Hametz or not Hametz

Greetings,

We are only 6 weeks away from Passover, how has the time flown by so fast? It seems like it just a few months ago we were observing Passover in 2024.

As we get ready to toss leavening out of our homes, we always go thru the dilemma, is this leavening or is this not leavening. To answer this question, we need to understand what is Hametz, Hametz is product that has been allowed to ferment or rise, so this would be food that is pre-made with leavening in it.

This would included products with Yeast, baking soda & baking powder. Yeast extract is NOT Hametaz, Yeast extract is another name for MSG. If you have a baking product that hasn't been made, like a cake mix or cookie mix, this is NOT Hametez as the product isn't made, it hasnt't been allowed to ferment thru the mixing/baking process.

Baking soda & baking powder is not leavening in & of itself, it has to be added to water & flour in order to ferment. So, if you have pulled this from your pantry, go ahead & put it back. Yeast is Hametz as it's a fungus. Fungus can grow and ferment on it's own. This needs to be removed from the home.

What about sour dough bread? Many wives have gotten into the sour dough craze. Sourdough pulls yeast from the air & it carried over from day to day, so this would be Hametz. You would need to start over with a new batch over the Days of Unleavened Bread.

Now, when do these products need to be removed from the home. Jewish tradition has it by a certain hour on the day before Passover. The Days of Unleavened Bread starts at sunset on Abib 14. Passover starts at sunset on Abib 13 and goes thru sunset on the 14th. I try to have all the leavening out of the home before we sit down to eat the Passover meal on Abib 14. I don't want to worry about having to get rid of leavening as we are eating and heading into a night of watching heading into the 1st Day of Unleavened Bread.

I'm working on getting an email for this blog so you can email me with any questions. As soon as I have one, I'll post it.

Next week, I'll start covering on how do we know when the year starts. Then, I'll cover the difference between the rabbinical calendar and the biblical observed calendar. Many people don't want to talk about this because it's so controversial. If we are God's people, do we want to obey God or just do what everyone else is doing because it's easier?

Until next week,

Lori