DailyHalacha.com for Mobile Devices Now Available

Click Here to Sponsor Daily Halacha
"Delivered to Over 6000 Registered Recipients Each Day"

      
(File size: 442 KB)
Pesah – If a Non-Jew Comes to One’s House During Pesah with Hames

If a gentile comes into a Jew’s home on Pesah with Hames, the Jew is not required to send him out of the home. A common example of such a case is a non-Jewish workman or electrician who comes to do repairs. If he brings Hames food with him, the Jew may allow him to remain in the home, and is not required to ask him to leave. Even though the Torah formulates the prohibition of Hames with the term "Lo Yera’eh" ("it shall not be seen"), the complete phrase is "Lo Yera’eh Lecha" ("it shall not be seen to you"), which our Sages interpreted as referring specifically to Hames which one personally owns. It is not forbidden to have in one’s home Hames owned by a non-Jew, and thus if a non-Jewish repairman shows up in one’s home on Pesah with Hames, he may be permitted to remain.

Nevertheless, it is preferable, when possible, to avoid this situation, as there is the risk that the non-Jew may leave crumbs on the table that may reach one’s food. Furthermore, the Ben Ish Hai (Rav Yosef Haim of Baghdad, 1833-1909), in his work Rab Pe’alim (2:55), cites authorities who held that the aforementioned Halacha applies only to raw Hametz dough. According to these Poskim, although one may allow a gentile to bring dough into his home on Pesah, one may not allow baked Hametz products in his home. It is thus preferable to avoid this situation, and to respectfully ask the gentile not to bring Hametz products into the home. If, however, a non-Jewish worker did bring Hametz into the home on Pesah, no violation has been committed, and the Jew should simply clean and ensure that no crumbs were left.

Summary: If a non-Jew will be coming to one’s home during Pesah, such as a workman who comes to do repairs, it is preferable to respectfully ask that he does not bring Hametz into the home, but strictly speaking, the non-Jew may be allowed to enter the home with Hametz, as long as one ensures to remove any crumbs that are left.

 


Recent Daily Halachot...
The Liability of a “Shomer Hinam” – an Unpaid Guardian
Is it Permissible to Photocopy Pages From a Published Sefer?
Separating Halla from the Dough – When Does the Obligation Apply?
Omitting Lamenase’ah and Tefila Le’David on Days When Tahanunim Omitted
Reciting Yag Midot and Nefilat Apayim After Sunset
Fasting on Friday
Is it Proper to Sleep During the Day?
Wigs and Alternate Head Coverings for Ladies
Pressuring One’s Fellow to Sell His Possessions
Asking Forgiveness From Those Whom We Have Wronged
Rosh Hashanah – Proper Foods, and Avoiding Anger
Reciting Sheheheyanu When Purchasing a New Garment
The Communal Obligation of Bikur Holim
Hiring a Jew Who Has Not Recited Habdala Since the Previous Shabbat
Invitations Printed in “Ketab Ashurit” – The Writing Style of a Sefer Torah
Page of 239
3585 Halachot found