[Avodah] If the rabbi did not actually sell the Chamets

[kennethgmiller at juno.com]

R' Meir Rabi responded to my question (which he thought was from R' Danny Schoemann):

> I chose to use the word DIVEST since I thought it reflects better
> the requirement that OWNERSHIP is NOT the Halachic concern but
> that we deem the Chamets to be of no significance. Perhaps it
> might be compared to one who OWNS skiing equipment but has not
> used it for a number of years. It sits in the garage or the
> basement without any real likelihood of ever being used again.
> Perhaps it will be sold at a trash sale, or given to a friend or
> just eventually just put out as trash to be taken by whoever
> pleases. For the time being the equipment still belongs to the
> owner but it has no significance. I suggest that by Halachic
> standards this mindset is what is required in regards to Chamets.

>From where do you get this idea? Everything I've ever learned on this topic indicates that ownership *IS* the concern. In fact, it goes BEYOND ownership to include responsibility, and that's why I can't even have chometz which clearly belongs to a non-Jew, if it is in my house, and that's why we rent out those areas where the sold chometz is stored.

> It will be like one who has valuable Chamets under a collapsed
> shed which although the owner certainly intends to salvage at the
> conclusion of Pesach, need not be sold and according to some does
> not even require Bittul since it is already Battel and of no
> significance for the duration of the Chag

If he intends to salvage it, then it is NOT battel! Bittul means that he considers it as worthless garbage, which is certainly not the case!

Akiva Miller

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