5775 PESACH SHOPPING GUIDE

Transcription

1 B"H 5775 PESACH SHOPPING GUIDE I. Matzoh II. III. IV. Chometz & Derivatives Kitniyos Medicines V. Cosmetics, Etc. VI. Commercial Foods Compiled By Rabbi Yehuda Kelemer & Rabbi Josh Goller

2 I. MATZOH 1. Matzoh is unleavened bread. This is a dough which is treated with a special set of procedures, so as not to allow what the Halacha defines as fermentation. 2. The essential features in the baking of Kosher LePesach* Matzohs are: (A) the use of grain that has been watched from contact with water from the time of milling. (B) the water used in the baking has been stored overnight (Mayim Shelonu). (C) the kneading takes place in a cool room. (D) once the flour has been mixed with water it is never left idle for a period of more than 18 minutes. (E) the ovens are set at carefully controlled baking temperatures so that the matzoh is thoroughly baked. (F) all procedures are done "Lesheym Mitzvahs Matzoh" A proper Hechsher (certification) on Matzoh supervises and guarantees the implementation of these features. *Kosher for Passover 3. Shemurah Matzoh is Matzoh whose grain has been watched from contact with water from the time of reaping. This is the kind of Matzoh that must be used at the Seder (both nights) for the obligatory eating of Matzoh prior to the Seder meal. It is a Hiddur Mitzvah to use only Shemurah Matzoh for the entire Pesach. 4. Matzoh Ashirah is Matzoh baked with liquids other than water or together with water such as: oil, fruit juices, or eggs. There are Halachic opinions that insisted that these liquids hasten fermentation - especially when combined with water - due to their acidity. The preponderance of Halachic opinion is that Matzoh Ashirah, without water, does not cause fermentation at all. However, Ashkenazic custom treated this Matzoh as Chometz - even under the proper supervision. The fear was that water could be used inadvertently with the juices (or eggs). Ashkenazic custom allowed Egg Matzoh - under Pesach supervision - to be used for the ill and elderly who could not consume regular Matzoh. This custom was not accepted by Sephardic Jewery. However, all opinions agree that this Matzoh cannot be used for the obligatory eating of Matzoh for it is not Lechem Oni (bread of affliction), which is a critical feature of the Mitzvahs Matzoh. 5. All Kosher LePesach Matzoh.is technically 18 minute Matzoh as described above (2d). However, the label "18 Minute Matzoh" conveys an additional feature. The machines are stopped every eighteen minutes and cleaned thoroughly from any dough which may have become caught in the machine. Such small amounts of dough, which have not been properly baked, could create Halachic problems upon contact with the properly baked Matzohs. This is an intelligent Chumrah (stringency), which some Poskim (authorities) required, and should be preferred when available. Hand Matzohs, by definition, meet the requirements of eighteen minute Matzoh.

3 II. CHOMETZ AND DERIVATIVES 1. A dough (water combined with any of the five types of grain: wheat, barley, rye, oats or spelt) which is left for eighteen minutes without kneading or pummeling, is Halachically considered to have fermented, and is thus Chometz and carries the Torah prohibitions of a) consumption, b) benefit and c) ownership. 2. All mixtures which contain Chometz are prohibited. Even the slightest amount of Chometz - in a liquid or dry compound - renders the entire produce as Chometz. This is known as the Rabbinic decree of Mashehu. 3. All derivatives of Chometz are also prohibited, although they have lost original form and are not perceptively identifiable as Chometz. Most Poskim consider this type of Chometz to fall under the Torah prohibition. Primary examples of this type of Chometz are whiskeys and all types of grain alcohol. 4. Chometz - mixtures and derivatives - do not carry the prohibition of benefit and ownership when they have been converted to a degree that is unfit for animal consumption (Nifsal Mei Achilas Kelev). Nevertheless, eating or swallowing such foods, under certain conditions, is prohibited by Rabbinic decree. See section IV. 5. The following items are Chometz: Beer Postum Bourbon (American / Canadian/ Irish- Bourbon Pretzels Whiskey Dry Cereals Rye Gin Instant Tea Scotch Mellow Roast Vodka Play Dough Wheat Germ Breads, Cakes, Cookies, Crackers and Muffins (made with any of the five grains -wheat, barley, rye, oats, spelt) Flour (without Pesach certification) Matzohs (without Pesach certification) Pasta (macaroni, noodles etc.) 6. Animals may not be fed Chometz during Pesach, beginning with Erev Pesach at 11:46 a.m. Most commercial pet foods contain wheat/grain derivatives. Kitniyos products, however, may be given to pets. 7. The following items sometimes contain Chometz, or come in contact with machinery used for Chometz and therefore require special Pesach certification (or investigation to insure they are produced without Chometz): Apple Juice (liquid) Brown Sugar Butter Soft Cheese Cider Vinegar Coffee Dried Fruit Frozen Vegetables Gefilte Fish Ice Cream Milk Orange Juice Pet Foods Seltzer Soda,( plain/reg. and diet) Soup Mixes Salad Dressings Sardines Salmon( canned) Smoked Fish Spices Tapioca Herbal Tea Yogurt Toothpaste Tuna Fish-canned Quinoa

