Passover 6

From the Talmud, we can see that matzah looked very different at that time than what we are now familiar with. First of all, there were no matzah bakeries., Each family baked their own, throughout the holiday. (This is still done in many Yemenite communities). Their matzah was thicker; the maximum being a hand-breadth thick (about 8 cm). They were soft, not the crunchy texture that we are used to. (Many Sepharadim and Yemenites still make them soft, but adhere to a maximum thickness of 2 cm; the breadth of a finger). The usual oven for baking matzah in those days can still be seen in the Middle East. It is known today as a ta'abun; a sort of barrel placed over a fire, with the loaves of dough pressed along the inside to bake. That we have a question in the Talmud regarding bread found in the street during Passover, under which conditions can it be assumed to be matzah, and which hametz, shows that their matzah and their bread looked identical. (The practice of making holes in matzah is quite recent, despite what unscrupulous missionaries may tell you). The only differences were those not readily seen. Special flour was used, no leavening agents were allowed. and water used in the baking had to be kept overnight, in order to equalize the temperature, as warm water will hasten the leavening process. Matzot were also made with ingredients other than water (eggs, fruit juice, honey, etc.), but not for the sedarim, as it would not fit the Torah's command of "bread of affliction". This type of matzah is called "Matzah Ashirah" ("rich" matzah) Sepharadim still do this. Ashkenzaim only allow this for children, the elderly, and the infirm. Check your package of egg matazah, and you will see such a warning printed on the side of the box. The fear is that the additional ingredients could serve as a catalyst, shortening the usual fermentation time, should a minute drop of water enter the mix. In Ashkenazi lands, the type of oven used is more like a pizza oven, heated with wood. Over the centuries, it became customary to make the matzot thinner and thinner. The main reason for this is so it will become completely baked quickly, thus averting the possibility that due to the thickness, the inside might become hametz before the baking is complete.(Sepharadim point to sources that disprove this assertion). Another reason is that Rabbenu Asher (ROSH), writing in about 1300, recommended the practice of baking all the matzot BEFORE Passover (as opposed to every day). The reason for this was that, in case there was an unnoticed particle of hametz somewhere, it would be nullified before Passover. According to most opinions, nullification of hametz is impossible during Passover. A regular soft, thick matzah would not keep for eight days. Therefore, the cracker-like matzah was born. The Jews of Djerba also baked a similar matzah, although not as thin as the Ashkenazi variety. Their descendants still use this type. Sepharadim still use the ta'abun, but many have substituted a small electric oven for home baking of matzah. In Israel, some Sepharadi owned pizza shops bake matzah! In Ashkenazi areas of Medieval Europe, Jews were not allowed to own land,.As a result, it was difficult to have Shemurah Matzah, guarded from the harvesting. Matzah made from wheat purchased on the open market was the standard. The custom in Germany and France was to bake three huge matzot for the seder, enough for the entire family. A single, double, or triple set of holes was made in each matzah, so as to indicate its proper place on the Seder table, with the single holed matzah placed on top. This was known as "Matzat Mitzvah". When other communities say "Matzat Mitzvah", they mean something different entirely. As Matzah was an adjunct to the Passover sacrifice, it is considered ideal to make or obtain matzot made at the time appropriate for the sacrifice, in the afternoon before the Seder. This is by no means the law, but it is considered an ideal. These are known as matzat mitzvah, or Erev Pesach (Passover Eve) matzot. The same method of baking was traditionally used for Shemurah and non-Shemurah matzot. Today, however, only Shemurah is hand baked. Machine made matzot came in during the last part of the nineteenth century. They became, and remain, controversial. That will be my next installment.

