B"H
Due to the upcoming Pesach festivities, midrashic musings are taking a break until at least Chol Hamo'ed (when I hope to catch up with Parshat Tzav before the usual weekly readings resume). In the meantime, I am pleased to welcome this guest post by Aviva Dagim, which some of you may remember from three years ago when the infamous 'Potatoes are Kitniyot' rulings of Rabbis Karpas and Kartoffelman were first published.*
Chag kasher v'sameach!
RPT
*We since understand that Yishuv correspondent Yossi Ben-Ze'ev cited in the original piece has just gotten engaged. Mazal tov :-)
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Latest Rabbinical Upset - Potatoes blacklisted as 'Kitniyot'
by Aviva Dagim - first published on www.ynet.com/010409
Israelis and Ashkenazim worldwide were stunned today by the ruling that potatoes are from now on to be classified as 'kitniyot'. The psak, published by Rav Pesach Karpas and Rav Yoni 'Iain' Kartoffelman (original of Giffnock, Glasgow), states that there has been widespread anxiety for several years over the large number of Passover 'cakes', 'biscuits', 'cereals' and even 'vodka' made with potato derivatives such as potato 'flour', which could confuse the unwary into thinking these products were made with real chametz. The Rabbis cited Osem's range of microwavable cakes as one example of this worrying trend, pointing out that 'in practice, there is very little difference taste-wise between Osem's year-round chametzdig cakes and their potato-and-matza meal range manufactured for Passover'.
Rav Karpas also highlighted concerns that potatoes could become
cross-contaminated with chametz, due to the latest trend for re-usable
multipurpose flour and potato sacks out of respect for the environment.
Rav Kartoffelman, meantime, cited earlier sources such as the Chaye Adam
in support of their decision to add potatoes to the list of 'kitniyot',
prohibited for consumption by all Ashkenazim (and certain Sephardic
communities to varying degrees).
As Sephardic dating agencies reported seeing a sudden surge in applications by ladies of Ashkenazic ancestry, the Jewish Vegetarian League were vociferous in their response to the ruling, complaining that this placed an unacceptable further restriction on Ashkenazi vegetarians over Passover 'at a time when they should be celebrating their freedom, not suffering under ever-heavier chains of oppression'.
The League also protested over health concerns for their representatives, particularly those for whom gluten intolerance already means matza-meal products are off the menu. However, Israeli responses to the League's concerns have been mixed. P.D. Terry Chumberg welcomed the ruling by Rabbis Karpas and Kartofellman, saying that this was 'the latest step towards recognition that, over this Festival of our Freedom, we can only truly relive the desert experience by eating a diet of pure matzah in memory of the manna on which we lived for forty years'.
Chumberg also referred to those who indulged in delicacies such as fish and cucumbers at Passover as 'apikorsim'. On the other hand, Yishuv commentator Yossi Ben-Ze'ev (originally of London, UK) had a more bracing message for Jewish vegetarians: 'Get over it, just eat lots of meat and you'll be fine.'
As Sephardic dating agencies reported seeing a sudden surge in applications by ladies of Ashkenazic ancestry, the Jewish Vegetarian League were vociferous in their response to the ruling, complaining that this placed an unacceptable further restriction on Ashkenazi vegetarians over Passover 'at a time when they should be celebrating their freedom, not suffering under ever-heavier chains of oppression'.
The League also protested over health concerns for their representatives, particularly those for whom gluten intolerance already means matza-meal products are off the menu. However, Israeli responses to the League's concerns have been mixed. P.D. Terry Chumberg welcomed the ruling by Rabbis Karpas and Kartofellman, saying that this was 'the latest step towards recognition that, over this Festival of our Freedom, we can only truly relive the desert experience by eating a diet of pure matzah in memory of the manna on which we lived for forty years'.
Chumberg also referred to those who indulged in delicacies such as fish and cucumbers at Passover as 'apikorsim'. On the other hand, Yishuv commentator Yossi Ben-Ze'ev (originally of London, UK) had a more bracing message for Jewish vegetarians: 'Get over it, just eat lots of meat and you'll be fine.'
The UK Office of the Chief Rabbi was unavailable for comment.
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