📋 Shiur Overview
Summary of Shiur — Rambam Hilchos Chametz U’Matzah, Chapter 5
General Overview of Chapter 5
The chapter has two main parts: (1) which things become chametz, and (2) how to guard against leavening (shemiras hamatzos, kneading, cooking, etc.). Interestingly, the Rambam has already been speaking for a long time about chametz in the previous chapters, but until now he has never defined what chametz actually is. Only now, in Chapter 5, does the definition come.
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Halacha 1 — The Five Species of Grain
The Rambam’s words: “What is chametz? The five species of grain: two types of wheat and three types of barley — wheat and spelt, barley and oats and rye.” Kitniyos — rice, millet, beans, lentils and the like — are not chametz. Even if one kneaded rice flour in boiling water and baked it, this is not chametz — this is called sirchon, not chimutz.
Explanation: Only the five species of grain can become chametz. Kitniyos, even when they rise, this is not chimutz but sirchon (spoilage).
Novel points:
– One could argue two things: (a) chametz means only chametz of bread made from grain, (b) perhaps there is a chametz of something else that is not grain. The Gemara rules that no — by kitniyos this is only sirchon, not chimutz.
– What can be matzah — that alone can become chametz. This is a principle that plays a role in the later halachos (as with cooking wheat/flour).
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Halacha 2 — Fruit Juice Does Not Leaven
The Rambam’s words: Fruit juice alone, without any water, cannot cause leavening. If it begins to swell, this is sirchon. Fruit juice includes: wine, milk, honey, olive oil, apples, pomegranates, and all other wines, oils, and liquids — everything except water. “As long as no water whatsoever is mixed in” — if even a drop of water is mixed in, it can become chametz.
Explanation: Only water makes chametz. Fruit juice alone — no. But any amount of water in fruit juice makes it capable of becoming chametz.
Novel points:
– The Ra’avad argues with the Rambam on this (mentioned but not elaborated).
– Scientific question: In natural fruits (like grape juice) there is also water present — but the natural water in the fruit is called fruit juice, not water. The bit of water that is part of the fruit is not considered “water” regarding chimutz.
– From this there is a stringency in practice: any amount of water — who knows that there isn’t any amount of water! It’s hard to be certain.
– When fruit juice is mixed into dough that already has water, there is a double dynamic: a little fruit juice makes it worse (hastens leavening), a lot of fruit juice makes it better (delays chimutz). This is the explanation of the halacha regarding oil — when there was already water, oil only helps if there’s enough.
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Halacha 3 — Cooking Wheat/Flour with Water
The Rambam’s words: Wheat that was cooked in water — complete chametz, when it splits and cracks. Flour that one makes into pancakes (latkes) and cooks — is complete chametz. But it is permitted to cook bread (already baked bread may be cooked), and it is permitted to cook grain/flour in fruit juice. When one has very boiling water and throws in flour, it is permitted from the basic law, because it cooks before it becomes chametz. But the custom is not to do so — a decree lest the water not be boiling well enough.
Explanation: Cooking wheat or flour with water makes chametz (when it splits open). Already baked items may be cooked. With fruit juice one may cook. Boiling water — from the basic law yes, but the custom is not to.
Novel points:
– Does wheat with water become chametz in one second? How fast does chimutz occur with cooking? The Rambam’s language “when it splits and cracks” shows that the sign of chametz is when it swells up — this is the definition of complete chametz by cooking.
– The entire matter of cooking wheat/flour is connected to the principle that only things from which one can make matzah can become chametz. One cannot cook matzah — one can only bake matzah. Therefore cooking wheat/flour with water is so problematic.
– Cooking the dough — one may not dip dough into boiling water, lest it come to chimutz. But already baked bread may be cooked, and already cooked things may be baked.
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Halacha 4-5 — Karmel (Roasted Kernels) and Mullin Kederos
The Rambam’s words: Karmel that was singed with fire — one does not cook its flour in water, lest it not have been roasted well enough in the fire. Also preparing new pots (new pots that were prepared with kernels) — one does not do on Pesach, even with roasted flour, lest it not have been roasted well.
Explanation: Karmel is flour from already roasted kernels. From the basic law one would be permitted to cook it (because it’s already baked/roasted), but we are concerned that it wasn’t roasted enough. The same with mullin kederos.
Novel points:
– This is a decree — lest it not have been roasted well enough. Even when one thinks it’s already done, we are concerned that it’s not enough.
– The principle is: with all things made with water, the heating makes it worse — it’s harder to be certain that it’s not chametz with kernels than with already finished products.
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Halacha Regarding a Cooked Dish in Which Barley/Wheat Was Found
The Rambam’s words: A cooked dish in which barley or wheat was found — if they split open, these are forbidden; if they did not split open, remove them and eat the rest.
Explanation: When one finds kernels in a cooked food — if they split open (nisvak’u), everything is forbidden because it’s a mixture of complete chametz. If not nisvak’u, one removes them and may eat the rest.
Novel points:
– The distinction between nisvak’u and not nisvak’u: Nisvak’u is complete chametz from the Torah, and the entire dish is forbidden. Not nisvak’u but cooked — this is only forbidden rabbinically, because it’s one of the levels of “close to splitting.”
– The basis of this rabbinic prohibition is the verse “u’shemartem es hamatzos” — Chazal learn “guard them from all sides of chimutz,” one must guard from all aspects of chimutz.
