IDF Chief Rabbi: Ashkenazi Combat Soldiers May Eat Kitniyot This Year

JERUSALEM (VINnews) — Rabbi Eyal Karim, the IDF chief rabbi, has ruled that Ashkenazi soldiers who are in combat regions in Gaza and the north of Israel can eat Kitniyot (legumes) on Pesach this year when required.

In a halachic decision signed by the head of the IDF halacha department Rabbi Udi Schwartz and the head of the Kashrus department, Rabbi Neriya Rosenthal, Rabbi Karim argued that “war in enemy territory, when there aren’t alternative foods, is clearly a Sha’at Hadchak (emergency). In this situation it is permitted for Ashkenazim to eat Kitniyot and they don’t require Hatarat Nedarim (release from vows) for previous years.” However the rabbi added that soldiers must be careful to remove all the Chametz in their possession.

The IDF and army rabbinate is completing preparations for Pesach. 50,000 packages of three hand-baked Matzos have been prepared by the logistics center for distribution in all of the bases, as well as 8000 kg of hand-baked Matzos for the rest of the festival and 42,000 boxes of machine matzos.

IDF soldier prepares Matzos for distribution to bases

Additionally, 120,000 Hagadot have been distributed to soldiers and for those on active duty, more than 7000 personal portions have been prepared, as well as 17000 seder plates, 168000 wine cups, 75000 kippot and 18000 machzorim for prayers.

Rabbinate teams will also be preparing the kitchens in all IDF bases for Pesach in the coming days. The rabbinate officials said that all of the preparation is done so that “We can sit around the table during the war – praying that we exit from bondage to freedom.

Army Chaplain Colonel Chagai Volovski stressed that “There are many parts of the hagadah which resonate with the war and the period we are living in. When we say in the Hagadah “In every generation they stand up against us to destroy us” it is impossible to ignore that this year we feel it more than in a regular year.”