[Avodah] naive kitniyos question

[Micha Berger via Avodah]

On Thu, Mar 26, 2015 at 12:34:15PM -0400, Sholom Simon via Avodah wrote:
: Re kitniyos: isn't the issur one of "cooking" with kitniyos? ...

Take 2 at answering this question. My wife found
http://ph.yhb.org.il/en/04-09-06
"6.	Kitniyot That Never Touched Water and Kitniyot Oils"
by R' Eliezer Melamed

    We are not stricter with kitniyot than we are with the five cereal
    grains, so whatever is acceptable regarding these grains is kosher
    for kitniyot, too. Thus, kitniyot that have not come into contact
    with water, or that have come into contact with water but were not
    left for more than 18 minutes before being cooked (like matza),
    may be eaten. Some poskim are stringent in this respect, but most
    are lenient.[4]

    ...
    [4] Most authorities are not stricter about kitniyot than about the
    cereal grains (SAH 453:5; ִ₪ayei Adam 127:1; Responsa Maharsham 1:183;
    Be'er Yitzhak sec. 11; Responsa Marheshet sec. 3; and Rav Kook's
    Orah Mishpat sec. 111). Some, however, are more stringent (Sho'el
    U-meishiv 1:1:175 and Ma'amar Mordechai sec. 32). Their rationale
    is that no one would understand these distinctions since kitniyot do
    not become hametz. Additionally, they were concerned that making the
    kitniyot exactly like the cereal grains would mislead people to think
    they could use kitniyot to fulfill the mitzva of matza. As noted,
    though, most poskim are lenient, and in any dispute about a custom
    the halakha follows the lenient opinion.

    The Rishonim also debate whether or not scalding works for kitniyot,
    since scalding any of the five cereal grains technically eliminates
    the possibility of its leavening, though the Ge'onim agree that no
    one knows how to scald the grains properly (SA 454:3). However,
    according to Or Zaru'a 2:256, since the prohibition of kitniyot
    is just a custom, scalding the kitniyot is effective and permits
    them. Mordechai rules stringently, and Rabbeinu Peretz's glosses to
    Smak sec. 222 notes the lenient opinion but rules stringently.

So it seems the pesaq I grew up with is, in REM's estimaton, the minority
view.

And if my sevara holds: It would mean the machloqes is a machloqes as
to whether qitniyos are compared to wheat or to dough.

Which again would be reflected in the various theories about what risk
it is the minhag is trying to avoid: qitniyos includes things used like
grain, which can cause confusion of chameitz with mutar legume products;
qitniyos could have real flour on them (as per Rava's admonition to the
reish galusa's household), etc...

Tir'u baTov!
-Micha

-- 
Micha Berger             Nothing so soothes our vanity as a display of
micha at aishdas.org        greater vanity in others; it makes us vain,
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