The Kitniyot Liberation Front

It’s been 10 years since the Great Kitniyot Rebellion of 2007 when Rav David Bar-Hayyim issued his famous (or infamous) psak halacha that permitted Ashkenazim to eat kitniyot during Pesach.   Back then, most people were so preoccupied with the removal of kitniyot that the removal of chametz almost seemed like an afterthought. But as the Rav explained, kitniyot are the little things & we need to focus on the bigger issues . Over the last 10 years, many people have talked, written or blogged about eating kitniyot—or not eating them. Even the Reform and Conservative Movements have hopped on the kitniyot bandwagon. But until now, everyone has only cited anecdotal evidence.   In honor of the 10th anniversary of the Great Kitniyot Rebellion, Machon Shilo created an online survey (in English) about Pesach customs and kitniyot. Circulated via Facebook and popular Israel-based email lists, the survey was answered by nearly 150 people. While we can't claim that the...

In most years, the observance of Yom HaAtzmaout is not celebrated on the actual day that the State of Israel was declared (the 5th of Iyyar) in order to prevent a desecration of the Sabbath. This year, it is celebrated on the 6th of Iyyar, so that the Memorial Day Services begin on Sunday night rather than Saturday night. (In fact, the next time that Yom HaAtzmaout will be celebrated on the 5th of Iyyar is in the year 2020!!) If Judaism lends importance to actual date of an event, how can we reconcile the following issues: Rav Goren zt"l ruled that the proper day should be observed, but what about separating ourselves from the public who observes the deferred day? When should we recite the Hallel prayer? Isn't it in vain if we're not saying it on the day of the miracle? When do we add the Al-HaNissim prayer to our Birkath HaMazon and Shmona Esray? Rav Bar-Hayyim suggests that we look to "Purim Meshulash" for the answer. The festivities and customs of the day shou...

Machon Shilo Notes Increase in “Ashkenazi” Kitniyot Eaters Compares Mistaken Kitniyot Ban with Controversy Over Ancient Ashkelon Graves of Pagans JERUSALEM, ISRAEL, March 24, 2010 — Machon Shilo has announced that the kitniyot rebellion continues as more Orthodox Jews are abandoning the mistaken practice of abstaining from eating kitniyot during the Passover holiday. Rabbi David Bar-Hayim, head of the institute notes with satisfaction that Machon Shilo is frequently cited as having an impact on people’s decisions. “Each year I am contacted by an increasing number of people who inform me that they are no longer adhering to the ban on eating kitniyot ,” says Rabbi Bar-Hayim. “They thank me for the “heter” of eating kitniyot and providing clear halachic insight that makes Torah Judaism relevant for thinking people.” Rabbi Bar-Hayim uses sources in the Mishnah and Gemara to demonstrate that customs are connected to the place where one resides and are not simply packed up like household ...

It's been four years since the destruction of Gush Katif and the wound has not healed. Most of the criminals have not paid for their crime, but "How the Rose of Sharon Sits" [in a hospital bed]. With the destruction of Gush Katif coming right after Tisha B'Av, the anniversary of the destruction of the Bet HaMikdash, we can only conclude that they are connected. I have felt--and have heard others say--that HaShem sent us a not-so-subtle message about His displeasure about the state of His House. For now, the only message I can see in this horrendous act of shtuth is that it was a wake-up call for Am Yisrael, that we have been negligent in rebuilding the Bet HaMikdash. How indeed can we merit such beautiful houses in the Land of Israel when his house lies in ruins? Kal v'chomer with those who live in comfort in voluntary Exile in Galuth. In a related note, two friends went up to Har HaBayit on Tisha B'Av and gave me a great dvar Torah: That Har HaBayit lies in ...

The seasonal battle over kitniyot has already commenced. According to Ynet ( http://www.ynet.co.il/articles/0,7340,L-3686451,00.html ), Rav Ovadia Yosef takes a machmir--though not entirely accurate approach--that the Ashkenazi custom of refraining from kitniyot has been around for 600 years. As Rav Bar-Hayim pointed out, we are in Eretz Yisrael, not Europe, and we should all be adhering to the local custom. The error of importing this foolish custom only occured 100-150 years ago and has become increasingly popular as it became more profitable for askanim (wheeler-dealers). And speaking of Europe, a number of years ago, Rav Shaul Yisraeli of the Merkaz HaRav Yeshiva recounted to Rav Bar-Hayim how peanuts were served during Chol HaMoed in Lithuania since they were considered a luxury. Maybe we could argue whether peanuts are really kitniyot... or whether they shouldn't be included on the Ever-Growing List of Kitniyot and Things That Make Askanim Rich. It is interesting why Rav Ovad...