4 III. KITNIYOS 1. Kitniyos are certain legumes whose consumption is prohibited on Pesach by Ashkenazic Minhag (custom). Many trace this custom to the Gaonic period of the 9th century. The prohibition was not embraced by Sephardic Jews. Nevertheless, they do not consume processed Kitniyos unless there is Passover Rabbinical certification. 2. There are three reasons for this custom: (A) Kernels of the five grains were often mixed with the kernels of these legumes. (B) Flour made from Kitniyos was not readily distinguishable from wheat flour. (C) Kitniyos were often soaked in water prior to use and the fear was that people would also permit the soaking of wheat prior to its grinding for Matzoh. The Minhag became standardized (Lo Plug) and thus even when these concerns are obviated through supervision, the prohibition is still binding. 3. When the process of making oils from Kitniyos began, the Minhag in most countries was extended to include these oils. However, most Poskim permit oils from questionable Kitniyosö (items which we are not sure if they are at all included in the original Minhag). Thus, cottonseed, peanut, grape seed and flexseed oil are permitted with Pesach supervision. 4. The Halachik definition of Kitniyos are seeds which are edible and are not from the five types of grain (see II:1). This definition (given by Maimonides) would restrict Kitniyos to such items as: Beans Peas Sesame Millet Rice 5. However, over many generations Ashkenazic Jews extended the Minhag to include many items which do not fall under the aforementioned technical definition. They are: Corn Cottonseed Mustard Cumin Soybean 6. Peanuts are not Kitniyos. However the generally accepted custom is not to eat peanuts during Pesach. Peanut oil, with Kosher for Passover certification may be used. 7. Quite often one finds Kosher LePesach certification of foods which include Kitniyos (such as corn syrup). There were prominent Rabbonim who permitted Kitniyos derivatives on Pesach, providing they are produced before Pesach in a mixture whose majority (51%) of ingredients are non- Kitniyos. Apart from the Halachic question, this creates confusion in the public mind, and it is clearly preferable to purchase products completely free of any Kitniyos.

5 8. The Minhag was only embraced as far as the prohibition of eating. Benefit from, and ownership of, Kitniyos is permitted. 9. Infants who require special foods or formula - which often contain corn derivatives - may be fed with these products. However, a separate set of utensils should be used only for this purpose - and washed separately from Pesach utensils. The following infant foods contain Kitniyos: Enfamil Isocal Nutramigen Probana ProSobee Similac Strained Baby Foods 10. The following items are not Kitniyos and may be used on Pesach: Almonds (raw, unroasted) Pecans (raw, unroasted) Walnuts (raw, unroasted) 11. Based on the aforementioned principles, the following is a list of ingredients that are Kitniyos. The asterisk denotes that the product can be produced without Kitniyos, and must carry a Kosher LePesach certification: Artificial Sweeteners* Baking Powder* Canned Fruits (unless in 100% natural juice) Chewing Gum* Chocolate (Bars, Candies, Syrup)* Citric Acid (even synthetic) Coffee Whitener* Cole Slaw* Confectionery Sugar* Corn Oil Corn Syrup Dextrose Dried Dates* Glucose Honey* Ice cream* Instant Tea* Jams* Jellies* Ketchup* Lecithin Maraschino Cherries* Marshmallows* Mayonnaise* Milk Substitutes* Lactic Acid Mustard*

6 Nuts *(roasted) Powdered Milk* Pickles* Potato Chips* Powdered Milk* Puddings* Salt Substitute* Sauerkraut* Soya Sugar substitute* Sweetened Frozen Juices Teabags* Tempeh Tofu Tuna Fish (with vegetable broth 12. Toothpaste sometimes contains chometz ingredients. This year all Colgate (except 2 in 1 brand) are chometz free. IV. MEDICINES 1. Medicines - in pill/capsule form - may contain Chometz derivatives. However, there is a considerable body of Halachic opinion that permits their use since the Chometz content is completely inedible. The fact that one consumes medicine in the normal way of eating does not render it as a food, for the intent is not pleasure but healing. 2. Lists of Chometz-free medicines are available, for those whose preference is to be more stringent. If the medicine is critically required for ones health, it should be taken without hesitation. 3. Liquid medicines may contain grain alcohol and could be Halachically problematic. In such a case, one should consult a Rabbi before Pesach, as to the proper procedure. V. COSMETICS, DEODORANTS, DETERGENTS, PERFUMES 1. The aforementioned principle (IV, 1) applies to commercial hygienic products, including shampoos, lipsticks and detergents. Here too, many of the aforementioned products have been researched and found not to contain any Chometz. These lists are available from a Rabbi, upon request. 2. There is an unresolved disagreement among the Poskim concerning many perfumes, colognes which contain grain alcohol - which is not thoroughly denatured. One may rely on the lenient opinion which permits their use. However one who prefers to be stringent would store the items with their chometz and include them in the sale of chometz. VI. COMMERCIAL FOODS REQUIRING NO SPECIAL PESACH CERTIFICATION 1. The following products - some of which require Kosher certification - do not contain Chometz or Kitniyos, and may be used on Pesach without special Pesach certification: Aluminum Foil Baking Soda Chapstick (unflavored)

7 Coarse salt Coffee Filters Frozen Fish Fillet Granulated Sugar (pure) Oven Cleaners Plastic Food Wrap (e.g. Saran Wrap, sandwich bags) Powdered Milk (plain) Pure Cocoa Saran Wrap Scouring Pads Silver Polish Unsweetened Frozen Juice (orange/grapefruit) (without ascorbic acid added ) Wax Paper