Rabbis warn: smoking is detrimental to Pesach kashrus
New findings shed light on the issue of smoking on Pesach • American cigarette company admits the manufacturing process includes material made of barley • Rabbis claim that cigarettes contain chometz • informative article
- Behadrey Haredim reporter
- כ"א אדר התשע"ג
Cigarettes? Not on Pesach. Photo: Pinni Rosen
New problems have been revealed in smoking cigarettes on Pesach: for centuries the question of smoking cigarettes on Pesach has not reached a decisive ruling. Discussions on the issue were on the halachic and realistic level. In recent years a solution was suggested by a filter inserted at the top of the cigarette, but the new findings suggest that it is not so simple.
Commercial cigarettes manufactured today contain in addition to the tobacco wrapped in paper, a large range of other materials, such as materials used to extend the shelf life of the cigarette, improving taste, addiction causing and more. Furthermore, tobacco is also washed with alcohol.
Surprisingly, recent laboratory tests by a known chemist showed that there are about 17 types of materials in a cigarette that can be produced from chometz, including even those "not eaten by a dog".
With cigarettes or cigars it is accepted that abstaining is a hiddur and a chumrah, but there are rabbis familiar with the issue and claim that most cigarettes contain chometz gamur - whether as substances added to tobacco, or, as mentioned, because tobacco is rinsed with alcohol. According to them, there is a letter from a famous company, which produces cigarettes in the U.S. stating that they mix materials to improve the taste and smell, and among other things it includes material from barley. "This is already an admission by a litigant," they say.
Commercial cigarettes manufactured today contain in addition to the tobacco wrapped in paper, a large range of other materials, such as materials used to extend the shelf life of the cigarette, improving taste, addiction causing and more. Furthermore, tobacco is also washed with alcohol.
Surprisingly, recent laboratory tests by a known chemist showed that there are about 17 types of materials in a cigarette that can be produced from chometz, including even those "not eaten by a dog".
With cigarettes or cigars it is accepted that abstaining is a hiddur and a chumrah, but there are rabbis familiar with the issue and claim that most cigarettes contain chometz gamur - whether as substances added to tobacco, or, as mentioned, because tobacco is rinsed with alcohol. According to them, there is a letter from a famous company, which produces cigarettes in the U.S. stating that they mix materials to improve the taste and smell, and among other things it includes material from barley. "This is already an admission by a litigant," they say.
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