What Is the Sale of Chometz, and Why Do We Do It?

On the festival of Pesach, we are commanded not to eat or even own any chometz. Any food that is made out of grain that has been allowed to rise (ferment) is chometz. Common chometz items include bread, cakes, breakfast cereals, pastas, many liquors and more. Any chometz that was in the possession of a Jew during Pesach is forbidden, even after Pesach ends. This applies even if the chometz is locked up and out of sight.

So what is someone to do if they want to hold on to their prized Scotch collection or freezer full of challah?

The solution (as explained in the Code of Jewish Law) is the “Sale of Chometz,” in which the food is sold to a non-Jew before Pesach. During Pesach the chometz is sealed in a cupboard in your home, and immediately after the festival, it is bought back from the non-Jew and it can once again be enjoyed.

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