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Suppose one is on the road on the night of the 14th of Nissan and the only place they will be checking is their car. They have already cleaned their house, and where they are going will also be clean. Can they make a bracha on cleaning their car?

I think this question would depend on whether or not a car can be considered a house (as the bracha is made on checking your house, not on just an appliance such as a refridgerator), since you can technically live in it.

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It’s proper to check one’s car(s) for Chametz on the night of the 14th using a flashlight. Otherwise, one should check it during the day. No Bracha is required for performing Bedika in a car¹.  This is true even of a car that will not be used on Pesach itself.  (Source: Halachipedia)

The following was asked by someone who had a similar question. They were wondering if they have to make a brocho on checking the car, as that would be the only place to check when it comes to the night of bedika. Below, is the relevant part of the answer.

...one should not make a beracha when doing a bedikat chametz on the car alone because the original ordinance was to check a house and a car is considered a utensil.(הליכות שלמה ,ניסן עמ' קיא). However, according to Rav Ben Tzion Abba Shaul zt"l , when doing a bedikat chametz on the car alone, one may make a Bracha on checking the car. (אור לציון ג, פרק ז, סי' ט, יט) (source)

So apparently there is a machloket. One should consult their Rabbi for practical advice.


1. Yechave Daat 1:5 and Halichot Shlomo (vol 1, 5:5) write that one should check the cars on the night of the 14th and if not then it should be checked on the day. Halichot Shlomo and Halachos of Pesach (pg 71) in name of Rav Moshe Feinstein hold that no Bracha is made on this Bedika. Yechave Daat 1:5 also agrees

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