Dateline Jerusalem — Here is controversy as to the origins of “spring cleaning.” Chinese believe sweeping their floors and cleaning their homes sweeps out the bad luck of the previous year. They clean their homes for the new year, which occurs shortly after the Western new year. Usually, however, the Chinese new year is around February, not exactly springtime. Iranians clean their homes in anticipation of the Persian new year, which occurs at the onset of spring. Ancient Greeks had a Clean Week. Later, Eastern Orthodox churches would do spring cleaning just before their week of Lent. Obviously they did not originate spring cleaning. The idea that exposure to spring sunlight after a long dark winter gives us more energy to clean also seems to be lacking.
Takes a Long Time
However, Jews around the world have been cleaning and preparing for the week of Passover (Pesach) since ancient times. Since Passover commemorates the liberation of the Jewish people from Egyptian slavery in 1300 Before the Common Era, 3300 years ago, Jewish spring cleaning possibly pre-dates the others. Since Jews have been exiled all over the world, and the custom of spring cleaning is not associated with one country, it makes sense that the origin of spring cleaning can be traced to the Jewish tradition of preparing for Passover.
Passover is known as the Spring holiday. According to the Torah (Bible) in Exodus, it is “in the month of the Spring.” The story of the Exodus under the leadership of Moses has been retold on Passover for thousands of years. Passover commemorates the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt, when Moses demanded that Pharaoh free his people. Because there wasn’t time for their bread to rise when they fled Egypt, Jews throughout the world eat unleavened bread, called matzah, as a symbolic reminder of their flight from slavery. Therefore, all chametz is forbidden during the week of Passover – that is, leavened bread, cereals, pasta, pizza, cookies, products made with yeast or fermentation, or foods made from wheat, barley, rye, oats, and spelts. Also any food made on equipment used to process chametz products. Jews of Ashkenazi descent, like me, mainly come from Western Europe, Germany, Poland and Russia. We have an additional prohibition of eating no kitniyot, which includes rice, beans, peas, and legumes. Jews of Sephardi descent — mainly from Spain, Portugal, Mediterranean countries and the Middle East — have no such restriction. Because more than half the Jews in Israel are not Ashkenazi, finding kosher for Passover foods without kitniyot is difficult.
The Torah commands Jews to avoid food that might contain even a trace of chametz. Even bread crumbs are considered an affront to G-d. Therefore, spring cleaning for Jews means scouring homes, business, autos, any place chametz might be. Jews must make sure not a crumb can be found. It means cooking in pots, pans, eating on dishes with utensils not used during the rest of the year. Silverware, dishes and food not certified as kosher-for-Passover must be stored away in sealed cabinets and rooms.
A Final Sweep of Home
Just before the holiday begins we take a wooden spoon, candle, and feather to hunt for any remaining chametz that we may have missed during our cleaning. By candlelight, we search for crumbs, scoop them up with the feather onto the spoon, and burn them the next morning. All over Israel people throw the chametz into bonfires in residential areas. Should anything with chametz not be destroyed, it is sold to a non-Jew by a rabbi and bought back after the holiday.
Although Passover is only one week, it takes several weeks to get ready. Sweeping and mopping floors, vacuuming chairs, sofas and beds, wiping down kitchen cabinets and back splashes, sinks and countertops, cleaning ovens and refrigerators, and scouring just about anywhere I may have eaten is a burdensome task. Crumbs are everywhere! After all the boiling and bleaching, putting away the yearly dishes and cookware, replacing them with those kosher-for-Passover, all surfaces and appliances not kosher for Passover must be covered. My kitchen looks like home to someone from outer space with all the aluminum foil covering its surfaces.
Others may lay claim to originating spring cleaning. As far as I am concerned, we Jews have been doing it for thousands of years in commemoration of the Exodus, long before others.
When our homes are chametz-free, the words “Next year in Jerusalem” will be said at Passover seder tables. Jews in Jerusalem will say “Next year in Jerusalem rebuilt,” which refers to the coming of Moshiach (Messiah), spiritual redemption and the rebuilding of the Holy Temple. We will be reminded that Jews in every generation must feel as though we have personally come out of Egypt to freedom. Passover is often referred to as “the season of our freedom.” Living in Israel is definitely the fulfillment of freedom for me.
Wishing all my friends and family who celebrate the holiday, a happy, healthy, kosher, and safe Passover. “Next year in Jerusalem!”
L’hitraot. Shachar