– Since it’s only rabbinic, therefore when it’s not nisvak’u one can remove the kernels and eat the rest — it doesn’t forbid the entire dish.
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Halacha Regarding Se’or (Sourdough/Starter)
The Rambam’s words: Se’or (sourdough) may not be cooked, because it hastens leavening — it becomes chametz very quickly. Whole wheat kernels may be cooked, because they don’t have the problem of se’or.
Explanation: Sourdough is stricter than whole kernels because it becomes chametz faster.
Novel points:
– With whole kernels one can rely on having thrown it immediately into boiling water.
– The sign of se’or: when one places it on a warm spot (the opening of an oven or bakery windows) and it produces a crack (split) — then it is already forbidden, because it’s close to becoming chametz.
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Halacha Regarding Custom — Cooking Wheat
The Rambam’s words: The custom is not to cook wheat, even when from the basic law it would be permitted. The custom was “in Shinar (Babylonia/Iraq) and in Eretz HaTzvi (Eretz Yisrael) and in Spain and in the Western lands (Morocco/Maghreb)”.
Novel points:
– In an earlier halacha the custom was only “in Shinar and Spain and all the West,” and here is added Eretz HaTzvi (Eretz Yisrael) — the custom spread.
– The Rambam writes “all of Israel” — the question is asked: does he mean literally all of Israel including Ashkenazim? Or does he mean all Jews who live in those places (Sephardic/Mizrachi communities)? It seems likely that he means all Jews in those regions, not only Sephardim.
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Halachos of “U’shemartem Es HaMatzos” — Guarding the Grain from Water
The Rambam’s words: From the verse “u’shemartem es hamatzos” Chazal learn that one must be careful that grain (wheat and the like) should not come into contact with water.
Explanation: One must guard the grain from water so it should not become chametz. Even when it has not yet swelled, there is already a rabbinic concern.
Novel points:
– If grain fell into a river — it became soaked with water — one may not keep it (for Pesach). One must sell it to a Jew and tell him to eat it before Pesach. If one sells it to a non-Jew, one must sell only a little, to be certain that he will finish it before Pesach — because the non-Jew can sell it back to a Jew who might eat it on Pesach.
– Question: Why must one worry about what the non-Jew does with it? The Jew who buys has a responsibility to know what he’s buying! Answer: One cannot see on the chametz that it became wet — it’s not noticeable. Therefore one must tell him, because he cannot know it himself.
Major Investigation: Two Meanings of “Shemirah”
1. Shemirah from the side of chametz — guarding that it should not become chametz (getting wet and the like). This is a rabbinic stringency that applies to all matzos — not only matzah shel mitzvah. This is implied from the Mishnah and the Rif, where no distinction is mentioned between matzah shel mitzvah and regular matzah.
2. Shemirah for the sake of the mitzvah — actually standing and guarding lishmah, like “matzah shemurah.” This only applies to the kezayis matzah shel mitzvah that one eats at night.
– Proof for this distinction: In Sefer HaMitzvos one sees that “shemurah” has nothing to do with guarding from becoming chametz, but rather with lishmah. But in Chapter 8 of the Rambam it states that at night one needs specifically matzah shemurah for the kezayis — implying that there are both matters.
– Proof from the Gemara: “Doughs of non-Jews” — one makes marks (signs) and watches them for a final kezayis matzah. This implies that there is a matter of lishmah, not only of chametz.
– Conclusion: The shemirah from the side of chametz (that it should not get wet) is only lechatchilah, bedieved it’s not me’akev. The shemirah for the sake of the mitzvah is specifically for matzah shel mitzvah. The simple custom is that one only watches the matzah shel mitzvah lishmah, not all matzos. But the Rambam here implies that one must watch all matzos from the side of chametz. [Note that this needs to be clarified further, as the Maggid Mishneh says.]
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Halachos of Kneading — How to Knead Matzos
The Rambam’s words: Not in the sun and not in water heated by the sun, but rather in water that rested overnight. And one should not knead with hot water.
Explanation: One does not bake matzos with hot water — not water heated by fire and not water heated by the sun. One uses only water that rested overnight.
Novel points:
– “Hot water” — what is the measure? “Hot water” doesn’t mean just warm, but actually hot — yad soledes bo. This is the measure of “hot” in this context.
– “Water heated by the sun” — hot from the sun, not from fire. The distinction between water heated by the sun and water heated by fire is also known in the laws of Shabbos.
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Halacha: Not Kneading Under the Sun
The Rambam’s words: And not under the sun in the open — one should not knead under the sun.
Novel points:
– Why not under the sun? Not because of moisture, but because of heat. The principle is “a cloudy day is entirely sun” — even a cloudy day has sun, because the clouds spread the sun’s heat evenly. But under the sun in the open the heat is too strong.
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Halacha: Not Leaving the Dough Alone
The Rambam’s words: And do not leave the dough until you return to work it — you should not leave the dough alone.
Explanation: One may not go away from the dough.
Novel points:
– If one woman is both the kneader and the baker: She needs two vessels with water — one “to remove with it” (to remove bits of dough from the hands so they won’t become sticky), and a second vessel of cold water.
