Laws & Customs for Pesach
5785/2025

With special instructions for this year when Pesach starts immediately after Shabbat.  

Note: Because Erev (the eve of) Pesach occurs this year on Shabbat, a number of Mitzvahs that are normally done on Erev Pesach are done earlier. These include the fast of the first born, bedikat (checking for) Chametz and burning the Chametz. Please read these instructions carefully. 

   PRE-PESACH EVENTS

  • Thursday, April 10 - Fast of the Firstborn – This fast is usually observed on Erev Pesach, Since this year, Erev Pesach s Shabbat when fasting is prohibited, the fast is observed on Thursday, April 10.  Note that the fast precedes the checking for chametz, which is not performed until Thursday evening. 
     
  • It is customary for all firstborn males (and fathers of first born males who are below Bar Mitzvah) to participate in a Siyum, celebrating the completion of a tractate of the Talmud, so that fasting will not be necessary. Until one hears a Siyum, a firstborn should not eat beginning at dawn, 4:54 AM. 

  • Thursday, April 10 -  Bedikat Chametz – Checking for Chametz - Thursday evening, April 10 

  • We check for any last bits of Chametz around the house on Thursday evening, April 10. The checking is done with a feather, wooden spoon and a candle. Care should be taken to check the entire house, not merely to pick up the traditional ten pieces of bread. The first Kol Chamirah (printed in most Haggadahs) is said after Bedikat Chametz. It states that any unknown Chametz is null and void. Saying this Kol Chamirah is a key part of the Mitzvah of Biur (getting rid of) Chametz. Any remaining Chametz that will be eaten on Friday and Shabbat morning should be placed in a secure place where children cannot easily get to it and spread Chametz around the house. The bedikah is done after nightfall, at 7:59 PM. 

    NOTE:  By this evening chametz must be sold. The document to appoint the rabbi to sell your chametz is  here 
     
  • Friday, April 11 - Biur Chometz – Burning the Chametz - Friday, April 11 - Erev Shabbat
     
  • Most years, the chametz is burned on Erev Pesach. This cannot be done this year since Erev Pesach is Shabbat. Therefore we burn the chametz found during the search a day earlier, on Friday, April 11. 

    The chametz that was found during Bedikat Chametz should be burned Friday, April 11 before 12:57 PM. (This is the Chabad custom. Some burn their chametz before 11:50 AM). It should be noted that     only the small ten pieces that were found during the bedikah need to be burned. All other chametz can be put away and sold.
     
  • Immediately following the burning, all chametz food (except for the small Challah rolls that will be eaten at the Shabbat meals, see below), should be put away in cabinets. The cabinets must be sealed. Similarly, all chametz utensils should be put away at this time. All items in these cabinets will be sold to the non-Jew by the rabbi. 
     
  • Note: Most years, the second Kol Chamirah (printed in most Haggadahs) which declares that all Chametz – whether known or unknown - is null and void, is said at this point, after the chametz is burned. This year we do not say Kol Chamirah after the burning. It will be said Shabbat morning. See below.

    Special instructions for Shabbat - Erev Pesach - April 11
    Things to be done on Erev Shabbat, Friday, April 11, before Shabbat begins
     
  • Shabbat, beginning Friday evening April 11 is most unique. Since it is Shabbat, we are obligated to have traditional Shabbat meals including Challah. But in the middle of Shabbat, specifically on Shabbat morning at 10:43 AM, eating chametz is prohibited. Removing chametz from our house, cleaning chametz dishes and putting them away and other related tasks are extremely hard to be done properly on Shabbat. Experience has shown that to make this Shabbat the most enjoyable, the following steps should be taken:
     
  • Have the house 100% ready for Pesach before Shabbat begins. All food served on this Shabbat should be kosher for Pesach. The meals on this Shabbat should served on Pesach dishes.
     
