1. food and drink
2. kosher food

CHICAGO
RABBINICAL COUNCIL
Consumer Pesach Questions & Answers
The following questions were posed to the cRc by consumers; it does not include questions which are
answered in the cRc Pesach Guide 2012.
Updated as of Monday, March 19, 2012
Advil
Cumin
Kedairah Blech
Safflower Oil
Alcohol
Denatured Alcohol
Kitnios *
Salt in a Pesach
Alfalfa Sprouts
Dental Tape
Kitnios for Pets
Amaranth
Dill
Lactaid
SD Alcohol
Anise
Dishwasher
Leaves & Tendrils
Shabbos & Yom
Baby Food
Egg Matzah
Matzah
Barbeque Grill
Electric Blech
Mechiras Chametz
Shiurim
Barley Grass
Ethanol as a Fuel
Medical *
Sink Insert
Benzyl Alcohol
Ethyl Alcohol
Methyl Alcohol
Soy Milk
Blech (electric)
Femcon FE
Milk Substitutes
The Seder *
Blech (kedairah)
Fennel
Miscellaneous *
Tums
Brita Filter
Flavors
Non-Jewish Guests
Un-Blech
Brown Sugar
Food *
Oat Matzah
Urn
Canola Oil
Frozen Fruit
Paper Bags
Vanilla Beans
Caraway
Frozen Vegetables
Paper Towel
Vegetables, frozen
Certified Bread on
Glass Stovetop
Pesach
Chewing a Pill
Coated Pills
Coating on Fruits &
Vegetables
Dispenser
Project
Tov *
Vegetable Wash
Granite
Perfume
Vodka
Hand Sanitizer
Pet Food
Warming Drawer
Pets *
Water
Pot Used for
Water Filter
(chametz)
Hand Sanitizer
(Shabbos)
Kashering
Water Joe
Contraceptives
Hot Plate
Purell (chametz)
Water With
Coriander
Intravenous
Purell (Shabbos)
Caffeine
Corn Starch
Invert Sugar
Quinoa
Cosmetics *
Isopropyl Alcohol
Rice Cereal
Counter
Kamut
Rice Milk
Counter Covers
Kashering *
Rotisserie
Wheat Grass
Chicago Rabbinical Council  2701 W. Howard St. Chicago, IL 60645  773-465-3900  www.crcweb.org
FOOD
Bottled Water
1.
Is bottled water that contains minerals acceptable for Pesach without special
certification?
Yes, as long as it is not flavored and does not contain vitamins.
Brown Sugar
2.
Why does your Shopping Guide say that brown sugar has to be certified for Pesach?
Brown sugar is the “pure” form of sugar, and white sugar is the same product after
the molasses have been filtered out. So, if white sugar is okay for Pesach without
special certification, how could brown sugar be a problem?
Genuine brown sugar is, as you describe, a precursor to white sugar and does not
require special Pesach certification. However, nowadays much of the brown sugar
sold in the market is actually white sugar which is colored brown with molasses or
caramel color. Those two ingredients are potentially not acceptable for Pesach (for
reasons that are beyond the scope of this document) and therefore we recommend that
consumers only purchase brown sugar that is certified for Pesach.
Coatings on Fruits & Vegetables
3.
Are there any kitnios or chametz issues regarding the coatings put on fruits and
vegetables?
No, with the exception of dried fruit such as raisins which are often have a kitnios
coating to keep them from sticking to one another and should only be used with
Pesach certification.
Frozen Fruit
4.
Your Passover Guide says that frozen fruit may be used without hashgachah if it is
not sweetened or cooked. What if the ingredient panel says that it contains ascorbic
acid, citric acid or sugar?
Ascorbic and citric acid can be chametz or kitnios (or innocuous), and we therefore
cannot recommend anything uncertified that contains these ingredients. However,
since sugar does not pose a Pesach concern, fruit sweetened with sugar (without any
other ingredients) is acceptable for Pesach.
Frozen vegetables
5.
Why do frozen vegetables require Pesach certification?
Frozen vegetables sold as “raw” are in fact cooked for a few minutes, in a process
known as “blanching”. Many of the factories which blanch vegetables also blanch
pasta/chametz, and therefore frozen vegetables should only be used with Pesach
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hashgachah to guarantee that the vegetables were not cooked on equipment which
had been previously used for chametz.
Invert Sugar
6.
Does invert sugar require special Pesach certification?
Yes; the process of “inverting” sugar (i.e. increasing the percentage of fructose as
compared to glucose) requires an enzyme or a food-acid, and those ingredients and
the process require Pesach hashgachah.
Kamut
7.
Is kamut chametz?
Kamut is a variety of wheat which can become chametz if mixed with water and left
unattended for 18 minutes. Accordingly, kamut and kamut-based products are not
recommended for Pesach.
Milk Substitutes
8.
Is there any type of milk alternative on Pesach for those who are allergic to milk
protein or sensitive to milk sugar (lactose)?
Rice milk and soy milk are common milk substitutes. Both of these beverages are
kitnios and are therefore surely not permitted for Ashkenazim who are in good health
and can manage without these items. A more serious concern is that these items often
contain chametz either in the enzyme (a barley-based beta amylase) or in the
flavoring. [Both the enzyme and flavoring comprise less than 1/60 of the beverage,
but cannot be batel because they respectively serve the role as davar hama’amid or
milsah d’avidah lit’amah].
For details on the varieties which are recommended for Pesach 2012, check the cRc
website at www.crcweb.org.
Some people react negatively to lactose-containing milk because their body does not
produce sufficient amounts of lactase, the enzyme which digests lactose. These
people can drink milk without any complications if (a) the lactase enzyme is mixed
into the milk or (b) if they take a pill of lactase together with their milk. [Lactaid is a
popular brand for both of these forms of lactase]. The Pesach concern with this
solution is that lactase is commonly created through a process known as Koji
fermentation, which uses wheat bran as a primary ingredient. Therefore, the cRc
policy is that one may use milk containing lactase if the lactase was added by the
company before Pesach, 1 and one may use non-chewable lactase pills on Pesach.
