KITNIYOT- A TSHUVAH FROM RABBI LESHEM

FROM HARAV ZVI ANSHIL HALEVI LESHEM, MARA D’ATRA OF KEHILLAT SHIRAT SHLOMO OF EFRAT

1In recent years we have been witness to changes regarding the Ashkenazi
custom of refraining from consuming kitniot (legumes) on Pesach. Upon
entering a supermarket on Pesach one is confronted by a wide variety of
products labeled “kitniot” or “kosher only for those who eat kitniot”, and in
numerous cases there is either no “non-kitniot” alternative, or the alternative is
significantly more expensive than the same product with kitniot. This situation
causes a financial loss (and “the Tora is concerned about the money of the
Jewish People”), and for many people it diminishes from the joy of the holiday.
Additionally this is a “stringency that leads to leniency”, for it causes some
people to be too lenient. Unnecessary strictness in relation to the prohibition
of kitniot, in itself a stringency, is illogical and recalls the words of Rav
Yaakov Emden z”l regarding kitniot; “In truth the mind cannot comprehend the
stringencies which are created on a daily basis”. We also often see that strictness
regarding the custom of kitniot – surprisingly, often the main topic that rabbis
are asked about vis-à-vis the laws of Pesach – comes at the expense of other,
far more serious, “stringencies”, such as eating only “shmura matza” for all of
Pesach, the prohibition of “matza ashira” (“egg matza”) for Ashkenazim and
the question of excluding actual chametz items from the “sale of chametz”. It
is not our intention to write a comprehensive article on the subject of kitniot,
about which much has already been written, but rather to clarify the Halacha
according to Ashkenazi custom which prohibits the consumption of kitniot on
Pesach. We will also discuss the commonly accepted stringency of refraining
from “kitniot oils” on Pesach (even though according to some of the later
authorities these are not included in the prohibition, as will be discussed below).
Halachic Background
According to the Gemara there is no possibility of kitniot becoming chametz;
this can only occur in the five species of grains; “Mishna – These are the species
with which a one fulfills the mitzva [of eating matza] on Pesach; wheat, barley,
spelt, rye, and oats… Gemara – It was taught, these [species] yes, rice and
millet not. Whence are these words? R. Shimon ben Lakish said… the verse
1 This article is an English translation of the original Hebrew teshuva, which has extensive footnotes analyzing
the Halachic sources and arguments. Anyone who is capable of studying the original is encouraged to do so. The
teshuva was reviewed and approved by my Rav, HaGaon R. Yehoshua Reich shlit”a. Thanks to my son R. Zion,
as well as my colleagues Rav David Fink shlit”a, Rav Chanan Morrison shlit”a and Rav David Sperling shlit”a
for helpful discussions and references. Thanks also to my son R. Eliyahu for help with editing.
states ‘Don’t eat chametz with it [the Pesach offering], for seven days eat matza
with it.’ Foods that can become chametz can be used to fulfill the mitzva of
matza. This excludes those [rice and millet] that cannot become chametz, only
putrid. Our Mishna is not based on the opinion of R. Yochanan ben Nuri, as it
is taught, R. Yochanan ben Nuri says, ‘Rice is a type of grain and one is liable
to be excised for eating its chametz.'” Regarding R. Yochanan b. Nuri’s opinion
that rice is a type of chametz, the Gemara declares, “No one worries about R.
Yochanan b. Nuri’s opinion, as it was taught, ‘R. Yochanan b. Nuri said, ‘rice
is a type of chametz and one is liable to be excised for eating its chametz and
one fulfills the mitzva [of matza] with it on Pesach.” This opinion, that legumes
cannot become chametz, was codified as the Halacha.
The first source to mention the custom of refraining from kitniot is a note of
R. Peretz to the Sefer Mitzvot HaKatan from the 13th century. He explains that
the reason for the decree is “because kitniot are cooked in a pot, and grains are
also cooked in a pot, if we allow kitniot, perhaps someone will confuse them…
Additionally there are places where they bake them [kitniot] into bread like
the five species [of grain], which could also be confused.” In other words, the
first reason for the prohibition is the risk of confusing between a cooked dish
of kitniot and one of grain, or between legume flour and grain flour, which can
become chametz. Regarding the authority of the custom, he writes, “It is very
difficult to permit something that has been customarily prohibited from the time
of ancient authorities.”
The Bet Yosef (after referring to the prohibition of kitniot as a “foolish custom”)
adds an additional explanation for it: “Sometimes there is grain mixed in [with
the kitniot] and it is not possible to properly clean them.” The Biur Halacha
adds a third reason, which is similar to the first: “There are types of wheat…
that resemble seeds, and therefore all types of seeds were prohibited.”
In the Shulchan Aruch the law is codified: “…but not with rice or other
legumes, and they can’t become chametz, and it is permitted to cook with them”.
