A Question

A man went to Rabbi Moshe Feinstein with what he considered to be "halakhic proof" that rhubarb should be classified as kitniyot and hence forbidden to Ashkenazim on Passover. Rabbi Feinstein is said to have dismissed the man by saying, "Corn wasn't enough for you?" Does anyone know who this man was?

Comments

[anon]

Sesame seeds, mustard, green beans, peanuts but hold it--didn't Reb Moshe say that peanut oil is fine to use? Didn't he have a more liberal view on yayin mevushal? Only when he was machmir was he so closely followed.

[Formallyfrum]

somebody with way to much time on their hand

[Neo-Conservaguy]

Corn was more than enough! In fact, it was the straw that broke the camel's back and caused millions of formerly brainwashed Ashkenazic Jews to stand up, look around with clear vision, and discard the embarrassment of qitniyoth that had Plagued their observance of Pesach for hundreds of years.

Oh wait, it didn't - they're still fools. Never mind.

[Anonymous]

Rav Moshe held that peanuts were not kitniyot.

Peanuts were eaten in the Feinstein home on Pesach.

It wasn't just peanut oil.

Peanuts were not included in the gezeira against kitniyot as they are native American.

[Yochanan Lavie]

"Oh wait, it didn't - they're still fools. Never mind."

Actually, I know of Ashkenazi Jews who have abandoned the kitniyot "prohibition." Many in Israel have, because Kosher for Pesach food there is often kitniyot due to the large Sephardi/Mizrachi population. (These pioneers tend to be MO Ashkenazim). To buy non-kitniyot food, one has to purchase American products- which are expensive there. So they say, if it's good enough for their neighbors, it's kosher enough for them.

Some American Ashkenazim, particularly observant Conservative and leftwing MO Jews have also become kitniyot eaters. I am one of them.

I know of a a boy in crown heights who's father beat the literally beat living sh-t out of him, whe he caught him eating peanuts.

to this Ba'al worshiper, it was like eating chametz.