Passover 5

The Torah has two mitzvot relating to matzah. One is that the Passover sacrifice must be eaten together with matzah and maror. There is, however, a second command to eat matzah "in the evening" (of the first night of Passover), aside from that eaten with the sacrifice. Therefore, the eating of matzah, as opposed to maror, is a Biblical requirement, even when no sacrifice is possible. We are required to eat a K'zayit (an olive's bulk) of matzah at the seder. (In fact, we do that several times, but only the first is Biblically required). In the Diaspora, this must also be done also on the second night by rabbinic law. (How big is a k'zayit is a hotly debated topic, with estimates varying by twenty fold. That will be a separate post). The definition of matzah is taking flour from one of the "five grains" (only of two of which is the identification certain), mixing it with water, and baking it before it has a chance to ferment. (Special water is used for all matzot, that has been allowed to sit in a container overnight at room temperature). But how long does the beginning of fermentation take place? At one time, people would break the dough open to look for signs of fermentation. Later, it became assumed that dough that had stood for a period of time without being kneaded, would ferment. According to the Jerusalem Talmud, that time is seventy two minutes. According to the Babylonian Talmud, that time is eighteen minutes. The latter became the universally accepted standard. (One online rabbi does go by the seventy two minute standard). Technically, if the dough is kneaded all day, it never will ferment, and matzah can be made from it. One turn of the seventeenth-century rabbi questioned if we are sufficiently proficient in this, and insisted that from the adding of water to the flour, until the baking, less than eighteen minutes can go by. This is widely accepted by devout Ashkenazim, and. of late, many Sepharadim make an effort to follow this as well. (I do not). The simple, inexpensive machine made matzot the are given away for free at many supermarkets rely on the lenient view. In my opinion, it is kosher, but not ideal. I see no problem with it for non-seder use, other than political considerations. There is no requirement to eat matzah for the rest of Passover. Some authorities do, however, consider it a non-obligatory mitzvah. The Torah states "you shall guard the matzot".(Exodus 12:17). This is understood to mean guarding the flour from becoming hametz by coming into contact with water prematurely. There are three interpretations of when this obligation starts. Opinion number 1 has it that the grain must be harvested before fully ripe, as fully ripe grain can become hametz even while still on the stalk. From the point that the grain is cut, until the final baking, it must be guarded either by watchmen, or be stored in sealed containers between stages of production. (There are several months between the harvesting and the baking!) This is commonly called Shmurah (guarded) Matzah. Throughout our history, only the strictest of the strict used Shmurah Matzah, as it was expensive and difficult to come by. In the last century, it has become the standard for most Orthodox Jews, either for the entire holiday, or at least for the Seder. Certain groups consider anything less to be invalid. Opinion number 2, which is the accepted halachah, and is what was done by our ancestors, allows wheat kernels to be purchased from anyone. From the time it is milled into flour, it must be guarded that it not become wet. Since today, virtually all commercially sold wheat is washed, we would need to be certain that this was not the case for the particular kernels we plan to use for matzah. This level is known as "ordinary matzah", although it is, according to the vast majority of authorities, also considered "shmurah". This type of matzah costs a fraction of those made in accordance with opinion 1. Opinion number 3 says that flour may be purchased from anyone. The guarding required by the Torah is only from when the water is added in order to make it into dough. Most Ashkenazi authorities do not accept this view at all. Most Sepharadi authorities do accept it if nothing else is available. The fact that, as I said, commercial wheat is washed, thereby possibly becoming hametz,  means that even most Sepharadim would not accept this today. There are, however, some who disagree and allow it. My own practice is to obtain matzot made in accordance with opinion 1 for the seders (more properly: sedarim), while I use those made in accordance with opinion 2 for the rest of the holiday. How these morphed into all the sundry varieties I mentioned in my last post, will be explained next time.

Passover 4

Passover (Pesach) is NOT the Biblical name for the holiday, but rather "Hag HaMatzot" (The festival of unleavened bread). Pesach is actually the name of the sacrifice, which was offered on the afternoon BEFORE the actual beginning of the holiday, and was eaten in the evening. Occasionally, the Torah refers to that afternoon as Hag HaPesach. By Talmudic times, the name "Pesach" had "stuck" as the name of the entire Festival.. Unleavened bread has been used since time immemorial as the food of peasants and slaves. With the Exodus, it takes on a dual meaning; It is the bread of affliction, and is the bread of freedom. The intertwining of the two contradictory concepts is central to virtually all the ceremonies of Passover. Life is not monolithic; there is the bitter and the sweet. The Torah's explanation of the matzah is that when the Israelites left Egypt, they fled in haste. There was no time for the bread to rise in their kneading troughs. This is the explanation that we recite during the Seder. However, the Israelites were commanded to sacrifice a lamb, and eat it at night before leaving Egypt, with Matzah and bitter herbs (Maror; to be discussed in another post). Many see this as problematic. Why are they eating matzah, before the Exodus? Now we can understand. They are summing up centuries of affliction. They had been eating matzah as slaves. This was a last goodbye to bondage. The matzah they ate on their way out had a new meaning; freedom. The same element, but with a new and wonderful meaning. The Israelites were now commanded to reenact this ceremony annually, but not in haste, as one about to flee. Rather, calmly, relating to what had happened, what is happening, and what is yet to happen. There is a beautiful Sepharadic custom, as the middle matzah is broken near the beginning of the Seder, the broken piece is placed in a bag, and given to a child. The child leaves the house, and then knocks on the door. The leader of the Seder asks "Who is there?" "A Jew" replies the child. "Where are you coming from?" asks the leader. "From Egypt!" says the child. "Where are you going?" asks the leader. "To Jerusalem!" replies the child. All those present shout out "next year in Jerusalem!" at this point, as opposed to, or in addition to, the usual practice of saying it at the end of the Seder. The leader then asks "Why have you come?" The child says "I have some questions", whereupon he walks in, sits at the table, and asks the traditional Four Questions. (I must admit that I am tearing up just writing about it).
This seems simple enough. But when we seek to buy matzah, we are faced with a confusing array. Machine Shemurah Matzah, Machine regular, machine 18 minute, hand Shemurah Ashkenazi style. Hand Shemurah Sepharadic style, hand Shemurah Yemenite style, Erev Pesach (Passover eve) matzah. Egg matzah. And, although I'm not sure if it is made anymore, the German Matzot Mitzvah. What are the differences? Why would one prefer one over the other? That will be my next post.