Regarding this the Rema adds, “A note: and some prohibit, and the Ashkenazi
custom is to be stringent, and one should not change this. However it is obvious
that they cannot prohibit after the fact if they fall into food, and it is permissible
to light with oils made from them… and one can leave types of kitniot in one’s
house.”
The Rema here defines the Ashkenazi custom regarding kitniot on Pesach and
codifies that:
1. It is prohibited for Ashkenazim to eat kitniot on Pesach and this custom
should not be changed.
2. Kitniot are annulled (batelim) in a mixture and it is therefore permitted to
consume a mixture containing kitniot (see below regarding the amount in which
they are nullified).
3. One may light a lamp with kitniot oil, for there is no prohibition against
benefiting from kitniot, only against eating them. From here it also seems that it
is prohibited to consume the oil produced from them (see below).
4. There is no prohibition against “owning” or “possessing” kitniot as there
is with chametz, and it is therefore permissible to have them in one’s house on
Pesach.
Regarding all of the above it is incumbent upon us to clarify two major issues:
the question of whether there is room to be more lenient with oil produced from
kitniot than with kitniot themselves, and the matter of the annulment of kitniot in
a mixture.
The Definition of Kitniot
There is no clear definition of kitniot in Halachic literature; however based
upon the sources discussed above we are able to cull some indications. From
the Gemara we learn that rice and millet are similar to grains but “instead of
becoming chametz they become putrid.” According to the comments of R.
Peretz on the Sefer Mitzvot HaKatan, they are foods from which cooked dishes
or bread can be prepared (in other words, they are ground into a type of flour
that can be used for a type bread or cake). Based upon the Bet Yosef we see that
kitniot are foods that grains of wheat or other grains can be mixed into, and that
it is difficult to clean them properly. The Biur Halacha defines them as types of
seeds that can be confused with wheat. Later-day authorities offer an additional
definition, saying that the prohibition applies to species that grow “in pods
similar to the growth of legumes.”
It is clear, however, that we are not accustomed to be stringent with every
type of food that fits into one of the abovementioned definitions, as the Igrot
Moshe writes: “This is not the matter at all, that everything from which flour
is produced is prohibited according to this custom, for nothing has more flour
made from it than potatoes, not only in this country [the United States], but also
in Europe… and no one was ever concerned that it is prohibited. And regarding
the argument that types of grains may come to be mixed in with them, which
was mentioned in the Tur, it is also not a general rule that every food that might
have wheat or barely mixed in is prohibited.” As we shall see below, among
the later-day authorities there are those who state that since there is not a clear
definition of what constitutes kitniot, only those types that were included in the
original custom are prohibited, and one should not prohibit additional types.
Kitniot Oils
Regarding oils from kitniot, the Chayeh Adam infers from the words of the
Rema above that “it is permissible to light with oils produced from them,”
that while it is permitted to benefit from the oil, it is forbidden to consume it.
However not all authorities agree with this inference, and the Sefer Marcheshet
writes that the Rema was referring to oils made from kitniot that had not been
properly checked for grain content before Pesach. He adds that the oil is also
considered “a mere derivative”, which is not prohibited within the confines of a
custom. His conclusion is that all kitniot oils produced before Pesach that have
rabbinical supervision for Pesach are permitted.
Even if we argue that this is not the custom and that Ashkenazim do not
consume kitniot oils on Pesach, we have found later-day authorities who were
lenient regarding certain oils in cases where there was an additional factor
for leniency. For example, Rav Kook z”l, in a famous teshuva, permitted
sesame oil that was produced without coming into contact with water, and
wrote very strongly against the opinion of those who prohibited it (the Hasidic
Rabbinical Court of Jerusalem), claiming that since the oil was produced with
a new production method, it was not included in the prior custom and was thus
permissible. He added that the existing custom of refraining from kitniot, which
began as a mere stringency, is sufficient as is, and it would be unfortunate to
expand it, especially if this would cause financial loss.
Rav Moshe Feinstein z”l in a discussion in Igrot Moshe, states that peanuts
are not included within the custom, and that one should not add new items to
the prohibition of kitniot, since it is a custom that is based upon weak reasons.
Therefore, he concludes, it is legitimate to give peanut oil “kosher for Pesach”
certification.
Similarly we can discuss the case of the soybean, which is also a new type of
food and was not included in the original prohibition of kitniot. Thus there are
authorities who permit soy oil, also – similarly to Rav Kook’s position above
– citing the fact that it is produced without coming in contact with water. So
too we can permit canola oil, which is also produced from a new and inedible
source.
