By Sholom Ber
As we approach Pesach, with the rush of getting everything together, the expenses, and more, I ask – what is, and what is not necessary?
This is when the question of Chumres comes to my mind. There has been much discussion about this topic, because so many people have different ideas as to the allowed Pesach diet. Many Chumres seem to go beyond logic, and therefore are opposed by others.
To our spouses who have not been brought up with these Chumres: Some question if it’s right to impose on them. We all admit, there is Halacha and there are Chumres, and there is no Mitzvah to make things difficult for others, especially our spouses, with Chumres that are a stretch.
These are good arguments; however there is one more point that can be brought to this discussion.
As time goes by we see great advancements in Yiddishkeit, but together with that we see the Soton in high gear, with the challenges he puts in our way and especially in the way of our youth. We all need the strength to grow and to maintain our connection to Chassidishkeit, but with such a strong tyrant it is sometimes not so easy.
There are all sorts of arguments. What is wrong with this and what is wrong with that? Is this against Halacha and is that against Halacha, and it goes on from there. Whether it is in our clothing or in what music we listen to or what level of Kashrus we follow. There are many Hanhogos that as far as Halacha is concerned are OK, however it is just ‘not our way.’
On Pesach we know that one of the points of Shmura Matzah is Michla D’Hemnuso, it gives us a dose of Emuna for the whole year. It can be said that the other Chumres that we participate in on Pesach have a positive effect on our Chassidishkeit for the coming year. As far as what is Chumra and what is Shtus, when we go out of our way on Pesach, it is Shtus D’kedusha.
As for Halacha, all the products available today, the coffee and cake in the morning and the Tropicana orange juice and Pesach at a hotel are certainly Kosher L’mehadrin. However there is the story with the Rebbe Rashab, “es is altz fine un gut ober nit far esen” (it is all fine and good but not for eating).
As for conducting our Pesach with all or part of the Chumres, there are two ways to achieve the very same thing, one that imposes it on our spouses and family, and one that invites their support or their participation.
Let us take a deeper look at Pesach and let’s add an 8 day dosage of Shtus D’Kdusha, that can have an effect and give us the strength for the rest of the year, and may we be Zoche to the Geula now with the Hisgalus of Moshiach.
A Kosher and Fralichen Pesach.
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A Mashpia that COLlive’s consults with has asked to note the following:
Something that is a tradition in Chabad is certainly not a Shtus. Something that a family did or did not do as a result of not being able to have it on Pesach (like those whose family would not eat certain peal-able vegetables because they were unavailable when their grandparents made Pesach), would fall into the category of “Shtus Di’kdusha”, since the only reason it is being followed is in order to have a home permeated with a feeling and sense of “Ze’hirus”, or extra careful, to celebrate the Yom Tov. “Ze’hirus” also means in English “shine”. These extra things – although unnecessary according to the strictest Halacha – bring an added “shine” into the home.
why do you think it is a chumra to buy processed Food?? where does that idea come from?? definately not Torah or
Halacha what is your source??your doing exactly what u told#53 not to do and that is make up chumros and call it Torah.
it is assolutely not true what u say, and I just asked a competeant Rabbi to verify that , about things that r processed in a factory being more mehudar is absolutely False
I call you Miss Hippy because you said, “we can do very well and eat much healthier by making whatever we can ourselves and stop looking for heterim to buy yet another processed food” You try and come up with alternative reasons, or incentives, for being frum (as snags do) rather than for the sole reason of serving HaShem. That is why I call you Miss Hippy–don’t make people eat the way you want, than claim HaShem demands it. Look up in Halacha what I said, rather than casting it aside with no basis. Food made before Yom Tov is… Read more »
everything in moderation!!
i was approach sefirah let us all remember that rabbi akiva’s students all passed away because they did not respect each other and their opinions so let us all respect each others opinions and not bash anyone who does not do the same thing that you do
Pesach chumros are not about common sense, their about family tradition!
