Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread; on the very first day,
you shall remove leaven from your houses . . . (Exodus 12:15)
One of the many fun customs associated with Passover is to search for, collect, and destroy any chametz (leavening or grain that ferments) in the house. Children are particularly enthusiastic about this “search and destroy” mission. Look any place in the house where chametz was used during the year. Or designate one family member to hide 10 pieces of chametz (a Kabbalistic tradition) throughout the house (just remember where you put them). Before the search this blessing is recited. Use the feather to sweep all the crumbs into the spoon and deposit them in the paper bag. The next morning, make one final search and then burn or discard the bag and its contents.
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה, יְיָ אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ, מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם
אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָֽׁנוּ בְּמִצְו ֹתָיו, וְצִוָּֽנוּ עַל בִּעוּר חָמֵץ.
Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech haolam, asher kid'shanu b'mitzvotav v'tzivanu al biur chametz.
Blessed are You, our God, Ruler of the world, who sanctifies us with mitzvot and calls upon us to remove chametz.
כָּל־חֲמִירָא וַחֲמִיעָא דְּאִכָּא בִרְשׁוּתִי דְּלָא חֲמִתֵּהּ וּדְלָא בַעֲרִתֵּהּ לִבְטִיל וְלֶהֱוֵי כְּעַפְרָא דְאַרְעָא.
Kol chamira vachamia d’ika virshuti d’la chamiteih ud’la vaariteih livtil v’lehevei k’afra d’ara.
Any leaven that is in my possession,
that I have not seen or not removed,
shall be unclaimed and considered as the dust of the earth.
כָּל־חֲמִירָא וַחֲמִיעָא דְּאִכָּא בִרְשׁוּתִי
דַּחֲמִתֵּהּ וּדְלָא חֲמִתֵּהּ, דְּבַעֲרִתֵּהּ וּדְלָא בַעֲרִתֵּהּ,
לִבְטִיל וְלֶהֱוֵי כְּעַפְרָא דְאַרְעָא.
Kol chamira vachamia d’ika virshuti,
dachamiteih ud’la chamiteih, d’vaariteih ud’la baariteih,
livtil v’lehevei k’afra d’ara.
Any leaven that is in my possession,
whether I have seen it or not, whether I have removed it or not,
shall be unclaimed and considered as the dust of the earth.