In light of all of the above we can state that it is permissible to rely upon the
lenient positions as regards types of oils where there is an additional lenient
factor, such as peanut, soy, canola and cottonseed (which is also not produced
from a food item). Even though we find authorities who prohibit these various
oils, one need not be stringent, as the author of the Ohr HaChaim states, “We
hold that in all doubts regarding rabbinic decrees, and even more so when
it comes to customs, that one should be lenient.” It is sufficient for us to be
stringent about peanuts and soybeans themselves – we can be lenient regarding
their oils.
The Annulment of Kitniot
When it comes to the annulment of kitniot in a mixture, we’ve seen the Rema’s
statement that “It is obvious that if they fall into a cooked food it does not
become prohibited.” The greatest among the later authorities rule definitively
that we do not require that the kitniot constitute less than a sixtieth of the
mixture, and that they are annulled if the majority (more than 50%) of the
mixture is composed of other foods. The Chok Yaacov states, “From the
language of the Rav [Rema] is can be inferred that even if [the kitniot] are
more than a sixtieth, it is still permissible to eat the mixture, and this is the
understanding of the later authorities, since in any event this [prohibition
of kitniot] is a stringency and a mere safeguard [from actual prohibition]…
nonetheless we do require a majority [of other food matter], for if not, it is not
called a mixture and it is like eating a dish of kitniot.”
Surprisingly, in his work Beer Yitzchak, Rav Yitzchak Elhanan Specter z”l
adds that according to some authorities it is permissible to purposely add
kitniot to a mixture on Pesach in order to annul them. We, however, do not
accept this opinion, since the Rema spoke of kitniot “falling” into the other
food, clearly permitting consumption of the mixture only after the fact. The
Beer Yitzchak does state, however, that the prohibition against purposely
annulling kitniot is only applicable on Pesach itself, not so before the holiday,
when kitniot are still allowed and it is still permissible to mix them into
other foods. He also rules that any mixture containing less than 50% kitniot
ingredients is always permissible, and one need not worry that the kitniot will
constitute an “ingredient made for taste” (asui l’ta’ama) or “an ingredient that
is a solidifying agent” (davar hama’amid), ingredients that are not normally
annulled in a mixture. We can therefore state unequivocally that many food
items stamped as “kitniot” or “only for those who consume kitniot” are entirely
permitted to Ashkenazim, since the kitniot ingredients constitute less than 50%
of the total.
Practical Conclusions
Based upon the above we can conclude:
1: Some of the oils designated as “kitniot” or “only for those who eat kitniot”
are permissible also to Ashkenazim (even according to the position which
prohibits kitniot oil), such as peanut, soy, canola and cottonseed oils.
2: Some of the products that are labeled “for those who eat kitniot only”
are permissible according to all opinions, since the ratio of kitniot ingredients
is less than 50%, and they are therefore annulled in the majority of nonkitniot
ingredients. Additionally the kitniot ingredients are often oils such as
soybean, that were never included in the prohibition, or derivatives of these
oils. Only those foods in which the kitniot ingredients constitute the majority
are prohibited. Therefore, many dairy products, “kosher for Pesach” cookies,
chocolates and more, which are labeled “kitniot” or “only for those who eat
kitniot” or “for those who eat liftit” (liftit and lecithin are both types of canola)
are completely permissible for Ashkenazim.
3: Quinoa, which is a very new food (other than for native South
Americans), is permissible.
4: There is no problem for an Ashkenazi to be a guest of a Sephardi on
Pesach and to eat food prepared in vessels that were used to cook kitniot, even
within 24 hours of the meal. This is true since if the kitniot themselves can be
annulled in a mixture of a majority of other ingredients, their taste is certainly
annulled. Moreover, even if the food contains a kitniot ingredient, as long as it
is not the majority and is not recognizable as a separate element of the dish, it is
also permitted.
5: Those people who have thus far been careful not to purchase any food
item labeled “for those who eat kitniot only”, because they believed that
this was in fact the Halacha, are not considered to have accepted this as
their custom; it is at best a “mistaken custom” and they are not required to
perform “vow annulment” in order to eat such items.
6: It is a mitzva to publicize this decision, which is based upon the traditional
Halachic methodology of the great authorities throughout the generations, and
not upon looking for unnecessary stringencies.
In Conclusion
Well known are the words of Rebbe Simcha Bunim of Pryshischa z”l, “All of
the stringencies [chumrot] that Am Yisrael observe on Pesach are ornaments of
holiness.” Moreover Rebbe Pinchas of Koritz z”l said regarding our Master the
Baal Shem Tov z”l, “he couldn’t stand any stringencies, other than in matters
pertaining to Pesach and Shabbat.” Nonetheless, regarding the very same Rebbe
Pinchas we read, “the Rav was strict not to observe any excess stringencies,
for these bring one to exile, G-d forbid, for the stringencies are from the side
of strict judgment… only on Pesach should one follow all of the stringencies
mentioned in the Shulchan Aruch, but stringencies that are not mentioned in the
Shulchan Aruch, he did not want to observe even on Pesach.”