Matsa Substitutes for the
Matsa Substitutes for the
Elderly
Question:
I am a rabbi at a senior citizens home. We have 430 residents,
some of whom have degenerative digestive systems and are
consequently unable to eat matsa.
Is there any suitable matsa substitute that is halachically
acceptable? Preferably, it should contain roughage and be easily
digestible.
Answer:
The medical condition of the residents who cannot eat matsa is
not clear from your question, but if the problem is the hardness and
dryness of the matsa then there are two halachic solutions.
The matsa can be soaked in water as per Shulhan A rukh, O rah
H ayyim 461:4. See also Biur H alacha there, s.v. ve-hu she-lo nim oha. If
you choose this option, you must be careful and have separate dishes
and utensils for those residents eating soaked matsa because other
residents may have the custom of not eating soaked matsa on Pesah.
It is possible to bake soft matsas, according to the custom of
many Sefardi communities. In such a case, the matsa must be baked
by an expert who is both a talm id hakham and a yirei sham ayim ,
because there is a risk that the matsa will become ham ets. A s with the
first option, you must be careful and have separate dishes and utensils
for those residents eating soft matsas because other residents may
have the custom of not eating such matsas on Pesah. (see Shulhan
A rukh, ibid. 460:4-5 and Biur H alacha there.)
R egarding roughage, it is possible to bake matsas from whole
wheat flour, which contains the needed roughage. In some
circumstances it might be permissible to add more wheat roughage
(kasher le-Pesah).
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