– Why two vessels? Because her hands become warm from proximity to the fire/oven, and the water in the vessel near the fire also becomes hot. Therefore one needs a separate vessel of cold water to cool the hands, and a second vessel for the removal (taking off dough).
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Halacha: Shiur Challah — Not Making a Large Dough
The Rambam’s words: One should not make more than the measure of challah — in thirds and quarters and fifths.
Explanation: He brings the measure of challah because he said earlier one should not make a large dough (lest it become chametz), therefore one needs to know what the measure is.
Novel points:
– The Rosh brings that “on Pesach a large dough lest it become chametz” — on Pesach one doesn’t make a large dough. This also comes from “u’shemartem es hamatzos.”
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Halacha: As Long as One Works with the Dough — There Is No Chimutz
The Rambam’s words: As long as a person works with the dough, even all day, there is no chimutz in it. If he raised his hand and left it, and it remained in the dough until one hears a sound when a person strikes it with his hand — this is chametz. If it remained the time of walking a mil — they are obligated.
Explanation: As long as one kneads/works with the dough, it doesn’t become chametz. If one stopped and the dough makes a resonant sound when one strikes it — it’s chametz. If one waited the time of walking a mil — obligated.
Novel points:
– The sound: It doesn’t mean just any knock, but a resonant sound — like a hollow-sounding strike, which shows that the dough has swelled inside.
– “The time of walking a mil” — this is the measure for chimutz.
– If there were two doughs — two doughs that one stopped working with at the same time, one makes a sound and the second doesn’t — both are not complete chametz, but it’s a doubt. [Note that this is an intermediate level — not from the Torah and not rabbinic.]
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Halacha: Not Making Shapes in Matzos
The Rambam’s words: One may not make shapes and designs in matzos, because it takes time and one can come to chimutz.
Explanation: “Shapes” means forms (not pictures), a pattern in the dough.
Novel points:
– This is only while making the dough (kneading). Afterwards (after baking) one may.
– Even with a mold (with a stamp/form) one may not.
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Halacha: Mursan (Porridge)
The Rambam’s words: Mursan — one may not make it because it can become chametz. But scalding and placing before him — one may put it in hot water.
Explanation: Mursan (porridge/gruel) has a concern of chimutz, but scalding (putting in hot water) avoids this.
Novel points:
– Rav Auerbach says that the leniency of scalding is a “brief leniency” — it was simply a leniency, but Rav Auerbach himself doesn’t conduct himself this way. Why? Because one must enter into the same decree that was learned earlier (that one is stringent even with scalding).
– Perhaps it’s different because here we’re speaking of “raw material” (raw material, not a finished dough).
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Halacha: Kneading Mursan
The Rambam’s words: One may knead mursan — immediately (eat it right away), or one gives it to someone who stands ready and eats it immediately, it should not be the time of eating a nevelah. And as long as they are being worked with — as long as one is working with it.
Explanation: Mursan may be kneaded only if one eats it immediately or gives it immediately to someone who eats it. One may not let it sit.
Novel points:
– If any remains, one must pour it out in a garden, and one must make sure that no pieces remain that could become chametz.
– As long as one works with it — as long as one works with the dough (one kneads/moves it), it doesn’t become chametz.
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Halacha 20 — Kneading with Fruit Juice, with Water and Oil
The Rambam’s words: It is permitted to knead the board in a bowl… and likewise it is permitted to knead dough with water and oil.
Explanation: One may knead dough with fruit juice in a bowl, because fruit juice doesn’t make chametz. Also one may knead dough with water and oil.
Novel points:
1. Fruit juice doesn’t make chametz — the basis for why one may knead with fruit juice is because fruit juice alone (without water) doesn’t cause chimutz, as already learned in Halacha 2.
2. Lechatchilah with oil — but not the first day — the Rambam permits kneading with water and oil, but on the first day of Pesach one may not. The reason is not because of chametz, but because of the law of lechem oni — the matzah of the first night must be “lechem oni” (poor man’s bread), and if one adds oil or other things it becomes “matzah ashirah” (rich matzah), which doesn’t fulfill the obligation of matzah on the first night.
3. Distinction between the first day and the remaining days — only the first day (night) does the law of lechem oni apply, because that’s when one fulfills the obligation of eating matzah. The remaining days of Pesach, when one eats matzah voluntarily (not an obligation), one may eat matzah ashirah — matzah kneaded with oil, fruit juice, etc.
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Points Regarding Merusach (Dough-Paste) and Chimutz
Explanation: There was a discussion about kneading a “dough paste” — a merusach (a cooked dough). The question is how one may knead it, because merusach is made from dough that can become chametz.
Novel points:
1. Merusach — how may one knead it? — The answer is that one must do it immediately, or someone stands by and makes it immediately for eating, and one must be careful that it should not remain the measure of chimutz.
2. Distinction between different activities — certain things like scalding (cooking in water) or baking in an oven are permitted because it becomes immediately ready and one can eat it right away — it’s not such a problem of chimutz because the process goes quickly. But other processes that take more time (like preparing for the oven) are problematic because it takes enough time that the dough can become chametz.
📝 Full Transcript
Rambam Laws of Chametz and Matzah, Chapter 5 — What is Chametz
Introduction to Chapter 5
Okay, now we’re beginning Chapter 5. What does Chapter 5 discuss? The laws of… We’re actually going directly to the laws of chametz on Pesach, as he has a chapter here at the beginning, chametz and kashering vessels. Which things become chametz? And the second part of this chapter is how to kasher vessels.
