Do not sweat the small things

Do not sweat the small things

Some years ago I attended a talk on how to maintain a good marriage. One of the main points was not to "sweat the small things". When you wife does not put the tooth paste lid back on forget it. Since that time I have noticed that every argument I have had in my seven year marriage has been over small issues - I have not followed the advice closely enough.

Tomorrow we start Pesach the time of our freedom. A happy time when the Jewish people came out of Egypt. Traditionally we start this joyous festival with a feast and then we fast for the next week. Why fast on a joyous festival - well because there is nothing to eat !!! Once the left overs from the seder are gone. There is nothing to eat except cardboard Matzah. The novelty of Matzah lasts about 2 days and then the cramps set in. Where is the joy ? We threw it out with the small stuff.

If you walk through certain areas of Ashdod , Jerusalem, or Bnei Brak in mid summer. It could be 40 degrees in the shade and there is no shade. You may notice some freaky looking dudes wearing fur hats. These are not self contained air conditioning units. These are fur hats which their ancestors wore in Poland and Russia. These hats are worn because of tradition "Minhag". Their grandfathers wore them to keep out the snow and cold. They wear them to keep out reason and logic. Do you want to be like these dudes ?

Traditionally the relationship between the Jews and G-d is seen as a marriage as we have previously learned that to maintain a good marriage we should not sweat the small things. What are the small things ?

Small is Katan. Small things are Kitniyot.

These fur hat wearing dudes tell us ; us the rational one ; not to eat Kitniyot. We are so conditioned to accepting what these leaned men say that we sometime stop and fail to question. Each of us has only a vague idea what Kitniyot are. Is it legumes ? Is it rice, beans and peas. NO!!!! it is small stuff.

Why can't we eat small stuff ?

Perhaps it is a tradition from my grandfather who was blind and could only eat big stuff.

The reason is because it could be confused with Chametz.

What is Chametz ?

Chametz needs two conditions to exist
A) It is one of the five grains
1. Wheat
2. Barley
3. Spelt (More correctly, emmer)
4. Rye
5. Oats

B) It must have fermented - i.e. been in contact with Water for more than 18 minutes.


Multiple Choice time.

Which is not allowed ?
1) Wheat and mix it with pure fruit juice and make a nice cake.
2) Wheat and water. Turn it into Matzah. Break the matzah into tiny little bits called matzah meal. Add more water and make a cake.
3) Take a bag of peanuts.


The answer is of course 3.

Confused yet ?

The argument used that Kitniyot are there to prevent confusion with chametz, could only be convincing to the inventor of the Duckworth Lewis method for deciding the outcome of a rain affected cricket match.

Some Jews are allowed to eat. Peanuts and rice and all things nice. These are the ones who did not come from Europe wearing fur hats. These are the Spheradim.

Ask the top Rabbis why can't we eat small things on Pesach. After umming and arrring a bit. They will admit it is not written anywhere. They will admit they are not so sure. They will say minhag and say that it could be confused with Chametz (note example 1 and 2 from the multiple choice quiz.) They will say it could have been kept in the same sacks as chametz.

You the intelligent listener will understand that what they are saying really is. We are two scared to change anything because it is a slippery slope, once you allow people to eat small things within a short time they will be eating bacon and cheese sandwiches on Pesach.

Let your marriage to G-d flourish. May your Pesach be a happy one and not a hungry one.


Chag Sameach and Peasach Kasher

Article on Kitnyot from Ynet
What Chabad Say

Nice clear info on Chametz and Kitniyot