The Rabbanim of Beit Shemesh published a Kol Koreh regarding instructions for bi’ur chametz this year, when erev Pesach falls out on Shabbos.
The Kol Koreh, signed by HaGaon HaRav Natan Kupshitz, the Mara D’Asra of the Chareidi kiryah in Beit Shemesh and a dayan in Badatz Edah HaChareidis, and about 30 other city Rabbanim, states that this prohibition applies to flushing chametz down the toilet “whether on its own, and all the more so when it is inside a plastic bag or container.”
When Erev Pesach falls out on Shabbos like this year, special preparations are required for the removal of chametz. Many have become accustomed to disposing of chametz on Shabbos by flushing it down the toilet, but the Rabbanim are now paskening that it’s assur.
The Kol Koreh comes in response to a request from city council member Meir Schechter, who oversees the municipal water corporation. Schechter reported that in previous years when erev Pesach fell out on Shabbos, the flushing of chametz caused blockages, burst pipes, and even flooding that led to chametz resurfacing in residents’ homes over Pesach.
The Rabbanim noted in the letter that the flushing of chometz is not only an infrastructural concern, but is also a serious halachic issue.
“It has happened several times that due to blockages in the pipes, chametz rose in the houses of other people, leading to damage and michsholim (stumbling blocks). This is a concern of ‘מצוה הבאה בעבירה’.”
The Rabbanim recommended an alternative solution. “Therefore, in such a year, the remaining pieces of chametz should be thrown into a public garbage bin, such as on the street or sidewalk [where there is an eruv]. This must be done before the end of the zeman for s’reifas chametz.”
The city’s Rabbanim, representing all the various sectors in the city, stressed that this solution is fully acceptable since “the municipality does not intend to acquire what is found in the public bins and will also relinquish ownership of all the garbage bins on erev Shabbos”
In addition, the Rabbanim said that S’reifas Chametz must be carried out in the early morning hours of Friday, just like every year, and should not be delayed until later in the day.
(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
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10 Responses
Interesting that they raise as an issue that the Chametz may resurface in a home – I’d think that it would no longer be ra’uy l’achilas kelev after having traveled through the sewer system.
And BTW, it is not a psak from rabbanim “representing all the various sectors in the city”. The Rabbanim who signed this are all from the Chareidi community – I don’t see a single Dati Leumi Rav on this – though the DL community represents a substantial portion of the city. I’m not saying their psak is wrong, but the article is not accurate on this point.
an Israeli Yid
Isn’t it no longer chometz if it becomes inedible for a dog?
Why not douse all chometz in bleach ?
Move to America where toilets work better and there is no draft.
לו יאומן כי יסופר all these rabbanim telling you not to flush the chometz down the toilet, like it’s assur, after the heavenly court will ask why did you flush the chometz down the toilet
ב”ה, there are thousands of small children in Beit Shemese. If they would see their Parents throwing food down the toilet, who knows what they would do next!!
Baltimore Mavin: Bleach is Muktzah
What about pre-planning small kezays roles/pitot before shabbos?
How about reconfiguring our Jewish Calendar to prevent ערב פסח on Schabbos, even if this means having יום-הכיפורים on Friday or/& Sunday, since with refrigeration keeping food for 2 days nit so problematic, & vis a vis funerals, anyways even on other חגים funerals are mostly not held on יום-טוב, except in some Hassidic circles.
ujm, you can even consume chametz that was nifsal mei’achilat kelev.
Heimesha Guy, HaSHEM YERACHEIM. thank God, no one listens to your fakrumpteh ideas.
mickeymouse, Bleach is not muktzah if you intend to use it