However, one may not add lactase-drops to milk on Pesach, and one may not use
chewable lactase pills (even if the person swallows them).
1
The lactase’s effect on the milk is not significant enough to be considered a davar hama’amid or a milsah
d’avidah lit’amah, and therefore it is batel.
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RABBINICAL COUNCIL
Paper Bags
9.
My mother says that when she takes hot Pesach cookies out of the oven, she likes to
put them onto paper bags to cool off. Does she need specially certified paper bags for
Pesach or can she use any kind?
Any kind is fine.
Rice Cereal
10.
We’ve been told not to use commercially produced rice cereal on Pesach. What can
we substitute for that?
Commercial rice cereal is not recommended for Pesach because of the possibilities
that oatmeal flakes might inadvertently be mixed in and because a chametz enzyme
may be used in the processing. Instead, you can prepare your own rice cereal at home
as long as you use specially designated pots and utensils (since rice is kitnios) and
don’t wash those items in the Pesach sink. The internet has plenty of recipes for
home-made rice cereal, and a common one is to grind rice in a blender and then cook
it up at a ratio of 1 cup water to every ¼ cup of ground rice.
Vanilla beans
11.
Are vanilla beans kitnios?
No.
Vegetable Wash
12.
Does vegetable wash require hashgachah for Pesach?
Although there are a few kosher vegetable washes on the market, to the best of our
knowledge none of them are acceptable for Pesach. If consumers wish, they could
substitute a small amount of dish liquid (any are acceptable) which will do the same
job, if not better.
Vodka
13.
Can unflavored vodka made from potatoes be consumed on Pesach without special
supervision?
No. The process of producing alcohol for vodka (or any other item) involves
enzymes which may be chametz (e.g. malted barley) and involves the use of hot
equipment which may have been previously used for chametz alcohol. Therefore, we
cannot recommend it without special Pesach certification.
Water With Caffeine
14.
There is a brand of bottled water called “Water Joe” that only contains water and
caffeine. Is this a problem for Pesach?
There are a number of ways of removing caffeine from coffee, tea, and other items;
some of these methods use chemicals which may be chametz, which is why
decaffeinated coffee requires Pesach certification. Once the caffeine is removed from
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the coffee, it is sold to pop/soda manufacturers and other companies who use it in
their products. Therefore, unless you can be certain that the caffeine mixed into your
water is free of chametz, you should not drink that water on Pesach.
Wheat Grass and Barley Grass
15.
Are wheat grass or barley grass chametz?
No. The wheat or barley berry/grain can become chametz when mixed with water,
but the grass/stalk on which the grain grows is not chametz. It is however noteworthy,
that wheat and barley grass are typically sold in a dried form, and we would not be
able to recommend such a product for Pesach without verifying that no chametz was
dried on the equipment used for drying the grass.
KITNIOS
Amaranth and Quinoa
16.
Are amaranth and quinoa kitnios?
Amaranth and quinoa are seeds which are similar enough to wheat and barley that
they theoretically would be kitnios, and in fact some Poskim do treat them as such.
However, Rav Schwartz accepts Iggeros Moshe’s (OC III:63) position that foods
which were not consumed by Jews at the time the minhag of kitnios began are not
forbidden on Pesach. Therefore, because when the minhag began (6-7 centuries ago)
no Jews lived in the South American and Far Eastern countries where these grains
grew, amaranth and quinoa are not considered kitnios and may be consumed on
Pesach if one can be certain that no chametz-grains are mixed in.
This last caveat poses a particular concern for amaranth and quinoa, as these small
seeds are often packaged on the same equipment as other small grains such as wheat,
barley and oats, which means that they can only be used after being carefully checked
that no chametz grains are mixed in. For updated recommendations as to which
brands and procedures to use for consuming pur quinoa, see our website at
www.crcweb.org.
Quinoa flour, flakes, pasta and other versions of quinoa are not recommended for
Pesach with special certification.
Anise
17.
I was surprised to see that the cRc shopping guide lists a few varieties of anise
(caraway, cumin, coriander, dill and fennel) as kitnios. Can you explain to me why
that is the case?
Rema 453:1 rules that anise and coriander are not kitnios. Some of the later Poskim 2
basically accept this psak but suggest that these spices be checked carefully to make
sure none of the five grains are mixed into them. Other Poskim 3 take a stricter
2
3
Taz 453:1 & 462:3, and Chok Yaakov 453:9.
Magen Avraham 453:3.
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RABBINICAL COUNCIL
approach and hold that one should avoid these spices since it is so difficult to check
whether grains are mixed into them. Rav Schwartz accepts the ruling of Mishnah
Berurah 453:13 to follow the stricter approach. Accordingly, these spices are listed
in our shopping guide as “kitnios” (although a purist could argue that even if they are
forbidden the term “kitnios” does not apply to them).
Canola and Safflower Oils
18.
Why is it that Canola oil is kitnios, but safflower oil is not?
Many food items potentially qualify as kitnios, but we accept Chok Yaakov 453:9 and
Iggeros Moshe (OC III:63) that only those kitnios used for food at the time the
minhag began are forbidden, but others are not. We do not have record of safflower
oil being used for food purposes at the time of the minhag starting, and therefore
assume it is permitted. [If you have reason to believe otherwise, we would happily
reconsider this position.] Others (particularly those from Eretz Yisroel) who do not
accept Chok Yaakov may hold that safflower oil is forbidden.
On the other hand, canola oil has quite a history of being used, as follows: Rapeseed
oil was (and is still) used in Europe for hundreds of years, and in a well-known
teshuvah of the Maharsham I:183 (as to whether kitnios oil is forbidden) he assumes
that Raps, the German word for rapeseed, is kitnios. Thus, we see that rapeseed was
used at that time (which is a historical fact) and that it was treated as kitnios.
