Q&A: Declaring Leaven Ownerless in Nullification of Leaven
Originally published:
This is an English translation (via GPT-5.4). Read the original Hebrew version.
Declaring Leaven Ownerless in Nullification of Leaven
Question
Hello Rabbi,
A person who has been evacuated from his home and is unable to return to it for the time being: according to the view that nullification of leaven is a declaration of ownerlessness, can he nullify the leaven even though it is not physically in his possession? Or is the leaven not nullified, and he is considered under duress?
Answer
The leaven is entirely in his possession. No one else has rights over it there. It was neither stolen nor lent out. Therefore he can nullify it, and that is sufficient. Of course, even if it were not nullified, he would still be considered under duress.