Mishneh Torah, Leavened and Unleavened Bread Chapter 2

Chapter 2

א מִצְוַת עֲשֵׂה מִן הַתּוֹרָה לְהַשְׁבִּית הֶחָמֵץ קֹדֶם זְמַן אִסּוּר אֲכִילָתוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות יב טו) "בַּיּוֹם הָרִאשׁוֹן תַּשְׁבִּיתוּ שְּׂאֹר מִבָּתֵּיכֶם". וּמִפִּי הַשְּׁמוּעָה לָמְדוּ שֶׁבָּרִאשׁוֹן זֶה הוּא יוֹם אַרְבָּעָה עָשָׂר. רְאָיָה לְדָבָר זֶה מַה שֶּׁכָּתוּב בַּתּוֹרָה (שמות לד כה) "לֹא תִשְׁחַט עַל חָמֵץ דַּם זִבְחִי" כְּלוֹמַר לֹא תִּשְׁחַט הַפֶּסַח וַעֲדַיִן הֶחָמֵץ קַיָּם. וּשְׁחִיטַת הַפֶּסַח הוּא יוֹם אַרְבָּעָה עָשָׂר אַחַר חֲצוֹת:

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ב וּמַה הִיא הַשְׁבָּתָה זוֹ הָאֲמוּרָה בַּתּוֹרָה הִיא שֶׁיְּבַטֵּל הֶחָמֵץ בְּלִבּוֹ וְיַחֲשֹׁב אוֹתוֹ כְּעָפָר וְיָשִׂים בְּלִבּוֹ שֶׁאֵין בִּרְשׁוּתוֹ חָמֵץ כְּלָל. וְשֶׁכָּל חָמֵץ שֶׁבִּרְשׁוּתוֹ הֲרֵי הוּא כְּעָפָר וּכְדָבָר שֶׁאֵין בּוֹ צֹרֶךְ כְּלָל:

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ג וּמִדִּבְרֵי סוֹפְרִים לְחַפֵּשׂ אַחַר הֶחָמֵץ בַּמַּחֲבוֹאוֹת וּבַחוֹרִים וְלִבְדֹּק וּלְהוֹצִיאוֹ מִכָּל גְּבוּלוֹ. וְכֵן מִדִּבְרֵי סוֹפְרִים שֶׁבּוֹדְקִין וּמַשְׁבִּיתִין הֶחָמֵץ בַּלַּיְלָה מִתְּחִלַּת לֵיל אַרְבָּעָה עָשָׂר לְאוֹר הַנֵּר. מִפְּנֵי שֶׁבַּלַּיְלָה כָּל הָעָם מְצוּיִין בַּבָּתִּים וְאוֹר הַנֵּר יָפֶה לִבְדִיקָה. וְאֵין קוֹבְעִין מִדְרָשׁ בְּסוֹף יוֹם שְׁלֹשָׁה עָשָׂר. וְכֵן הֶחָכָם לֹא יַתְחִיל לִקְרוֹת בְּעֵת זוֹ שֶׁמָּא יִמָּשֵׁךְ וְיִמָּנַע מִבְּדִיקַת חָמֵץ בִּתְחִלַּת זְמַנָּה:

3 By rabbinic enactment, one must search for ḥametz in hiding-places and holes, and remove it from his entire domain. Also, by rabbinic enactment, one should search and remove the ḥametz by lamplight at night, at the beginning of the night preceding the fourteenth day of Nisan, because all the people are then at home and lamplight is best for searching. And we do not fix study at the end of the thirteenth day [of Nissan]. And likewise should a sage not begin to read at that time, lest he be drawn [by it] and be prevented from searching for chamets at the beginning of its time.

