1,097. Where to Search (and Not Search) for Chometz

Chometz u’Matzah 2:5

If two people’s homes share a common wall, a medium-height hole in this wall must be searched by each party reaching in as far as he can. He then nullifies in his heart whatever chometz might remain beyond that. If one of the two homes belongs to a non-Jew, the Jew should not search it at all out of concern that his non-Jewish neighbor might think that he’s working some sort of magic against him. In such a case, nullifying it in his heart is sufficient. Any place where chometz is not brought need not be searched.

Chometz u’Matzah 2:6

Higher and lower holes of a house, a balcony’s roof, a cattle stall, a chicken coop, a hayloft, a wine cellar and a storage room for oil which are not used to replenish resources during a meal, and a storage room for large fish need not be searched unless chometz was brought into them. On the other hand, when it comes to storage rooms for beer, wine used to replenish resources during a meal, salt, candles, small fish, wood and brine, the medium-height holes in the walls and similar places must be searched because chometz is typically brought into such places. If one knows for a fact that chometz was not brought into these places, they need not be searched. When searching a wine cellar, only the two outer rows – that is, the top row and the one under that – need be searched.