Biyur Hametz - Burning The Hametz

Biyur Hametz - Burning The Hametz Day: Thursday Date: March 27, 2014 Parshat: Tazria, Hachodesh   Source: Yalkut Yosef: 443, 445 After hatzot on Erev Pesah one may not eat or have any enjoyment whatsoever from hametz. Our Hachamim forbade eating it starting from two hours earlier than hatzot, from the end of the fourth hour of the day. During the fifth hour one may still have enjoyment from the hametz and may sell it or feed it to an animal (although he should stand there and make sure they eat it all and do not hide any of it). From the beginning of the sixth hour it is completely forbidden. One must make a declaration that the hametz worthless to him before this time. Once the sixth hour starts the declaration does not help. The mitzvah of biyur hametz (destroying the hametz) can either be done by burning the hametz or by crumbling it into tiny particles and dispersing it into the wind or dropping it into the sea. The accepted practice is to burn the hametz. One should break the hametz into small pieces before burning it to ensure that it will all be burnt and will all be rendered completely inedible. It's also a good idea to pour something flammable on it as well. The biyur must be done before the sixth hour starts. The DSH is brought to you in memory of Rabbi Mordechai ben Daniel. Please visit us online at sephardichalacha.org