Rabbi Moshe Bloom

INSTITUTE

BY RABBI MOSHE BLOOM www.toraland.org.il/en

Matzah From Other Grains Than Wheat

In recent years, bakeries started selling matzah from various types of flour, such as oats and rye. Do they have the same halachic status, or should one try to eat wheat matzah?

In the late 1980s, bakeries in England began producing kosherfor-Pesach matzah from oats (Avena), specifically for celiac patients. Today oats are cultivated in England under the supervision of the Badatz of Manchester.

What are the halachic discussions connected to non-wheat matzah?

The status of grains that cannot become leavened

The oats cultivated in England are a unique strain with especially low gluten content, more so than other oat strains. While oats are considered one of the

five types of grains which can become leavened, due to the unique characteristics of this strain, the dough does not become leavened. What is the halachic status of such wheat? For a dough to be considered kosher matzah, does the actual dough have to be capable of leavening or is it sufficient that the general species it belongs to can become leavened?

Identification of the five grains

Another reason for the doubt regarding whether one can fulfil the obligation of eating matzah on the Avena oats produced in England is the question whether they, indeed, are considered one of the five grains. Most rabbies think Shibolet Shu’al is Avena, but some identifit with dura, sorghum flour; doublecolumned barley, or other identifications.

Other types of grain that leaven quickly

The Maharil holds that the

primary mitzvah involves taking wheat, since it is the only grain whose identity the Sages did not dispute. His opinion is quoted by the Rama (OC §453) as follows: “These are what one may fulfill the obligation of matzah: with wheat, barley, spelt, oats, and rye, and the custom is to optimally take wheat (Maharil).” Some say that other grains besides wheat become chametz in less than 18 minutes, and some say that wheat which is listed first in the Mishna, is preferable for the mitzvah.

Conclusion

The heter for those with Celiac to eat oat matzah (for matzat mitzvah on seder night) should not be seen as heter for the general public. For the full article with all sources, see www.toraland.org.il