Passover 3

The prohibition of owning hametz is stated in the Torah "there shall be seen no leaven or sourdough in your homes", which appears several times in the Torah, albeit with slightly different wording. One who possesses hametz, even if not in his home (e.g., a warehouse, or an office) transgresses a Biblical prohibition (technically two, as the Torah says in one place "there shall not be found", and in another, "there shall not be seen"). By the Oral Torah, we are informed that the prohibition refers to hametz as small  as the bulk of an egg, or admixtures containing significant amounts of hametz. Crumbs are NOT a problem (unless in a place where they may fall into food). Dust is not hametz. The excessive cleaning efforts of Jewish housewives, and the huge efforts of Jewish men to search and destroy every possible deposit of unidentified dirt in the house, has no basis in halachah. I know many people who prepare their homes weeks, or even months, in advance, only to have an anxiety attack when a child goes into a room with a cookie in his hand. The Torah commands that we remove hametz on the day before Passover, not three months before Passover! The anxiety is palpable; but is unnecessary. The Talmud makes clear that even if HUGE amounts of hametz are in our homes, declaring it null and void, while sincerely determining that we will have no benefit from it ever, is sufficient to satisfy the Biblical requirement. We are required to make such a declaration before Passover, both on the evening before, as well as the following morning. However, as it was feared that someone may forget his declaration, and absentmindedly eat some of it, by rabbinic law, one is required to physically remove and destroy all significant (more than the size of an egg) amounts of hametz from one's possession.
The Talmud relates an incident in which one of the rabbis was bringing a load of hametz grain to the Land of Israel, and was unexpectedly delayed at sea until Passover.He sold all of his hamez to a non-Jew, buying it back after Passover. Based on this precedent, it became common in all Jewish communities that owners of businesses with large amounts of hametz sell their entire stock to a non-Jew, usually through a rabbi with expertise in the halachot of sales, and it is bought back afterwards. The premises of the business would be rented to the non-Jew, so that the hametz would not be in the Jew's domain at all. Although this was originally an emergency measure to prevent "great loss", the custom became, in nearly all communities, to allow each householder to sell his hametz in this way. He would simply go to a rabbi, and sign a power of attorney to authorize this transaction. The householder would then put the hametz into a separate closet or a portion of a room that would be partitioned off and rented to the non-Jew. This became standard about 300 years ago. One rabbi, Eliyahu of Vilna, strongly objected to this practice, as he felt it was not a legitimate sale. Because of his view, the non-Hasidic Ashkenazic community in Israel, as well as many "Yeshivish" communities around the world, either do not sell their hametz, or else sell only non-hametz items which they fear may contain some hametz. Most Hasidic and Sepharadic communities do sell their hametz freely. Chabad has a special method of sale, which essentially removes all real halachic objections. (I sell mine through Chabad. This can be done for free through the chabad.org website). It must be remembered that once the declaration of nullification is made, the physical removal is only because of the decree "lest we find a nice pastry..." One may be lenient on a doubt concerning a rabbinic decree. The sale of hametz removes one's concern for "great loss" (especially in our era of refrigeration and packaged foods, where everyone has much food that would go to waste), as well as taking away much anxiety. Remember, we are supposed to rejoice in our festivals!