cuz the amount of oil people pour compared to the minimal amount of shmaltz I will use for 20 or mor ee people per meal is a fraction of what the oil users will be pouring .thats for sure
on the one hand you say not to used processed foods on the other hand you say there is nothing wrong with using OJ, oil…. make up your mind
Im old enough probably to be your mother maybe even grandmother and I said that we eat much healthier on Pesach because we don’t eat additives and food color … which is true Im just stating a fact not anything to do with religionand how can u be so idiotic and say the food u make in your house is lower standards than the foof manufactured or processed in a plant where goyim, and machinery and all other things that we have no control over come to be.. At home you cleaned and koshered or in my case I have… Read more »
u r so wrong, why do people avoid processed foods then??
Important Chumra: Don’t keep Mr. Clean and Lady
fingers in the same closet… It’s yichud.
Garlic is brought in the Pri Megodim as forbidden, but he adds that he doesn’t know the reason.
“Some communities use only “unwashed eggs” to avoid this problem”
Unwashed eggs may be worse, because the chickens lay them in coops full of grain
who knows the minhaag why chabad doesnt use it? they both can be peeled?
Belgium endives are NOT “endives” – they are an unrelated species and cannot be used for morror or chazeres. Romain lettuce is infested and one who uses them is likely also ingesting bugs which carries several issurim. The only way to use them is to only use the smooth white stem of each leaf, and discarding the rest of leaf. This isn’t a chumrah but an issur d’oraysa!! Further, it would invalidate the mitzvah of morror (a mitzvah cannot be done with an averah). In our community people are not up-to-date with the rest of the frum world’s strict awareness… Read more »
Many do not realize that potatoes, carrots and eggs are processed through a washing cycle to remove derbis. They come without a hechsher to certify that no chometz or kitniyus was used in the process!
The water used (- hot, warm or cold?) can have unknown additives to loosen the dirt. The kelim could have been used for non-pessakdik uses, the workers could have chometz etc.
Some communities use only “unwashed eggs” to avoid this problem. We, who use no products are wilfully blind to this while we use potatoes, carrots and eggs without thinking.
No one should wear in the house shoes that they wore outside. Often gum and real chometz get stuck to the shoe bottom and it is brought into the house!!
All shoes worn outdoors must be left outside the front door to avoid contaminating your house with actual chometz!
This is not merely a “chumra” but an actual chashash that many communities keep. Keep outdoor shoes outside!!
Using “products” of matzas and wine “because we need to” is incorrect and dishonest, because then one would only use the bare minimum of them (some Litvish gedolim indeed only ate the bare minimum matzah for this very reason – the chashash chometz is greatest with Matzah). So if you use matzah and wine ONLY because you need to, then make sure not to drink it during the meal or during the rest of Yom Tov and no muntching on matzah besides when you “need to” for the mitzvah. Orange juice (not from concentrate) is pure 100%, no additives or… Read more »
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“Yisroel , my 2 cents for what its worth.
Chametz unlike other isurim is asur bemashehu it is not batel beshishim hence the reason for many chumros”
Unfortunately this logic is flawed because that is only ON Pesach but before Pesach chometz is bottul .So if you cook or bake something before Pesach any possible chometz in it will be bottul bshishim.
To Miss Hippy, People do not avoid packaged products because it’s unhealthy. So you desire for healthy eating shouldn’t be blamed on religion. Incidentally, it is much more chumradik to only use processed foods on pesach. Do NOT make anything at home. If you buy food, it’s obviously been made before pesach, so any possible chometz is m’vatel in shishim. But if you make food on pesach in your home (which beside the point has lower standers than the factories) and a drop of chometz falls in–it is a dover sh’yash lo materin. Not purchasing packed foods HAS ZERO CONTRIBUTION… Read more »
There is a difference between a minhag and a chumra, but if there is a minhag to be machmir then every chumra is considered a minhag, and you know what it says in pesachim about minhagim-even those that don’t make sense.
the chumros on pesach are redicilous.no where in jewish law are there so many chumros.and the toll it takes on people that have to prepare is apalling. know th reasons for the chumros and i refute them all.one little statement by the arizal and it makes people go crazy.there is a concept in halacha called ”m’nias simchas yom tov ” and thats a reason to be mekil.and thats rabbi nachmans reason for LAUGHING at unnessecary chumros even on pesach.
i keep to the basic chumros because thats our minhag but it makes no sense
happy pesach to all!
