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Parshas Tzav: Mixtures Containing Chometz No definitive Halacha LeMa'aseh conclusions should be applied to practical situations based on any of these Shiurim.
In discussing the laws of the Korban Minchah, the meal offering, the Torah states that the mixture of wheat meal and oil which makes up this offering may not be baked into Chometz, that is, it may not be baked in a way that the final product will rise enough to be considered Chometz (VaYikra 6:10). The Mishnah in Menachos (55a) indicates that it is forbidden to make Chometz out of even the leftovers from this Korban, meaning, from the part of the Korban which does not go on the Mizbeiach, but is given to the Kohanim. The Gemara (Ibid.) cites this Posuk as the source for this prohibition, as noted by Rashi in his comment on the Posuk (Ibid. s.v. Lo). The Rambam, in his Sefer HaMitzvos (Mitzvas Lo Sa'aseh 124), lists baking the remnants of the Korban Minchah into Chometz as a Mitzvas Lo Sa'aseh, as does the Sefer HaChinuch (Mitzvah 135). The Minchas Chinuch (Ibid. Os 1) observes, however, that no Shiur is specified for this prohibition, meaning that we are not told how much of the Minchah ingredients one must bake into Chometz in order to violate this prohibition. He posits that the amount is a Kezayis, which is the size of an olive; this is the minimum amount required in connection with many Mitzvos, as noted by the Gemara in Berachos (41b). The Minchas Chinuch (Ibid.) adds, though, that if one has a large mixture containing a Kezayis of these Minchah ingredients together with other ingredients and only some of the mixture has been baked into Chometz, one nevertheless has violated this prohibition as long as the total amount baked into Chometz is a Kezayis, no matter how large the mixture was to begin with. As he points out (Ibid.), when it comes to a prohibition involving eating something forbidden, where the amount one must eat to violate anything is a Kezayis, there is a certain maximum size for the entire mixture in order for a prohibition to be violated by one who eats some of the mixture. In other words, if there is one Kezayis of a forbidden item blended into a very large mixture, one doesn't necessarily violate anything by eating some of this mixture even though there is a Kezayis of forbidden food in it. In our case, however, where the prohibition is baking, the Minchas Chinuch (Ibid.) rules that even if it is a very large mixture, if a Kezayis of it is baked, one has violated the prohibition. The Gemara in Pesachim (44a) indicates that if a mixture is the size of a Pras, or actually, if it contains the volume of a Pras, if there is a Kezayis of forbidden food in it, the entire mixture is forbidden, and one who eats this mixture has violated a prohibition. As explained by Rashi (Ibid. s.v. U'Mishanei), a Kezayis of forbidden food in such a mixture is called a Kezayis B'Chdai Achilas Pras. The Gemara in Avodah Zarah (67a) refers to such a mixture as a situation of "Ta'amo U'Mamasho," meaning that it has both the taste and the substance of the forbidden food; eating this mixture is thus forbidden even though one does not eat the Kezayis of the forbidden food all at once, as explained by Rashi (Ibid. s.v. Kol She'Ta'amo). If the mixture is larger than the volume of a Pras, there must be more than one Kezayis of forbidden food in it in order for a prohibition to be violated; the entire mixture must contain not more than one Pras per Kezayis of the forbidden item in order for the one who eats it to violate anything. The Rambam (Hilchos Ma'achalos Asuros 15:3) rules accordingly. The Mishnah in Eiruvin (82b) presents a dispute as to the amount of food one must set aside in order to establish an Eiruv Techumin and extend the distance one may walk on Shabbos (or Yom Tov); Rashi (Ibid. s.v. Chatzei) indicates that a Pras is half this amount. According to the aforementioned Rashi in Pesachim (Ibid.) and in Avodah Zarah (Ibid.), a Pras is thus the equivalent of the volume of four eggs, while according to the aforementioned Rambam (Ibid.), a Pras is the equivalent of the volume of three eggs. If one eats a mixture of this size which contains a Kezayis of a forbidden food, one has violated whatever prohibition eating that food entails. It should be noted that the requirement of having a Kezayis B'Chdai Achilas Pras applies as well to one who eats a Kezayis of only the forbidden food item (not in a mixture), but delays in his eating over a period of time; he violates a prohibition only if he eats this Kezayis within the time it normally takes to eat a Pras as indicated by the Mishnah in Kerisos (12b and see Ibid. Tosafos s.v. M'Tichilah), and as codified by the Rambam (Ibid. 14:8). Regarding the prohibition of eating Chometz on Pesach, the Gemara in Pesachim (43a) states that one who eats plain, pure Chometz is punished by Koreis. If, however, the Chometz is part of a mixture, there is a dispute; one opinion is that one who eats this has violated a Lav for which he receives lashes (Malkos), while the other opinion is that one is not punished for this in any way. The Rambam (Hilchos Chametz U'Matzah 1:6) understands that the mixture referred to here is one in which there is a Kezayis Kdai Achilas Pras of Chometz, meaning that there is no more than a Pras (the volume of three eggs, in his view) of the entire mixture per Kezayis of Chometz, as discussed above. He therefore rules (Ibid.) that one is punished with Koreis only if one eats actual pure Chometz, but eating any mixture with Chometz, even if it is one where there is a ratio of Kezayis B'Chdai