee that the product does not contain any gluten bearing grains. If, when the package is opened, you find
that foreign grain is present, these foreign bodies should be discarded and the quinoa may be used on Pesah.