Preparing For Passover

That's where my thoughts are right now. The X family has been cleaning the apartment for the last couple of weeks. The apartment is more or less kosher for Passover, except for the kitchen. After this Shabbat the kitchen will undergo metamorphic changes: All of the non-kosher for passover stuff will be taken out, and some serious cleaning and kashering will take place. I won't bore you with the details. Mr. X (that's me) will also have to spend a lot of buying food next week. The main thing is that the food that we will eat on Shabbat HaGadol, the Sabbath before Passover will be kosher for Passover. The only "chametz" will be the "challot" for "HaMotzi". We will eat off paper plates using disposable "silverware" (I guess I should try to find something "Shabbosdik" and not the regular white plastic stuff). By the way, the spiritual preparations are also important. Mr. X (that's me again) has to think of original ideas to keep the X children, especially the younger ones, awake and attentive during the Seder. If we do not properly fulfill the precept of telling our children about exodus from Egypt, what good is the chicken soup with matzah balls? (P.S. any ideas and comments will be appreciated!)

My hope is that everything will be prepared early enough so that we will have time to rest before the Seder. You are supposed to feel like a free man and not a slave on Passover!

My son Moshe pointed out to me that "lechatchila" one should drink real alcoholic wine for the four cups and not grape juice. One who cannot tolerate wine can dilute its alcoholic content with grape juice. One who cannot tolerate even diluted wine can drink grape juice. (For more information click here and here).