Mishneh Torah, Leavened and Unleavened Bread 2

Sugya Map

• Issue: The timing and nature of the Torah-mandated destruction (tashbitu) of chametz.
• Nafka Mina: Whether tashbitu is an active removal or merely mental nullification, and whether it begins at the start of the 14th of Nisan or only once the prohibition against eating chametz takes effect (the 6th/7th hour).
• Primary Sources: Exodus 12:15, Exodus 34:25, Pesachim 5a, Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Chametz U'Matzah 2:1-2.

Text Snapshot

"What is the destruction to which the Torah refers? To nullify chametz within his heart and to consider it as dust..." Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Chametz U'Matzah 2:1.

Rambam identifies the core Torah requirement as bitul (nullification). While the Sages later instituted a physical search (bedikah) and removal (biur), the Torah's tashbitu is an internal psychological transition: rendering the chametz "dust" (ke-afar) in one's heart.

Readings

• Kessef Mishneh: Argues that Rambam maintains bitul is sufficient for Torah-level compliance. He notes that the physical search is a Rabbinic enactment, a "hedge" because one might fail to achieve the level of total mental detachment required for true bitul.
• Rabbenu Nissim (Ran): Suggests that if one truly nullifies the chametz, they cease to "possess" it in the eyes of the law, thus avoiding the prohibition of bal yera'eh even if the physical bread remains in their house.

Friction

Kushya: If bitul is sufficient by Torah law, why does the Torah link the destruction of chametz to the slaughter of the Korban Pesach (Exodus 34:25)? If the Torah cares about the time of slaughter, perhaps the obligation of destruction is tied to the start of the prohibition, not just a vague "day of the 14th." Terutz: Rambam posits that tashbitu is a proactive commandment unique to the 14th. By nullifying early, one preempts the prohibition. The Torah uses the Korban Pesach to define the "deadline" for this mental shift.

Intertext

• Pesachim 2a: The classic discussion on why bitul requires a verbal declaration (kol chamira)—to ensure the heart truly follows the mouth.
• Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayim 431: Codifies the transition from the Rambam's mental bitul to the practical bedikat chametz.

Psak/Practice

The halacha retains the Rambam’s structure: we perform the formal bitul (the "nullification" declaration) to fulfill the Torah requirement, while the bedikah (search) serves as the Rabbinic mandate. Even if one is physically incapable of removing chametz (e.g., a hidden crevice or a locked room), the bitul remains the legal mechanism that protects one from the prohibition of bal yera'eh.

Takeaway

True tashbitu is not just cleaning; it is a cognitive act of renunciation. Before you start scrubbing, ensure your heart has already "nullified" the chametz—treating your possessions as if they were already dust.