Matzo - Common and Less Usual Varieties - "Egg" and Other Unconventional Matzos

"Egg" and Other Unconventional Matzos

"Egg (sometimes enriched) matzah" are matzot usually made with fruit juice, often grape or apple juice instead of water, but not necessarily with eggs themselves. There is a custom among some Ashkenazic Jews not to eat them during Passover, except for the elderly, infirm, or children, who cannot digest plain matzah; these matzot are considered to be kosher for Passover if prepared otherwise properly.

The issue of whether egg matzah is allowed for Passover comes down to whether there is a difference between the various liquids that can be used. Water facilitates fermentation of grain flour, but the question is whether fruit juice, eggs, honey, oil or milk are also deemed to do so. The Talmud (Pesachim 35a.) states that liquid food extracts do not cause flour to leaven the way that water does. According to this view, flour mixed with other liquids would not need to be treated with the same care as flour mixed with water. However, other Talmudic commentaries (Tosafot) say that such liquids only produce a leavening reaction within flour if they themselves have had water added to them and otherwise the dough they produce is completely permissible for consumption during Passover, whether or not made according to the laws applying to matzot. As a result, Rabbi Yosef Karo, author of the Code of Jewish Law, (Orach Chaim 462:4.) granted blanket permission for the use of any matzah made from non-water-based dough, including egg matzah, on Passover. Many egg matzah boxes no longer include the message, “Ashkenazi custom is that egg matzah is only allowed for children, elderly and the infirm during Passover.” Even amongst those who consider that enriched matza may not be eaten during Passover, it is permissible to retain it in the home.

Another view is that, since the Hebrew term for egg matzah is matzah ashirah (Hebrew: מצה עשירה‎, literally, "enriched matzah" or "rich matzah"), it cannot be used to fulfill the requirement of eating matzah at the Passover Seder. This is because such matzah would be considered "rich", while the matzo eaten at the Seder is called "poor man's bread" (Hebrew: Hebrew: לחם עוני‎) (Deut. 16:3)

A basic principle of whether a given dough can be used for mitzva matzo is that doughs that do not have the potential of becoming chametz by simply sitting for 18 minutes cannot be made into mitzva matzo. Thus, a dough made from juice, etc., is of doubtful validity as mitzva matzo and may be used for the mitzva only in cases of illness or age.

Those who contend that Ashkenazi Jews should not eat egg matzah on Passover cite Rema (Orach Chaim ibid., 4) ruling that the custom among the Ashkenazim is to refrain from eating egg matzah on Passover, unless it is necessary for children or the elderly who would have difficulty eating regular matzah. Commenting on Rabbi Yosef Karo's permission to use egg matzah, the Rema responded "…in our communities, we do not knead (matzah) dough with fruit juice.…And one should not change from this unless in a time of emergency for the sake of a sick or old person who needs this" Those who follow this prohibition of eating egg matzah on Passover also include chocolate covered matzah, grape flavoured matzah and the many other varieties available.

Although according to Jewish law once matzah is baked it cannot become chametz, some Jews consider that moistened matzo becomes unkosher if it rises. Many dishes using matzo, sometimes with water, are made, such as matzo pizza, matzo brei, matzo with cream cheese and jam, matzo with butter and sugar, etc. Some kosher restaurants serve these matzo variations during passover, as well as the rest of the year when chametz considerations do not apply.

Read more about this topic:  Matzo, Common and Less Usual Varieties

Famous quotes containing the word egg:

    Teach those Asians mass production?
    Teach your grandmother egg suction.
    Robert Frost (1874–1963)