I don’t know clearly, I need to better understand the logic of this chapter with the other chapters. First of all, it could be this is somewhat of an introduction to matzah. The prohibition of chametz on Pesach, which things does one transgress on? Right? What types of things can become chametz? Right? Only the five species of grain. The thing that can be matzah, that can become chametz.
I learned, this is very interesting, we’ve been talking the whole time about chametz, and no one has yet said what chametz is. What is chametz at all? It doesn’t say “chametz is forbidden,” and what is it? Not a single word appears until today, until this chapter, what the definition of chametz is at all. True? Chametz, chametz, chametz. What is chametz? We don’t know. Okay, now we’re going to learn a bit about what chametz is, okay?
Law 1 — The Five Species of Grain
“What is chametz? The five species of grain.” So it says in this chapter. “What is chametz? The five species of grain.” What are the five species of grain? “Two types of wheat and three types of barley.” Wheat and spelt are types of wheat, barley and oats and rye are types of barley. Spelt is… what do people say today? He doesn’t bring the details. Anyway, yes, these are the five species of grain.
Therefore, all types of legumes, such as rice and millet and sesame and lentils and the like, are not chametz. Even if one kneaded rice flour itself in boiling water and baked it with a cover in an oven, as the Gemara says, this is not called chametz, this is called sirchon (rotting). Is there anyone who is arrogant? Here there isn’t an arrogant person, here there is only sirchon arrogance. And the point is, yes, these things are not grain.
I would say two other things, because you could say one thing that chametz means chametz of bread of grain, and perhaps there is chametz of something else that is not bread. But no, the Gemara says no, this is not chametz, this is sirchon.
I remember you learned a lot about this recently, I remember I asked you what the science of this is, what you’re talking about, you spoke very strongly about this the last few years.
Okay, I didn’t… I didn’t get to read it. I got to skim it. I didn’t put it away somewhere for sure. Shh… bitul Torah (neglect of Torah study).
Hello? Yes, how are you? With God’s help, yes. I told you, I put it away here. Avraham? Yes. Okay.
Law 2 — Fruit Juices Do Not Cause Leavening
The second law is, what makes chametz? Only water. If there is only fruit juice and there is no water at all? Never in your life.
Another thing, in short, the first thing is the five species that become chametz, right? Species of grain, Mishnah Berurah, species of grain that leaven. Okay.
Now, the next law is: water. The type of water that leavens, right? Which liquids are needed, which things make chametz? Okay. We already know now that chametz is flour with water. The question is which flour? It must specifically be the five species of grain. And which water? Specifically water.
Fruit juice? If one doesn’t put any water at all, even a drop of water, it cannot become chametz for an entire day. And if it begins to swell, it becomes putrid, like with hides. On this the Ra’avad disagrees.
Let’s see, let’s see, let’s take the Ra’avad. Let’s rely on the Geonim again, take the Ra’avad. And take just the Ra’avad. Right? Right?
And what does fruit juice mean? It doesn’t mean literally fruit, rather it means… no, including wine and milk, honey and olive oil… and fruit juice, apples and pomegranates and all similar wines and oils and liquids… In short, fruit juice means everything other than water. Everything except water. As long as no water is mixed in at all, if water is mixed in at all, any amount, it becomes chametz. But as long as it’s only fruit juice, it doesn’t help to become chametz.
Yes. Very good.
Discussion: The Scientific Problem with Fruit Juice
Next law. From this there is a stringency, because any amount of water, who knows if there’s any amount of water. It’s a bit weird, because in… It’s biological, chemical, it doesn’t make sense, because in grape juice there’s also a bit of water, but that’s natural, it’s part of the fruit.
Listen, but this needs to be understood. The question is scientifically. Scientifically one needs to know when it begins scientifically to become putrid or not. I’m saying, if one goes with the halachah, that the bit of water that’s in the orange is not called water, it’s called fruit juice.
No, I’m saying that if one sees it’s swollen, the Rambam says that’s a definition, that’s called sirchon.
Right.
The Dynamic of Fruit Juice with Water
Two things we’re making at the end: one is the fruit juice, but only flour with water together can become real chametz. All other things are fake chametz. All that’s missing is a drop of water.
Law 3 — Cooking Wheat and Flour with Water
In water, wheat with water, one may not cook wheat, but one may bake it, not cook it. And not flour. When one makes wheat with water it becomes rifot, whatever that is. Whole wheat, in short, it’s some kind of bulgur, I don’t know what. So it’s a type of food, it’s certainly swollen wheat. That goes into the… cooked swollen. Or flour that one makes levivot, which is certainly latkes.
“And if one cooks them, it is complete chametz, if it cracks and splits.” Ah, it’s still chametz. So that’s an interesting thing. Seemingly, chametz is wheat. No, it swells, it cracks, yes? It becomes like a crack with water, and then it’s complete chametz. Okay?
Okay. Another thing, “one may not roast,” yes? What else may one not do? “One may not roast dough, lest it come to matzah. But one may cook bread,” which is when one makes… By the way, all these things, what does chametz mean? Does it become chametz immediately? Perhaps it needs to take eighteen minutes? The wheat that one makes, does it become chametz in one moment? But one cannot make matzah. Just as other things one can make matzah. One cannot cook matzah, but one can bake matzah. Yes? Why? Because it cracks and splits. One sees that it’s talking about what one makes matzah from.