ד אֵין בּוֹדְקִין לֹא לְאוֹר הַלְּבָנָה וְלֹא לְאוֹר הַחַמָּה וְלֹא לְאוֹר הָאֲבוּקָה אֶלָּא לְאוֹר הַנֵּר. בַּמֶּה דְּבָרִים אֲמוּרִים בְּחוֹרִים וּבְמַחֲבוֹאוֹת אֲבָל אַכְסַדְרָה שֶׁאוֹרָהּ רַב אִם בְּדָקָהּ לְאוֹר הַחַמָּה דַּיּוֹ. וְאֶמְצַע הֶחָצֵר אֵינוֹ צָרִיךְ בְּדִיקָה מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהָעוֹפוֹת מְצוּיִים שָׁם וְהֵן אוֹכְלִין כָּל חָמֵץ שֶׁיִּפּל שָׁם:

4 4 We do not search by the light of the moon, nor by the light of the sun nor by the light of a torch, but rather by the light of a lamp. To what are these words applicable? To holes and hiding places. But if one searched in a veranda - the light in which is great - by the light of the sun, it is enough for it. And the middle of a courtyard does not need searching, since birds are common there; and they eat all of the chamets that one drops there.

ה חוֹר שֶׁבְּאֶמְצַע הַבַּיִת שֶׁבֵּין אָדָם לַחֲבֵרוֹ זֶה בּוֹדֵק עַד מָקוֹם שֶׁיָּדוֹ מַגַּעַת וְזֶה בּוֹדֵק עַד מָקוֹם שֶׁיָּדוֹ מַגַּעַת וְהַשְּׁאָר מְבַטְּלוֹ בְּלִבּוֹ. אֲבָל חוֹר שֶׁבֵּין יִשְׂרָאֵל לְעַכּוּ"ם אֵינוֹ בּוֹדֵק כְּלָל שֶׁמָּא יֹאמַר הָעַכּוּ"ם כְּשָׁפִים הוּא עוֹשֶׂה לִי אֶלָּא מְבַטְּלוֹ בְּלִבּוֹ וְדַיּוֹ. וְכָל מָקוֹם שֶׁאֵין מַכְנִיסִין בּוֹ חָמֵץ אֵינוֹ צָרִיךְ בְּדִיקָה:

5 [In a case of] a hole in the middle of a house [wall] that is between a person and his fellow: This one searches until the place that his hand reaches, and that one searches until the place that his hand reaches. And one [then] nullifies the rest in his heart. But [in a case of] a hole between an Israelite and and an idolater: He does not search at all, lest the idolater say, "He is doing magic on me." Rather he should nullify [the chamets ] in his heart, and that is enough for it. And any place in which we do not introduce chamets does not require searching.

ו חוֹרֵי הַבַּיִת הַתַּחְתּוֹנִים וְהָעֶלְיוֹנִים וְגַג הַיָּצִיעַ וְרֶפֶת בָּקָר וְלוּלִין וּמַתְבֵּן וְאוֹצְרוֹת יַיִן וְאוֹצְרוֹת שֶׁמֶן שֶׁאֵינוֹ מִסְתַּפֵּק מֵהֶן וּבֵית דָּגִים גְּדוֹלִים אֵינָן צְרִיכִין בְּדִיקָה אֶלָּא אִם כֵּן הִכְנִיס לָהֶן חָמֵץ. אֲבָל אוֹצְרוֹת שֵׁכָר וְאוֹצְרוֹת יַיִן שֶׁמִּסְתַּפֵּק מִמֶּנּוּ וּבֵית דָּגִים קְטַנִּים וּבֵית הָעֵצִים וּבֵית הַמּוּרְיָס וְחוֹרֵי הַבַּיִת הָאֶמְצָעִים וְכַיּוֹצֵא בָּאֵלּוּ צְרִיכִין בְּדִיקָה שֶׁסְּתָמָן שֶׁמַּכְנִיסִין לָהֶן חָמֵץ. וְאִם יָדַע בְּוַדַּאי שֶׁלֹּא הִכְנִיס שָׁם חָמֵץ אֵינוֹ צָרִיךְ בְּדִיקָה. וּכְשֶׁבּוֹדֵק הַמַּרְתֵּף בּוֹדֵק מִמֶּנּוּ שְׁתֵּי שׁוּרוֹת הַחִיצוֹנוֹת שֶׁהֵן הָעֶלְיוֹנָה וְשֶׁלְּמַטָּה מִמֶּנָּה:

6 The upper and lower holes of [the walls of] a house, [as well as] a balcony roof, a cowshed, chicken coops, a storehouse for straw, a wine cellar or a storeroom for oil from which one does not supply [wine or oil during the meal] and a storage room for large fish do not require searching unless one introduced chamets into them. But a beer cellar, a wine cellar or a storeroom for oil from which one does supply [wine or oil during the meal], a storage room for small fish, a wood storage room, a storage room for brine, the middle holes of [the walls of] a house and that which is similar to them require searching. For their usual [way] is that we introduce chamets in them. But if one knows with certainty that he did not introduce chamets there, it does not require searching. And when one searches a wine cellar, he searches the two outer rows - which are the top one and the one below it.