Rapeseed oil was/is banned from food use in the USA due to high levels of erucic
acid found in the oil (but was still used for lubrication). About 20 years ago,
Canadian researchers bred a form of rapeseed that was had low levels of erucic acid,
and that oil was approved for use in the USA. In order to differentiate this new breed
of rapeseed oil, and to give it a name would be more acceptable to the public, they
named the new breed “canola” which also showed off their civic pride for having
created a “CANadian OiL”.
Thus, canola oil is really a form of rapeseed oil (and is actually also known by the
acronym LEAR – low erucic acid rapeseed), and since rapeseed is kitnios, the canola
version is also forbidden on Pesach.
Corn Starch
19.
My cousin has a 3 year old with a very rare genetic disease which requires her to eat
corn starch regularly. Since she is a child and also has a chronic illness, it is clear that
she can eat kitnios on Pesach, but we do not want her to be eating chametz. Until
recently they lived in Israel, where we purchased corn starch certified as “kosher for
Pesach for those who are permitted to eat kitnios” but here that is not available here
in the USA. If need be, we will import the Israeli product to our new home, but aside
from the hassle, there is a medical preference that she should stick with the brand she
is used to. So here is my question: do you know if the Argo or Kingsford brands of
pure corn starch, certified year-round by the OU, contain chametz?
We contacted the OU, who informed us that those products are produced without any
chametz additives, and are suitable for use by anyone who may eat kitnios on Pesach.
It is worth verifying this information before each Pesach to make sure nothing has
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RABBINICAL COUNCIL
changed in the factory.
Leaves and Tendrils
20.
While peas and beans are not allowed for Pesach, how about the leaves and tendrils of
the pea plant? There are no pods, just the tender greens from the tips of the new plant,
before the pea plant flowers and the pods begin to form.
Rav Schwartz has ruled, based on Yad Yitzchok III:92, that only the bean or seed
portion of a kitnios food is forbidden but the stalk and other plant material is
permitted. Therefore, one would be permitted to eat the leaves or tendrils of a pea or
bean plant on Pesach. However, once the bean begins forming that part of the plant
is forbidden. For example, alfalfa sprouts commonly have miniature/immature beans
at the end of each sprout, and that bean portion is forbidden (which for all practical
purposes means that alfalfa sprouts cannot be eaten on Pesach).
Turmeric
21.
Is turmeric kitnios?
No.
PETS
Kitnios for Pets
22.
Why is one permitted to serve kitnios to a pet on Pesach?
Ashkenazim have a custom to not eat kitnios, but are permitted to own and benefit
from kitnios. 4
Mealworms
23.
Can I feed mealworms to my pet gecko on Pesach?
Mealworms are a living creature which is not chametz and can be used as-is.
However, they are commonly sold in a bed of wheat flakes or oatmeal, which are
chametz and may not be owned or used on Pesach. [As an aside, some have had
success feeding crickets to their geckos for Pesach.]
Pet Food
24.
I am a practicing veterinarian and in the past I have purchased a specific brand of pet
food listed in the cRc Pesach Guide as acceptable. This year that brand will not be
available where we live (out of the United States). What do we need to do to be able
to use other brands on Pesach? Can we check the ingredients and just be sure to
purchase before Pesach?
On Pesach, a Jewish person may not eat, own, or derive benefit from chametz which
is fit for human or canine consumption, and owning chametz pet food to feed to an
4
Rema 453:1 and Mishnah Berurah 453:10.
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RABBINICAL COUNCIL
animal (even if the animal belongs to someone else or is ownerless) is a violation of
the latter two of those restrictions. Ashkenazic Jews have a custom to not eat kitnios,
but they may own and derive benefit from them. When the cRc “certifies” pet food
for Pesach, it means that we visit the factory to determine which formulas are
chametz-free, which relieves the consumer of that responsibility. However, if no
certified (or recommended) pet food is available, you would have to carefully read the
ingredient panel so as to determine if the product contains any chametz (and many, in
fact, do). The following are some pointers when reading the ingredient panel:
1. In addition to checking for the five chametz grains – wheat, barley, rye, oats and
spelt – you should also be on the lookout for brewer’s yeast (a common flavoring
agent, which is chametz), malt (a barley-based sweetener), pasta, xanthan gum (a
thickener which may be fermented from chametz) and other generic words which
may refer to a chametz ingredient (e.g. flour, gluten, middlings, starch).
2. Many varieties of animal feed contain a multitude of vitamins, minerals and
amino acids some of which may well be chametz and there is no realistic way for
a consumer to determine which of them are problematic. 5 However, the good
news is that vitamins comprise such a small percentage of the animal food that the
vitamins are batel. Therefore, it is generally accepted that if the animal food was
created before Pesach it may be used on Pesach. 6
3. Some common ingredients used in pet food which do not pose a Pesach concern
are:
a. Animal, poultry and fish products.
b. Vegetables, such as alfalfa, asparagus, beets, and carrots.
c. Assorted kitnios foods, such as buckwheat, corn products, lentils, millet, peas,
rice, peanuts, sunflower seeds and soy products).
d. Other items such as barley grass, BHA, BHT, carrageenan, cellulose, colors,
eggs, gums (other than xanthan gum), kelp, lactose, linseed, milk products,
molasses, oils, psyllium, and whey.
By no means do these pointers cover all of the ingredients used in pet food, and
you might want to be in touch with a kashrus professional if you are unsure about
any of the other ingredients in a given pet food.
5
Aside from items listed as being a vitamin (e.g. Vitamin D3), the following is a limited list of “vitamins”
included in pet foods (and covered by the statement made in the text): ascorbic acid, beta carotene, biotin,
d-pantothenic acid, folic acid, menadione, niacin, pyridoxine, riboflavin, and thiamine.
