By Rabbi Yair Hoffman for 5tjt.com Before we begin – it is important to know that there is a Torah Mitzvah to be sensitive to people with Celiac disease.  Really.   People who suffer from this digestive disorder, also known as sprue, have it very hard at pretty much any simcha. In order for them to eat, they need to know what items may have gluten, and, unfortunately, it is generally not at the top of people’s agenda.  Caterers and chefs generally only have a general idea of what they put in the foods that are cooked and it is often difficult to ascertain what was put in the foods that were ordered from elsewhere. It is a Torah Mitzvah to put this at the top of one’s agenda. The Mitzvah is, “v’ahavta l’rayacha kamocha – love your neighbor as yourself.” It can also be a negative Mitzvah too – the prohibition of “v’lifnei Iver lo sitain michshol – do not put a stumbling block in front of the blind.” A celiac patient once remarked, “Do you know how people cannot wait to buy pizza or eat Chometz after Pesach?  That is how I feel all year round.” About 1 in 141 people in the United States have celiac according to the  National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, but it seems that it is aignificantly higher, according to schools and caterers. Another important note.  Cakes and desserts over Pesach are often gluten-free. After Pesach, why not offer them to someone with celiac disease?  It would be a fantastic method of fulfilling v’ahavta l’rayacha kamocha. WHAT IS GLUTEN AND WHAT DOES IT DO? Gluten is a protein that is found in foods made with wheat, barley, rye, and something that was artificially made from female wheat and male rye called, “triticate.” In celiac disease, the body’s immune response to gluten creates poisons or toxins.  These poisons destroy the villi in the small intestine, the tiny finger-like protrusions that enable the body to absorb nutrients.  This can lead to malnutrition and other very serious health issues including permanent damage to the intestines.  The poisons literally eat out the kishkes. The following foods are what celiacs need to watch out for.   beer bread cakes and pies candy cereals cookies crackers croutons gravies imitation meat or fish oats pasta processed meats salad dressings sauces (includes soy sauce) basted poultry soups Gluten can also be found in some medicines, many vitamins, and even in lipsticks.   PESACH HALACHOS So now, let’s get to the halachos.  Pesach is different than Challah on Shabbos, because on Pesach there is a Torah Mitzvah to consume Matzah. Oat Matzah consumption for those with celiac disease has become nearly universally accepted. But it is not recommended at all for others.  Why is this so?  The issue is in the manufacturing process of oat flour.  In order to remove the possibility of bitter taste, oats are roasted. There is a debate between the Ramban and the Rambam as to how to interpret the Talmudic passage as to what is eligible for Matzah – it must have the ability to become Chometz.  The question is what does this mean?  Does it refer to the grain in general? Or does it refer to the particular grain that is now being […]

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