Question:
Hello. I live with my mother, and every year I take care of selling the chometz. I usually do this online at the chabad website. This year I did the same with the intention of selling all the chometz in the apartment and I put it under my mother’s name since the apartment belongs to her. It only occurred to me later that this year, me, mom and my brother, for financial reasons, have been purchasing food separately and storing them in separate places. We share occasionally, but mostly not. Did I need to sell each ones chometz separately, or was this done properly? Also, most if our chometz was stored together in the places I listed (like the pantry), but not all, and I also listed ‘everywhere else’ as a precaution. This is bugging me.
Answer:
I agree to you on your concern. It would really depend on knowing if you are supported by your mother, or if the chometz was purchased with her money or if you and your brother are independently supporting yourselves but you happen to be living together with your mother. If the chometz was owned by you and your brother, and you just happen to be living by your mother, then your mothers sale of chometz will not apply to his chometz. This is problematic because whatever chometz he did not sell may not be eaten now after pesach, and it should be thrown in the garbage. If however the food is essentially being paid for by your mother, but it is stored in different places then it would be included in her sale, and it would be alright.
Best Wishes
Sources:
O:CH 448-5, M:B 25.
