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The intensive cleaning, which may take a week or more, that can be found in progress in most Jewish homes prior to Passover is intended to ensure that the home is entirely free of any traces of chametz - that is, any food liable to contravene the Talmudic definition of the Five Grains (wheat, spelt, barley, oats and rye) which must be avoided during the holiday. Not only are we forbidden to eat them, we must also not benefit from them in any way or even own them. The punishment for doing so is karet, spiritual excision.

Although the hunt for chametz is the main reason, people also use the event as an opportunity to give their home a really good spring cleaning and will usually clean places such as the corners of ceilings where chametz is not present too.

Some Jews, in keeping with older tradition, make sure that there is literally no chametz in the home. In modern times, it has become common to designate a set-aside room or cupboard into which the chametz is placed before being sold to a rabbi who will then sell it on to a gentile. Ownership then reverts to the homeowner following the holiday.

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