חָמֵץ

Updated: 2014.04.11

khâ•meitzꞋ (corrupted to "chomets" and "hummets").

Ancient Israel & Biblical definition:

1. all dough (and foods produced from it), other than מַצָּה, that is

2. made from The Five Species.

שְׂאוֹר is a subset of חָמֵץ.

Resting & Proofing (dough) — Typically, when making bread, dough is kneaded a first time, then "rested" – allowed to sit and rise (leaven), kneaded again and then "proofed" (a second, shorter, rest period for a final leavening).

Modern European Rabbinic Reforms

חָמֵץ: From floor cleaners to lipstick

Modern rabbis contravening Dᵊvâr•imꞋ 13.1 (and mindless followers contravening Shᵊm•otꞋ 23.2) have expanded the list of products to include pages of listings – from condiments to ice cream, dish-washing soap, hand soap, bath soap, kitchen cleaning products, water softeners, lipstick, toothpaste, coffee, soft drinks, used toothbrushes, laundry detergents, floor cleaning products, bleach, Chandelier Cleaner, Coppersmith's Polish, European Jewelry Bath and silver cleaner, Fine China Separators, Fork Cleaner and grain-based whiskeys. Today, in order to satisfy Orthodox rabbis, one must consult a list at the Orthodox Union website or the like. This is the inescapable, ex falso quodlibet, result of insisting on the false premise that the Sages cannot have been mistaken. Moses erred!

הֶתֵּר מְכִירָה – Sham "Sale" of חָמֵץ to a Gentile

Scripture prohibits the universal Orthodox (and Ultra-Orthodox) practice of placing offending products in a cupboard or closet that is then taped closed for the period of Khag ha-Matz•otꞋ. The offending contents are still located within one's borders. The subsequent, absurdly sham, "sale," at a ridiculously symbolic price, to a gentile cannot override the Scriptural prohibition. (The contents are then "bought back" after Khag ha-Matz•otꞋ.)

Needless to say, the Nᵊtzâr•imꞋ do not accept either these contraventions of Scripture or this sham.

Preventing חָמֵץ: Kneading-To-Cooking Time Limit

The kinds of grain that form חָמֵץ after being wetted and allowed to "rest" were defined by Talmudic times as The Five Species; and the maximum time that flour from The Five Species were permitted to set before evidence of חָמֵץ was observed was set at the length of time it takes to walk a Roman mile [.92 mi., 1.48 km], when the surface of dough that had not been seeded with שְׂאוֹר would begin to pale. (indicating this was almost certainly tradition handed down from practice in the time of RibꞋi Yᵊho•shuꞋa – which, therefore, logic dictates must be assumed until proven differently), the rabbis defined five bread grains that, under two other conditons, form חָמֵץ.

Therefore, unless carefully guarded, might develop (and contain) leaven (yeast). The list of modern products has grown from cereals to pages of listings from spaghetti to canned foods and powdered soups, to condiments containing yeast, dish and kitchen cleaning products, water softeners, lipstick, toothpaste, coffee, soft drinks, used toothbrushes, laundry detergents, floor cleaning products, bleach, Chandelier Cleaner, Coppersmith's Polish, European Jewelry Bath and silver cleaner, Fine China Separators, Fork Cleaner and grain-based whiskeys. Today, one must consult a list at the Orthodox Union website or the like.

Scripture

The Biblical injunctions concerning חָמֵץ are less rigorous than שְׂאוֹר.

חָמֵץ (verb)

1. Shᵊm•otꞋ 12.34 – The kindred grabbed בְּצֵקוֹ before יֶחְמָץ

2. Shᵊm•otꞋ 12.39 – And they baked הַבָּצֵק that they took out of Mi•tzᵊraꞋyim, עֻגֹת מַצּוֹת because לֹא חָמֵץ, because they were being driven out of Mi•tzᵊraꞋyim and unable to delay [for the בָּצֵק to rest and rise into חָמֵץ].

3. Ho•sheiꞋa 7.4 – … burning like the oven of a baker, until He shall cease מֵעִיר – from the kneading of the בָּצֵק until חֻמְצָתוֹ (A reminder: Reconciling 𝕸 with Tar•gumꞋ Yo•nâ•tânꞋ has baffled the Sages. This translation, accomplishing the reconciliation, is copyrighted with all rights reserved – like every page, and all content, in this website.)

4. Tᵊhil•imꞋ 73.21 – my heart יִתְחַמֵּץ

חָמֵץ (m.n.)

The following (exhuastive) Scriptures instantiating חָמֵץ prohibit the universal Orthodox – and Ultra-Orthodox – practice of placing offending products in a cupboard or closet that is then taped closed for the period of Khag ha-Matz•otꞋ. The offending contents are still located within one's borders. The subsequent, absurdly sham, "sale," at a ridiculously symbolic price, to a gentile cannot override the Scriptural prohibition. (The contents are then "bought back" after Khag ha-Matz•otꞋ.) Needless to say, the Nᵊtzâr•imꞋ do not approve the sham.

1. Shᵊm•otꞋ 12.15 – anyone who eats חָמֵץ shall incur kâ•reitꞋ, from the first to the seventh day (of Khag ha-Matz•otꞋ)

2. Shᵊm•otꞋ 13.3 – חָמֵץ may not be eaten

3. Shᵊm•otꞋ 13.7 – חָמֵץ shall not be seen of yours … (nor שְׂאוֹר seen of yours) … within any of גְּבֻלֶךָ

4. Shᵊm•otꞋ 23.18 – (not specific to Khag ha-Matz•otꞋ) you shall not sacrifice blood of My sacrifice on חָמֵץ

5. Shᵊm•otꞋ 34.25 – (not specific to Khag ha-Matz•otꞋ) you shall not slaughter blood of My sacrifice on חָמֵץ

6. wa-Yi•qᵊr•âꞋ 2.11 – (not specific to Khag ha-Matz•otꞋ) any Mi•nᵊkh•âhꞋ that you offer to י‑‑ה you shall not make חָמֵץ

7. wa-Yi•qᵊr•âꞋ 6.10 – (not specific to Khag ha-Matz•otꞋ) Mi•nᵊkh•âhꞋ – shall not be baked חָמֵץ

8. wa-Yi•qᵊr•âꞋ 7.13 – (not specific to Khag ha-Matz•otꞋ) upon khal•otꞋ lëkhꞋëm חָמֵץ shall he offer his qor•bânꞋ, over a zëvꞋakh of tod•âhꞋ-Shᵊlâm•imꞋ.

9. wa-Yi•qᵊr•âꞋ 23.17 (re: wave two loaves) – (not Khag ha-Matz•otꞋ) they shall be baked חָמֵץ

10. Dᵊvâr•imꞋ 16.3 (re: PësꞋakh sacrifice) – you shall not eat חָמֵץ over it

11. ÂꞋmos 4.5 – וְקַטֵּר מֵחָמֵץ a tod•âhꞋ!

(חֹמֶץ is sour wine; i.e., vinegar.)

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