ז אֵין חוֹשְׁשִׁין שֶׁמָּא גָּרְרָה חֻלְדָּה חָמֵץ לְמָקוֹם שֶׁאֵין מַכְנִיסִין בּוֹ חָמֵץ שֶׁאִם נָחוּשׁ מִבַּיִת לְבַיִת נָחוּשׁ מֵעִיר לְעִיר וְאֵין לַדָּבָר סוֹף. בָּדַק לֵיל אַרְבָּעָה עָשָׂר וְהִנִּיחַ עֶשֶׂר חַלּוֹת וּמָצָא תֵּשַׁע הֲרֵי זֶה חוֹשֵׁשׁ וְצָרִיךְ לִבְדֹּק פַּעַם שְׁנִיָּה שֶׁהֲרֵי גָּרְרָה חֻלְדָּה אוֹ עַכְבָּר בְּוַדַּאי:

7 We do not concern ourselves lest a weasel dragged chamets to a place in which we do not introduce chamets. For if we concern ourselves from [one] house to [another], we will concern ourselves from [one] city to [another] and [then] there is no end to the matter. If one searched on the fourteenth, and [then] left ten loaves but only found nine - such a one must surely concern himself and needs to search a second time. For surely [in this case] a weasel or mouse certainly dragged it.

ח וְכֵן אִם רָאָה עַכְבָּר שֶׁנִּכְנַס לַבַּיִת וְחָמֵץ בְּפִיו אַחַר בְּדִיקָה צָרִיךְ לִבְדֹּק פַּעַם שְׁנִיָּה אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁמָּצָא פֵּרוּרִין בְּאֶמְצַע הַבַּיִת אֵין אוֹמְרִין כְּבָר אָכַל אוֹתָהּ הַפַּת בְּמָקוֹם זֶה וַהֲרֵי הַפֵּרוּרִין אֶלָּא חוֹשְׁשִׁין שֶׁמָּא הִנִּיחָה בְּחוֹר אוֹ בְּחַלּוֹן וְאִלּוּ הַפֵּרוּרִין שָׁם הָיוּ. וּלְפִיכָךְ חוֹזֵר וּבוֹדֵק. אִם לֹא מָצָא כְּלוּם הֲרֵי זֶה בּוֹדֵק כָּל הַבַּיִת וְאִם מָצָא אוֹתָהּ הַפַּת שֶׁנְּטָלָהּ הָעַכְבָּר וְנִכְנַס אֵין צָרִיךְ בְּדִיקָה:

8 And likewise, if after searching, one saw a mouse that entered the house and it had chamets in its mouth, he needs to search a second time. Even though he found crumbs in the middle of his house, we do not say, "It already ate the bread in this place; and see, these are the crumbs [from that]." Rather we are concerned lest it placed it in a hole or a window and these crumbs were there [from before]. Hence one must search again. And if he does not find anything, he must search all of the house. But if he found that bread that the mouse took and brought in, it does not require [any more] searching.

ט רָאָה תִּינוֹק שֶׁנִּכְנַס לְבַיִת בָּדוּק וּבְיָדוֹ כִּכָּר וְנִכְנַס אַחֲרָיו וּמָצָא פֵּרוּרִין אֵינוֹ צָרִיךְ בְּדִיקָה שֶׁחֶזְקָתוֹ שֶׁאֲכָלוֹ וְאֵלּוּ הַפֵּרוּרִין שֶׁנָּפְלוּ מִמֶּנּוּ בִּשְׁעַת אֲכִילָה שֶׁדֶּרֶךְ הַתִּינוֹק לְפָרֵר בְּעֵת אֲכִילָתוֹ וְאֵין דֶּרֶךְ עַכְבָּר לְפָרֵר. וְאִם לֹא מָצָא פֵּרוּרִין כְּלָל צָרִיךְ לִבְדֹּק:

9 [In a case of] one who saw an infant entering a house and there was a loaf [of bread] in his hand; and he entered behind him and found crumbs: [It] does not require searching. For there is a presumption that [the infant] ate it, and these are the crumbs that fell from it at the time of the eating. As it is the way of an infant to scatter crumbs at the time of eating, but it is not the way of a mouse to scatter [crumbs]. However if he did not find crumbs at all, he needs to search.

י הִנִּיחַ תִּשְׁעָה צְבוּרִין שֶׁל מַצָּה וְאֶחָד שֶׁל חָמֵץ וּבָא עַכְבָּר וְנָטַל וְלֹא יָדַעְנוּ אִם חָמֵץ אוֹ מַצָּה נָטַל וְנִכְנַס לְבַיִת בָּדוּק צָרִיךְ לִבְדֹּק שֶׁכָּל הַקָּבוּעַ כְּמֶחֱצָה עַל מֶחֱצָה:

10 [If] one left nine piles of matsa and one pile of chamets and a mouse came and took [from one], but we did not know if it took from the chamets or the matsa and brought it into the house [that was already] searched - he needs to search. For any [mixture that is] fixed (like these piles) is considered like half and half (and since it is considered as if there is no majority, we may not assume that it came from the majority, i.e. the nine piles).

יא שְׁנֵי צְבוּרִין אֶחָד שֶׁל חָמֵץ וְאֶחָד שֶׁל מַצָּה וּשְׁנֵי בָּתִּים אֶחָד בָּדוּק וְאֶחָד שֶׁאֵינוֹ בָּדוּק וּבָאוּ שְׁנֵי עַכְבָּרִים זֶה נָטַל חָמֵץ וְזֶה נָטַל מַצָּה וְאֵין יָדוּעַ לְאֵי זֶה בַּיִת נִכְנַס זֶה שֶׁנָּטַל הֶחָמֵץ. וְכֵן שְׁנֵי בָּתִּים בְּדוּקִין וּצְבוּר אֶחָד שֶׁל חָמֵץ וּבָא עַכְבָּר וְנָטַל וְאֵין יָדוּעַ לְאֵיזֶה בַּיִת נִכְנַס. אוֹ שֶׁיָּדַע שֶׁנִּכְנַס לְאֶחָד מֵהֶן וְנִכְנַס אַחֲרָיו וּבָדַק וְלֹא מָצָא כְּלוּם אוֹ שֶׁבָּדַק וּמָצָא כִּכָּר. אוֹ שֶׁהָיוּ תִּשְׁעָה צְבוּרִין שֶׁל מַצָּה וְאֶחָד שֶׁל חָמֵץ וּפֵרַשׁ כִּכָּר מֵהֶן וְאֵין יָדוּעַ אִם חָמֵץ אִם מַצָּה וּבָא עַכְבָּר וְנָטַל הַכִּכָּר שֶׁפֵּרַשׁ וְנִכְנַס לְבַיִת בָּדוּק בְּכָל אֵלּוּ אֵינוֹ צָרִיךְ לִבְדֹּק פַּעַם שְׁנִיָּה שֶׁאֵין כָּאן קָבוּעַ:

11 [In a case of] two piles, one of which is of chamets and the other of which is matsa, and two houses, one of which was searched and one of which was not searched - and two mice came, one taking chamets and one taking matsa, and it is not known which house the one that took chamets entered; and likewise two houses that are searched and there was one pile of chamets and a mouse came and took it and it is not known into which house he went; or [if] one knew that he went into one of them and he entered behind it, but when he searched, he did not find anything, or he found a loaf; or there were nine piles of matsa and one of chamets and one loaf got displaced from one of them, and it was not known if it was chamets or matsa, and a mouse took the loaf that was displaced and went into the house that was searched: In all of these cases he does not need to search a second time. [In the last case, the reason is] that there is nothing fixed (see the end of the previous law).