6
Responsa Rashba III:214 suggests that anything added intentionally cannot be batel, since bitul
essentially means that the item is unimportant and unwanted in the mixture. According to Rashba, a
chametz vitamin intentionally added to pet food cannot be batel regardless of how small of a percentage of
the mixture it is. Although a number of prominent Poskim appear to accept this opinion (at least as relates
to Pesach, see Magen Avraham 442:1, Chayei Adam 121:2 and Mishnah Berurah 447:14), most
contemporary Poskim seem to accept the lenient opinion of Nodah B’yehudah Y.D. II:56 (cited in Pischei
Teshuvah end of 134:8) that most Rishonim disagree with Rashba. In our situation there is an extra reason
to be lenient because there is a safek whether the vitamins are chametz, and Rashba’s strictness is Rabbinic
in nature (see Magen Avraham and Nodah B’yehudah ibid.) such that we can apply the rule of safek
d’rabannan l’kulah.
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MEDICAL
Chewing a Pill
25.
My grandmother has a difficult time swallowing pills. May she chew a pill which is
generally swallowed (and for which we have no information whether it contains
chametz)?
Yes.
Coated Pills
26.
It says on your website that one can take any pill medication that is swallowed. Does
that include coated pills such as Advil?
Most pills which one swallows are coated with a glaze, wax or shellac which makes
the pills easier to swallow, and some of these coatings have some form of simple
sugar (e.g. sucrose) mixed in to make it even more pleasant to swallow the pill. None
of these ingredients pose a Pesach concern. Advil tablets are a good example of this,
as the (inactive) ingredient panel shows that they contain carnauba wax,
pharmaceutical glaze (i.e. shellac), and sucrose, and one who swallows an Advil pill
notices that they have a more pleasant/sweet taste than pills coated with a nonsweetened coating.
Other pills are coated with sweeteners which are Pesach sensitive (e.g. sorbitol) or
which contain a flavor; such items would be listed as one of the inactive ingredients,
and we would not recommend those for Pesach.
Contraceptives
27.
Can I use a chewable contraceptive pill such as Femcon FE?
Femcon FE contains ingredients which are likely kitnios or innocuous but may be
chametz (maltodextrin, sodium starch glycolate and spearmint flavor), and contains
other ingredients which may be non-kosher (lactose and magnesium stearate). Since
the pill is chewable it is considered “edible”; therefore, we cannot recommend such
pills for Pesach or even for year round use (even if you swallow the chewable pill),
and the best choice would be to have your doctor prescribe an alternative nonchewable contraceptive. If that poses a particular difficulty for you, you might want
to discuss the issue with your Rabbi and doctor. It is worth noting that it may be
possible to avoid the issue of taking the chewable pills on Pesach by scheduling the
“off” week (i.e. brown pills) for the week of Pesach.
Dental Tape
28.
Is dental tape the same as dental floss?
Yes, as with dental floss, all dental tape is acceptable whether it is or isn’t waxed, as
long as it isn’t flavored.
Hand Sanitizer
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29.
Do alcohol-based hand sanitizers require Pesach certification?
Alcohol-based hand sanitizers such as Purell, typically contain at least 62% ethyl
alcohol, 7 which may possibly be chametz. However, Rav Schwartz checked a sample
of hand sanitizer and said that it is as inedible as other liquid soaps and may therefore
be used on Pesach regardless of the source of alcohol. 8
Intravenous
30.
My upcoming due date is Erev Pesach. What do I need to know about being
hospitalized/giving birth on Pesach in terms of kashrus? Is an intravenous (IV)
acceptable or do I need to make arrangements for some other medication in
advance? What about the possibility of egg matzah instead of regular matzah? Is a
woman in labor or a new mother allowed to eat it?
You may allow yourself to be given any intravenous fluid because (a) it is unlikely
that they contain chametz 9 and (b) even if it did, there is halachic rationale to permit
any incapacitated person (even without a condition as serious as yours) to use it. 10
The Ashkenazic custom is that healthy people do not consume “egg matzah” (i.e.
matzah made with liquids other than water), but anyone who is incapacitated or sick
and would benefit from eating egg matzos is permitted to do so (Rema 462:4).
Therefore, if you feel that after you give birth it would be beneficial or easier for you
to eat egg matzos instead of other Pesach food, you are permitted to do so.
Tums
31.
Why does some Passover Guides list Tums as not acceptable for Pesach and others
permit it?
Many chewable or liquid items contain “flavors” to make them more palatable, and
typical flavors contain numerous chemicals that collectively create the desired flavor.
The complete flavor is so potent that it is effective at even less than 1% of the mixture.
The reason for the difference in policy is a Rabbinic difference of opinion as to
whether one must refrain from consuming products which contain flavors of
unknown kosher and Pesach status. 11 Some Rabbis take a lenient position due to the
7
See http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/EID/vol12no03/05-0955.htm.
An additional factor to consider is that the alcohol used in the hand sanitizers is denatured (see the
question on “alcohol” in the “Cosmetics” section). For example, the label of Purell hand sanitizer states
that it contains 62% ethyl alcohol without mentioning that it is denatured, but a company representative
informed me that in fact it is denatured with isopropyl alcohol (one of the ingredients listed as “inactive”).
9
Some intravenous fluids contain as much as 5% dextrose, which in the United States is likely kitnios but
may be chametz.
10
Rav Schwartz ruled that the use of intravenous fluids is considered ‫( שלא כדרך הנאתה‬benefiting from
chametz in an atypical manner) which is (a) not forbidden mid’oraisah and (b) the Rabbinic prohibition
against that type of benefit is waived for people who are sick or otherwise incapacitated (see Mishnah
Berurah 466:1). [It would be forbidden for a Jew to own such a liquid (Mishnah Berurah ibid.)].
11
Flavor companies are notoriously secretive about the ingredients used in creating their products, and
therefore in most cases it is basically impossible for an outsider to determine whether a particular flavor is
kosher and acceptable for Pesach.
