[Avodah] Some FAQs about the OU’s “Tevel Matzah system”

[Professor L. Levine]

>From today's OU Kosher Halacha Yomis


Here are some FAQs about the OU’s “Tevel Matzah system” that were described in yesterday’s Halacha Yomis.



Q1. What would happen if the box of tevel matzos that was left in the factory was accidentally discarded?

A1. If the matzo is discarded, the Tevel Matzah system becomes in-operative. Because of the concern that the tevel matzos might be lost, the OU also arranges a backup Hafrashas Challah each day in the OU offices to cover any factory that did not have a proper Hafrashas Challah done on premises.

Q2. Is there any special reason that the OU chooses to use matzos for their tevel system? Couldn’t plain dough or bread be used instead for this purpose?

A2. The main advantage of using matzos for Hafrashas Challah is that they have a very long shelf-life. A matzah can easily last from one year to the next and still be edible. Another obvious advantage of using matzah is that it can remain in the factories on Pesach.

Q3. From how many batches of dough can one separate Challah using one box of tevel matzos?

A3. When the mashgiach places the box of matzos in the factory, he declares that 1/5 of a gram of matzah should become Challah for each subsequent batter that will be produced. Considering that a box of matzos contains approximately one pound of matzos (454 grams), this means that a box of matzos will cover the Challah for more than 2,200 batches of dough. Even if a factory makes ten batches a day, a single box of matzos will last for over 6 months!

Q4. Given that a box of matzah can be used to separate Challah for over 2,000 batches of dough, if a factory only makes one or two batches of dough a day, could a single box of matzos be used for several years?

A4. No. One cannot take Challah from dough made from wheat that grew in one year on a batch of dough made from wheat that grew in a different year. The cutoff for determining which year the wheat grew is Rosh Hashanah.


YL
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