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Passover Preparations: Understanding the Tradition of Selling Bread
As the Jewish festival of Passover approaches, a unique custom comes into focus: the symbolic selling of bread. This eight-day observance, commencing this year on the evening of Saturday, April 12th, commemorates the Exodus from ancient Egypt. In anticipation of Passover, individuals of the Jewish faith engage in a practice of selling their bread and other leavened products, a tradition explained in detail by Nicky Kelvin on social media platform TikTok.
The Significance of Chametz During Passover
Nicky Kelvin, joining millions globally in Passover celebrations, utilized TikTok to elucidate the tradition surrounding the selling of bread. He introduced the concept of Passover food regulations, stating, “There are a lot of rules around food with Passover, also known as Pesach.” He further clarified the festival’s importance: “This festival pretty much celebrates our freedom from slavery in Egypt, and we all gather together for a meal [on the first evening of Passover] where we recount the tale of our slavery and freedom.”
The Prohibition of Leavened Bread
Explaining the dietary restrictions, Kelvin detailed the reason behind abstaining from leavened bread: “Because we had to leave Egypt so quickly, we didn’t have time to let our bread rise, and so we don’t eat anything in these eight days that has leavened. No bread, no pasta, it goes on and on.” He introduced the term “chametz,” defining it as forbidden food during Passover, with bread holding particular significance. “But stuff you’re not allowed to eat is called chametz, and bread is the one that’s like the evil one. And Jews cannot even possess chametz,” Kelvin emphasized.
The Symbolic Sale of Chametz
To address the prohibition of possessing chametz, Jews partake in a symbolic sale to a non-Jewish individual before Passover begins, rather than discarding it. Kelvin illustrated this custom with an anecdote from his childhood synagogue in Leeds, displaying a photograph. The image depicted a rabbi and several Jewish men seated around a table with a non-Jewish man.
“This is [the rabbi] selling all of the leavened goods of Leeds Jewish community to this man here. He’s not Jewish, so he’s allowed to own it for that period,” Kelvin explained. He identified the non-Jewish man as “Henry,” who then “owns all of the bread of the Leeds Jewish community for the next eight days.”
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Global Practice and Large-Scale Transactions
Kelvin noted that these transactions, while seemingly unusual, are a common practice worldwide, ensuring adherence to Passover regulations against possessing chametz. He further highlighted the scale of these transactions with another example, presenting a photo of Jabbar Hussein. “This is even more wild, this is Jabbar Hussein, he buys all of Israel’s Jews bread for the whole of these eight days, every crumb of bread, it’s his,” Kelvin stated, illustrating the widespread nature of this Passover tradition.
Concluding his explanation, Kelvin extended Passover greetings: “Chag sameach! Happy Passover.”