Had a good Shabbat – leined my bart mitzvah parsha in Shul, met some nice people in the neighborhood.

At one of the meals on Shabbat, we were talking about a certain community nearby and how we were trying to make friends with people in the community. One of the people at the meal (who I had met about 10 minutes before and does not live nearby) said “well, you are not their type”. I find it kind of annoying when someone thinks they know what is your “type” when they don’t even know you (except from judging everything by your kippah material). So I said “well, how do you know what our type is”? To which she/he responded “well, I don’t know. But I don’t think that you are their type”. I chose not to prolong the conversation. Over the rest of Shabbat I thought of plenty of responses that I could have said back to Ms./Mr. Know-It-All (am I the only one who does that? I always seem to come up with some really good come-backs…just after the fact). But some things are just better left unsaid.
(1-4, 5-6)

7) If one sees a mouse (or a dog – MB) enter a house (or area of a house) that has already been checked with some bread in its mouth, and one finds crumbs where the mouse had been, the area must be rechecked (since mice don’t normally leave crumbs and the crumbs must have come from somewhere else). However, if ones sees a baby enter a searched area with bread and finds crumbs, one is not obligated to recheck, since babies normally leave crumbs when they eat. (439:1)

8) Chametz is a food containing one of the five grains (wheat, spelt, barley, oats and rye) that has become leavened. This is considered to happen when the grain comes in contact with water and has gone 18 minutes or longer without manipulation (EID 15-16). For questions regarding whether or not certain foods are chametz, see a qualified halachic authority. One is forbidden to own chametz for the duration of Pesach. Eating chametz results in karet (spiritual excommunication from the Jewish people – bad stuff) (Rambam, Hilchot Chametz U’Matza 1:1). On is forbidden to derive any benefit as well as have any chametz in one’s posession during this time (Rambam there, 1:2). These are biblical prohibitions.