Dear Kosher Spirit,
I hope this email finds you in the best of health. I wanted to put in my two cents on the article that Rabbi Levy wrote regarding Pesach medication lists. I had the ze’chus to work with Rabbi J.J. Hecht, OBM, pertaining to the Pesach list for a number of years.
I would like to let you know what Rabbi Hecht’s opinion was. He always stressed, as Rabbi Levy has, that when you have a question you must ask both a competent doctor and rabbi. The list was just a crutch for people to look at. Most people including B’nei Torah don’t understand what the ked’ne’ous chei’rum was all about and they apply it to medications as well. This is a great mistake. It is very easy to be a chossid shoi’ta (i.e. foolishly zealous) in this case.
The other mistake people make is that they equate vitamins with medication. The fact is that vitamins are nutritional value products, which means that they are like food. If you need to watch out for chometzdik food on Pesach, then vitamins fall in to the same category. Rabbi Hecht always said, in reference to vitamins only, “when in doubt do without.” Matzoh is the Jewish soul food and it will sustain us.
Thanks,
Bensie Chanowitz
Pharmacist
Dear Kosher Spirit,
I just wanted to give you a Yasher Koach on the very nice article you wrote about the medicines for Pesach. I hope your article will be spread and read by many people!
Chag Kosher Vesameach,
Rabbi Sholem Fishbane, CRC-Chicago
Dear Kosher Spirit,
Thanks for your article, about time someone had the guts! I have my own personal experience; I had a request from a local distributor to certify a certain brand name mouthwash for Pesach. I was working with the CEO going through ingredients and “necessary changes.” Lo and behold, in “The Pesach Book” the product is listed as kosher for Passover. I inquired how this is possible and was told that a secretary in the mouthwash company’s office had received a call, and based on her answers the product was endorsed.
HaRav Usher Anshel Eckstein,
Vaad HaKashrus of Kehal Machzikei Hadas of Belz
Dear Kosher Spirit,
I received the Kosher Spirit Pesach issue enclosed in Hamodia. It was fascinating and I would love to receive future issues as well!
Kind Regards,
JG
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