1) In many communities it is the custom to make an itemized list of the Chometz articles to be sold, and their estimated value. This is not our Minhag.1
2) If a non-Jew left his Chometz food in the home of a Jew, this must be sectioned-off with a mechitzah that is 10 tefachim high. This rule applies to the ‘sold’ Chometz too. Draping a cloth over the Chometz is insufficient. Even a curtain is only acceptable if secured at the bottom as well as at the top.2
3) The kitchen units in which Chometz is stored will often be 10 tefachim high, thus qualifying as a mechitzah. However one cannot ‘sell’ the Chometz in one drawer of the freezer, while retaining full access to the rest of the unit.
4) In line with the above, it is insufficient to merely cover a display of miniature whiskies. Either separate them with a valid mechitzah or pack them away.
5) The Sale of Chometz is done due to necessity — for many it would be difficult to otherwise dispose of all Chometz before Pesach. We do, however, fully rely on the sale and we do not hesitate to sell even absolute Chometz.3
6) In some other communities it is customary to refrain from selling absolute Chometz. Be that as it may, but I believe it to a misguided practice that which some of their housewives ‘give away’ their Chometz to a neighbor who sells their Chometz, until after Pesach. Similar to the sale of Chometz to the Goy, this transaction requires Halachic validity and thus ought to be effected by one knowledgeable in the relevant Halachos.
7) Premises that belong to a Jew, that are usually hired out to non-Jewish tenants but are presently vacant — should be searched for Chometz on the eve of the 14th of Nissan. Alternatively, they should be included in the Sale of Chometz.
8) If you have Chometz in a shipment — make sure to stipulate this when selling your Chometz.4
9) The general consensus of Poskim is that the time when one may not possess Chometz goes according to where the owner is at present. Hence, one traveling eastwards for Pesach, e.g. from England to Eretz Yisrael, should sell his Chometz there. For by the time the Rabbonim here will sell the Chometz it will be too late.5 Alternatively, some local Rabbonim make an additional earlier sale of Chometz for the benefit of those traveling abroad.
[This year, 5765, the Chometz will generally be sold on Friday at noon. As a result the time difference may not present a problem. Check this with your local Rav].
10) One may briefly enter the area of ‘sold Chometz’, e.g. to adjust a timeswitch. One should not remain there for an extended time.6
11) The Alter Rebbe instituted to sell Chometz with an Orev Kablon, a guarantor.7 Nevertheless, after Pesach we do not avoid buying Chometz from Jewish vendors who sold their Chometz without an Orev Kablon.8
12) Many Poskim rule that Reuven is able to sell Shimon’s Chometz on his behalf, even without Shimon’s knowledge. This addresses primarily an instance where Shimon will refrain from eating Chometz on Pesach, but lacks the motivation to sell his Chometz.9
13) If one realized on Erev Pesach afternoon that one forgot to sell the Chometz — check with the Rav through whom you usually sell your Chometz. He may have — rightly — acted on your behalf, and sold your Chometz. Failing this one should immediately destroy any Chometz in one’s possession.10 Bear in mind that in many homes there remains very little actual Chometz food on Erev Pesach, so it may well be that the loss is quite minimal.
14) Our custom is to sell the actual utensils with the Chometz. Nonetheless one need not immerse them in the Mikvah after Pesach.11
