By COLlive reporter
An extraordinary event took place this week in the Israeli city of Haifa during a Spring Festival held at the port, where large quantities of chametz were to be sold at food stands throughout the venue.
Had the chametz been sold, it could have led to thousands of Jews, G-d forbid, transgressing the severe prohibition of owning or consuming chametz on Pesach — a sin punishable by karet. But what followed was a dramatic and unexpected turn of events.
According to reports circulating on social media, a visitor from central Israel, identified as Y., was vacationing in the north with his family and discover what was planned for the festival.
Deeply pained by the situation, Y. decided to take action to prevent Jews from stumbling into a grave sin.
He approached a pizza stand and asked to purchase all the remaining trays. The vendor, surprised, asked, “Are you sure? There’s a crazy amount more in storage.” Y. confirmed his intent, effectively closing the line for pizza sales.
He then approached the event manager and pleaded, “How can a Jew cause another Jew to sin with chametz on Pesach? Our ancestors fought to preserve this mitzvah throughout history.” The manager responded, “What can I do? This is our livelihood.”
Y. replied, “Calculate how much you expect to earn from selling chametz, and I’ll cover it — on the condition that you destroy all of it.”
After negotiations, the manager named a sum: ₪82,300 (approx. $22,000).
At this point, Y. reached out to a wealthy friend, A. from Or Yehuda, known for his dedication to mitzvot, and shared the painful reality of “chametz on demand” during Pesach. He proposed that A. sponsor the buyout to save thousands from eating chametz during the holiday.
A. agreed wholeheartedly, took on the mitzvah, and transferred the necessary funds.
Within hours, beer taps and barrels were emptied into the sewers, whiskey sales were halted, and all pizza trays and chametz products were burned in a traditional biur chametz bonfire.
Eyewitnesses reported the act was carried out peacefully and respectfully, without any confrontation.
Asaf Danieli, who was present at the festival, told the Kikar HaShabbat news website that the scene left onlookers stunned and deeply moved by the bold — and for many, emotional — effort to save fellow Jews from violating the sacred laws of Pesach.
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Please tell me if I’m misunderstanding So instead of selling chometz to other ppl on pesach this man bought the chometz on pesach??
They DESTROYED the chametz and in order to get the vendors to do that he paid them what they would have made
I believe incorrect wording is being used of “buy and destroy”. Since in fact he didn’t (and can’t) buy the chometz. Rather he paid the value the vendor would have earned.
Your not allowed to own or buy hemetz on pesach
He didn’t buy it, he paid the vendor the amount of money he would have made had he sold all the chometz
The caption of the article says “An Israeli man visiting a Haifa festival this week spent $20,000 to buy and destroy all the chametz being sold”
So it needs to be clear that was not the case since you can’t actually buy it
I’m jealous of Y’s and A’s Olam Haba!!
I do believe buying Chametz on pesach is forbidden and usually one is not allowed to sin to save another from sin, but perhaps this one doen without actual buying the Chametz.
He didn’t take ownership
He did not buy it. He paid in order to prevent others from aveiros .
This really shows the sincerity of the Jewish people. Let us not forget that the vendor really wanted to rid of the chametz as well
Who would buy chametz on pesach?!
Was he allowed to buy the chometz on pessach, to prevent others from buying it and eating it??? He possessed the chometz and transgressed on ba’al yera’eh?!
“Calculate how much you expect to earn from selling chametz, and I’ll cover it — on the condition that you destroy all of it.”
He paid off the vendor for how much he would have made had he sold all that chometz
Mesiras Nefesh
Now this is what we call looking out for our own! A real Kiddush Hashem! I’m jealous at how many merits this yid just received. 😅
Can one own Chametz on Pesach even for a second in order to destroy it ?
He did not own it
If he buys then that means he is going to end up owning chametz on pesach even for a short amount of time…
Totally beautiful and unbelievable! What an act of true chassidim!💕🫶🏻❤️
If you read what it says, it says specifically that he asked how much he would have made and paid him for the losses as long as he destroys it, so in essence, he didn’t buy the chametz, but paid the guy the a price for his time of destroying the chametz the price was just that what he would have made.
He just paid him for the loss
Paying money doesn’t constitute a kinyan, so at that point he wouldn’t have been violating bal yera’eh yet. He could then be mevatel it, again taking away that issur, and then destroy it.
“He could then be mevatel it” – wrong, you cannot do bittul on pessach! Basic halacha 101.
The article says He bought it & burnt it so no one can have הנאה!
It could be was not purchasing the Chametz, just paying for the right to destroy it. Its a lamdish question
Buying the right to destroy it = buying an ownership over the chometz.
he merely paid them the estimated amount they would have made as a livelihood in order that they promise to get rid of the chometz. He never took ownership of it
He bought the right to destroy it
Yidden love each other and it’s beautiful to witness it
WOW! What a yid! Kiddush Hashem on a massive scale
From what I understand, he did not BUY the chometz. He essentially paid them to burn the chometz. The amount he paid was the amount they were financially losing
Pinchas didn’t need permission to do what he did He saw what needed to be done so Yidden wouldn’t sin and was rewarded by Hakodosh boruch hu! We need more Pinchus’s
Truly awesome!
not that he purchased it.
Moshiach energy!!
Wow such an amazing zechus he has
YASHER KOACH for every yukal who doesnt bother reading the full article or the comments and just posts “how can you buy chmets on pesach?” i find it really enrtayning.
The title does say:
An Israeli man visiting a Haifa festival this week spent $20,000 to **buy** and destroy all the chametz being sold, including pizza and beer, to prevent others from violating Pesach.