“One may not roast dough,” but when it’s already cooked one may bake it, and when it’s already baked one may cook the bread or the flour.
Boiling Water Vigorously
Why is the law… Okay, for this there is the matter of boiling water vigorously. If one had very hot water and then threw in the flour, it’s permitted, because then it actually cooks before it becomes chametz. But the custom is not to do this, a decree lest the water not boil well enough, they made a custom, a decree not to do this thing.
I don’t know, one needs to understand how this should work, does the wheat flour become chametz immediately in one second? The wheat that one puts in water… Once a bit of water helps the fruit juice to leaven even better, the dough to rise. It seems that yes, this is a law, one cannot cook wheat things. One can only cook it, understand? This is another problem that you brought. What’s the proof today that fruit juice cannot leaven, okay, we don’t have.
Cooking in Fruit Juice
Okay, now. “It’s permitted to cook the grain or flour in fruit juice.” In fruit juice one may, because fruit juice doesn’t leaven. So in short, let’s see, until now we’ve learned about cooking. Now, law 3 was about cooking. Cooking wheat, cooking flour, right? Cooking wheat, for some reason is worse in some way, because there’s a concept that one can make matzah from it, right? And therefore there’s only one way that’s permitted, which is called boiling water vigorously, and on that too they overcame with a decree, so basically in no case. Okay.
Now, the same thing is also fried foods. “And all foods fried in oil are permitted, lest it spread in the mitzvot.” So what was the previous one talking about with oil? Ah, he already spoke about cooked with water. If it’s cooked with water, there’s what to spread to make with oil. Just as there was already water, I can understand. And put in a bit of fruit juice, makes it worse. Put in a lot of fruit juice, makes it better. This is the explanation mentioned, the explanation mentioned.
Laws 4-5 — Roasted Grain and Seasoning Pots
Okay, sections 4 and 5, “Roasted grain that is roasted by fire and ground, one may not cook its flour in water, lest it not be roasted well by fire, and the Ra’avad forbids even to strengthen wine with it, and many are stringent not to cook them.” Yes? This means what? Basically this is just baked flour, baked, it’s flour from baked roasted grain. Roasted grain means we spoke about it. And what’s missing is, why shouldn’t one be able to cook it? It’s already baked. What then? It can’t become chametz, it’s already cooked, it’s already beautified, whatever that is. But one may not, why? Because we’re concerned that it wasn’t done well enough. Therefore, we’ll see it later.
The second thing, “When one seasons new pots, one may not cook matzah in them, lest it return and become chametz, and for roasted flour he forbids lest it not be roasted well and become chametz.” Seasoning pots, this is a process that one used to do with pots, one had to prepare them, for what? With new pots one used to, ah, one used to fill them with stalks, with kernels, so that the pot would be good, or something like that. Therefore one doesn’t do this on Pesach. Yes, even if it’s with roasted flour, or something like that, although we learned seemingly one should be permitted, no, the same concern, lest it not be roasted well. Therefore one shouldn’t do it with matzah flour, with matzah flour. Right? This is a decree, another new decree.
Okay, another thing. This is all things, again, connected with the fact that here sometimes it gets worse, right? About what one makes with water, all these processes somehow make it worse. It’s somewhat harder to be careful about chametz with kernels than with the contact. One is also concerned, that one doesn’t know what the measure is.
Law 6 — Kneading Barley in Water
Okay, now further, “It’s permitted to cook them,” we learned, ah, wheat, permitted to knead, anyway, something was skipped. “One may not knead rice in water on Pesach, because we’re concerned lest it leaven quickly.” Wait, so kneading means what? Mixing? Mixing with hot water. And soaking is plain smeared with water. One may not do it before it’s soft. One may not do it, because this way it can immediately become chametz.
Therefore, “If one kneads, if most of the crumbs are placed on the opening of the oven or on the windows of the baker, it’s forbidden, and if not it’s permitted.” The Tur says, the Rosh says so, so there’s a level of sourdough, that when one puts it on a slightly warm pot, it already gives a place, a crack, then it’s already forbidden, because it’s already close to leavening.
The dough, when one made it a full dough, and flour, can already become chametz. Not flour, we’re not talking about flour, we’re talking about wheat. Wheat, wheat. Wheat one makes, wheat can very quickly become wheat, one may. This means sourdough, we learned, one may not, but wheat, yes, dough. Sourdough one may not, but wheat, why may one not sourdough? Because it will be why? Because it will leaven quickly, it will become leavened.
But the Rosh says, the wheat doesn’t have the problem of sourdough, because one may, and one can attribute that one did it immediately, immediately forbidden, that one may immediately. But the custom is not so, it’s a greater stringency.
Law 7 — Custom Regarding Kneading Wheat
Previously the custom was only “in Shinar and in Spain and in all the West,” and here the custom is “in Shinar and in the Land of the Deer and in Spain and in the Western Land.” The same, Spain, West. Shinar means Babylonia, yes, Iraq. Spain means Spain. The Western Land means Morocco, and the Maghreb, right? So something here is already a custom in the Land of Israel too. In short, the custom was already all of Israel.
