What is Chametz?
Also spelled / known as: Hametz, Leaven, Leavened food
In brief
Chametz is any leavened food made from the five grains — wheat, barley, rye, oats, and spelt — that came into contact with water for more than 18 minutes without being baked; it is strictly forbidden during the eight days of Passover.
Chametz explained
Chametz (literally 'leavened') refers to any food made from the five grains of halacha that has undergone fermentation or leavening. The Torah prohibits both eating chametz and owning it during Passover — a uniquely strict biblical commandment. Before Passover, observant Jews perform a thorough cleaning of their homes, vehicles, and offices, and formally sell or destroy any remaining chametz in their possession.
Real-world examples
Bread, pasta, beer, most cereals, and baked goods are chametz
Crackers, pretzels, cookies, and whiskey (from grain) are chametz
Before Passover, chametz is sold to a non-Jew through rabbinic contract
Kosher-for-Passover products carry a special 'P' marking on their hechsher
Context & nuance
The prohibition against chametz on Passover is one of the most stringent in Jewish law. Unlike most other kosher prohibitions, owning chametz (not just eating it) is forbidden during Passover. This leads to extensive pre-Passover cleaning, the formal sale of chametz to a non-Jew, and the elimination of any trace of chametz in the home. Kosher-for-Passover food production requires dedicated facilities and rigorous inspection to ensure no chametz contamination.
Frequently asked questions
- What is chametz?
- Chametz is any food made from the five grains (wheat, barley, rye, oats, spelt) that came into contact with water for more than 18 minutes without being baked. This includes bread, pasta, most cereals, beer, and whiskey. Chametz is strictly forbidden — and even forbidden to own — during the eight days of Passover.
- Why is chametz forbidden on Passover?
- The Torah commands Jews to eat only matzah (unleavened bread) on Passover to commemorate the Exodus from Egypt, when the Israelites left in such haste that their bread didn't have time to rise. The prohibition against chametz — both eating and owning it — is unique in its strictness and reflects the foundational role of Passover in Jewish memory.
- What happens to chametz during Passover?
- Before Passover, observant Jews either destroy their chametz (burning it) or formally sell it to a non-Jew through a rabbi-facilitated contract (mechirat chametz). The chametz is physically separated and sealed off in a closed area, and ownership legally transfers for the duration of the holiday, then transfers back afterward.
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Related terms
Kosher for Passover
Kosher for Passover products meet both regular kashrut standards AND the stricter Passover requirements — containing no chametz (leavened grain products) and, for Ashkenazim, no kitniyot (legumes, rice, corn).
Kitniyot
Kitniyot (literally 'small things') are legumes, rice, corn, and similar grains that Ashkenazi Jews traditionally avoid during Passover, though Sephardi Jews generally permit them.
Yoshon
Yoshon (literally 'old') refers to grain that took root before the 16th of Nisan (Passover) of the previous year — permitted for consumption under a biblical prohibition that forbids new-season grain (chadash) until after the Omer offering.
Kashrut
Kashrut is the body of Jewish dietary law derived from the Torah, defining which foods are permitted (kosher) and forbidden (treif), how animals must be slaughtered, and how meat and dairy must be kept separate.
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