The Laws of Selling Chametz

You are about to sell all the chametz in your possession to a non-Jew for the entire Pesach. After the chag, you will acquire the chametz back from the non-Jew once again.

Apart from selling chametz to a non-Jew, it is also important to make sure that no chametz is left in places that belong to a Jew. Therefore, when selling chametz, one is required to lease all such places to a non-Jew, as well. Such locations need to be clearly marked as sold to a non-Jew for Pesach.

Chametz is customarily sold via a rabbi not to a rabbi. The rabbi does not formally acquire the chametz at any time. He acts as your messenger by selling your chametz to a non-Jew. By filling the online form, you authorize him to sell your chametz on your behalf. 

There is also a custom to make a “kinyan” – an act of acquisition. The person filling out the form should raise an item of clothing or any other thing, such as a kippa, cloth, watch, or the like, which will better authorize the rabbi to act as a messenger. However, this condition is not truly necessary for the completion of the sale and, therefore, if one has not done it, the sale is still effective. 

To fulfill all halachic opinions, the Rabbi Amram Fried conducts two separate sales of chametz at two different times:

1. The first sale takes place before the time of Bedikat Chametz (the chametz search). Any areas where you suspect there may be chametz, and you do not wish to check them during the search, must be marked before the time of Bedikat Chametz. These areas will be sold to a non-Jew before the obligation to search takes effect, thereby exempting you from checking them.  
In most years, this sale takes place toward the end of the 13th of Nissan. However, this year — 5785 / 2025, when Erev Pesach falls on Shabbat, the first sale will be conducted on Thursday, the 12th of Nissan, in the afternoon, before the time of Bedikat Chametz, which this year is on the evening of the 12th of Nissan.

2. The second sale is conducted before the latest time to eat chametz on Erev Pesach. Any areas marked as sold between the first and second sales will be included in this second transaction.  
In most years, this sale is held on the morning of the 14th of Nissan. However, in this year — 5785 / 2025, when Erev Pesach falls on Shabbat, the second sale will take place on Friday, the 13th of Nissan, in the morning, before the time for burning chametz, which falls on the 13th of Nissan this year.

If there are areas you don’t wish to check, but you do want to use them during the night and day of the 13th of Nissan, be sure to mark them only after the night of the 13th begins, so that they are not included in the first sale.

Only one form needs to be completed no matter which sale(s) one seeks to perform. The rabbi will take care of all the details and specifics and perform the sale(s) in the best possible manner.

One who wishes to be stringent and also sell cosmetics, detergents, soaps, and other substances that are, technically, permitted on Pesach should mention them on the form.

The Sale of Chametz Online