Shabbat comes in 7.54pm: goes out 9.02pm
This year we have four new guests at our seder — our dog Sheleg (Snow) gave birth to four puppies! We are over the moon with excitement. The first three days, she wouldn’t even let us near them — but she has calmed down after a full week, and we can pet them gently.
The question is, of course, do pets need kosher for Pesach food? The answer is yes. In fact, a dog is featured in the Halacha as being able to help us with keeping kosher for Pesach.
Any food which so spoiled that even a dog would not eat it, is no longer considered to be hametz and if such food is still in the house on Pesach it is not considered a violation of the law against having hametz in one’s possession during that week.
That is helpful for moldy crumbs in that hard to reach spot. The dog wouldn’t eat it? Then it’s fine. I mean, you should clean if you can, but if you can’t, it’s fine.
So from the Arberman family, now larger with four pups, we want to wish you a chag sameach v’kasher!
Shabbat Shalom & Chag Pesach Sameach
Rabbi Paul Arberman