יב הִנִּיחַ הֶחָמֵץ בְּזָוִית זוֹ וּמְצָאוֹ בְּזָוִית אַחֵר אוֹ שֶׁהִנִּיחַ תֵּשַׁע חַלּוֹת וּמָצָא עֶשֶׂר. אוֹ שֶׁבָּא עַכְבָּר וְנָטַל הֶחָמֵץ וְסָפֵק נִכְנַס לְבַיִת זֶה אוֹ לֹא נִכְנַס. בְּכָל אֵלּוּ צָרִיךְ לִבְדֹּק:

12 [If] one left chamets in this corner and he found it in a different corner; or he left nine loaves and found ten; or a mouse came and took the chamets, but there is a doubt if it went into this house or did not go in: In all of these [cases], he needs to search.

יג נִכְנַס עַכְבָּר לְבַיִת וְכִכָּר בְּפִיו וְיָצָא עַכְבָּר מִשָּׁם וְכִכָּר בְּפִיו אוֹמְרִים הוּא הָרִאשׁוֹן שֶׁנִּכְנַס הוּא הָאַחֲרוֹן שֶׁיָּצָא וְאֵינוֹ צָרִיךְ לִבְדֹּק. הָיָה הָרִאשׁוֹן שֶׁנִּכְנַס שָׁחוֹר וְזֶה שֶׁיָּצָא לָבָן צָרִיךְ לִבְדֹּק. נִכְנַס עַכְבָּר וְכִכָּר בְּפִיו וְיָצְאתָה מִשָּׁם חֻלְדָּה וְכִכָּר בְּפִיהָ צָרִיךְ לִבְדֹּק. יָצָאת מִשָּׁם חֻלְדָּה וְעַכְבָּר וְכִכָּר בְּפִיהָ אֵינוֹ צָרִיךְ לִבְדֹּק שֶׁזֶּה הַכִּכָּר הוּא שֶׁהָיָה בְּפִי הָעַכְבָּר. נָחָשׁ שֶׁנִּכְנַס לְחוֹר וּפַת בְּפִיו אֵין חַיָּב לְהָבִיא חֲבָּר לְהוֹצִיאוֹ:

13 [If] a mouse entered a house and there was a loaf in its mouth, and [then] a mouse left from there and there was a loaf in its mouth - we say it is the first one that entered [and] it is the last one that left (it is one and the same); so one does not need to search. If the first one that entered was black, and this one that left was white, he needs to search. [If] a mouse entered and there was a loaf in its mouth, and [then] a weasel left from there and there was a loaf in its mouth, one needs to search. [If] a weasel came out from there and there was a mouse and a loaf in its mouth, he does not need to search - as this is the loaf that was in the mouth of the mouse. [If] a snake entered a hole and there was bread in its mouth, one is not obligated to bring a snake charmer to bring it out.

יד כְּזַיִת חָמֵץ בִּשְׁמֵי קוֹרָה מְחַיְּבִין אוֹתוֹ לְהָבִיא סֻלָּם לְהוֹרִידוֹ שֶׁפְּעָמִים יִפּל מִשְּׁמֵי קוֹרָה. הָיָה חָמֵץ בְּבוֹר אֵין מְחַיְּבִין אוֹתוֹ לְהַעֲלוֹתוֹ אֶלָּא מְבַטְּלוֹ בְּלִבּוֹ וְדַיּוֹ:

14 [In a case of] a kazayit of chamets in a high beam, we obligate [its owner] to bring a ladder to take it down. For sometimes it will fall from the high beam. [If] the chamets was in a pit, we do not obligate him to bring it up. Rather, he may nullify it in his heart; and that is enough for it.