All of Israel, who is all of Israel? Sephardim. Haven’t we Ashkenazim heard from them? What? No, perhaps he doesn’t mean that. Perhaps he means all of Israel, all Jews who live in these places. It doesn’t mean only Polish Jews in these places, no, all Jews.
Law 8 — A Dish with Cracked Wheat
Okay, a dish. Let’s go further. “A dish that was cooked, and barley and wheat were found in it. If they cracked, it is chametz, and if not it was cooked, we ask about it.”
Ah, now I caught a new thing. What are we talking about here? We’re talking that it’s not cracked, it’s only a concern of leavening. No, it could be that it does leaven. No, here we’re talking about what is not yet cracked. Not yet cracked. We’re talking about a different thing. When it became cracked, it’s complete chametz. When it’s not even one of the levels of close to cracking, then it’s only rabbinic.
“And You Shall Guard the Matzot” — Caution from All Sides of Leavening
And what is the rabbinic built on? It’s a verse that says “and you shall guard the matzot,” and we learn, caution with matzot, “guard it from all sides of leavening,” that one should stand very far away.
When if it’s cracked, it’s forbidden in the entire mixture until after the nullification of chametz. If it’s not cracked, one can remove it and eat the rest, because everything we’ve spoken about until now is only rabbinic.
Law 8 (Continued) — A Dish in Which Barley or Wheat Was Found
“A dish that was cooked, and barley or wheat were found in it — if they cracked, the entire dish is forbidden. And if they didn’t crack, one removes them and burns them and eats the rest of the dish.”
One found a bit… one found barley or wheat in a dish. If they cracked, these are forbidden. If they didn’t crack, remove it and eat the rest.
Innovation: The Distinction Between Cracked and Not Cracked
Ah, now we caught a new thing. When does one say it’s a concern of leavening? No, it’s not that it does leaven. What are we talking about here? It’s rabbinic. No, here we’re talking about what is not cracked. Cracked is righteous, he’s talking about the other things. When it became cracked, it’s complete chametz. When it’s cooked, it became one of the levels of close to cracking, then it’s only rabbinic.
And what is the rabbinic built on? It’s a verse that says “and you shall guard the matzot,” and our Sages teach us, “guard them from all sides of leavening.” This means, one must stand very far from the sides of leavening.
So they learned thus: if it’s cracked, it’s forbidden, and the entire dish is forbidden because it’s a mixture of chametz. If it’s not cracked, one can remove it and eat the rest, because everything we’ve learned until now is only rabbinic.
Law 9: Guarding the Matzot — Protecting the Grain from Water
And from this the Sages said, since the verse says “and you shall guard the matzot,” we learn from this another important thing, that what? That a Jew must be careful… The Sages said that a Jew must be careful with chametz on Pesach, the grain, the wheat or further what one will make matzah from, that it shouldn’t come to water, even if it’s not a measure, there’s a concern.
Since there’s a concern that it can become chametz when it swells, and the Sages said that even in softness it’s not yet swollen, it’s already also forbidden because of concern, therefore one must be careful that it shouldn’t come to any water.
Law: Grain That Sank in a River — Selling Before Pesach
What if it fell into a river? Well, it got soaked, it came to water. Not that one may not eat it, but one may not fulfill the mitzvah with it. One must sell it to a Jew and tell him that he should eat it before Pesach, because it’s chametz.
If one sells it to a non-Jew, one must sell only a bit, to be sure that he will finish it before Pesach, because not that the non-Jew should sell it to a Jew, and the Jew might eat it on Pesach.
Discussion: Why Should One Worry About What the Non-Jew Does?
Speaker 1: So here one is establishing the law more or less in the laws of guarding the matzot, right? Why shouldn’t one say that the Jew has a responsibility in what he buys on Pesach?
Speaker 2: How does a Jew know? Because every Jew knows everything he buys, and he buys flour in the middle of Pesach, he doesn’t need to ask what it is. Why should the first person worry? He gave it to a non-Jew.
Speaker 1: But here we’re talking about he’s buying before Pesach.
Speaker 2: Again, what are you asking? Say clearly what you’re asking, because I don’t know. What’s the question?
Speaker 1: Again, when you have flour, no, this is a thing that one cannot, one doesn’t buy first and doesn’t ask afterward, because what will he tell me afterward? It doesn’t say that one buys it and asks afterward. One must be careful. But here we’re talking about something else, here we’re saying that if you’re not careful, because you’re not careful, because you didn’t see, yes, so what?
Speaker 2: One cannot see on this chametz, on these things that it became wet.
Speaker 1: Aha. You must tell him.
Speaker 2: How will he know? You say that one must inquire, very good. One must inquire, you have to tell him. That’s the problem. I don’t know if the Rambam holds that one must inquire, that’s still a question. Perhaps he’s simply talking about something else. That’s still a question. We’ll talk about this soon.
Investigation: Two Meanings of “Shemira”
Speaker 1: Why does he say that one must be careful (nizhar)?
Speaker 2: No, but he does say, one must watch, one must make sure from when it is…
Speaker 1: Aha. It says here. The Mishna actually speaks about this, he says that the shemira (guarding) appears in the Mishna, and from the shemira he brings a proof, and from this it emerges that one must watch it. And it’s not mentioned in the Rif or anywhere else, no distinction regarding which matza, that all matzos, matza shel mitzva or so on, it’s implied that all matzos must be guarded.
