Comments on: Avodah Zarah Matzah

By: Bob Miller

Bob Miller — Tue, 28 Nov 2006 12:55:16 +0000

Joel Rich asked, “BTW Bob, if financial interest is the issue, how do you differentiate between this case and Rabbis supported/elected…. by their community?”

A broader base of support is less likely to bias decisions in individual kashrus investigations and the like.

By: joel rich

joel rich — Mon, 27 Nov 2006 14:29:40 +0000

See: Shulchan Aruch YD 141:1 and Igros Moshe YD I #69

BTW Bob, if financial interest is the issue, how do you differentiate between this case and Rabbis supported/elected…. by their community?

By: Bari

Bari — Mon, 27 Nov 2006 03:42:08 +0000

Mishmar can’t credit for anything around here, even facetiousness.
(Grumble, grumble…)

By: Bob Miller

Bob Miller — Mon, 27 Nov 2006 03:25:24 +0000

This is no joke and is a matter for a recognized, qualified posek to decide, not well-meaning or amused bloggers and commenters. One would hope that the machine matzo makers involved have already received such guidance from their kashrut supervisors’ organizations—or, better yet, from entirely neutral poskim with no financial interest in increased production volume.

Also, do we know who is buying kosher wine and for what? Is this in the same category as the above?

I can see distinctions being drawn between putting out a product for general sale (how do you keep non-Jews from buying something as ubiquitous as machine matzo, anyway, assuming that you wanted to?) and launching a targeted marketing campaign.

By: Tal Benschar

Tal Benschar — Mon, 27 Nov 2006 02:31:28 +0000

My father (an accountant) once had a client who was active in his local church. He realted to him that the church uses only Manischewitz Extra Sweet Concord for the wine part of the same ceremony. Go figure.

By: Nachum Lamm

Nachum Lamm — Mon, 27 Nov 2006 02:15:18 +0000

“…while a small quantity is used for — get this — church seders, which ‘demonstrate what Jewish life was like in bible times.’”

Someone should point out to them that matzot in use by Ashkenazim today- even handmade- are nothing like the ones used in Biblical times.

Although I did once see a photo of a Last Supper reenanctment which used hand matzos.