Shulchan Aruch: Pesach

Nine piles of matza, and one of chametz, and a mouse comes and takes [from the piles] and we do not know if the mouse took chametz or matza, and the mouse entered a checked house - you must return and check it (however, if the food is small enough that the mouse could have eaten it - we can rely on a leniency that the mouse did eat it, and you do not need to check) (Tur), as every established place is like a half of a half [i.e. each established location is treated as its own majority]. If the food was separated from its established place, and the mouse took it from there - you do not need to return and check it, as anything separated [is considered to be] separated from the majority.

A mixture including hametz, on its account one transgresses the prohibition on seeing hametz (Exodus 13:7) and the prohibition on finding hametz (Exodus 12:19), e.g., brine, bread/milk preserve, beer, and the like. But something that is a mixture containing hametz but is not fit for consumption, one is permitted to keep on Pesah, e.g., the leather-worker's mixture that one put into it skins and flour, even if one put them together an hour before the time of destruction of hametz, it is permitted to keep it. But if one did not put the skins in but did put the flour in: three days before the time of destruction of hametz, one is permitted to keep it since it is lost and spoiled; within three days, one must destroy it. Similarly, eye salve, bandage, rag, or medicine that one has added hametz to, it is permitted to keep them over Pesah since they have lost the form of hametz.

Ceramic dishes that have been used for hametz the whole year, even if they were used for oats or other grains, should be wiped well such that there is no noticeable hametz left, and then it is permitted to keep them until after Passover and use them either for what they were used for before Passover or something different. They should be hidden on Passover in a hidden place where one does not normally go, lest one come to use them on Passover. It is good to close them in a room and to hide the key. But refiring it in fire does not work for any ceramic item that was used for hot things, even if it was not used on the fire and boiling liquid was just poured into it. Rem"a: There are those who forbid even for the second container (the Magid chapter 5). Even if they are filled with coals, we are concerned that he will be worried that the containers will crack (meaning that they will break) and will not do a complete refiring. However, if he returns them to the furnace where they make new ceramic items, it is permitted. Because they are sent into a big fire like this, clearly he will not be concerned that they will break. But this is not true of our ovens. Rem"a: For every object that needs to be made white-hot or scalding, it is forbidden to use it even for cold things without kashering it (Mordechai at the beginning of Chapter Kol Shaah). See in Yoreh Deah Chapter 421.

These are the things through which one fulfills the obligation of [eating] matza: wheat, barley, spelt, oats and rye - and the custom is to take wheat initially (Maharil) - but not rice and other types of legumes [kitniyiot], and these also do not come to be leavened and it is [so] permitted to make a cooked food from them. REMA: And some forbid [it] (Tur and Hagahot Maimoniot and Mordechai on the Chapter [entitled] Kol Sha'ah). And the custom in Ashkenaz is to be strict [about this], and one should not change [it]. However, it is obvious that they do not render a cooked food forbidden after the fact if they fall into it. And so [too] is it permitted to light with oils that are made from them and [these oils] do not render a cooked food forbidden if they fall into it. And so [too] is it permissible to store types of legumes in the home (Terumat HaDeshen, Section 113). And the seed of dill (Maharil) and anise and coriander are not types of legumes and it is permissible to eat them on Pesach, and so does it appear [correct] to me.

It is good to make the mitzvah-matzah from wheat that has been guarded so that no water has fallen on it from the time of harvest, or at least from the time since it was ground [into flour]. But in times of duress, it is permitted to buy flour from the marketplace.

At the time when on is transporting sacks of flour from the mill, it is forbidden to place them on an animal without a saddle or thick leather under the sack. REMA: And similarly, one should be cautious initially to avoid placing many sacks of flour interpositionally where possible (Mordechai commenting on the end of "Ayloo Overin")

It is customary to pick the millstone because there are occasions when one places moistened grain [in the mill] to make finer flour. It is customary that the first flour ground after the picking should be guarded until after the festival. REMA: And it's common for proactive people to personally go to the site of the millstone to personally see the grinding of the flours (Mordechia)

It is necessary to grind the wheat a day or two prior to kneading it and if it was ground on the eve of Pesach, there are those who say that it is forbidden to knead matza [dough] with it on that day. This is because at the time it is ground, it is steaming hot and will heat the water [applied when kneading] and the dough will be prone to leavening.

A person cannot fulfill his obligation with stolen Matzah. Regarding what were these matters said? When one stole Matzah, but if wheat or flour was stolen and made into Matzah, one fulfills his obligation with it because he annexed it through transformation and now he is only obligated for the value (and regarding the principles of blessing, see earlier at the beginning of siman 649)

...Your table should be set from the daytime, in order to eat right away when it becomes dark; And even if he is in the Bet Midrash, he should leave because it is a commandment to hurry and eat (at the seder) for the children who may fall asleep, but a person should not recite Kiddush until it gets dark.

An attendant [servant] needs to lean.

Anyone who is required to recline, if he eats or drinks without reclining, he has not fulfilled his obligation and is required to eat and drink again while reclining. (And there are those who say that in our times where it is not customary to recline, one can rely ex post facto on the opinion of the Ravaya, that he has fulfilled his obligation without the reclining. It appears to me if he did not drink the 3rd cup or the 4th cup while reclining, he should not drink again while reclining for there is a concern that such would appear as adding on to the number of cups; however, regarding the first 2 cups he should drink again without reciting a blessing; and similarly regarding the eating of matzoh and ab initio he should recline the entire meal.)

