The Laws of Pesach

With these opening remarks, the Alter Rebbe follows the example of Rambam, who begins each of the 83 halachos in Mishneh Torah by listing the mitzvos discussed in that section. The Alter Rebbe, however, only follows this format here, in Hilchos Pesach, but not in the other portions of his Shulchan Aruch.

In Toras Menachem (5745, Vol. 4, p. 2159) the Rebbe notes that – as the Alter Rebbe’s sons write in their introduction to his Shulchan Aruch (see Vol. 1 of this edition, p. xlii) – the Alter Rebbe commenced the composition of his Shulchan Aruch with Hilchos Tzitzis and Hilchos Pesach. Since the Alter Rebbe venerated Rambam and often adopted Rambam’s wording and rulings in his Shulchan Aruch, the Alter Rebbe sought to follow Rambam’s approach as he began his Shulchan Aruch.

(It must, however, be noted that the Alter Rebbe deviates from both the order and the wording Rambam uses when listing these mitzvos in his introduction to Hilchos Chametz U’Matzah.)

See Sefer HaMitzvos, negative commandment 199; Sefer HaChinuch, mitzvah 485. See also sec. 431:2. In addition, as the Alter Rebbe states in sec. 443:1-4, the Sages decreed that one may not benefit from chametz from the beginning of the fifth hour on the fourteenth of Nissan, and may not eat chametz from the beginning of the fourth hour on the fourteenth of Nissan.

See Sefer HaMitzvos, positive commandment 156; Sefer HaChinuch, mitzvah 9. See also sec. 431:1. As mentioned in sec. 435:4 and sec. 446:5, the mitzvah to obliterate chametz remains in force throughout the entire Pesach holiday.

See Sefer HaMitzvos, negative commandment 200; Sefer HaChinuch, mitzvah 20. See also sec. 440:1.

See Sefer HaMitzvos, negative commandment 201; Sefer HaChinuch, mitzvah 11. See also sec. 440:1.

See Sefer HaMitzvos, negative commandment 197; Sefer HaChinuch, mitzvah 19. See also sec. 431:2.

See Sefer HaMitzvos, negative commandment 198; Sefer HaChinuch, mitzvah 12. Regarding the obligation of obliterating such a mixture, see sec. 442:1.

The Hebrew uses the term k’dei achilas p’ras, which refers to eating half a loaf of bread. As the Alter Rebbe writes in sec. 612:4, according to some authorities, the measure of half a loaf of bread is equivalent to the size of four kebeitzos (i.e., four eggs), while according to others, it is equivalent to three amply-sized eggs. In that source, the Alter Rebbe concludes that in practice, the stringent view should be followed regarding Scriptural Law, while the lenient view may be followed with regard to Rabbinic decrees. See also sec. 486:2.

Which opinion constitutes the stringent view and which opinion constitutes the lenient view depends on the situation at hand. In sec. 442:1 the Alter Rebbe only mentions the measure of three kebeitzas, which in this situation is the more stringent view, for here the issue is a matter of Scriptural Law.

There is another difference of opinion among the Rabbis which is also relevant in this context. As stated in sec. 486:1, there are authorities who maintain that a kezayis, an olive-sized portion is half the size of an egg. Others maintain that it is slightly less than a third of the size of an egg. The Alter Rebbe concludes his statements in that source: “Similarly, care must be taken with regard to all other matters in which measuring [an olive-sized portion according to] the larger measure would constitute a leniency and measuring it according to the smaller measure would constitute a stringency, for example, the obliteration of chametz.” Here, also, measuring chametz according to the smaller measure would constitute a stringency. Thus, the ratio of chametz to permitted substances in the mixture discussed here is thus approximately 1:9.

Shmos 12:20.

The Alter Rebbe’s intent is that although one is forbidden to eat a mixture containing chametz even if its flavor is not perceivable, one is liable for kareis only when the flavor of the chametz is perceivable.

This section is not extant in the Alter Rebbe’s Shulchan Aruch. The commentaries have suggested that perhaps a printing error crept into the text and the intent is sec. 98, for in the Shulchan Aruch of Rav Yosef Caro, that section speaks about forbidden mixtures.

See Sefer HaMitzvos, positive commandment 158; Sefer HaChinuch, mitzvah 10. See also sec. 475:15, where it is explained that eating matzah fulfills a Scriptural commandment even in the present era. And see sec. 475:32, which states that eating matzah is a mitzvah only on the first night; hence, the blessing al achilas matzah is recited only then. On the subsequent days and nights of the festival, there is no obligation or mitzvah to eat matzah, only a prohibition against eating chametz. (One must, however, eat matzah at the second seder as our Sages ordained.)

See Sefer HaMitzvos, positive commandment 157; Sefer HaChinuch, mitzvah 21. See also sec. 473:20.