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fact that most of the flavor-contributing chemicals are (kosher and) not chametz, 12 no
single chemical’s taste is perceived in the final product (i.e. zeh v’zeh gorem), and the
flavor is used in tiny proportions. Other Rabbis argue based on halachic and factual
grounds which are beyond the scope of this document. The cRc follow the latter,
stricter approach to this question.
The Rabbi who certifies Tums as kosher reports that that he is unable to determine
whether the flavorings used in Tums are acceptable for Pesach, and therefore the cRc
is unable to recommend them. Others who list certain Tums products as acceptable
for Pesach are aware of this but accept the lenient approach outlined above, which
rules that flavors of unknown status do not compromise the Pesach status of the Tums.
It is noteworthy that there is corn starch in every variety of Tums which we looked at,
which means that even according to the lenient approach the Tums should only be
consumed by those who are Sephardic or ill and permitted to eat kitnios, but see the
note for more detail on this. 13
12
In fact, many of the chemicals used in flavors are kosher and chametz sensitive, but in many cases that is
only due to the concern that they were produced on non-kosher or chametz keilim. If that were to be the
case, it would be proper that the flavors be certified as kosher, but b’dieved they would not render the food
non-kosher as the flavor comprises less than 1/60 of the food and absorbed non-kosher or chametz taste is
not avidah lit’amah. As such, the foods are a classic example of ‫( מלח הבלוע מדם‬Shulchan Aruch 105:14).
Other components are non-kosher because they are produced from stam yayin, which is batel b’shishah and
b’dieved would not render the foods non-kosher. Thus, the only items which raise a concern b’dieved are
those made of inherently non-kosher or chametz ingredients, and a good example of that as relates to
Pesach would be flavor chemicals fermented from chametz-based glucose. As relates to that concern, it is
noteworthy that an overwhelming majority of the glucose used in fermentations is kitnios or innocuous, and
not chametz-based.
13
The strict approach taken in the text regarding the corn starch in Tums tablets does not follow the letter
of the law, for the corn starch in Tums tablets is batel b’rov (see below) such that it is b’dieved even
permitted for healthy Ashkenazim. Although this is the letter of the law, the text is written based on the
assumption that most healthy consumers would shy away from consuming a product with a high percentage
of kitnios. The fact that the corn starch is batel b’rov in Tums tablets was established as follows:
We weighed Tums Ultra 1000 tablets and found that on average they weigh 0.093 ounces or 2.637
grams. [This calculation will be shown in grams for simplicity]. How much of that is corn starch? We can
give a reasonable guess based on two clues found on the package. Firstly, the ingredients panel lists the
first 5 ingredients (i.e. the ones before “flavors”) in the following order – sucrose, calcium carbonate, corn
starch, talc, and mineral oil. Secondly, the “Drug Facts” says that there is 1,000 mg (i.e. 1 gram) of
calcium carbonate in each tablet. Since the ingredients are listed in decreasing weight order, we can
therefore assume that there is at least 1 gram of sucrose in each pill, which leaves just 0.637 grams for the
corn starch, talc, mineral oil and the 6 minor ingredients listed later. To make things simple, we’ll assume
that the talc, mineral oil and other 6 ingredient weigh 0.037 grams, which means that the corn starch cannot
possibly weigh more than 0.6 grams.
If so, the absolute maximum amount of corn starch in one Tums tablet is 0.6 grams, and there are at
least 2 grams of non-kitnios ingredients (a gram each of sucrose and calcium carbonate plus the minor
ingredients). Even taking into consideration the fact that corn starch is 20-25% lighter than sucrose (their
specific gravities are 0.67 and 0.85 respectively) and bitul is calculated in volume as opposed to weight,
there is still almost 3 times as much non-kitnios as kitnios. As such, the kitnios contained in a Tums tablet
is clearly batel b’rov and permitted by the letter of the law. [Of course, this calculation assumes there is as
much corn starch and as little sucrose as possible in the tablet, when in truth there is probably more than a
gram of sucrose and less than 0.6 grams of corn starch in each tablet]. It is assumed that we would have
similar results with other varieties of Tums.
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COSMETICS
Alcohol
32.
I see that some items I buy in the pharmacy contain alcohol; does that mean they are
or may be chametz?
The answer to this question depends on which type of “alcohol” one is discussing, as
follows:
Benzyl alcohol, methyl alcohol (a.k.a., methanol), isopropyl alcohol and stearyl
alcohol are not made from chametz.
Ethyl alcohol, a.k.a. ethanol, can be made from chametz, and isoamyl alcohol is often
a byproduct of whisky. These may also appear on an ingredient panel as part of a
compound such as ethyl acetate or isoamyl butyrate.
Denatured alcohol, a.k.a. SD Alcohol, is ethyl alcohol which has been blended with
other materials to render it not potable; there are different opinions as to whether such
alcohol is forbidden on Pesach, and the cRc position is that they should not be used
on Pesach unless they are listed as chametz-free on a reliable list of approved Pesach
products.
Perfume
33.
I’ve seen other publications which say that all perfume is acceptable for Pesach, but
the cRc Passover Guide says that one shouldn’t use ones which contain alcohol. Who
is correct?
The disagreement regarding perfume is based primarily on whether denatured ethyl
alcohol is or is not considered inedible. For more on that issue, see the question on
“alcohol”.
KASHERING
Barbeque Grill
34.
Can a barbeque grill be kashered for Pesach? What if the grates are new?
The grates of a barbeque grill must be kashered with libun gamur, which is not
recommended for the average consumer. If a person purchases separate grates for
Pesach, the rest of the grill can be kashered with libun kal, which can be
accomplished relatively easily, as follows: If the grill comes with a cover, light the
grill with coals or gas, and allow it to burn on its highest setting (or filled with a
considerable amount of coal) for an hour. If the grill does not have a cover, follow
the same procedure, but make sure that all surfaces of the grill are covered with coals.
