Spirituality The fine stores & shops of Lincoln Center wishes everyone a Happy & Healthy Passover -14_ Corn Forbidden, Too? ADVANCE AMERICA ID A.J. WRIGHT 0,) ALDI e::it ASHLEY STEWART ED BASKIN ROBBINS 0,3 DOLLAR CASTLE g BOOK BEAT KMART JACKIE'S FASHIONS LA INSURANCE LINCOLN BARBER SHOP ti LEES BEAUTY SUPPLY f5-'Zt MAGIC TOUCH BEAUTY SALON (73 METROPOLITAN DRY CLEANERS MOOKEY E S BEANS & GREENS PAYLESS SHOE SOURCE RAINBOW APPAREL Rabbi Shmuel Singer i) DOTS ;-‘•:.! ERROL SHERMAN FOOTCARE j INSTANT TAX SERVICE RADIO SHACK SASSY'S UNIFORMS et SECRETARY OF STATE ED STREET CORNER MUSIC SUZANNE'S BREAD BASKET DELI SUIT DEN 'a I NAILS 03 at WHITE CASTLE/CHURCH'S CHICKEN Lincoln Center R Greenfield at lb Y2 Mile OAKLAND COUNTY'S PREMIER "Thinking of getting divorced. Hire an attorney who will fight for you!" SANDOR M. GELMAN Protect what's important to you. 42 March 2542010 GELMAN, ZUKIN & STEELE, P.C. ATTORNEYS AND COUNSELORS AT LAW 3001 WEST BIG BEAVER, SUITE 324 TROY, MICHIGAN 48084 PRACTICE LIMITED TO MATRIMONIAL LAW iN Explaining the mysteries of kitniyot. Special to the Jewish News New York P assover is primarily known as the Jewish holiday of freedom, which also happens to feature a myriad of rules concerning food. There are foods we must eat, such as matzah, and there are foods one is forbidden to consume, such as chametz. Chametz is defined by Halachhah (Jewish law) as the product of one of the five forbidden grains that has come into contact with water and become fermented. These biblically prohibited grains are wheat, oats, barley, rye and spelt. These grains may not be con- sumed in any form out of concern that they may have come into contact with water and become chametz. The one exception to this is, of course, if these grains are milled into Passover flour and baked into matzah with full-time rabbinical supervision. The Halachah only forbids these five grains. However, beginning in medi- eval times, Ashkenazic communities added kitniyot to the list of prohibited species. Kitniyot includes other grain- like items such as rice and corn as well as seeds and beans. Various reasons are given for this prohibition. In some cases, flour can be made out of these species. In other cases, the seeds of the species resemble forbidden grain kernels. Both of these circumstances could cause some to confuse kitniyot with actual grains. Additionally, in yet other situations, kitniyot and grain crops are grown in close proximity to one another and grain may become mixed into kitniyot varieties. While the reasons are, in some cases, unclear or seemingly irrelevant, it remains definite that Ashkenazic practice prohibits consumption of the full range of kitniyot species. Non-Ashkenazic communities never accepted this prohibition and, in general, continue to use kitniyot on Passover. However, some of these com- munities do forbid the usage of certain kinds of kitniyot on the holiday. This depends on local communal custom. It is also somewhat unclear what is included in the category of kitniyot. Since the prohibition is based on binding custom, there is no general principle that can be followed here. Basically, whatever has been accepted over the generations as kitniyot is prohibited and everything else remains permitted. There is no doubt that rice, millet, corn and buckwheat have always been con- sidered kitniyot. The same is true of the many species of beans and peas. Seeds and spices are more open to question and to varying local customs in different parts of the Ashkenazic world. Sesame seeds, mustard, sunflower seeds, cardamom (an herbal seed which grows in a pod), fennel and poppy seeds are universally considered to be kitniyot. There are different opin- ions about coriander, cumin and anise. The Orthodox Union poskim (halachic decisionmakers) consider these not to be kitniyot. However, the spices require special care for Passover use since kitniyot and even chametz grains are frequently mixed into them. Peanuts were considered kitniyot in some parts of Europe and permitted in others. Present-day practice is to consider them kitniyot. The OU does not permit quinoa and amaranth in products certi- fied for Passover use, but suggests that individuals ask their own rabbi for guidance on home use. There is a further disagreement regarding kitniyot oil and other kitniyot derivatives. Some authorities forbid them while others maintain that only kitniyot in the original form are prohib- ited. Present-day practice is to prohibit these items on Passover. The OU and many other kosher agen- cies accept kitniyot derivatives when the product has undergone a complete chemical change and bears no resem- blance to the original kitniyot. This includes items such as citric acid and aspartamem, which are derived, at least in part, from corn that has gone through many chemical changes to reach its current state. The laws governing what may or may not be eaten are much stricter during Passover than the rest of the year. Pi Rabbi Singer is director of Passover supervision, OU Kosher.