Of Matzah and Wine

You probably know what not to eat for Passover, but maybe you’re wondering what determines whether something is labelled “Kosher for Passover” or not, and whether it’s important to you whether all your food is labelled “Kosher for Pesach”.  More specifically, you may wonder what the difference is between matzah that’s not for Passover and matzah that is?  For that matter, what’s the difference between “regular” matzah and Shmurah Matzah? What makes Passover cola different from regular cola? And what makes wine kosher – let alone kosher for Passover?  

Here's a little information to help you make informed choices this Pesach. 

What’s the difference between matzah that’s kosher for Pesach and matzah that’s not?

Have you ever stood in front of a supermarket shelf and compared the ingredients on a box of plain kosher for Passover matzah, and one that’s labelled “Not for Passover”? They both have just two ingredients: water and flour. So what’s the difference? Matzah that’s kosher for Pesach must be made from kosher-for-Pesach flour – flour that has been supervised from the time of harvest to make sure it’s not leavened in the slightest bit. Also, for matzah to be deemed Kosher for Passover, it must be made – from when the water hits the flour to when it either enters or leaves the oven (depending on who you ask)– in 18 minutes or less so the dough doesn’t have time to leaven. For complicated reasons, any machinery used in making matzah must be either in continuous motion or thoroughly cleaned between making each batch of matzah (to make sure no older flour gets into the current batch). Plain non-Passover matzah is still made with just flour and water but or may not have met the other parameters.

So then, what’s Shmurah Matzah?

Flour used in making regular matzah is supervised from when it’s milled into flour to make sure it doesn’t come into contact with moisture – to prevent its leavening. For Shmurah Matzah, the wheat is watched from the time it’s harvested – even before it becomes flour.

What does it mean if something is labelled “Kosher for Passover” or “Kosher for Pesach”?

First, let’s back up a little. There are five grains (barley, rye, oats, wheat and spelt) that are traditionally prohibited for Passover, as they were commonly used to make flour in the past. To this list, Ashkenazic rabbis added what are commonly called “kitnyot” (little things): among them are rice, corn, millet and legumes ….and mustard – since they could also be potentially used for flour and give the impression that wheat flour was used. (If you’re curious, you can see a complete list here: https://oukosher.org/passover/guidelines/food-items/kitniyot-list/). Today the Conservative and Reform streams of Ashkenazic Jews are fine with the eating of kitniyot.

For a product to be labelled “kosher”, the entire line is inspected by a qualified kosher inspector (Mashgiach) to make sure that all the equipment and ingredients are kosher or are koshered (made kosher) if they are also sometimes in contact with non-kosher food.

For a product to be labelled Kosher for Pesach, everything must be thoroughly cleaned so there is no contact with Chametz, and a Mashgiach (kosher inspector) is on hand throughout the production to make sure all rules are being followed. And because these inspectors are Orthodox, this means the products can’t contain or come into contact with kitniyot either.

Incidentally, that explains some other things you may have been wondering about: why is kosher tuna so expensive ? (The extra care and inspection) Why does KFP cola taste different? (Because there’s no corn syrup.)

 What about kosher wine? Aren’t fruits automatically kosher?

Yes; yes they are. When it comes to wine, though, it gets complicated. Here’s how Jewish Action explains it: (https://jewishaction.com/food/kashrut/kosherkopy/) “wine cannot be handled by a non-Jew due to yayin nesech, the Biblical prohibition against drinking wine that had been used in a libation in a pagan ceremony. The rabbis went even further and prohibited any wine handled by non-Jews; this prohibition is known as stam yaynam and was designed to prevent intermarriage.

“Thus, throughout the winemaking process, a non-Jew cannot operate any machinery, open or shut any valves or start or stop any pumps. Wine that is mevushal (cooked) can be handled by non-Jews since it is no longer fit for sacramental use. “

More specifically, Jews who handle kosher wine must be “Sabbath Observant”. In practical terms, that means only Orthodox Jews. As Slate magazine put it in 2008 (https://slate.com/human-interest/2008/04/the-kosher-wine-revolution.html ): “As Jill Jacobs, a Conservative rabbi, pointed out…. Kosher winemaking, as currently practiced, poses a quandary for Reform Jews. Alluding to the fact that Orthodox Jews are in charge of kosher certification and have a much narrower definition of what qualifies someone as Jewish, Jacobs noted that “most Reform Jews would not be considered sufficiently ‘Sabbath-observant’ to qualify to come in contact with the wine”.

If a wine is labelled “Mevushal”, it means that it’s been pasteurized and is still kosher even if handled by a non-Jew.

What makes wine kosher for Passover?

The Spruce Eats (https://www.thespruceeats.com/kosher-passover-wine-2122292) explains: “While all wines require some sort of mold (yeast) for fermentation, kosher for Passover wine must be made from a mold that has not been grown on bread (such as sugar or fruit) and must exclude several common preservatives, like potassium sorbate. A wine that is kosher for Passover cannot include chametz, which includes grain, bread, and dough.”

So there you have it – the basics of what it means when a food is labelled as Kosher for Passover. What you do with this knowledge is up to you.