But we do see in Sefer HaMitzvos, we see that the guarding has nothing to do with the mitzvos matza of leil shemurim, because you see what our matzos matza shemura is not that the matza shouldn’t become chametz, as if it could become chametz. So it’s implied here.
But in practice, in the Rambam himself in Chapter 8 it says that at night one doesn’t have matza shemura except for a kezayis that one must eat. So it’s implied that it does have something to do with… that there are both things. Because here he’s not talking about all matzos, here he’s talking about… it says explicitly in the Gemara, the doughs of non-Jews, and one makes circles, and one watches them for a kezayis matza acharona. So it’s implied that there is indeed a concept of lishma, it’s a concept of matza, not a concept of chametz.
Here there’s another halacha which says that one must watch it because of chametz, but it appears that it’s only lechatchila. Bedi’eved it’s not me’akev. And therefore bedi’eved it’s implied that we say that we don’t make the simple custom knowledge, we don’t make the custom is knowledge that one watches only the matza shel mitzva, one doesn’t watch all matzos.
But in the Rambam it’s implied here yes that one must watch all matzos. But perhaps it means, perhaps the custom that says here “watching” doesn’t mean standing and watching and knowing. It means that if it became wet, although becoming wet itself isn’t a proof, one must check if it’s swollen (nitpacha). About this the stringency says that it’s forbidden to use such matzos where there’s a concern.
Speaker 2: You know that it became wet. You know that it became wet.
Speaker 1: Aha. You know that it became wet. You can ask him. Right?
Speaker 2: Right. Stringencies of the Rabbis (chumros d’Rabanan).
Speaker 1: Stringencies of the Rabbis, exactly. But the thing is the truth, this is more a stringency of everyone. But the second thing, just actually standing and guarding and watching for the sake of the mitzva and the whole thing, that one should only do for the matzos shemira according to the mitzva. So it’s implied. I haven’t seen that one should strongly rely on this, one needs to become clearer, but so it still emerges from what the Maggid Mishna… what the Maggid Mishna. Okay.
Halacha 10: Grain Upon Which a Leak Fell
Now, more laws about water falling on… the further things. Just as the way how it became matzos, like the story with Rabbi Akiva of a drop after a drop, and there’s a case once there’s leavening (chimuts). But when it stops, there’s no connection simply. As long as it drips, it doesn’t become absorbed. Why? Because dripping is something that prevents the leavening. Yes, so we also saw regarding baking matzos, right? Kol zman she’adam oseik, one kneads it. As long as one kneads it, there’s no leavening. They are always separate pieces of dough.
Halacha 11: Laws of Kneading — With What Kind of Water
Yes, one language, on Pesach a large dough lest it become leavened (shema tachmeitz). On Pesach one doesn’t make a large dough, lest it become leavened. This is a halacha that the Rosh brings.
One language, not in the sun and not in heat. Like water is… as brought, and to knead in dough at all, erev Pesach. Another… a night. A night. A night. I don’t know what the Rosh brings, that one shouldn’t make a large dough. The shemira isn’t the stringencies, because all the stringencies of Pesach come from one place, u’shemartem es hamatzos. Well, what must one guard? Until Pesach, that no water should come. All these things, one must guard the matzos. But the one language is a… is a shema tachmeitz.
Speaker 2: Okay. No, on Pesach, shema tachmeitz, that it will remain with chametz on Pesach.
Speaker 1: But it’s like… okay… it’s called guarded from chametz.
Speaker 2: One language, not in the sun… okay. What this itself means guarding of matzos, that one makes matzos on Pesach.
Speaker 1: Um… one language, not in the sun and not in heat.
Speaker 2: Okay. Don’t use hot water, or chamei chama, very hot water.
Speaker 1: What does chamei chama mean? Very hot?
Speaker 2: Heat from the sun.
Speaker 1: Ah, not sun that was heated in fire. Even regarding the laws of Shabbos, where you have a distinction.
Speaker 2: Rather with water that rested overnight (mayim shelanu), our water, overnight water.
Speaker 1: Overnight water is good, but the overnight water. Okay.
And Not to Knead with Warm Water
And not to knead with warm water (chamim), with warm water, warm water. But chamim doesn’t mean warm, chamim means boiling, actually, like mayim chamim, no? It means actually hot apparently. What’s the measure? That the hand recoils from it (yad soledet bo). Apparently hot, that the hand recoils from it, that’s what it’s called. Okay.
And Not Under the Sun in the Open
Now further, and not under the sun in the open (tachas hashemesh begallui), also one shouldn’t bake the matzos, and just as we say not to put in hot water, one shouldn’t sit under the sun and knead. The kneading we’re talking about now, the kneading is the main part of the great work. And not under the sun in the open, because there’s humidity?
No, because we learned yom me’unan kullo shemesh, when there’s no… that is, a day that’s a normal day, there are clouds, the sun isn’t so strong. Perhaps the clouds somehow spread over the sun in the wind. The fact is that a yom me’unan is all even, yes? That’s clear. Apparently there’s no sun at all, but the Gemara simply says that everything yes there is sun.