Achilas Pras, does not result in Koreis, but in lashes (Malkos). The Rambam expresses this as well in his Sefer HaMitzvos (Mitzvas Aseh 198), where he counts eating a mixture containing Chometz with the ratio of a Kezayis of Chometz per Pras of the entire mixture as a separate Mitzvas Lo Sa'aseh, punishable by Malkos, not by Koreis. The Ramban, however, in his commentary on the Sefer H'aMitzvos (Hasagas HaRamban to Sefer HaMitzvos Ibid.) disagrees, and holds that if there is a Kezayis of Chometz in a mixture with a volume of a Pras, that is considered as pure Chometz, and one who eats it is punished with Koreis. The mixture discussed in the aforementioned Gemara in Pesachim (Ibid.) is one where there is less than a Kezayis per Pras of the mixture; in that case, there is a dispute concerning the punishment for one who eats this. This is also the position of the Maggid Mishneh in his commentary on the Rambam's Mishneh Torah (Ibid.), as well as of the Tur (Orach Chaim Siman 442). The Aruch HaShulchan (Ibid. Sif 8) asserts that it is indeed the position of most Poskim that one who eats a mixture containing a Kezayis of Chometz B'Chdai Achilas Pras is punished with Koreis like one who eats plain, pure Chometz. If there is a larger amount of non-Chometz food in the mixture, such that there is less than a Kezayis of Chometz B'Chdai Achilas Pras, the Rambam (Ibid.) writes that although one may not eat the mixture, if he does, he has violated a prohibition MideRabbanan, and not from the Torah. The Aruch HaShulchan (Ibid.) writes that some hold that one violates a Lav even in such a case, in accordance with one view in the Gemara in Pesachim (Ibid.) mentioned above. The Gemara later in Avodah Zarah (69a) indicates that regarding mixtures containing some forbidden item, if the ratio of the permitted part of the mixture to the forbidden part is 60:1, the forbidden item is considered nullified (Batel B'Shishim) and the entire mixture may be eaten. The Rambam (Hilchos Ma'achalos Asuros Ibid. Halacha 6) and the Shulchan Aruch (Yoreh Deah 98:1) rule accordingly. The status on Pesach of such a mixture containing Chometz, however, depends upon when the mixture was made. The Gemara in Pesachim (29b-30a), following some discussion, concludes that on Pesach, even a Mashehu, the most minute amount, of Chometz is forbidden; any mixture containing Chometz, even if there is much more than sixty times the amount of permitted ingredients as opposed to the Chometz, is prohibited on Pesach. The Shulchan Aruch (Orach Chaim 447:1) thus rules that if the mixture is made on Pesach, even the most minute amount of Chometz in it renders the entire mixture forbidden; the Mishnah Berurah (Ibid. Sif Katan 95) asserts that this is the case regardless of what the mixture was made of. If, however, the mixture was made before Pesach, the Shulchan Aruch (Ibid. Sif 2) says that the usual rules are followed, meaning, as the Mishnah Berurah (Ibid. Sif Katan 16) explains, that the regular 60:1 ratio of permitted ingredients to Chometz suffices to allow the mixture to be eaten on Pesach. The Mishnah Berurah (Ibid.) notes, though, referring to the later comments of the Ramo (Ibid. Sif 4), that there is a difference depending on what the mixture consisted of, whether liquids (Lach B'Lach) or solids (Yavesh B'Yavesh). If it is the former, then the rule about the regular 60:1 ratio applies if the mixture was made before Pesach but if it is the latter, the mixture, even if made before Pesach, becomes forbidden again on Pesach (Chozer V'Niur). The Mishnah Berurah (Ibid. Sif Katan 33) suggests that this may be only if one cooks the mixture again, but it is permissible to eat it as is. It should be noted that the Mishnah Berurah (Ibid. Sif Katan 102) adds that one should not intentionally mix even a sufficiently small amount of Chometz into a mixture even before Pesach with the intent of eating it on Pesach. It is noteworthy that the Shulchan Aruch (Ibid. Sif 1) rules that a mixture made on Pesach containing even a minute amount of Chometz is not only forbidden to be eaten, but it is also prohibited to derive any benefit from it. Moreover, based on a Mishnah in Pesachim (42a and see Ibid. in Rashi s.v. V'Alu and in Tosafos s.v. V'Alu), the Rambam (Hilchos Chometz U'Matzah 4:8) and the Shulchan Aruch (Orach Chaim 442:1) rule that one violates the prohibitions of having Chometz in one's possession on Pesach (Bal Yirah U'Bal Yimatzei) even if one has only a mixture containing Chometz (which may not be eaten). The Maggid Mishneh, commenting on the Rambam (Ibid.), however, suggests limiting this prohibition to only the type of mixture which has a Kezayis of Chometz B'Chdai Achilas Pras; if there is less Chometz than that in the mixture, although it cannot be eaten, one may keep it in one's possession. The Kessef Mishneh on that Rambam (Ibid.), though, writes that even if there is less than a Kezayis per Pras in the mixture, as long as there is a total of a Kezayis present, even in a much larger mixture, one cannot keep it in one's possession. He holds that the requirement of a Kezayis B'Chdai Achilas Pras, is only for a prohibition involving eating; this is similar to the ruling of the above cited Minchas Chinuch (Ibid.). As documented by the Mishnah Berurah (Ibid. Sif Katan 1) and the Kaf HaChaim (Ibid. Os 3), among others, the consensus seems to be that one cannot have a mixture with even a smaller amount of Chometz in it in one's possession on Pesach. These Halachos can be relevant regarding products and medications which may contain small amounts of Chometz.
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