Bedikat Chametz/Search for Hametz

 

Passover is a Holiday full of rituals and traditions. Some are practiced before, during and there are even traditions for after Passover. One of the rituals done before the holiday is the hunt for chametz, or bedikat chametz in Hebrew.

 

But what is chametz and why don’t we eat it during Passover?

 

Chametz is any food product or flour made from one of the five species of grain – wheat, rye, barley, oats or spelt, that is mixed with water and allowed to ferment. That includes flour, breads, pasta, cookies and cake, etc.

 

We don’t eat chametz during Passover – we eat Matzah instead – to remember that when finally freed from slavery, the Jewish people had to leave Egypt so fast that we had no time to wait for the dough to leaven and rise as a bread! All we had time to take with us was Matzah!

 

The hunt for chametz is a ritual performed by the whole family the night before Passover begins. One of the most inclusive ways to include children in that is to set up a scavenger hunt around the house.

 

This video shows how to set up a chametz scavenger hunt and how to make it fun for the whole family.

 

This link explains in more detail how to search for chametz with your children and the step-by-step process.

 

Are you ready to hunt for chametz? Happy hunting!