  • Small Amount of Challah for Shabbat. The one non-Pesach item we will carefully have in our homes on this Shabbat is Challah. Since we need to say Hamotzie at the Shabbat meals and we are not allowed to eat Matzah on Erev Pesach, we need to eat some Challah. (It should be noted that egg Matzah is not permitted for Ashkenazi Jews except in certain rare cases.) Before Shabbat, buy a few small Challah rolls. There should be just enough for every member of the family to eat 2 ounces of Challah at both the Friday night and Shabbat morning meal. After Kiddush, the Challah should be eaten away from the Pesach table. Any crumbs should be collected in a napkin and flushed away. After we make sure there are no crumbs left on our clothes, we can return to the Pesach table for the rest of the meal. 

    PRE-PESACH AND, PRE - SHABBAT SEDER PREPARATIONS
    A few more things to be done on Erev Shabbat, Friday, April 11, before Shabbat begins
  • We should make every effort to ensure that our families and friends have handmade Shmurah Matzah for (at least) the seder nights. 
     
  • If one wishes to use horseradish in addition to romaine lettuce for Maror, the bitter herbs, the horseradish must be ground. Prepared horseradish with vinegar is not acceptable for the Seder. Buy a fresh horseradish root and grind it in a food processor before Shabbat begins.
     
  • Roast the shankbone (depending on your custom, this can be a chicken neck or wing) on Erev  Shabbat.
     
  • Grind the apples and other ingredients for the charoset on Erev Shabbat.
     
  • Shabbat morning - April 12 = Last time to eat Chametz Shabbat morning, April 12, is 10:43 AM.
     
  • Shacharit on Shabbat morning: in order to return home from Shul, and have enough time to eat a Shabbat meal well before 10:43 AM, Shacharit on this Shabbat is held much earlier than usual. At Chabad, Shacharit will begin at 7:30 AM.
     
  • Just like on Friday night, for the Shabbat morning meal, all of the food should be Kosher for Pesach except for the Challah. The Challah should be eaten away from the Pesach table. Any crumbs should be collected in a napkin and flushed away. After we make sure there are no crumbs left on our clothes, we can return to the Pesach table for the rest of the meal. The meal should be concluded before 10:43 AM.
     
  • Kol Chamirah - nullifying the chametz. On Shabbat morning, before 11:50 AM, the second Kol Chamirah (printed in most Haggadahs) which declares that all Chametz – whether known or unknown - to be null, void and ownerless is recited. Before this time any last bits of Challah must be consumed or flushed away. 
     

    More about Shabbat Hagadol – April 12

  • On the Shabbat preceding the Exodus, the Jews tied lambs to their beds in preparation for the Passover sacrifice. When the Egyptians asked about this, they were told that G‑d would bring about the final plague of the firstborn. The Egyptian firstborn panicked and, fearing for their lives, asked Pharaoh to finally let the Jews go. When Pharaoh refused, a civil war broke out between Pharaoh and the firstborns, causing many Egyptians to die even before the final plague struck. On the Shabbat preceding Passover, we celebrate this miracle.

  • It is a widespread custom among Jews to read the bulk of the Haggadah on the afternoon of Shabbat HaGadol. We start from Avadim Hayinu, right after Ma Nishtana, and read until Lechaper Al Kol Avonoteinu, at the end of Dayeinu and Al Achat Kamah VeChamah.


    THE SEDERS

  • One must be careful not to start the Seder until after nightfall. Nightfall on the first Seder night, Saturday night April 12 is at 8:15 PM. Nightfall on the second Seder night, Sunday, April 13 is 8:16 PM.

  • In addition, until nightfall no preparations can be made for the Seder. These include warming up food (from a pre-existing flame), setting the table and lighting the Yom Tov candles (from a pre-existing). 

  • Yaknehaz - Note that since the first seder begins on Motzaei Shabbat, the conclusion of Shabbat, Havdalah is recited as part of the Kiddush at he beginning of the Seder. This is known as Yaknehaz and is printed in the Haggadah. See below* for details.

