Selling your Chametz

Rabbi Jason Blog

Have you 'sold' your chamtez yet?  This was probably one of the most controversial things in our household when we were just moving in together.  Trying to explain the intricacies of what is Chametz, what is kitniyot and what we have to do with it during the holiday...confusing!

On top of all of that, we then have to deal with the prospect of not owning it.  I don't know how it happens, but it seems that we always end up stocking up on pasta before Passover.  If I was smart I'd stop buying any products in the middle of March, but somehow, that just never works out for me.

So what's a Jew to do?  Commit internet fraud, of course. 

Yes, you read that right, internet fraud.

As my lovely husband likes to point out, the sales of your Chametz online via links like these is most likely illegal and internet fraud.  What you are doing when you are submitting that form is giving the user on the other end the authority to sell your items for you.  But we all know that you have no intention of following through on the sale, right?  You don't expect some burly guys to show up with a moving truck, knock on your door and take delivery of the 'items' they just bought, do you?

KewlMoving.com- but I wouldn't mind if they showed up at my door!

According to the Rabbi's you are perfectly safe from a religious perspective... (a more through legal argument can be read here...) but I think the real question is how you feel about it.  Working Dad definitely thinks it's hysterical, and every year I go out of my way to avoid trying to commit Internet Fraud.  I just know he wouldn't let me hear the end of it.

Back to the point...have you sold your Chametz yet?  I usually try to talk a friendly neighbor into 'owning' it for me.  We exchange a dollar and I feel much better knowing that he could take ownership if he really wanted to.  But that can lead to some awkward conversations.  My Mother-in-Law offered to buy our Chametz this year.  I'm thinking I might take her up on it.

What are you doing?  Internet fraud, or something else?

PS- you have to sell your Chametz TODAY before a specific time... Make sure you do it this morning so as not to miss the deadline :-)