Passover part 2

Although all agree on the definition of hametz, any one of a  specific group of grains that has been allowed to ferment, many other foodstuffs have become "forbidden" by custom. These customs took on a life of their own.This is especially true of Ashkenazim, but not exclusively so. The classic example of this is the kitniyot controversy. (I call it the kitniyot superstition) As we shall see, there are other related phenomena, but none as hotly debated as this. In the Talmud, there was already a question if the five grains that can become hametz are really six; the additional one being rice. This was the view of one Talmudic rabbi (Rabbi Yochanan ben Nuri). The Jerusalem Talmud leaves the question unanswered. The Babylonian Talmud emphatically rejects this position. In fact, some of those rabbis were particular to have rice on the Seder table. As I have written in previous articles, we follow the Babylonian Talmud. However, Ashkenazic and North African communities often had long-established customs in accordance with the Jerusalem Talmud, and hence avoided rice. There was also a mention in Talmud of a rabbi who was opposed to a particular dish being served at a public event that looked too much like hametz, and he was afraid that people might come to eat hametz as a result. However, there is no indication that this view was accepted generally. We suddenly find that Ashkenazim stopped eating lentils on Passover in the late twelfth century. Where this came from is something of a mystery.  After a few hundred years, it became widely accepted that the rabbis of Franco-Germany had made an enactment forbidding lentils, or even all legumes, for fear of confusing them with grain. I have an open offer out for many years that I will give $10,000 cash to anyone who can show me which rabbi or Beit Din made this decree. Indeed, we find Rabbi Yechiel of Paris writing at the beginning of this custom "I don't know where it came from, but it should be stopped before it spreads". One rabbi (Rabbenu Yerucham) called it "a foolish custom". Legend has it that in fact that it was an ancient practice, which the Sepharadim, who supposedly had a legume-based diet, simply were unable to uphold, and therefore continued to eat legumes (kitniyot) despite the "ban". Again, this is nothing but folklore. There is absolutely no evidence of such a "ban" at any time by anyone. So where did it come from? Modern research has found the answer. At this time, in Franco-Germany, there was a great agricultural reform, known as the Ottonian Renaissance. New methods were introduced, as well as old methods that had been forgotten being resurrected. One of these was crop rotation. Fields were divided into sections; with one section for vegetables, one for grain, one for lentils, and one to lie fallow. Every year, there would be a rotation of these fields, which helps the earth maintain its fertility. So, the section that grew grain last year, would grow lentils this year. Anyone who does gardening can testify that last year's tomato patch will still produce some tomato plants this year as well. When the men brought in the lentil crop, the women found grain mixed in with the lentils. Rather than checking through the sacks of lentils for the wheat and barley, they simply refused to use the lentils! Thus, the custom of kitniyot was born. However, the custom became pervasive among Ashkenazim. Rabenu Asher, the preeminent Ashkenazi halachist of his era (1250-1328) declared kitniyot to be an "excessive stringency". But his pleas went unheeded. Over the centuries it was extended to most types of seeds as well. In the sixteenth century. RAMA (R. Moshe Isserles), the primary Ashkenazic voice in the Shulchan Aruch, declared the "prohibition" of kitniyot to be an established halachah for Ashkenazim. However, if the amount of kitniyot in a dish was less than fifty percent, it could be ignored. Today, most Ashkenazim would NEVER knowingly eat a dish containing kitniyot in any amount. For many,  this is one of the most stringent parts of Passover; not to be toyed with. Even Sepharadic rabbis who privately consider the kitniyot issue as "nonsense", do not say so publicly. As I have written in the past. I was very close with Rabbi Ovadia Yosef. He wrote in his books many rules about how to handle kitniyot in mixed Ashkeanzi/Sepharadi settings, especially in marriages where one was Askenazi and one Sepharadi. Nevertheless, any Ashkenazi who wanted to go over to the Sepharadi practice in this regard, he would consent without hesitation. I asked him why, if he considered kitniyot nonsense, he simply didn't say so publicly. He replied "Do you want me to be at war with everyone?" Today, in Israel, there are several Ashkenazi rabbis who urge the dropping of the custom. There are others, however, who urge Sepharadim to "get with the plan". Most urge maintaining family custom. This includes other, purely local customs that may have had reasons once, but no longer do. This would include no garlic (Russian Jews), no fish (Hungarian Jews), no dried spices or dried fruit (several Ashkenazic communities). A somewhat similar situation exists in some Sepharadi communities, where chickpeas are not used. Why? Because they are called "Hummus", which sounds like "hametz". The difference is, that the vast majority of Sepharadic and Yemenite rabbis argue for the abolishing of such customs, while Ashkenazim urge their preservation. Some argue "Oh, come on. What is the big deal of avoiding beans for a week?" For many, including yours truly, that is a fallacious argument. We have a Written Torah. We have an Oral Torah. Do we have a folklore Torah as well? That can be seen as a mockery of the divine commands. But, then again, the issue of the binding nature of custom is still something that has not as yet been fully dealt with. The matter awaits a valid Sanhedrin. In the meantime, we have Ashkenazim radically changing their diets for Passover, while Sephardim only have some minor modifications. Let us remember that rejoicing in the Festivals is a Biblical command. We must consider these issues carefully

