Is Kitniyot permitted on Pesach?
This has been a very big debate in the Jewish community for many centuries. The Ashkenazim tend to say no and follow the Shulchan Arcuh HaRav which prohibits the consumption of Kitniyot. For the Sefardim and the Mizrachi Jews they follow the Shulchan Aruch, OC 453:1 and thus allow the consumption of kitniyot. There are those of us who do not follow either compositions of Jewish Law. Some of us follow the Mishneh Torah as laid out by the Rambam. Below is what The Rambam wrote in Sefer Chametz U’Matzah regarding the permission of Kitniyot.
Sefer Chametz U’Matzah 5:1
The prohibition against chametz applies only to the five species of grain. They include two species of wheat: wheat and rye; and three species of barley: barley, oats, and spelt.
However, kitniyot - e.g., rice, millet, beans, lentils and the like - do not become leavened. Even if one kneads rice flour or the like with boiling water and covers it with fabric until it rises like dough that has become leavened, it is permitted to be eaten. This is not leavening, but rather the decay [of the flour].
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א. אין אסור משום חמץ בפסח אלא חמשת מיני דגן בלבד. והם שני מיני חטים שהן החטה והכוסמת. ושלשה מיני השעורים שהן השעורה ושבולת שועל והשיפון. אבל הקטניות כגון אורז ודוחן ופולים ועדשים וכיוצא בהן אין בהן משום חמץ אלא אפילו לש קמח אורז וכיוצא בו ברותחין וכסהו בבגדים עד שנתפח כמו בצק שהחמיץ הרי זה מותר באכילה שאין זה חמוץ אלא סרחון:
The next issue that comes into play from the opposing side is that “you are obligated to follow the minhag of the community in which you reside!” For those of us who chose to become Talmidei HaRambam this becomes a problem to those who do not understand why we have chosen this path. You want to remind them that even the writer of the Shulchan Aruch said in Aovkat Rochel “that those who wish to follow the rulings of the Rambam, should continue following them, even if they are the minority in the congregation (i.e. the community) [text in Hebrew and citation to follow later].”
Conclusion:
Pay attention to the words of the Acharonim, but read carefully the words of the Rishonim! The words of an Acharon can not cancel or negate the words of a Rishon! So, my advice is to be very careful when disagreeing with your Rabbi on this point. You have to handle things very carefully if you take the route of a Rationalistic Talmidei HaRambam and still be an active member of the Kabalistic Jewish community.
Hold your Kitniyot up high, and chow down on Pesach!
Shalom,
Yosef Menachem
