1 year ago

Chabad Is Launching a New Website to Sell ‏Chametz Online

Chabad is launching an innovative site for selling chametz online, in order to credit‏ as many ‏Jews as possible to sell chametz correctly and elegantly‎ according to the Halacha‏ • Full Story

Chabad is launching an innovative site for selling chametz online, in order to credit‏ as many ‏Jews as possible to sell chametz correctly and elegantly‎ according to the Halacha‏.‏

As of the time of writing these lines, the site is published in three languages Hebrew, English‏, and French‎.‎

To sell chametz on the Chabad website, click here

It is important to note that selling chametz is an actual action according to Jewish law, during which ‏the rabbi is appointed to be our messenger to sell the chametz in the house to a Gentile, thus ‏not violating the prohibition of chametz ‏‎ during Passover.

Donation of Kimcha D’Pischa together with the sale of the chametz

Although the sale of chametz through the website does not involve a fee, it is an ancient Jewish ‏custom to give a donation when selling the chametz.

On Chabad’s chametz sale site: Hametz.co.il, you can donate to support needy families. ‏

The need for an external ‏guarantor so that the sale of the chametz will be ‏organized‎ ‎elegantly‎

We note that there is a difference between the sale of chametz in the usual way and the sale ‏according to Chabad custom expressed in the matter of an external guarantor‎.‎

Now we will ‏‎elaborate in more detail on‎‏ the difference‎.‎

The classical‎‏ ‏way to ‎sell chametz

The sellers appoint the rabbi of the community to be a messenger‏‎ in order‏ to sell the chametz ‏‎ ‎of ‎the household‏ to the Gentiles ‏‎.‎

Before the holiday‎ begins,‎‏ the rabbi meets with the gentile, and signs an agreement with him in the ‏framework of which he purchases all the chametz of all the Jews for a considerable‏‎ price,‎‏ part ‏of the amount the gentile gives as an advance and the balance remains as a debt to be paid ‏after‎ the Holiday.‎

After Passover is over, the Gentile, instead of paying the balance of the debt, returns the ‏chametz to the sellers and thus avoids paying the debt‎.‎

What is the problem with selling‎ chametz in the classical ‏‎way?‎

We have regulations‏, and the matter was brought to the Shulchan Aruch Hoshen Mishpat, while the seller sells a field ‏to his friend and the buyer does not pay immediately but leaves a debt and there is a ‏fear that the customer does not have enough money, this situation is called in the Talmud “the seller Ail v’Nafik Azuzi”.

According to some of the methods in the Halacha, the belongings have not been used and the sale did not ‏apply.‏

The same applies to the sale of chametz, since there is a fear that the Gentile will not pay, the very ‏sale itself must be doubted.‏

Sale of chametz through an external guarantor

Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi, the author of the Tanya and Shulchan Aruch, ‏commanded to add an external guarantor who would be a guarantor of the gentile’s debt to ‏the Jewish sellers.‏

The difference between a classic guarantor and an external ‏guarantor‏

A classic guarantor is responsible for paying off the debt in case the gentile does not pay, but ‏he does not take the place of the buyer.

An external guarantor, on the other hand, gets to be the one who pays off the debt in the first ‏place, which means he gets to take the place of the buyer.‏

In this way, the gentile who purchases the chametz does not remain in debt to the sellers ‏because of the payment of the advance, and for the balance of the debt the gentile gives ‏the sellers a guarantee so that as far as he is concerned, he completes the entire payment. ‏Now the debt is no longer linked to him but to the Jew who took on the guarantee.‏

The advantage of using an external guarantor

In the way that the chametz is sold with an external guarantor, the sale has halachic foundation and validity ‏and the problem of “Ail v’Nafik Azuzi ” does not exist.‏

Carrying out a foreclosure sale this way is much more elegant.‏

The practice among Chabad

Chabad makes sure to sell chametz through an external guarantor.‏

In modern times, with the advancement of technology, many associations advertise the ‏possibility of selling chametz online.‏

There are many organizations that does not belong to Chabad precisely but have adopted the severity of ‏the old rebbe and the practice of an external guarantor.‏

Is it possible to sell chametz such as bread?‏

According to the Chabad method, the sale is genuine according to the Torah, therefore it is ‏possible to sell chametz without any doubt, contrary to certain methods of Bnei Israel who are careful not to sell chametz to Gentiles, therefore after ‏Passover they emphasize taking chametz from flour that was grounded after Passover.‏

Selling chametz vessels

According to the Chabad method, it is also possible to put the chametz vessels on sale, meaning you ‏do not have to immerse the vessels after Passover because a Gentile could not use them.