טו כִּפַּת שְׂאוֹר שֶׁיִּחֲדָהּ לִישִׁיבָה אִם טָח פָּנֶיהָ בְּטִיט הֲרֵי זוֹ בְּטֵלָה וּמֻתָּר לְקַיְּמָהּ. בָּצֵק שֶׁבְּסִדְקֵי הָעֲרֵבָה אִם יֵשׁ כְּזַיִת בְּמָקוֹם אֶחָד חַיָּב לְבַעֵר. וְאִם לָאו אִם הָיָה עָשׂוּי לְחַזֵּק בּוֹ שִׁבְרֵי הָעֲרֵבָה אוֹ לִסְתֹּם בּוֹ נֶקֶב בָּטֵל בְּמִעוּטוֹ וְאִם לָאו חַיָּב לְבַעֵר. הָיוּ בּוֹ שְׁנֵי חֲצָאֵי זֵיתִים בִּשְׁנֵי מְקוֹמוֹת וְחוּט שֶׁל בָּצֵק בֵּינֵיהֶם רוֹאִין כּל שֶׁאִלּוּ יִנָּטֵל הַחוּט נִטָּלִין עִמּוֹ חַיָּב לְבַעֵר וְאִם לָאו אֵינוֹ צָרִיךְ לְבַעֵר:

15 [In a case of] a mass of (hardened) leaven that one designated for the purpose of sitting upon it: If he plastered its surface with plaster, it is surely nullified - so it is permissible to keep it. [In a case of] dough in a kneading trough: If there is a kazayit in one place, he is obligated to destroy [them]. But if not - if it was made to strengthen the shards of the trough with it or to seal a hole with it, it is nullified due to its insignificance. But if not, he is obligated to destroy [it. If] there were two halves of a kazayit in two places and a string of dough between them: We look at it all; such that if the string were to be picked up, they would be picked up with it - he is obligated to destroy [it]. But if not, he does not need to destroy [it].

טז בַּמֶּה דְּבָרִים אֲמוּרִים בַּעֲרֵבָה אֲבָל בְּבַיִת אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאִם יִנָּטֵל הַחוּט אֵין נִטָּלִין עִמּוֹ חַיָּב לְבַעֵר מִפְּנֵי שֶׁפְּעָמִים מְקַבֵּץ אוֹתָן. הָיָה חֲצִי זַיִת בַּבַּיִת וַחֲצִי זַיִת בָּעֲלִיָּה. חֲצִי זַיִת בַּבַּיִת וַחֲצִי זַיִת בָּאַכְסַדְרָה. חֲצִי זַיִת בְּבַיִת זֶה וַחֲצִי זַיִת בְּבַיִת שֶׁלִּפְנִים מִמֶּנּוּ. הוֹאִיל וְאֵלּוּ הַחֲצָאֵי זֵיתִים דְּבוּקִין בַּכְּתָלִים אוֹ בַּקּוֹרוֹת אוֹ בַּקַּרְקָעוֹת אֵינוֹ חַיָּב לְבָעֵר אֶלָּא מְבַטֵּל בְּלִבּוֹ וְדַיּוֹ:

16 To what are these words applicable? To a kneading trough. But in a house - even though if the string were to be picked up, they would not be picked up with it - he is obligated to destroy [it]. For sometimes, he collects them [together. If] half a kazayit was in the house and half a kazayit was in the attic; half a kazayit was in the house and half a kazayit was in the veranda; half a kazayit was in this house and half a kazayit was in a house behind it - since these halves of a kazayit are stuck to the walls or in the beams or on the floors, he is not obligated to destroy [them]. Rather he may nullify [them] in his heart and that is enough for it.

יז הַמַּשְׂכִּיר בַּיִת סְתָם בְּאַרְבָּעָה עָשָׂר הֲרֵי זֶה בְּחֶזְקַת בָּדוּק וְאֵינוֹ צָרִיךְ לִבְדֹּק. וְאִם הֻחְזַק זֶה הַמַּשְׂכִּיר שֶׁלֹּא בָּדַק וְאָמְרוּ אִשָּׁה אוֹ קָטָן אָנוּ בְּדַקְנוּהוּ הֲרֵי אֵלּוּ נֶאֱמָנִין שֶׁהַכּל נֶאֱמָנִים עַל בִּעוּר חָמֵץ. וְהַכּל כְּשֵׁרִין לִבְדִיקָה וַאֲפִלּוּ נָשִׁים וַעֲבָדִים וּקְטַנִּים וְהוּא שֶׁיִּהְיֶה קָטָן שֶׁיֵּשׁ בּוֹ דַּעַת לִבְדֹּק:

17 [In a case of] one who rents a house without specification on the fourteenth: It is surely with a presumption that it is searched, so he does not have to search [it]. But if this [owner] was presumed not to have searched it and a woman or a minor said, "We checked it" - these are surely believed. For all are believed about the destruction of chamets; and all are fit for searching - even women, slaves and minors. And that is so long as the minor has the intelligence to search.

