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Moving into a new house

Question:

 

Dear Rabbonim,

A few questions on buying a new home

  1. On receipt of the keys for a newly built home I assume one would say Shecheyahu – but isn’t tov u’meitiv more suitable for oneself and family?
  2. I assume before you sleep/move into the house Mezuzas must be on the doors. If you just have mezuzas on the doors you use is that acceptable? – until more are written up.
  3. When should a Chanukas HaBayis be done? And what should it include?
  4. If purchased from a kablan does one need to leave anything undecorated as a zecher l’mikdash?
  5. Are there any other Ashkenaz minagim for buying and moving into a first home?
  6. Does one need to kasher new kitchen sinks?
  7. Does one say shechenyahu on new furniture or would this be included in the one for the new house?

Thank you

Answer:

 

  1. If there will be more than one person living in the home, Hatov Vhameitiv should be said. However it is better to make the bracha after you move in and put up the mezuzahs. Note: The Sephardi minhag is not to make a shehechiyanu on a new house or furniture, but only on a new fruit or garment, therefore they should buy eat a new fruit or put on a new garment then.
  2. If indeed the room will not be used for anything, not even for storing things, then it would be permitted, however this is not something that should be stalled off, because it is a mitzvah every minute. Therefore only do this if you have absolutely no choice.
  3. It is preferable to make the chanukas habayis as soon as you move in, however it can be made either within the first 30 days or as long as the house still feels new and special to you. There are different minhagim, as what to do during a chanukas habayis, (see sefer Habayis chap. 22). One thing however is important, that there should be divrei torah given or praise to H-shem during the meal. This will turn the seudas chanukas habayis from a plain meal into a seudas mitzvah, and it will set the tone of how you want to establish your new home.
  4. If the home was built by a Jewish kablan with the intention to sell it to someone else, it is controversial if the Jew who buys it has to make a zecher l’churban or not. This in fact is the way it works with most apartments sold nowadays in Eretz Yisroel, and the minhag seems to be to make a zecher. If however someone hired a kablan to build him a home then it would need a zecher according to all opinions.
  5. The minhagim of making a chanukas habayis do not apply exclusively when moving into a first home, rather even if one had a home and then moves to another one, he will still make a chanukas habayis.
  6. No, they do not have to be kashered. According to the poskim that say that new pots that were coated with non-kosher oils that they have to be kashered, that is only for pots that are used for eating, but it would not apply to sinks.
  7. It would be included in the bracha on the house, unless they come at a later date, and are a new source of simcha.

May H-shem send you much bracha and hatzlacha in your new home.

Sources:

 

  1. M:B 223-11, Shar Hatzion 21. Halichos Shlomo (Tefiilah) 23-13, Vzos Habracha pg. 167-2 in the name of R’ Eliyashiv and R’ Scheinberg zt”l.
  2. If it isn’t being used for anything then it isn’t a dwelling place. However even places that one stores things needs a mezuzah, therefore it should not be used for anything at all.
  3. Torah Lishma 488, Divrei Malkiel 4-8, R’ Eliyvhos zt”l (30 days), Gam Ani Odecha in the name of R’ C. Kanievsky shlit”a. Yam Shel Shlomo Babba Kama 7-37.
  4. Magen Avrohom 560-4, M:B ibid 4, Igros Moshe O:CH 3-86, Mishne Halachos 5-71, Nitei Gavriel (Bein Hamitzarim) 98-26.
  5. O:CH 223-3, M:B 11.
  6. Poskim

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