Wartime raises unique halachic issues, and this war is no exception. The Israeli Rabbinate issued a set of halachic guidelines on how to prepare for Pesach this year under wartime conditions. What should you do if a siren goes off during the ritual of bedikat chametz? What if your home was destroyed? The document answers these questions and more.

For example, if an alert sounds while you are conducting the traditional search for chametz, go to the closest protected place immediately and resume your search when it is safe. If your home was destroyed, your chametz is considered destroyed along with it, but you still need to nullify it.

Staying in a hotel or temporary housing? You need to check for chametz in your immediate area, but without a blessing. A temporary shelter does not need to be checked, but if you are currently living in one, check it without a blessing.

Not safe to burn your chametz? There are other permissible ways to dispose of it.

The document also affirms the importance of following the instructions of Home Front Command. “It must be stated and clarified that there is a complete obligation to obey the instructions of the Home Front Command,” it says. “These instructions save lives, and therefore they must be followed in every situation.”

Please do not rely on this article for any halachic rulings. Read the full document here and ask your rabbi for guidance.