יח הַמַּשְׂכִּיר בַּיִת לַחֲבֵרוֹ אִם עַד שֶׁלֹּא מָסַר לוֹ הַמַּפְתֵּחַ חָל אַרְבָּעָה עָשָׂר עַל הַמַּשְׂכִּיר לִבְדֹּק. וְאִם מִשֶּׁמָּסַר הַמַּפְתֵּחַ חָל אַרְבָּעָה עָשָׂר עַל הַשּׂוֹכֵר לִבְדֹּק. הַמַּשְׂכִּיר בַּיִת בְּחֶזְקַת שֶׁהוּא בָּדוּק וְנִמְצָא שֶׁאֵינוֹ בָּדוּק עַל הַשּׂוֹכֵר לִבְדֹּק וְאֵינוֹ מִקָּח טָעוּת. וַאֲפִלּוּ בְּמָקוֹם שֶׁבּוֹדְקִים בְּשָׂכָר שֶׁהֲרֵי מִצְוָה הוּא עוֹשֶׂה:

18 [In a case of] one who rents out his house to his fellow: If the fourteenth [of Nissan] came out when he had not [yet] given over the key, it is up to the [owner] to search. But if the fourteenth came out from when he had [already] given over the key, it is up to the renter to search. [In a case of] one who rents a house with the presumption that it is searched and it comes out that it is not searched: It is up to the renter to search; and it is not a mistaken sale (such that he could annul the agreement) - even in a place where [people] are hired to search - for it is surely a commandment that he is doing.

יט הַמְפָרֵשׁ בַּיָּם וְהַיּוֹצֵא בְּשַׁיָּרָא תּוֹךְ שְׁלֹשִׁים יוֹם זָקוּק לִבְדֹּק. קֹדֶם שְׁלֹשִׁים יוֹם אֵינוֹ צָרִיךְ לִבְדֹּק. וְאִם דַּעְתּוֹ לַחֲזֹר קֹדֶם הַפֶּסַח צָרִיךְ לִבְדֹּק וְאַחַר כָּךְ יֵצֵא שֶׁמָּא יַחֲזֹר עֶרֶב הַפֶּסַח בֵּין הַשְּׁמָשׁוֹת וְלֹא יִהְיֶה לוֹ פְּנַאי לְבַעֵר. וְאִם אֵין דַּעְתּוֹ לַחֲזֹר אֵין צָרִיךְ לִבְדֹּק. וְכֵן הָעוֹשֶׂה בֵּיתוֹ אוֹצָר. תּוֹךְ שְׁלֹשִׁים יוֹם זָקוּק לִבְדֹּק וְאַחַר כָּךְ כּוֹנֵס אוֹצָרוֹ לְתוֹכוֹ. קֹדֶם שְׁלֹשִׁים יוֹם אִם דַּעְתּוֹ לְפַנּוֹתוֹ קֹדֶם הַפֶּסַח צָרִיךְ לִבְדֹּק וְאַחַר כָּךְ עוֹשֵׂהוּ אוֹצָר. וְאִם אֵין דַּעְתּוֹ לְפַנּוֹתוֹ קֹדֶם הַפֶּסַח אֵינוֹ צָרִיךְ לִבְדֹּק:

19 [In a case of] one who sets out on the sea or one who goes out with a caravan: [If] it is within thirty days [of Passover], he is obligated to search; before thirty days, he does not need to search. But if he has in mind to return before Passover, he needs to search, and he may then go out - lest he return on the eve of Passover at twilight and not have time to destroy [the chamets there]. However if he does not have in mind to return [by then], he does not need to search. And likewise, one who makes his house into a storehouse: [If] it is within thirty days, he is required to search, and he may then move his storage into it; before thirty days - if he has in mind to clear it before Passover, he needs to search [it] and he may then make it into a storehouse. But if he does not have in mind to clear it before Passover, he does not need to search.

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