State of the house on Erev Pesach, 2010.
In other news: One of my sons helped kasher the kitchen on the army base. They finally went to sleep at 4 a.m., to be woken up a half-hour later because they hadn’t kashered their (plastic) water bottles. The fire for heating the water had gone out in their dining room, so they had to go to another dining area. Eventually the commanders realized it was taking too long so they sent them back to sleep.
Wishing all my readers a wonderful and calm Passover.
From Shabbat be-Shabbato
There are two times a year I love having a dishwasher: The evening of Yom Kippur, when we are rushing to clear the table and get to shul; and after the Pesach Seder, when the dishwasher runs on a timer. When I mentioned that I use the dishwasher on Passover several people asked about it.
The above article (Hebrew) by Rabbi A.M. (R’EM) HaCohen of Otniel appeared in last w eek’s edition of the alon “Shabbat be-Shabbato,” published by the Tzomet Institute. Rabbi HaCohen considers the late Rabbi Moshe Feinstein’s requirement to use boiling water, but rules that running it on the highest setting is enough. Rabbi HaCohen also allows keeping the same racks year-round, maintaining that modern dishwashers remove remainders of food during regular cleaning. He adds, “The Torah has pity on the money of (the nation of ) Israel.”
I translated Rabbi Cohen’s conclusion from the last paragraph:
Clean the dishwasher well, especially the filter and the sprayers (by taking them apart). To clean, it’s recommended to use a scale remover (instead of regular detergent) and run the machine. Let the dishwasher sit for 24 hours, then run it [again] on its maximum setting. One who is stringent will run it a second time, to clean it in cold water.
Preparing the dishwasher took me at least 3 hours. Before you take it apart, make certain you can put it together again and draw a diagram if necessary. Sephardi Lady told me she puts dishwasher parts in the washing machine, but the dirtiest parts of mine wouldn’t fit. I’ve decided the effort is worth it, as we’ll run the dishwasher seven or eight times during Passover.
Related:
Pesach Crisis Cleaning Checklist
Why the Average Haredi Family Goes to a Hotel for Pesach
Passover Recipes and Cooking Techniques
What Defines Israeli Parenting?
According to the letter from the rabbinate, signed by Rabbis Yaakov Sabag and Rafi Yochai, the packages of hand matzahs pictured above were made in a factory without supervision. Flour was not sifted, “challah” not taken, the equipment not cleaned, and there was actually chametz in the factory. The matzah was sold at “discount” prices, and even distributed to the poor. The labels contain forged certification by Rabbi Dov Leor and the Badatz Yoreh De’ah, and Rabbi Yitzchak Amrabi and the Badatz Bet Yosef. The rabbis were not involved it the matzah’s production or supervision. The packages are pictured above.
Last week I wrote about lettuce that is not always “bug-free,” despite certification as such. One type that did not need to be checked, Yevulei Hanegev, contained high levels of pesticides including one that is illegal. The rabbinate warned the public not to buy Yevulei Hanegev products, which are apparently still on the shelves.
I would still like the rabbinate tocomplete laboratory results and not just the conclusions.
Check out the robots making a seder. Now if we could only get them to do the cleaning.
Hat tip: RGG
For more Pesach links:
Remembrance of (Blogging) Pesachs Past
A guest post on Food Processors and Pesach is up at Orthonomics.
Recent editions of Haveil Havalim can be found at Ima on the Bima and Yachdus.
For some reason, preparing for Pesach inspires me to write. Below, I present the best Passover posts below from years past on A Mother in Israel.
The Pesach Problem. I should have called this one, “Why Only a Man Would Write that It’s Possible to Make Pesach in Four Hours.”
Unofficial Guide to Pesach Shopping in Israel
29th Kosher Cooking Carnival (Passover recipes)
Preschool Passover Project: Simplified Haggadah
Keeping Kids Interested in the Seder
Why “Average” Haredi Families Go to Hotels for Pesach Part II
The Indispensable Post-Pesach List
Getting Your Kids to Help with Pesach Cleaning
More Passover Recipes and Cooking Tips at CookingManager.Com.
For more links, see Jacob Richman’s Passover Page.
Passover is coming and we need all the help we can get.
Sometimes we forget why kids should be involved in the Passover preparations.
Make a list of the jobs that need to get done. Don’t forget daily jobs, like sweeping, cooking, and supervising small children. One year, my son offered to hang all the laundry in the weeks before Pesach.
Break jobs down into manageable segments of about half an hour each. Then gather the family and divide up the tasks. I let the kids choose. This can be tricky because sometimes a smaller child picks a chore that is too challenging. Since I don’t like to refuse a genuine offer, I suggest that the child do part of the task, I do it with him, or I partner him with an older child. Sometimes, though, they surprise me.
If kids refuse to choose chores, pick for them or tell them they will get the jobs that are left.
Once chores have been divided, the children can make up a chart. Add your own errands and chores, so they can know your schedule. Take kids with you on errands if you can. My 13-year-old watched me bargain down two shoe salesmen last week. Think how much money I could have saved if my mother had taught me that skill.
How have you encouraged your kids to get involved in Pesach preparations?
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