“Some of us don’t see them as chumros, they are our minhagim. We manage perfectly well without lettuce (we use endives for sedarim)”
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In general I see no problem with people taking on whatever chumros they want on Pesach, but on Gemara Pesachim 39a explains why this so called “chumra” is wrong. People who wish to do the mitzva in the best way should use Romaine Lettuce for Maror. Minhagim contrary to halacha should not be followed.
I think that the reason why the children go off the derech is not because of the chumros but, because of how they are presented to the children. when the parents talk to the children and explain to thenm the reasons why they keep this minhag and tell them with stories children can accept it and love it but when parents yell and there is stress on pesach and their is anger then the children say who needs all the chumros if there is anger and frustration. Remember Pesach is a yomtov to enjoy, and to be happy. We keep… Read more »
Chametz unlike other isurim is asur bemashehu it is not batel beshishim hence the reason for many chumros. One should not forget the Arizals saying that someone who is careful with regards to chametz is guaranteed not to sin the entire year. In other words not eating chametz or better said being careful with regards to chametz helps one out in the rest of the year. Of course if these chumros bring to going against clear dinim in other areas of Yiddishkeit then it is not a chumro but rather a kulo. So in my view while one should defintely… Read more »
rabbi hertz from London is a true talmid chochom, especially when it comes to hilchos pesach. i had the privilege of being by one of his shiurim a couple years ago, at which he challenged the audience as follows: tell me ANY chumra you have ever heard of regarding pesach and i will tell you the mekor (source) for it in Torah!!!! it was truly fascinating to see how one question after the other he answered with such fluidity of knowledge. iy”h this will give you a whole new approach..
Sooo, can someone who ‘really’ knows give us a psak about eating lettuce during Pesach, obviously AFTER the sedorim have passed?? Its been an ongoing ”issue”for years now, and no one seems to have a clear answer?? It would be much appreciated by many of us. . . maybe COL can find out for us. . . please??
if you are not into chumros, thats ok, but on pesach, i think every chumra is important. if you are just starting, start out slow but remember you can never have enough chumros on pesach (just think of all the weight you’ll lose!!!!!)
dont we wash and check lettuce really well all year round?!?!?!? why only pesach do we have to eat bugless and dirtless lettuce
with the fact that most things that are customs arenot loigical or halachic. It is a holiday of TRADITiON. We do things because it is traditional – whether in your family, or shetel. Squeeze oranges to make juice not becuase the store-bought is less kasher, but becuase that’s what we’ll do for eight days as a tradition. Take the edge and OCD angle off and enjoy the different experience for eight days just becuase that’s the flavor iof things for eight days.
Are you so addicted to chocolate cookies & cakes that you can’t live without it for a few days?On average you’re paying 6 or $7 for a box of terrible tasting pesach cookies & more for cakes why? what is wrong with fruits .As for commercial Oj home made especially when mixed with other juices are great.If I had the time etc.I would do it all year round. There are some chumros that are probably too much such as boiling the sugar! those that unfortunately go off the derech don’t do so because of Pesach as for the lukshen from… Read more »
to 12:
Lubavitch stopped using ginger and cinnamon in the Charoses (after coming to the USA) because they wee only available in manufactured form, and this is mentioned in the Rebbes Haggada as a new Minhag of Lubavitch.
to 24:
The Alter Rebbe prefers romaine lettuce as the first choice for Morror, and he lists endives as a non-preferred choice for Marror, so based on that, romaine lettuce must be used if available
I wonder where people come off calling Chumras on Pesach Shtus? It is clear from so many Poskim starting from the Geonim who Asserd eating Kitniyos to the Shulchan Aruch which Assers eating Mustard and the Pri-Megadim who Assers Garlic, and the Tzemach Tzedek who Asserd Mashke, that even Chumras that make no sense and have no real reason MUST be kept by the children of those who took upon themselves these Chumras because of Minhag Avoseihem. This is not Shtus, this is binding Minhag Yisroel based on Poskim and most importantly the Arizal as brought by the Alter Rebbe… Read more »
Pesach cannot be observed without wine and matzoh. Therefore many households have a tradition to make an exception and allow them even though they are processed. It is obvious that this exception doesn’t apply to all foods.