  • Men lean to their left when doing the following Mitzvahs at the seder: while drinking the four cups, while eating the first Matzah, the Korech and the Afikomen.

  • When saying Hamotzie on the Matzah at the Seder, we hold on to all three Matzahs, the top and bottom whole ones as well as the broken middle Matzah. Then, for the next Bracha of “Al Achilat Matzah,” we drop the lower Matzah, which will be used for the Korech sandwich, and hold the top and middle Matzah for that Brachah. When we eat Matzah for the first time, we take some of the middle Matzah and some of the top and eat from both of them together. 

  • Ideally, try to eat at least 1/3 of a whole Shmurah Matzah for the first eating of Matzah as well as the Afikomen. For the Korech sandwich, 1/4 of a Shmurah Matzah suffices.

  • It is the Chabad custom to endeavor to eat the Afikomen of the first Seder before midnight, 12:56 AM.  

   ADDITIONAL POINTS 

  • Don’t forget about the morning Shema. No matter how tired one may be, care must be taken to say the morning Shema in the correct time. The latest time for Shema on the first days of Pesach is 9:36 AM.

  • We begin saying Morid HaTal at Mussaf on the first day of Pesach, Sunday, April 13. We say VeTein Brachah in the 9th Brachah of Shemoneh Esrei, beginning with Ma’ariv on the Motzaei Yom Tov, Monday night, March 29.

  • We begin counting the Omer at Ma’ariv on the second night of Pesach, Sunday night, April 13, before the second seder. (Some people count the Omer at the end of the second Seder, but this is not advisable.)

  • The Chabad custom is not to wear Tefillin on Chol Hamoed.

  • For the simcha of Pesach, a glass of wine should be drunk every day of Pesach, including Chol Hamoed. 

  • The brachah of Shecheyanu (normally recited at cnadle lighting and at Kiddush on every holday) is not receited on the last days of Pesach.

  • Yizkor - Yizkor is recited on the last day of Pesach, Sunday, April 20.  

  • It is customary to remain awake the entire night of Shevi’i Shel Pesach, Friday night, April 18 and study Torah.

  • We don’t say Shehecheyanu in Kiddush on the eve of Shevi’i Shel Pesach or Acharon Shel Pesach (the 7th and 8th days of Pesach), April 18 & 19, nor when we light the candles on those days. 

  • Yakneha - Since the last day 0f Pesach begins on Motzaei Shabat, at the conclusion of Shabbat (April 19), Havdallah is recited as part of Kiddush at the beginning of the Yom Tov meal. see below* for details. Note: the brachah of Shehecheyanu is not recited.

  • Chametz After Pesach - We are not allowed to consume or have benefit from any chametz owned by a Jew on Pesach. Be sure to buy chametz after Pesach from a store owned by non-Jews, or from Jews that have sold their Chametz.

 

We wish everyone a Kosher and Happy Pesach and may we celebrate this Yom Tov together with Moshiach in the Third Temple!

 

YaKNeHaZ - When Kiddush is recited at a Yom Tov meal after the conclusion of Shabbat, Havdallah is incorporated into the Kiddush, this is known by the acronym YaKNeHaZ. Note that this unique event happens twice on this Pesach, at the kiddush of the first seder, Saturday night April 12, and at kiddush of the last day of Pesach, Acharon Shel Pesach, Saturday night April 19. Notre: on April 19 the Shehechayanu is not recited during the kiddush.

The exact order of this unique Kiddush/Havdallah is printed in the Haggadah and Siddur. We begin by saying the blessing on the wine and Kiddush. Then the blessing of Meorei HaEsh is said over the Yom Tov candles. These blessings are followed by the recital of the special Havdallah prayer and the Shehechiyanu blessing. Due to various halachic issues, the flames are not brought together as is usually done during Havdala. Additionally, we do not hold our fingernails near the candles when the blessing is recited. We merely look at the candles.