[Avodah] size of a kezayit

[Yitzhak Grossman]

On Fri, 11 Apr 2008 12:24:52 -0400
Zev Sero <zev at sero.name> wrote:

> Now we do seem to have a dispute about the density of matzah, since
> all the older sources assume it to have approximately the same density
> as water, and the well-attested minhag in EY was to weigh 9 dirhams of
> matzah for a kezayit, explicitly on this assumption that it has the
> same density as water.  If more recent experimental data shows this
> assumption to have been incorrect, then the weight required must be
> adjusted accordingly.

Note that Ralbag (cited by Kessef Mishneh, Temidin U'Mussafin 5:9)
asserts that the density of Matzah is at most slightly less, and
probably actually greater, than the density of flour:

<Quote>

And it is clear that dough, when it has been made into Matzah, will not
increase in quantity [volume] over the quantity of the flour, and if it
will, it will be but little.  But we can see "b'hush" that the quantity
of this dough is less than the quantity of the flour.

</Quote>

> Zev Sero               Something has gone seriously awry with this Court's

Yitzhak
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