Similarly, for those who have a tradition to only use peelable produce, lettuce is the single exception, by necessity, because it is traditionally used for maror.
Just a side note: most of these chumros have no halachic or logical basis but are followed as family tradition. You don’t ask questions on a story.
If only we took the rest of the year as serious as Pesach.
He wouldn’t eat sugar on Pesach, one time a chossid who had a sugar factory made special sugar for the Rebbe. He watched the whole process. He brought it to the Rebbe and explained that he carefully watched it and the Rebbe can now use sugar on Pesach. The Rebbe took out one cube and rubbed it between his two fingers and when all the sugar was rubbed away a kernel of wheat remained in his hands. You can never be to careful, better to stay away from all the kosher lepesach products unless really necessary. My grandfather when he… Read more »
I’m pretty certain that it was R’ Hirschprung o’h (former chief rabbi of Montreal QC, and if it wasn’t him, please zayt mihr moychel), who when asked about all these Kashrus chumroys, replied that hallevay that people would be so machmir about what comes out of their mouths as they are about what goes in. Chumroys are beautiful on people who are otherwise careful in Torah observance and their middoys, but appear ugly and hypocritical in those who are not.
Is he justifying his own mishegassen, or trying to say the rest of us are crazy for holding by “chumros”? Some of us don’t see them as chumros, they are our minhagim. We manage perfectly well without lettuce (we use endives for sedarim), dairy, or processed goods. No body starves & it’s amazing what I create using fresh, peeled ingredients & home-made gefilte fish, home made tomato sauce (great for meat, fish & chicken) & cracking my own almonds. Hard work, yes, but very rewarding.
Just for your info, the ou and ok come out with periodicals where thay list products which have a hechsher but ad some mistake. On Pesach we zahir B’mashehu, and the chumra of not eating processed foods make a lot sense.
the fact is that all the generations before us (including american) didn’t use processed products even though they purchased matzah and wine. don’t wake up in 2011 and turn your neck to your predecessors and especially with such a tone of ” it’s all okay!” as if they come from total stupidity
Here’s my take on this: don’t say “Did my Bube eat it”, say “Would my Bube eat it if she were here today?”and answer honestly.
“They are all ok”? Are you answering the community’s shaalos as well? You seem like a great Rov! – Please, before making comments like these check your details; everyone knows that Chabad, for generations, has not used these kinds of products. For practical reasons some need to be allowed, but there is a limit. If you want to use certain products, fine I would not judge your decision to break an age-old Chabad custom, I’m sure you have your reasons – but don’t spew forth your desires for “stuff” on pesach and potentially cause others to err. Caution is in… Read more »
if you don’t want to keep these chumros,that’s up to you but why can’t we respect each other’s honhagos? it seems tome that THAT is the true source of why so many are going off. as for a fifth shulchan orech,
common sense, bichlal these chumros are totally above reason.
the more processed food we buy, the more problems arise, we can do very well and eat much healthier by making whatever we can ourselves and stop looking for heterim to buy yet another processed food. I wish after pesach we’d eat as healthy as on Pesach, No additives, food coloring, soda, and chemicals just to mention a few things we can do without.
Trimming the beard is clearly an Issur Dairaissa according to the Tzemach Tzedek.Not eating cuckes isnt.
but that is because we have to, and true Matzah is the most problematic thing we buy, ( can have the most chometz)) BUT WHY DOES THAT ALLOW US TO JUST BUY ANY OTHER PRODUCTS OUT THERE?? ther is no need for us just to go buy all other products there is kosher L’pesach donuts, and pizza and what not just because its out there doesn’t mean we nedd it. Lets stick to buying what is essential otherwise there is no end.