Halacha 12: And Don’t Leave the Dough
Even and don’t leave the dough until you return to arrange. Don’t leave the dough alone. Another thing, okay, and what will be left. Okay, if she is the same woman is the kneader and the baker, yes, she needs water, she also goes to bring it to the fire, to the oven, whatever she bakes, one needs two waters, one to pluck with (mekatepes bo), what does mekatepes bo mean?
Perhaps when one makes the dough one needs to make it a bit wet so it won’t become sticky or something like that? Makes sense? To pull off. Yes, one takes pieces, one makes small matzos, mekatepes bo means to take off the pieces. Ah, again, it’s simple that the hands shouldn’t become sticky.
And a second vessel of cold water in her hand (tzonenim beyadah), why does one need two? I don’t understand. Ah, because her hands become warm from the fire. If she’s close to the fire, the water will become hot, and it will become boiling and it will sour. One must first cool the hands, and later with another bowl take for the plucking of the dough. Right? That’s apparently what it says here. Okay. But one doesn’t need to know the halacha, it’s not relevant, it’s all just precautions.
The Measure of Challah
The three laws, the previous law about hot water, is interesting so it goes with the measure of challah, triangular and square and pentagonal. I’m giving you an Eitz HaBen, you should know, because he said one shouldn’t make more than the measure of challah, you need to know what the measure of challah is.
Halacha 13: As Long as One Works — There’s No Leavening
Another halacha, as long as one works (kol zman she’adam oseik), even all day there isn’t, if he lifted his hand and left it, and it remained in the dough until it makes a sound when a person strikes it with his hand, before we know, it’s enough that one gives a knock, it makes such a noise, not such a sound, it’s like resonant, one hears a sound and not a… it’s so, if it remained the time of walking a mil, and so with plowing and with fire, nothing but it expanded, and it remained the time of walking a mil, they’re obligated. It’s still not actual, again, this isn’t from the Torah and not from the Rabbis.
Halacha 14: There Were Two Doughs
There were two doughs (hayu shtei isos), there were two doughs that were lifted at the same time, and one has a sound and the second doesn’t have a sound, we know that both didn’t become leavened, but we don’t see that it’s… but we don’t see that it’s… it’s a doubt, and it’s not complete chametz.
Halacha 15: Don’t Make Decorated Cakes
Another halacha that one may not do, again, it’s a precaution, not to make any shapes and designs, because it takes time and one can come to leavening. Shapes and designs means something shaped, not pictures, yes? Some form, some shape, one may not. Many shapes they were concerned, once he makes the dough, but afterwards one may, afterwards one can, as long as one doesn’t do even with a mold. Yes, that we spoke about earlier, that one may not.
If it’s on and it gathers in at once, it becomes chametz. They must pour it so that it will spread in the water. Okay.
Halacha 17: Mursan — Bran
Another thing that one may not do, another similar thing that can become leavened, mursan, another concern, already further, concerns, going into concerns. What is mursan? It’s barley, right? Mursan is basically kernels of something. One may not make it, because it can become leavened. But one may soak and place before him, that one may do.
But didn’t we learn that one puts in hot water it doesn’t become chametz, but the custom is, Rav Auerbach says that it was simply a temporary permit, the permit isn’t just Rav Auerbach, Rav Auerbach doesn’t conduct himself to do it, why? Then one must go into the same decree that we learned earlier. What’s different? Here we’re talking about a complete condition, perhaps it’s different.
Halacha 18: Kneading Mursan
Further, one may knead a complete condition, mursan. Ah, mursan, it makes it a dough, how may one knead it? Immediately. Or one gives to someone standing before them and he makes himself to eat, he shouldn’t be the time of eating a neveilah. And as long as they’re being picked at, one who stirs it. One only looks to eat, one must pour it out and give.
The Law of Kneading Dough with Fruit Juice and Oil
Speaker 1:
Most people don’t conduct themselves to do it, why? Perhaps immediately a maniac, for the same decree that was learned earlier. Apparently it’s the same decree, what’s different? Here we’re talking about a complete dough, perhaps it’s different.
Further, may one knead a complete dough boiling? Ah, boiling is made from a dough, how may one knead it? Immediately. Or one gives it to someone standing before them and he makes himself eat, and it shouldn’t be enough time to leaven, as long as they’re picking at it until it leavens, someone does it. One looks to eat, one must pour it out in the garden, and one must be able to be meticulous that there shouldn’t be any pieces that remain and become chametz.
It’s the boiling that one makes in order to make like also the piece of boiling thing, one also may not do, one may not do before it goes to the system, it takes enough time that it becomes chametz. But sitting and grinding yes, the same thing, the mill or the grindstones, that was spoken about earlier, the cups that one wants to make, and also the oven that one wants to put kernels with the charoses, and one wants to put the oven on to immediately burn, why? Because it’s work. And also to scald what one wants to put, also, scalding isn’t exactly work, one can eat it immediately, it’s not such a problem, but again, there is with the hours.
Okay, now further, we’ll finish until here I guess.
20, it’s permitted to knead the dough in a bowl, it’s not a problem, why? Because it doesn’t become chametz, we learned earlier that fruit juice, fruit juice doesn’t make a problem, that doesn’t make a problem.
And so it’s permitted to knead dough with water and oil, one may also put water, oil, water, or lechatchila, only the first day one may not, not because of chametz, but because of lechem oni, and only the first day one needs all things because of lechem oni, as opposed to the other days one may eat matza.