[Avodah] Peanuts and other Kitnios

[Danny Schoemann]

R' Yisrael Medad asked:
> I'm told Rav Moshe Feinstein said that there was absolutely NO basis
> for including peanuts on a 'kitnitot' list. EVEN Ashkenazim can eat
> them. Can anyone confirm or deny?

Igros Moshe vol 3, siman 63. He compares it to Anise and Kamile -
things that are not mentioned in the poskim as being forbidden,
therefor are permitted.

This information comes from my cousin Meshulom Schoemann (and his
chavrusa  YA Pfeuffer)'s kuntras Dinei Kitnios B'Pesach (Adar 5767).
(BTW, they claim Anise and Kamile are spices and therefore not
Kitnios, and peanuts should be Kitnios.)

Once we're on the topic, I would like to address other Kitnios issues
that were raised on Areivim, and which the above kuntras addresses:

R' Moshe Feldman asserted (on 1 April) that
> if kashrus agency X does not permit peanut oil, they shouldn't
> permit canola oil either, as the same reasoning applies
> to both.

Apparently not. There are 3 reasons (in the Poskim) for forbidding Kitnios:
1) You can make flour out of it
2) It grows in/on a Sharvit. (stalk?)
3) Midi D'Midgan. Either that it's harvested into piles/granaries or
else any "grain".
(The "popular" reason that wheat grains can get mixed in, is "only"
mentioned in the Beis Yosef in the name of the Hago'as Maimoni' [and
is only found in the Kushta edition of the HM.])

Peanuts:
- Are apparently sometimes made into flour.
- Machlokes if it grows on/in a Sharvit
- Are not Midi D'Midgan

Canola:
- Are never made into flour as it's not edible (Avnei Nezer 373)
- Do grow in/on a Sharvit
- Are a Midi D'Midgan

Clearly there's a case to forbid Canola and not Peanuts.
(The kuntras also explains why Kitnios oil should be assur.)

BTW, since it was discussed, Potatoes:
- Are made into flour
- Do not grow in a sharvit
- Are a Midi D'Midgan
They are not kitnios because... they are a Pri (lit. fruit, probably
vegetable, as opposed to grain.)

However, the heter to use potato flour is an enigma, and is apparently
based on the original heter to use it for little kids and other people
with special dietary considerations. Why? What's the problem?

The origin for Kitnios can be traced to a Gemoro in Pesochim 40b where
Rava is astounded that Rav Papo allowed the Reish Gelusa's slaves to
"Mamche" food with "Chasisi".

Tosafos (based on the Oruch) translate that to mean "use lentil
flour". This is also the source the Vilna Gaon cites in SA OC 453:1
for Kitnios. Ditto for the Beis Meir and the Oruch Hashulchon.

Apparently an argument can be made that any flour that looks like
grain floor should be forbidden Midina D'Gemora even for
non-Ashkenazim. (Pri Chodosh, Gro, Beis Meir, OhS. The Orach Mishpot
114 brings a letter from the Bedatz of the Eida haChareidis of his
time (under R' Dovid Baharan zt"l) that nowadays Kitnios flour is
Asurim MiDina.)

(The Rif and Tur 464, Ritva, Ran, Maharam Ch' and Me'iri all take
"Mamche" food with "Chasisi" to mean "bake with Matzo meal"! The
kuntras doesn't elaborate.)

As to the "Machon Shilo" thread about "The Psak Halacha Permitting
Kitniyot", the kuntras brings the OhS in 453:4 regarding Kitnios:
"This issur - since our ancestors accepted it as a Geder - may not be
abolished by us MiDin Tora, and those that cast aspersion and treat it
lightly prove that they do not have Yiras Shomayim or Yiras Chet and
are not expert in the ways of the Torah." (!)

This comment was apparently prompted by The Reform Movement which (150
years ago) used kitnios as a proof that the Rabbis are simply trying
to make life difficult. (No source given.)

- Danny