Pesach Shorts [Part 2] (Kosher Anthology 52)

·30 min·3 clips

Rabbi Cohen explains why alfalfa sprouts are forbidden on Passover despite the sprout itself being technically permissible.

The episode is part two of a Passover shorts series, structured around three distinct topics. It begins with a discussion of alfalfa, explaining that while the mature plant is inedible, its sprouts are consumed. The Chazon Ish argued alfalfa sprouts should be considered kitniyos because the seed resembles other beans, but the Mishnah Berurah disagreed, noting it wasn't historically eaten. Rabbi Cohen mentions a tangential point about chlorophyll derived from alfalfa versus silkworms. The second topic is fenugreek. He clarifies that the term 'kitniyos' has a specific halachic definition from Hilchot Brachos, referring to foods where only the seed is eaten. While some poskim like the Chazon Ish consider fenugreek kitniyos, the Rama excludes spices like anise and coriander because they aren't eaten alone, a logic extended to fenugreek. The third and longest section addresses the minhag of not selling chametz gamur. He outlines the historical development of mechiras chametz from individuals selling leftover items to non-Jews to the modern rabbi-mediated communal sale. The core issue is that modern sales often don't physically remove chametz from Jewish property. The Aruch HaShulchan is cited as a source for this minhag, permitting reliance on such sales only for those in the whiskey business or for items not classified as chametz gamur. Chametz gamur is defined from the Gemara as either incompletely fermented grain or a mixture with more than 50% chametz. Rabbi Cohen then categorizes a list of approximately 100 food items. This includes foods with no chametz concerns (e.g., popcorn), definite chametz gamur (e.g., bread), items requiring ingredient checks (e.g., ice cream), products assumed chametz-free in the US (e.g., distilled vinegar), whiskey, and items dependent on processing (e.g., non-Passover matzah). He notes variations in practice, such as some extending the minhag to exclude any chametz content.

As heard by us

A practical tour of alfalfa, sprouts, and the edge cases of mechiras chametz.

This episode moves from alfalfa and alfalfa sprouts into the rules and customs around mechiras chametz before Pesach, keeping the focus on practical questions about what can be sold, destroyed, or set aside.

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Why you'd press play

When Pesach cleanup gets messy, this is the halacha walk-through that reaches for the pantry.

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