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While burning the chametz is clearly the most popular, it is really not the only solution to disposing of it right before Pesach.
Other solutions I remember learning about are scattering it in the sea, dissolving it with acid, soaking it with poison, etc.

Is burning really the best form of Biur? Or is it most popular because of the confusion of what the word means... (biur means "getting rid of", as opposed to hav'ara which means "burning")?
Or is it just because burning things with fire is, well, fun :)

All else being equal, which is the first choice of Biur?

Loewian
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AviD
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2 Answers2

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The Mishna in Pesachim 2:1 records a dispute as to how Biur Chametz is to be done. Rabbi Yehuda, comparing the destruction of Chametz to the destruction of invalid Korbanot, rules that Chametz must be destroyed by burning. The Chachamim there argue and rule that any form of destruction (tossing into the sea, or crumbling it into the wind) is acceptable. The Rambam, a Sephardi, in Chametz U'Matza 3:11 rules like the Chachamim, while Tosfot, an Ashkenazi, on Pesachim 27b sv Ein rules like Rabbi Yehuda. The Shulchan Aruch (OC 445:1) rules like the Rambam and Chachamim, while the Rama notes that the custom in Ashkenaz is to destroy the chametz with fire, seemingly (and the Mishna Berura sk 6 notes this at well) in order to fulfill the mitzva according to Rabbi Yehuda as well.

Double AA
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Shaarei Teshuva 445:1 mentions that the Shaalos U'Teshuvos Ohr Yisroel brings a dispute as to whether the only way of doing Biur is by burning. I imagine that due to that it is the preferred way of disposing of the Chometz.

Gershon Gold
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