In previous years we would buy romain lettuce and it would always be full of dirt and sand and crawling with bugs. It took hours to examine and clean! Now they make romaine that is power washed. Even though we still have to check it, it is so much cleaner that it is a much easier task!
When we use Romaine lettuce for the sedarim we carefuly check and thoroughly wash it if the same is done 4 the rest of the days it is ok but alot of hard work
Lettuce and cabbage is “peeled” by removing the outside leaves.
Most vegetables can be peeled – even celery, firm tomatoes, strawberries etc.
For those who don’t use “products”, I assume you make you own matzah and wine. After all, these are also products! Indded, matzah is the CLOSEST product to chometz and the most problematic product to use (compared to products that have no ingrediants that can ever be chometz).
And if wine is okay, so is grape juice. And if gj is ok, why not orange juice and oil and etc. In truth – they are ALL okay!!
I am sorry, but if someone does not want to eat something which grows from the ground and can be peeled simply becuase his Elter Bobba didn’t have it somewhere in Eastern Europe, there cannot be a greater SHTUS NOT Dikdusha than that. This is a typical “minhag” shel SHTUS that should have no place in home where common sense prevails.
in sefer haminhagim (source “The rebbes hagadah”) it sais the following?: התחל מבקר ע”פ עד אחרי כורך של סדר השני אין אוכלין מכל המינים הנכנסים בחרוסת ומרור, however see the Alte Rebbes shulchan aruch (תע”ב, יא-יב) where the alte rebbe writes, that the reason for not eating maror/lettuce is in order so that when you eat it by the sedarim you should have a desire for it!, [however not eating fruits, because it is in the Charoses, is no need since there is actually no need to eat the Charoses, rather just in order to drown out the taste of… Read more »
“It can be said that the other Chumres that we participate in on Pesach have a positive effect on our Chassidishkeit for the coming year. ” Who says that this naturally follows the idea of matzah being michla d’hemnusa???? Matza is the only food today that is a mitzvah aseh d’oraiysa! Yoru chumra of not eating chocolate is not. These corollaries are cute, but just because you made them up does not mean they are true. a chosid once said to me “it minhag chabad to have a seperate oven”. When i asked a chasidishe rov, he laughed “do you… Read more »
Apparently, you are trying to justify your excessive Chumros by finding a “vort” from the Rashab.
Please take a moment to think about the chumros that you keep. Can you find a reason for them, or are you afraid to go near them because when you were growing up your mother would have had a heart attack if you didn’t keep them?
Just because someone is chabad and he has chumrahs doesn’t mean they are chabad chumrah and may very well be “shtus”.
Please post Rabbi Heller’s article from a previous year.
who said you can make salads from the lettuce used at the seder? what is the practice among the scrupulous?
Who said you can’t eat lettuce during pesach? The same romain lettuce that we eat during the seder can be used for making salads after the sedarim
The Rebbe once mentioned that if you shine a button too much it loses it’s shine. Chumros are only good when they are grounded in Halacha. Otherwise, they are “Shtus” and NOT Dikdusha. There is a famous “Viduy” from Reb Nissim Gaon where he says “את אשר אסרת התרתי, ואת אשר התרת אסרתי, את אשר הקלת החמרתי ואת אשר החמרת הקלתי” (What You have prohibited – I have permitted, what You have permitted – I have prohibited. When You were Machmir I was Meikel, When You were Meikel I was Machmir). The famous question is, why do we have to… Read more »
why you cannot have lettuce during Pesach, if it is OK to eat it for the Sedorim
RAbbi Heller shlita once wrote a psak on this that really made sense..nobody is making light of chumros-but m’darf hubben a fiften shulchan oruch as well.using.a little of the common sense that Hashem gave us will go a long way toward making yom tov special for all… l