As with all items being kashered, it is crucial that the grill be cleaned thoroughly of
all food residue, which is often a particular difficulty in a barbeque grill. In fact, if
the grill has too many holes, cracks, and crevices where food may get trapped, one
should refrain from kashering the grill at all.
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Counter
35.
I noticed in your article “Kashering the Kitchen” that you permit kashering
countertops using irui unlike the ruling of Mishnah Berurah 451:114 who require an
even m’lubenes. Can you please point me to the logic or source for rejecting this
opinion?
Shulchan Aruch 451:20 says that tables should be kashered via irui kli rishon.
However, Mishnah Berurah 451:114 questions this ruling because occasionally a hot
davar gush (solid food) of chametz might be placed onto the table, and we are
machmir for those opinions that davar gush has the status of a kli rishon such that irui
kli rishon would not be a sufficient kashering. Based on this question, Mishnah
Berurah recommends that tables be kashered via irui kli rishon using an even
m’lubenes so as to bring the level of kashering closer to that of a true kli rishon.
Based on this, you wondered why our kashering guide says that a table can be
kashered via a mere irui kli rishon and makes no note of an even m’lubenes. The
answer to your question requires a deeper understanding of the halacha of “rov
tashmisho”, as follows:
Shulchan Aruch 451:6 rules that – if a utensil is aino ben yomo – the method of
kashering is determined by looking at the primary way the utensil is used (rov
tashmisho) such that a table can be kashered via irui kli rishon because the primary
use of the table is not for a hot davar gush. Rema agrees that the letter of the law
follows Shulchan Aruch’s ruling, but says that the Ashkenazic custom is to be
machmir and choose a method of kashering that even suffices for the secondary uses
(miut tashmisho) of the utensil. Accordingly, in the case of a table irui kli rishon isn’t
sufficient, and that is the basis for Mishnah Berurah’s question. 14 Since it is merely a
chumrah to be concerned with miut tashmisho, one is not required to follow that
chumrah in cases of b’dieved (as noted in the aforementioned Mishnah Berurah and
in Rema 451:6) or in cases where that will mean it is impossible to kasher the utensil
(see Sha’ar HaTziun 451:51, based in essence on the ruling of Rema YD 121:5).
Accordingly, if one were able to kasher their table or counter via irui kli rishon with
an even m’lubenes that would be the best way to kasher them, and in fact there are
some people who do this. However, for most of the public this suggestion is
impractical due to the (a) inability of many surfaces to withstand such heat and (b) the
difficulty in properly using a even m’lubenes over a large surface. Therefore, we treat
this situation as one where kashering based on miut tashmisho will mean that it is
impossible to kasher the utensil, and rely on the letter of the law that one may kasher
based on rov tashmisho (i.e. irui kli rishon without an even m’lubenes).
Counter Covers
36.
I am trying to bring a green element into the holiday as we are supposed to be helping
the planet. Do you have any recommendations for covering non-granite or stainless
14
In fact, Mishnah Berurah’s point is not actually true according to either Shulchan Aruch (who holds we
follow rov tashmisho) or Rema (who, in YD 94:7 & 105:3, holds that davar gush does not have the status
of kli rishon), but is based on a combination of the chumros of Rema regarding miut tashmisho and Issur
V’heter 36:7 and others who hold davar gush has a special status.
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steel counter tops instead of using plastic shelf or lining paper which is then discarded
into a landfill after the holiday?
Some people have Formica-type covers professionally made to cover their counters
for Pesach. Standard Formica is made of a very thin layer of laminate/plastic glued
to a thick piece of wood, and the special Pesach covers are made from the same
laminate glued to a thin piece of wood (to make it easier to maneuver and save from
year to year).
Dishwasher
37.
The cRc Pesach Guide says that one cannot kasher any dishwashers for Pesach, but
I’ve seen other publications which allow the kashering of stainless steel models.
Why are you taking such a strict stance?
The first step in kashering any item is to remove all residual chametz. With this in
mind, Rema 451:18 rules that any utensil which has small cracks and crevices where
food might get trapped should not be kashered for Pesach because of the difficulty in
getting the utensil perfectly clean. Our Guide presents the position of our Posek, Rav
Schwartz who holds that the racks, silverware holder, and drain/filter areas of a
dishwasher are classic examples of Rema’s ruling; since there is a concern that food
might be left in these areas, a dishwasher cannot be kashered for Pesach. Others hold
that Rema’s ruling is limited to strainers and other items that (a) have smaller and
many more holes and (b) come in direct contact with Pesach food.
Electric Blech
38.
Every Shabbos, I use an electric blech to keep my food warm. Can I use the same
one on Pesach?
An electric blech, a.k.a. hot plate or plata, used year round, likely came in contact
with chametz during the year and cannot realistically be kashered (as libun gamur is
required). The only way to use it for Pesach would be to clean it thoroughly, and
cover the top of it with a thick layer of aluminum foil before putting any pots or food
on.
Glass Stovetop
39.
My Rabbi suggested that the proper way to kasher a glass stovetop would be to:
 Clean and leave unused it for 24 hours.
 Cover with water while the stovetop is cold until there is a sheet of water on the
glass surface. 15
 Lay a sheet of heavy duty aluminum foil over the entire stove top loosely forming
a dome-like appearance, and put a crumbled ball of foil in the middle of the four
burners for support.
 Turn all the burners on and wait until you see the water start bubbling.
 Remove the tin foil to prevent potential cracking of the glass.
15
One way to do this is to apply the water with a spray bottle so their is no overflow.
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What is your opinion of this suggestion which is very different than your
recommendation?
Unfortunately, we cannot agree to this creative suggestion because:
 It assumes hag’alah is effective on glass, when in fact at least libun kal is required.
 It is not clear that the suggested method will actually be successful in getting
boiling water on all surfaces, or will just result in pockets or puddles of boiling
water with other surfaces unaffected.
