Chinese herbs contraindicated during Pesach

[Guest guest]

Important to remember that Halakha allows chometz if it is in medicine and

required for

health during Pesach. It is up to the patient and/or his/her rabbi to determine

if it is

required. My rabbi insisted I continue with non-kosherlepesach vitamins after

the birth of a

child just before this holiday several years ago. I doubt Jewish law has changed

while I wasn't

looking.

Pauline Vaughan M.A.(Psych.) D.Ac.

Natural Medicine Clinic

54 Poyntz Street

Penetanguishene, ON

L9M 1N6

[Guest guest]

Pauline,

 

With all due respect, hilchos Pesach are extremely complicated, and as you

correctly indicate, each individual case needs to be weighed and considered by a

halachic authority, and should never be self-determined. To present an analogy,

as with the halochos of whether medicine may be taken on Shabbos, three

different classes of conditions are considered: Meichash (pain or discomfort for

a healthy person), Choleh she'ayn bo sakona (a sick person who is not in danger)

and Choleh sheyesh bo sakana (a sick person who is in danger). In each class of

patients, there are certain medicines, supplements and nutraceuticals which are

permissible and others which are prohibited, depending upon the condition, the

function of the treating substance, how the substance is prepared and how it is

administered. These parameters are applied to Pesach as well, and so it must

be understood that the practicing layperson needs to know what, who and when to

ask. Furthermore, as Z'ev correctly

pointed out, (for Ashkenazim) substances containing Kitnios (legumes) though

forbidden for a healthy person to consume, are permitted in cases of illness.

Finally, according to Rav Moshe Feinstein, vitamins are considered in a class

different than medicines (of which Chinese medicinal substances certainly are!)

But again, one must consult a halachic authority.

 

Respectfully,

 

Yehuda Frischman, L.Ac, CST, SER

 

 

Earthmom <tcm1herbs wrote:

Important to remember that Halakha allows chometz if it is in medicine

and required for

health during Pesach. It is up to the patient and/or his/her rabbi to determine

if it is

required. My rabbi insisted I continue with non-kosherlepesach vitamins after

the birth of a

child just before this holiday several years ago. I doubt Jewish law has changed

while I wasn't

looking.

Pauline Vaughan M.A.(Psych.) D.Ac.

Natural Medicine Clinic

54 Poyntz Street

Penetanguishene, ON

L9M 1N6