Question: What is your opinion on removing non food leaven from our homes during Pesach? I have found numerous chemicals which contain leavening agents, under other names.

Answer: When we are commanded in the Hebrew Scriptures to remove all “leaven” from our home on Pesach, the word used is “chametz”. The word “chametz” does not refer to leavening agents, per se, such as yeast, etc. The word “chametz” refers to the leavened state of any of the five specified grains – wheat, spelt, barley, oats and rye.

These five grains can be leavened in more than one way, but the most common way is through exposure to water. This form of leavening is a kind of “fermenting” if you will.

So, when we are told to remove all chametz from our home, many hold that it does apply to chametz in non-food items as well. Many people will get rid of toothpaste and cleansers that might contain oatmeal or wheat germ. However, yeast, in and of itself is not considered chametz unless it was grown on a grain base.