Machon Shilo has published a (“kinna”) about the destroyed communities of Gush Katif and northern Samaria. Only until I read the press release on their site did the asimon drop and it dawned on me that this modern-day churban occurred on the very same day that the greater part of the Temple was destroyed. The press release politely notes that the motivation of former Prime Minister Ariel Sharon for destroying these communities has been the subject of considerable speculation. IMHO it was 100% shtuth caused by an early neural event that was hidden from the public-with two dashes of evil from Haim Ramon and Shimon Heres. In any case, the computer program that generated the name for the army "mission" to kick the Jews out of their homes came up with "El Malei Rahamim", the prayer for the departed. Little did anyone realize that the silicon was warning everyone about Sharon's fate. On a directly related note, the kinna is aptly called “How the Rose of Sharon S...

It's the holiday season, Zman Matan Torah --the time of the giving of the Torah. And a donation to Machon Shilo--whether via PayPal, check, or horaat keva-- is a great way to give back to Machon Shilo for all of the great work that they've done this year in furthering Matan Torath Erets Yisrael . Your support will enable them to continue to disseminate the hidden light of the Talmudh HaYerushalmi and help them: Give free shiurim throughout the Greater Jerusalem area Expand their online Torah library Continue their insightful halachic research into customs and halacha of Erets Yisrael Publish a Nusah Erets Yisrael siddur (!) Assist the Beth HaWaad Religious Court in its revolutionary work regarding qitniyoth and other issues And much, much more Full details at http://machonshilo.org/content/view/81/1/ . Chag Sameach!

Rav Bar-Hayim is giving a shiur on his kitniyot psak. He is an excellent debater, so if opponents of the psak muster the courage to show up, it could get very exciting. Thoughts and Comments on the Kitniyot Psak Contraversy Date: Monday, 28 Nissan (18 April 2007) Place: Beth Midrash Machon Shilo, Najarah 34, (opposite #47) Givat Shaul, Jerusalem Time: 19:45 Date: Wednesday evening, 30 Nissan, 18/4/07 Place: Mosdot HaRav Aharon Soloveichik, Nachal Maor 27, Ramat Beth Shemesh A Time: 21:15 (Maariv is at 21:00) Disclaimer: Rav Chaim Soloveichik has not endorsed the psak halacha (but any disagreements have been expressed as befitting a true Torah scholar). If you can't make it, I am sure that at least one of the shiurim will be posted at www.machonshilo.org .

Baruch HaShem Machon Shilo's psak has received wide coverage on Ynet in both Hebrew and English . (They are must-read articles in either language). I received an email that their website has received over 215,000 hits in March. Clearly, they have made their mark. Some disagreements have been l'Shem Shamayim and with respect, while others have merely besmirched Rav Bar-Hayim. To paraphrase another Rav: If anyone knows anything about the Sitra Achra and how he works in this world, then he would also know that the controversy surrounding an issue is perhaps a clue that it is authentic. For the Sitra Achra fights on behalf of two causes: in favor of that which distracts Jews away from Torah, and against that which will lead to the redemption of the Jewish people — the arrival of which means his own demise (Succah 52a). And so Neturei Kitniyos was born... fighting for shtuth and hiding the truth.

Machon Shilo and its Beth HaWaadh have made the headlines at Arutz-7 (Israel National News) and was briefly the #1 item. Kol hakavod to the Rav and the Machon for their efforts in fighting for truth and abandoning shtuth. Jerusalem Institute Questions Post-Diaspora Kitniyot Abstinence by Ezra HaLevi (IsraelNN.com) The religious court of a Jerusalem Talmudic research center has taken aim at the Ashkenazi practice of abstaining from legumes on Passover in Israel. The Beit Din (religious court) of Machon Shilo, headed by Rabbi David Bar-Hayim, issued the ruling, which permits the consumption of Kitniyot (legumes) by all Jews in Israel during the Pesach holiday. Co-signing the ruling were Jerusalem Rabbis Yehoshua Buch and Chaim Wasserman. The article then went on to discuss the background and reasoning for the psak. Unique to the article were interviews with Rabbi Zalman Melamed (Chief Rabbi of Beit El), Rabbi Avigdor Nebenzahl (Chief Rabbi of Jerusalem’s Old City), and Rabbi Nachum Rabin...