Rabbi is the term in Judaism for a religious teacher. The word rabbi derives from the Hebrew root word , rav, which in biblical Hebrew means ‘great’ in many senses, including "revered." The word comes from the Semitic root R-B-B, and is cognate to Arabic ربّ rabb, meaning "lord" Rabbi ' onMouseout='HidePop("16536")' href="http://www.absoluteastronomy.com/topics/Rashi">Rashi
Shlomo Yitzhaki, better known by the acronym Rashi , , was a medieval French rabbi famed as the author of the first comprehensive commentary on the Talmud, as well as a comprehensive commentary on the Tanakh .Acclaimed for his ability to present the basic meaning of the text in a...
(c. 1100), also indicates that this was unobjectionable (Berachot 38b).
However, the custom later developed among some
AshkenazimAshkenazi Jews, also known as Ashkenazic Jews or Ashkenazim , are the Jews descended from the medieval Jewish communities of the Rhineland valley and northern France...
, primarily
Hasidic JewsHasidic Judaism or Hasidism, from the Hebrew: , Hasidut, meaning "piety") is a branch of Orthodox Judaism that promotes spirituality and joy as the fundamental aspects of the Jewish faith. The majority of Hasidic Jews are ultra-orthodox....
, to avoid putting
matzoMatza is a cracker-like flatbread made of white plain flour and water. The dough is pricked in several places and not allowed to rise before or during baking, thereby producing a hard, flat bread...
(or any derivative, such as matzo meal) into water (or any liquid), to avoid the possibility that a clump of flour that was never properly mixed with water (and thus is still susceptible to leavening) may come into contact with the liquid. (This appears, for example, in
Shulchan Aruch HaRavShulchan Aruch HaRav is a codification of halakha by Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi, known during his lifetime as HaRav and after his lifetime as the Alter Rebbe .At a young age, Rabbi Shneur Zalman was asked by his teacher, Rabbi Dovber of Mezeritch to recodify the Shulchan...
, c. 1800.) Therefore, some Jewish communities, especially Hasidic Jews, do not eat
matzo ball soupMatzah balls, also known as קניידלעך kneydlach in Yiddish, are a traditional Ashkenazi dumpling made from matzah meal...
during Passover. "Non-gebrochts" recipes and products generally substitute
potato starchPotato starch is starch extracted from potatoes. The plant cells of the root tuber of potatoes plant contains starch grains . To extract the starch, the potatoes are crushed, the starch grains are released form the destroyed cells...
for matzo meal.
Observance
Some non-gebrochts eaters will not use dishes that were used for gebrochts. Some hotels and restaurants open during
PassoverPassover is a Jewish and Samaritan holy day and festival commemorating the Hebrews' escape from enslavement in Egypt....
indicate on their menus, "if you would like to add matzo to your chicken soup, please notify the waiter so s/he may provide you with a disposable bowl and spoon." Others observe the custom only on the first night of Passover or abstain from eating gebrochts themselves but do not regard it as
chametzChametz refers to bread, grains and leavened products that are not consumed on the Jewish holiday of Passover, as well as all food items that are not specifically marked "kosher for Passover." According to Jewish law, Jews may not own, eat or benefit from chametz during Passover. This law appears...
. Personal custom generally reflect the norms of one's family and community.
Most Ashkenazi consider gebrochts to be a non-issue. While no one argues that one
must consume gebrochts during Passover, many consider gebrochts dishes (matzo ball soup, matzo
pizzaPizza is a world-popular dish of Italian origin, made with an oven-baked, flat, generally round bread that is often covered with tomatoes or a tomato-based sauce and cheese. Other toppings are added according to region, culture, or personal preference.Originating in a part of Italian cuisine, the...
, for example) to constitute an enjoyable and significant role in their
PassoverPassover is a Jewish and Samaritan holy day and festival commemorating the Hebrews' escape from enslavement in Egypt....
experience and thus a way to fulfill the
mitzvahThis article is about commandments in Judaism. For the Jewish rite of passage, see Bar Mitzvah and Bat MitzvahMitzvah is a word used in Judaism to refer to the 613 commandments given in the Torah and the seven rabbinic commandments instituted later for a total of 620...
of being
happyHappiness is a state of mind or feeling characterized by contentment, love, satisfaction, pleasure, or joy. A variety of philosophical, religious, psychological and biological approaches have striven to define happiness and identify its sources....
on
Yom Tov. In fact, the members of some nineteenth century
Lithuanian JewishLithuanian Jews are Ashkenazi Jews with roots in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania ....
communities deliberately ate gebrochts to demonstrate the permissibility of this practice.
In
IsraelIsrael officially the State of Israel , is a developed state in Western Asia located on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea. It borders Lebanon in the north, Syria in the northeast, Jordan in the east, and Egypt on the southwest, and contains geographically diverse features within its...
, Passover is observed for seven days, as mandated by the
TorahThe term "Torah" , refers either to the Five Books of Moses or to the entirety of Judaism's founding legal and ethical religious texts...
; those with the custom of not eating gebrochts generally abstain for all seven days. Outside of Israel, however, an eighth day is observed because of a decree of Rabbinic law. On this eighth (somewhat more lenient in certain regards) day, virtually all communities consider gebrochts to be permitted, even those who are careful not to eat gebrochts for the first seven days.
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