Gefilte Fish Alert

It has come to the attention of Halachaboy that many people plan on eating gefilte fish this shabbas. However, since most gefilte fish contains matzo meal it is important to realize that if you make such fish through baking (no water medium) it is assur to eat the whole day. This is due to the fact that any Matzo product is assur to eat the entire day prior to Pesach (this year Shabbas), and thus matzo meal cookies and cakes are prohibited to eat on shabbas day. However, if the food item is made with matzo meal but it is cooked (through a water medium), since the Rabbis said once its cooked it losses the taste of matzo and thus it would be allowed to eat. So while the HalachStaff feels a great majority of people make the gefilte fish through cooking and not baking, those that do make gefilte fish through baking (apparently some people do) should not eat such fish this upcoming Shabbas.

The 4 Cups of the Seder

I am sure this week's edition finds you crazed in your preparations for Pesach. Whether you are cleaning or packing (or perhaps both) I hope you take the time to reflect on not just removing the physical Chametz but also the spiritual chametz that has gathered these past few months. Chazal write that Chametz (leavened bread) symbolizes haughtiness and arrogance (a leavened attitude) and we should take the time to burn this bad Middah with the rest of our Chametz. As the Seder starts with Kaddash I wanted to briefly discuss two issues that come up around that. The first question I want to deal with is how much one is required to drink. However, before answering this I want to point out an interesting potential difference between Kiddush on Shabbas, Yuntif, and the 4 Cups. By Kiddush on Shabbas and Yuntif the priority is placed on the bracha and the wording of Kiddush Hayom. The gemara writes that whenever we make Kiddush we do it over a cup of wine, but the drinking of the wine is secondary to the words being mentioned. This idea, while true on Shabbas and on Yuntif, might not hold for Pesach. We all know Pesach is Zman Chairusaino- The time of freedom and we do things that kings do, and kings love to drink (see Achasveirosh). Thus since we are acting like kings it could be that the drinking of the wine is the priority and the mentioning of the brachos is secondary. The Brisker Rav says this discussion relates to how much one has to drink. If you assume that 4 cups is like regular Kiddush (Tosfos) then you would only need to drink a Revi'is (roughly 4 ounces). Sine drinking is secondary to the brachos the Rabbis required you to just taste the wine (it doesn't look right to make kiddush holding a cup of wine and not drink) and the minimum amount of tasting is 4 ounces. However if the priority is the drinking (Ramban) one would need to drink the majority of the cup. (Technically, he should have the whole cup but we rely on the concept of Rov-- drinking the majority is like drinking the whole thing). In order to be safe, you can measure your Kiddush cups beforehand- A 4 ounce Kiddush cup is perfect and if you drink the whole thing you fulfill both opinions. You can also go with 8 ounce cup, but remember you need to drink more than half. What about Grape Juice for the 4 cups? As we mentioned earlier the 4 cups have an added dimension of Derech Chairos. Rav Moshe Feinstein writes that as a result of the requirement of Derech Chairos grape juice is prohibited. Derech Charios requires drinking elegant, special, royal wine. As grape juice is viewed by wine connoisseurs as inferior it would not be allowed. Rav Soloveitchik argued on Rav Moshe and said one can not define Derech Chairos by what the connoisseurs say, rather it should be defined by each individual. If an individual prefers grape juice to wine than in fact that individual can use grape juice for the 4 cups. The Rav also agrees that if one prefers white wine to red wine, even though red has more symbolism- since this individual prefers white wine he should drink it. According to the Rav the symbolism of the day is secondary to the overall motif of Derech Chairos. While it is important throughout the Seder to spend time and explain why we use certain items- our priority should be to convey a sense of freedom, and the great prestige it is to be slaves to Hashem, and not to Pharaoh.

Bitul Chametz

Bitul Chametz- literally means the nullification of chametz. If all one needs according to the Torah is Bitul Chametz, why does everyone at this time of year start cleaning like mad, throwing out good food, calling the Rabbi to set up a sale of some wholesome leavened stuff? Just say Kol Chamera (the verbal declaration of nullification-which one must understand and could say in English if he so wishes) and poof all your chametz magically no longer belongs to you! Isn't that a great magic trick- no cleaning, chucking, signing-- one paragraph and your done… Who needs Bedikas Chametz when you have just turned all your chametz into ownerless dirt? While this question might seem crazy to some of you; it bothered Tosfos, about 1,000 years ago. Tosfos says that in terms of ones Torah requirement a verbal nullification of ownership technically does suffice. However, the Rabbis were worried about those midnight fridge raiders that on their quest for a late night snack might see those Yodels (HalachaBoy's all time favorite snack - especially when cold) sitting there, forget it was Pesach and eat them (it's assur on Pesach to eat chametz even if it does not belong to you). In other words, the prohibition of Chametz, from the Torah, is that you can't own or eat any, but the Rabbi's added a stringency that prohibits even leaving any Chametz in your house that you might come to eat. So even though some people might have left their Shaloch Manos at your house after the Purim Seuda- you still have a requirement to remove those Hamentaschen from your house- not because they are yours- but because you might come to eat them. The Rabbi's were extra stringent here by Chametz as opposed to other assur food items (cheeseburgers) since by Chametz you can eat all your round you might slip and come to eat on Pesach. However, a cheeseburger is prohibited all year round- and thus the Rabbi's weren't worried if your non-Jewish coworker left one in your house that you would come to eat it, because you would not eat it regardless. Thus they did not impose a requirement to remove it. What we derive from all this is that according to most Poskim one is only required to remove all Chametz he might come to eat. However, since one would never eat dust riddled crumbs in the corner of the kitchen, one does not have to drive himself/herself crazy and burn/throw out/clean (although it's always a good idea) such small, disgusting crumbs. Yet, items of substance (a.k.a a cheerio [note: how do you pronounce the singular form of Cheerios]) one is required to sell/burn/chuck it for perhaps he may come to eat.