One who doesn't drink wine because it hurts him, or he detests it, must force himself to drink in order to fulfill the commandment of four cups

It's a mitzvah to go after red wine (if the white wine is not as good [Tur]).

Even a poor person who is sustained through charity must sell his clothing or sell or rent himself in order to buy wine for the four cups.

Women are also obligated in the four cups and in all the mitzvot performed on that night.

We pour for him the first cup and make a berakha over it, and make the berakha of Sheheheyanu. And if it falls out on Shabbat, one should say "Vaykhulu," and if it falls on Motzae Shabbat one should say ---. And if he forgot to say Havdala and didn't remember until he started the Hagada, he should finish the Hagada until the berakha of "Gaal Yisrael" and afterwards he should say Havdala. (And one should not wash his hands at all before Kidush. If one's hands aren't clean, he should wash a little, but not make a berakha. And the master of the household should not pour for himself, rather another should pour for him like the way of freedom.)

If one wants to drink many cups, he has permission to do so. Nevertheless, it's proper not to drink between the first and second cups, if there's no great need, so that he won't get drunk and be prevented from performing the Seder and the reading of the Hagada.

We pour for him the second cup, so that the children will ask why we drink the second cup before the meal. If the son has no wisdom, the father teaches him. If he has no son, his wife should ask him. If he does not even have a wife, he should ask himself. Even scholars should ask each other "what is different," etc. (And when the son or the wife asks, there is no need to say "what is different," but they may begin from "we were slaves.") And when one begins "We were slaves to Pharaoh," he should return the Seder plate, that on it are the matzot, before him, and read the entire Hagada. And when he reaches the matza or has to raise it, he should show it to those reclining so that they will be attached to the mitzva. (And some lift the matza which is like bread of affliction). And similarly when he reached "this maror." And when he reaches "therefore," everyone should lift his cup in his hand until the end of "Gaal Yisrael." (And some have the custom to throw a little bit from the cup with one's finger when one reaches "blood, fire, and pillars of smoke," and similarly when one mentions the plagues; in all 16 times. And the matza should be uncovered when one says the Hagada until "therefore," when he holds the cup in his hand. Then he should cover the matza.)

Drink the second cup and do not make a first berakha nor an after-berakha over it, for we only say "Bore Peri Hagefen" over the cup of Kidush and the cup of Birkat Hamazon, and we only say "Al Hagefen" after the fourth cup. (The Ashkenazic custom is to say a first berakha over every cup, but we only say an after-berakha after the last cup, and this is the thought of most Geonim.)

After Afikomen, one should not eat anything. Haga: And he may not eat it in two places, because it is no better than if he interrupted sleep when it is forbidden to eat it because it is like two places (Tur).

After the four cups, he is not allowed to drink wine, but rather water. Gloss (Ramah): And the law of all drinks (besides water) is like [the law concerning] wine (Beit Yosef). And one who is delicate or greatly desires to drink may drink a fifth cup [of wine] and say the Great Hallel upon it (Mordekhai).

It is customary not to get married between Pesach and Shavuot, until Lag BaOmer (the 33rd day), because during that time, the students of Rabbi Akiva died. However, to do "erusin" and "kiddushin" (engagement and betrothal) is OK. And even for "nisuin" (marriage), if someone did so, we do not punish him. Rema: however, from Lag Ba'Omer onwards, all this is permitted (Abudraham, Beit Yosef & Minhagim).

It is customary not to cut one's hair until Lag BaOmer, since it is said that that is when they stopped dying. One should not cut one's hair until the 34th day, in the morning, unless the 33rd day falls on Friday, in which case one may cut one's hair then, in honor of the Sabbath ("kavod Shabbat"). Rema: But in these countries, we do not follow the custom he advocates; rather, we cut our hair on the 33rd day, and we rejoice a bit, and we do not say Tachanun (Maharil and Minhagim). And one should only cut one's hair on the 33rd day itself, but not on its evening. However, if it falls on Sunday, our custom is to cut our hair on Friday in honor of the Sabbath (Maharil). Someone who is performing a brit milah (i.e., the sandak, mohel and the infant's father), or circumcizing his son, is allowed to cut his hair during sefirah in honor of the circumcision (Hagahot Minhagim).

Some have the custom to cut their hair on Rosh Chodesh Iyyar, but this is a mistake. Rema: However, in many places, the custom is to cut their hair until Rosh Chodesh Iyyar, and they do not cut their hair from Lag BaOmer forward, even though it is permitted to cut one's hair on Lag BaOmer itself. But those places who have the custom to cut their hair from Lag BaOmer onwards, do not cut at all after Pesach until Lag BaOmer. And within one city, it should not be that some follow one custom, and some follow another, because of "lo titgodedu" ("do not cut yourselves" - Deut. 14:1, interpreted in Yevamot 13b as "lo te'asu agudot agudot," "Do not become seperate groups"); all the more so, one may not follow both leniencies.