[Avodah] ShaArei Teshuva OCh 460, Matza Meal Not Become Chamets

[Meir Rabi]

In the middle of a fairly long piece, the ShTeshuva says the following:

o Even if some flour did remain unmixed and is found in the Matza, this
does not pose a problem if the Matza is finely crushed.

- When the flour remains in one blob then it can become Chamets if it
becomes wet

- However when the flour is dispersed in tiny particles throughout the
finely crushed Matza this cannot become Chamets

Can someone please help explain this


[Email #2 -micha]

n the ShTeshuva 460, he says the following: His comments are preceded by
the ellipses (hope that appears in the final presentation) and also with
[ShT]

- The Chumra of Sheruya (GeBrokts) started when Matza was still
being made very thick.

o [ShT] They were less than a Tefach but still quite thick

o [ShT] These Matzos were grated on a "Rib Ayzen"

I think this means they were not crushed with a mortar and pestle, which he
describes later. The reason for this is that the Matza was soft and could
not be crushed; it was grated, like cheese.

o [ShT] Besides, the Matzos were commonly left idle whilst waiting to go
into the oven

o [ShT] These concerns prompted Gd fearing Jews to avoid foods made with
grated Matza

I don't understand, this is a problem with the Matza itself, not just the
grated Matza.

This too supports the understanding that they baked and ate one type of
Matza (that had no such problems) and baked a different Matza for making
Matza meal. Perhaps they wanted it to be whiter without so many brown baked
spots on it.

o [ShT] However, these days we are more vigilant and Matza is made as
Rekikin [less than 12mm as per the Beis Hillel quoted in BaEr Heitev 460:8]

o [ShT] The flour is made by first drying out the Matza in the oven and
then grinding or pounding it. This solves ALL problems

He no longer speaks of grating the Matza but of grinding it.

Furthermore he makes a critically important comment -- the FLOUR is made
from Matza that is dry -- was not ALL the Matza made with this stringency?

It seems not; Matza for eating was made soft and there was no concern that
it may be not thoroughly baked and possibly Chamets.

But Matza for meal was processed differently and THIS Matza was suspect. It
is this difference that warrants his attention, and his conclusion NOW that
the Matza for meal is produced from dry Matza, there is no problem at all

Meir G. Rabi