Passover part 1

The Exodus from Egypt is one of the most central themes in Scripture. Many of the commandments specifically are done "as a memorial of the Exodus". We are often reminded in the Torah "I am HaShem who brought you up out of Egypt". Although all of the three pilgrimage festivals are connected with the Exodus. one, Passover (Pesah), is totally about it. How we observe and celebrate Passover today, is vastly different from the way it was observed in Temple times, as the Passover Sacrifice cannot now be brought (primarily because of political reasons). Together with circumcision, its non-observance is a rare case of "He shall be cut off from his people", usually reserved for violation of the most severe negative commands. Many of the commandments involving Passover can be performed in the absence of a Temple. Those that cannot be done, are remembered by various symbolic actions, that we may remember that some things are missing, only to be regained at the building of the Temple. Of those that remain, we have the mitzvah of eating matzah (to be defined below), the non-eating and non-possession of Hametz (leaven; likewise defined below), and the retelling of the story of the Exodus. The Talmud details what must and what must not be done, as like in most mitzvot there is insufficient information on how to fulfill these commandments in the Written Torah. However, customs grew up in all communities that often overshadow both the Biblical and rabbinical laws. The difference between Ashkenazi and Sepharadi attitudes towards the place of custom in Judaism accounts for the VAST differences between the observance of Passover in these two communities. At the risk (likelihood?) of offending some people, I will trace the origins and status of many of these customs.
What is "hametz"? Literally, it means "sour". Many followers of Karaite heresy will consume no fermented foods during Passover (yogurt, cheese, wine, as well as grain products that have risen). In our Oral Torah, the definition of "hametz" and the definition of "matzah" are inextricably linked. There are five grains that, if allowed to ferment, become hametz. The same grains, if baked before fermentation can take place, result in matzah. The Torah tells us that the Israelites left Egypt in haste, and had no time for their dough to rise; hence the command of matzah. (A problem here is that they were also commanded to eat matzah at their Passover observance hours BEFORE they left Egypt! I will deal with this problem in a later post). The Talmud lists the five grains. However, we are actually only certain about the identification of two of them. The present understanding of the identity of these grains comes from the Middle Ages. Already in the eleventh century, it was pointed out that some of these identifications are impossible. Both among Ashkenazim and Sepharadim. most accept the traditional identification. Some, however, are adamant that we must not. There is also a view, only among Ashkenazim, that even if some are doubtful, over a thousand years of tradition makes it acceptable. Sepharadim totally reject the idea that a mistaken custom could alter a Biblical rule. The ones we know for sure are wheat and barley. The doubtful ones are spelt, rye and oats. No other grains can become hametz. Likewise, they are the only grains from which matzah can be baked. Just for the record, I agree with those who will only use wheat or barley, and consider oats to be impossible, and rye and spelt to be doubtful, but most likely acceptable for matzah. I will admit that I am in the minority on this issue. Ashkenazi tradition includes a whole slew of other grains, seeds, and legumes. insisting that this was an ancient enactment, while most Sepharadim believe that to be an error, based on a custom of housewives. This, too, will be the topic of a subsequent post. 
A complicating factor in all of this is the question of how far we need to go to avoid eating and possessing hametz. Traditions vary widely, for reasons I will discuss in another post. But this question is pivotal in considering to what degree our Passover observance is "laid back", or tension-inducing. Against this, we must consider the Biblical command of "Rejoice in your festival". Too laid back might result in violating the prohibition of hametz, while overly strict would tend to violate the theme of "joy". The first year my wife and I were married, she received a letter- (remember those?) from a friend, who wrote "thank G-d Pesah is over". I told Sima to write back to her friend that we read in the Ethics of the Fathers that one who despises the holidays, loses his share in the World to Come. In which direction should we lean? What hints do we have in the Talmud and subsequent sources? We have much to discuss.