Is hummus kosher for Passover?

Firstly, I'd like to note that any food product -- with the exception of fresh and unprocessed fruit and vegetables -- must have reliable kosher for Passover certification in order to be eaten on Passover. Even if the food item itself contains no chametz, it could contain minute amounts of chametz ingredients, and/or it could have been processed with utensils or machinery which may contain traces of chametz.

That said, hummus, which is made from chickpeas, cannot be eaten on Passover by Ashkenazi Jews. For approximately the last thousand years, Jews of Ashkenazi descent have observed the prohibition of eating kitniyot, legumes, on Passover. Kitniyot includes legumes such as beans, peas, corn, rice, chickpeas, sesame, etc. The rationale behind this prohibition is the possibility of producing kitniyot-based flour and bread, which resembles wheat flour and wheat bread. Permitting the consumption of rice flour bread, for example, would create the likelihood for confusion and error on Passover.

Different Sephardic communities have various customs with regards to kitniyot. However, even if you do eat chickpeas on Passover, be sure that the hummus has kosher for Passover certification.

Best wishes,

Chani Benjaminson
Chabad.org

By Chani Benjaminson

Chani Benjaminson is co-director of Chabad of the South Coast, coordinator of Chabad.org's Ask the Rabbi and Feedback department and is a member of the editorial staff of Chabad.org

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March 8, 2013

to: confused by generational transfer

The reason you are finding this confusing is because you have omitted the obvious- that generally the Jewish traditions of a Jewish father are followed in the home. Traditions are what have kept our people and our beautiful families going for millenia.

Why create an unpredictable hodge-podge of "like it", "don't like it", "feel like it", "don't feel like it" if one is lucky enough to have been born to familiar, predictable family customs, passed through the generations, with all the beauty inherent therein? The halachic ruling that one's Jewish status is determined by the mother's Jewishness is in no way contradictory to this.

Chaya
nyc

April 19, 2011

self-farmed food

hi all,
i have recently begun to grow my own crops and am now confused about the kosher l'pesach status of some of these foods. for example, if i have my own harvested peas (but am ashkenazi and normally would not eat kitniyot), are these peas ok to eat? if i tried to grow oats next year, would i be able to make 100% oat oatmeal(only takes 3 min in microwave to fully cook)? i know this might be too late for this year's passover, but it might help me decide what to plant for next year!!! hag sameach

isa
cicero

April 17, 2011

Re: Linseeds

Are Linseeds kosher for Pesach?

sandra wick
London

April 17, 2011

prohibition makes sense

Yes, wheat flour is used to make pesach matzah, but it is a specially grown flour, and rabbis oversee the matzah baking process to assure that the flour is not baked long enough to create leavening (typically 15 inutes).That is one reason why matzah sold the rest of the year is generally not KOP.

As for legumes, they can all be made into a flour resembling wheat and used in their leavened form. I suppose that if done and overseen properly, another type flour could be manufactured into a KOP matzah, although the simplest format is wheat flour, and why change something that works?
That being said, there are numerous reasons for not using legumes as the base for KOP matzah and other foods. This is just one of them.

Kosher in PA
Doylestown, PA USA

April 9, 2011

Passover for the first time

Hi
I am really a new beginner and this will be my first passover celebration. I do not know anybody else living close to me who is going to celebrate, and I am not aware of any shops for kosher food near where I live (Norway, Oslo). Conclution: I need new beginners help: a simple list of foods that I may eat. Of course I do not eat puffed up bread (after having an candida infection some years ago I never do), but what about yogurt (without suger), what about ordinary vegetables from my freezer, or milk? Maybe stupid questions, but it will save me a lot of time if smb answer here... With love. Thank you.

Anonymous

February 14, 2011

Legumes

Matzah is indeed made from wheat, however on Passover we may not eat regular matzah, rather we may only eat matzah that has been produced under strict supervision from when the wheat is harvested until the baked matzah is placed in a box. The supervision ensures that the wheat/flour does not come in contact with water and that no leavening occurs. It is not something that is easy to do in one's home, hence the extra stringency during the 8 days of Passover.

Chani Benjaminson, chabad.org

February 12, 2011

prohibition of legumes doesn't really make sense

The reason given why you can't eat legumes is that you can make flour, and thus bread, from them. That doesn't seem right. After all, what is Matzoh made from? Wheat, which is of course the principal ingredient in most bread.

Dom
Oakland, CA

April 4, 2010

Hummus

Asked and answered. I don't see what's so difficult. Thank you.

Leah
Los Angeles, ca
chabadbw.com

April 3, 2010

Hummus

Just had the best Hummus in Tel AViv. Kosher or not, it made my Pessach.

Ari
LA Jolla, CA

April 1, 2010

Confused ... generational transfer

SO: " ... Usually one follows the custom of the father's side.... " but by orthodox tradition I am Jewish if my mother is.
Confusing or what!

Anonymous
London

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