What blessing is recited before searching for chametz, and why is it 'al bi'ur chametz' rather than 'al bedikat chametz' or 'al bitul chametz'?
Synopsis
The Mechaber rules that one recites 'al bi'ur chametz' before the search. The commentators explain that 'bedikat chametz' is not used because the search is not the end of the mitzvah, 'bitul chametz' is not used because nullification is a matter of the heart and blessings are not recited on mental acts, and 'bi'ur' is chosen because the search is the beginning of the destruction process.
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