 One may not kasher if there is a fear that the process will break the utensil (as the
person will be reticent to continue the kashering until completion - see Shulchan
Aruch 451:1), and that is plainly the case if one covers this type of stovetop with
foil and turns on the burners.
See the cRc 2012 Passover Guide for Rav Schwartz’s suggestion for how one should
kasher (part of) a glass stovetop and use it on Pesach.
Granite
40.
Why is there a difference of halachic opinion as to whether granite tabletops and
countertops can be kashered?
It is well established that stone can be kashered (see Shulchan Aruch 451:8) and one
would therefore imagine that all Rabbis would agree that granite can be kashered.
However, granite is commonly sealed with a synthetic coating so at to prevent
staining, and there is a difference of opinion as to whether that coating can be
kashered. Some Rabbis follow the opinion that synthetic materials cannot be
kashered and therefore rule that sealed-granite cannot be kashered. [A subset of this
group is that some Rabbis follow this strict opinion for Pesach but not when
kashering from non-kosher to kosher.] The cRc and most other hashgachos accept
the lenient opinion that synthetics may be kashered and therefore our Pesach Guide
provides directions for how granite and other sealed stone surfaces can be kashered.
For more on the question of whether synthetics can be kashered, you may want to see
Iggeros Moshe O.C. II:92 & III:58, Tzitz Eliezer IV:6:3, and Minchas Yitzchok III:67.
Kedairah Blech
41.
Is it possible to kasher a kedairah blech for Pesach?
Yes, it can be kashered with hag’alah. 16 The kedairah blech, a.k.a. the “un-blech”,
has two parts, a pan and a cover. The first step is to clean the pan and the cover
thoroughly, and not use them for 24 hours. The pan should then be kashered by
filling it with water and bringing that water to a rolling boil. The top 17 of the cover
(i.e. the side which comes in contact with the pots) must be submerged into boiling
16
Although people may put dry chametz foods (e.g. challah) directly onto the kedairah blech, the blech’s
pan is filled with water and therefore libun gamur is not required.
17
This is because the hag’alah water must come in contact with the side of the utensil which had contact
with the chametz (see Shulchan Aruch 451:1-2).
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water. One possible way to do this would be by placing the cover upside down in the
pan as it is filled with water, which is brought to a rolling boil (as described above).
Paper Towel Dispenser
42.
I have a free-standing paper towel dispenser on my kitchen counter all year round.
Can I use it for Pesach?
Yes, just clean it thoroughly and put on a new roll of paper towels.
Pot Used for Kashering
43.
Is it necessary to kasher meat utensils in a meat pot and dairy utensils in a dairy pot?
No. The only requirements for the kashering pot are that it be clean and not have
been used for 24 hours. Once those requirements have been met, you may kasher any
dishes in it regardless of whether they or the pot were previously used for kosher,
non-kosher, dairy, meat, chametz or Pesach. Some have a minhag to have a
designated “kashering pot” which is used for nothing else aside from kashering;
families with this custom should continue to follow it.
Rotisserie
44.
I’ve been told that the spits/poles/skewers in a rotisserie oven can be kashered with
libun kal from kosher meat to pareve. If so, can I do the same when kashering from
chametz to Pesach, since chametz is also kosher?
No, libun gamur is required to kasher the skewers from chametz use for Pesach,
because the halacha is that chametz is viewed as being “issurah” as relates to Pesach
(while kosher meat is considered “hetairah”). 18 [The rest of the rotisserie chamber,
can be kashered with libun kal regardless of whether it was used for kosher, nonkosher, chametz or anything else].
Sink Insert
45.
My sink is porcelain, so it cannot be kashered, and therefore for Pesach I will wash
dishes etc. in an “insert” that I put into my sink. Does the insert have to cover all
interior surfaces of the sink?
No, but you should be careful to never put Pesach food, Pesach dishes, or any hot
liquids into the space between the insert and the sink.
18
See Shulchan Aruch 451:4 and Mishnah Berurah 451:28. Since libun gamur is not practical in most
situations, some people are careful to only use kosher for Pesach items in their rotisserie oven all year
round so they will not have to deal with kashering it for Pesach. If one did not make a special effort to be
careful in this regard, they must assume they did use the oven with chametz at some point during the year
(see Rema 451:10 & 27).
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Urn
46.
I have an electric urn which I use all year for heating hot water. Do I have to kasher it
before I use it for Pesach?
Rav Schwartz said that if it is the type of urn which is not brought to the table, is
never used for anything but heating hot water, and is not washed with chametz items,
it may be used for Pesach without kashering. If it is small enough to be brought to
the table, is used to heat other beverages, you ever warm challah or other food on top
of it for Shabbos, or you clean it with vinegar (to remove calcium buildup) or with the
chametz dishes, then it should not be used for Pesach without kashering.
Warming Drawer
47.
My wife uses our warming drawer every night to keep the food warm until I come
home from the office, and we’d really like to kasher it for Pesach. How should I
kasher it if it cannot get hotter than about 200° F?
The simplest way to heat the warming drawer to the required temperature is to light
one can of the type of canned fuel used to heat chafing dishes (e.g. Sterno cans) in the
warming drawer. Make sure to leave the door of the warming drawer slightly ajar, so
that there will be enough air to allow for combustion. 1 of the 7-8 ounce sized cans
should be adequate to heat an average sized warming drawer to libun kal
temperatures for about 2 hours. As with all kashering, before you begin, the warming
drawer must be thoroughly cleaned and not used for 24 hours.
Water Filter
48.
Do we need a new Brita water filter for Pesach or can we just clean the pitcher and
put a new filter cartridge in?
The pitcher should be cleaned well on the inside and outside, because it is used all
year round at meals where chametz is served, and it would be commendable to use a
new filter cartridge for Pesach. [Placing your “chametz” cartridge in water for
Pesach will allow you to reuse it after Pesach]. There is no need for a hot kashering
of the pitcher.
