Re: Kosher L'Pesach wines
Isaac A Zlochower (zlochoia@ix.netcom.com)
Mon, 30 Sep 1996 21:12:26 -0700
A number of respondents have questioned the permissibility of non-grain
products of yeast fermentation, such as wine, on Pesach. Others have
answered correctly that only fermented grain products can have the legal
(Halachic) status of Chometz. Yeast has the status of Chometz only if it
grown from a mash containing grain, and our kosher-for -Passover wines are
not made from such yeast. The source of confusion over this matter is due
to the almost universal mistranslation of the hebrew word "seor" as
"leaven". "Leaven" has two primary meanings: Sour dough and anything that
produces fermentation or change. Only the first is a correct translation
of "seor". Those of us who have been taught in yeshiva by a Yiddish
speaking Rebbe can attest that we were accustomed to hearing "seor"
translated as "zeurteg" (or sour dough). Sour dough or well fermented
(over-risen) dough has been used from time immemorial as a starter
ingredient in a batch of dough to hasten the fermentation process (rising).
This is the "seor" that is Biblically prohibited. The Biblical
prohibitions against keeping or eating "seor" over Pesach, therefore, does
not pertain to non-grain derived yeast. Of course, even non-grain yeast
can not be added to Passover flour to make matzo since we would have no
assurance that even quickly baked matzo from such a dough would not already
have turned to chometz.
Yitzchok Zlochower