THE SEDER
Oat Matzah
49.
When eating the oat matzos is there any difference in regard to how much one must
eat or is the shiur the same as with wheat matzos?
In theory, the shiur for hand oat matzah is the same as for hand matzos made of wheat,
whole wheat, spelt or any of the other grains suitable for matzah. However, it is
worth noting that the shiur of matzah given in the 2012 cRc Passover Guide is based
on Kol Dodi Hagadah, which assumes the person is using hand matzos of average
thickness. If one were to use matzos that were noticeably thinner than the average
(e.g. Chareidim brand hand matzos), they would be required to eat a larger piece of
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matzah than the shiur given in our guide, and if the matzah was noticeably thicker
than average they could eat less.
I do not have specific knowledge of how thick the oat matzos you are using are, but
past experience with whole wheat and spelt matzos leads me to suspect that your
matzos are likely thicker than average, in which case you can use the shiur given in
the 2012 cRc Passover Guide (or even eat a bit less). The only way to know for sure
would be for you or someone else to make a determination of whether your matzos
are thin, average or thick.
SHABBOS
& YOM TOV
Hand Sanitizer
50.
May I use hand sanitizer on Shabbos and Yom Tov?
Rav Schwartz said that using a hand sanitizer such as Purell on Shabbos and Yom Tov
is no different than using liquid soap; Iggeros Moshe (OC I:113) holds that this is not
permissible, but many Poskim 19 hold that it is permitted. Rav Schwartz accepts this
latter approach.
Non-Jewish Guests
51.
May a non-Jew be invited over to eat a meal on Yom Tov?
No. On Yom Tov, one may cook (and do certain other melachos) for a Jew, but it is
forbidden to do melacha for a non-Jew. Therefore, Chazal forbade one from inviting
a non-Jew to eat at one’s house on Yom Tov even if the food is all cooked from before
Yom Tov, because they were afraid the host might forget himself and cook something
for the non-Jewish guest. 20 [This prohibition does not apply on Shabbos when Jews
are not permitted to cook for anyone and are not likely to mistakenly cook for a guest].
MISCELLANEOUS
Certified Bread on Pesach
52.
Why do I see fresh-baked bread with a cRc in the supermarket on Pesach?
Chametz owned by a Jew on Pesach is not kosher and would not be certified as
kosher by the cRc or any other reputable Hechsher. There are three possible
explanations for what you’re seeing in the supermarket:
 The bakery which manufactures the bread is owned by non-Jews.
19
See Shemiras Shabbos K’hilchaso 14:16. Hand sanitizers and hand soaps contain fragrances which do
impart a pleasant smell to the person’s hand, but Rav Schwartz said that most Poskim follow Chacham Tzvi
92 who (argues on Taz 511:8 and) holds this doesn’t pose a concern.
20
Shulchan Aruch 512:1.
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 The bakery is owned by Jews year-round, but is sold in its entirety to non-Jews
for Pesach. To avoid such sales from being absolute shams, most hashgachos
will only allow this if special conditions are included in the sale (e.g. the non-Jew
is actually paid the profits the bakery earns over Pesach).
 The bread was sold to the supermarket before Pesach, and they froze or otherwise
stored the bread for sale on Pesach.
A 4th possibility is that the bakery is usually kosher-certified, but is owned by a Jew
and manufactured the bread on Pesach, and the company agreed to leave the cRc
symbol off of the packaging for the duration of Pesach. In such cases, the
hechsher does not actually appear on the label, and a Rabbi verifies that the company
complies with its agreement. After Pesach consumers should be careful to purchase
only those packages which bear the kosher symbol.
Ethanol as Fuel
53.
If ethanol may be made from chametz and one is not allowed to own or benefit from
chametz, does that mean that I shouldn’t use ethanol to fuel my car on Pesach?
You may use ethanol to fuel your car on Pesach because:
 In the United States, the overwhelming majority of that type of ethanol is
produced from corn, which is kitnios (and one is permitted to own and benefit
from kitnios on Pesach).
 In the United States, ethanol is rarely used as a fuel in a pure state. Rather, it is
mixed with 15-90% gasoline, 21 and the gasoline mixed in renders the fuel
completely inedible (‫ )נפסל מאכילת כלב‬such that it is permissible to own and
benefit from it on Pesach.
Mechiras Chametz
54.
How can one sell liquor and prescription medicines to a non-Jew in a mechiras
chametz, if the Illinois law is that the sale of those items requires a special license?
The Poskim discuss similar questions regarding other parts of the mechiras chametz
(i.e. transfer of real estate or stocks), and rule that the mechirah is valid because they
understand that local governments do not restrict small private sales of this sort,
especially if they are done for religious purposes.
21
Much of the gasoline sold in the Unites States contains not more than 10% ethanol (which is what a
standard car engine can make use of), and specially built engines can handle fuels that contain 85% ethanol
(known as E85). Even in other countries where there are engines built to use “pure” ethanol, other
additives are put into the fuel; one would have to investigate whether those additives render the ethanol
inedible.
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Salt in a Pesach Project
55.
A teacher wanted to know what to do since she accidentally glued salt with iodine
into the kids’ Haggados (on the karpas page). Should she tear out the page?
There are a few reasons why there is no need to worry. Firstly, even if the glue
doesn’t render the salt inedible, this case may qualify as “‫”יחדו לישיבה‬, a halacha
which states that under specific situations, there is no prohibition to own chametz
which is designated for non-food use, even if the chametz remains edible. For more
on those halachos, see Shulchan Aruch 442:9. In addition, the iodine in salt is not
inherently chametz but rather is not used for Pesach (without special Pesach
certification) because it is typically mixed with starch which may be chametz. The
starch is surely batel b’shishim into the salt, and therefore we l’chatchilah wouldn’t
eat iodized salt on Pesach without special certification, but there’s nothing wrong
with owning such a product.
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