Yoshon Q&A

Q: I’m a growth-oriented person and I would like to take on additional Halachic stringencies. I’m already makpid on Cholov and Pas Yisroel and now I’d like to take on yoshon. The only trouble is that I am not sure what it entails.
• Should I take it on?
• How difficult is it?
• Is it year-round or only during
certain seasons?
• Does yoshon (old) mean that I can’t
have fresh bread anymore?
• Can I be stringent even if the rest of
my family is not?
• Do I need separate pots and pans?

In this article, you will learn that spring is an opportune time to learn about the Halachos of yoshon (also referred to as chodosh [new]). Although an all-encompassing analysis is beyond the scope of this article, we can cover the basics.

The Torah says that one may only consume the “Five Grains” (wheat, barley, spelt, rye, and oats) if they are “old” (yoshon). According to the Torah, if a grain takes root before¹ Pesach, then, on the second day of Pesach, it becomes yoshon. In the time of the Beis HaMikdash, the grain became yoshon immediately after the Kohen brought the korban omer. Once the Beis HaMikdash was destroyed, grains became yoshon after the second day of Pesach ended.

The mitzvah of yoshon is a complex one, with many different opinions and variables that impact its observance. The following are a few factors debated in Halacha. Some Poskim maintain that yoshon was a mitzvah d’oraysa only while the Beis HaMikdash stood, or that it only applies in Eretz Yisroel, or that only fields owned by a Jew are required to be yoshon. There is an extensive list of Poskim on both ends of the spectrum for each variable. For Sephardim, the Shulchan Oruch is machmir² and does not leave any room for leniency. For Ashkenazim,
the Rema³ opines that most people are lenient. The Shulchan Oruch HaRav⁴ writes that the prevailing custom is not to be strict with the prohibition of chodosh; however, a “Baal Nefesh” (one who cares for their soul) should not rely on the lenient opinions and should be careful not to eat chodosh. (Editors note: Despite this ruling of the Shulchan Oruch Harav, the custom of most Chassidic communities is still to be lenient with chodosh.⁵) The Vilna Gaon⁶ and Mishna Berurah⁷ are of the opinion that one should be strict – the Mishna Berurah writes that even though those who are lenient have what to rely on, one who is a yarei shamayim should be strict with the halachos of Chodosh. The prevalent minhag in prewar Europe⁸ and until recently in North America was to be lenient.⁹ There is a mesorah in the name of the Baal Shem Tov to be lenient as well. It is only recently that the stringency of yoshon has become more common.

Now that we have the Halachic overview, we can discuss yoshon practically.

Since any of the Five Grains that took root before Pesach are yoshon, all the grains available from Pesach until the new crop reaches the retail market are yoshon. The process of growing, harvesting, milling, and packaging takes a few months, and the new crop will not be on the market before July. Some of the “new crop” Five Grains may not be available until September. Spring is the perfect time to learn about the ingredients that comprise your favorite products and how to determine the yoshon status.

There are two main grain crops during the year, the winter crop, and the spring crop. Farmers sow the winter crop during the winter and harvest it in the spring (after Pesach), so it is already yoshon by harvest time. Farmers sow the spring crop in the spring and harvest it in the early summer. The solar calendar date corresponding with Pesach will determine the yoshon date for the spring crop each year.

On an agricultural level, the weather affects the taste and composition of the grains so different recipes favor grains from different seasons. For example, cake flour vs. bread flour.

A person who is makpid on yoshon has a few purchasing options. One can stock up before the spring grain season begins (sometime during the summer) with enough product to last until the next Pesach. Proper storage is essential to mitigate any insect concerns. Another option is to buy only products that are certified as yoshon. This is the simplest option, but it is more limiting. Here is a golden nugget, all products produced in Israel are always certified as yoshon. And, lastly, one can learn about how product codes translate to production dates to determine yoshon status. There is a wealth of information published online for those who would like to learn.

Yoshon has a unique status when it comes to its effect on keilim. The consensus of the Poskim is that yoshon status only affects keilim if one is 100% sure that it was used for something that was not yoshon. If one is not 100% sure, one may use the same utensils. If one does know
100% that a utensil was used with something that was not yoshon, one should refrain from using the utensil for 24 hours.

As a Halachic policy, OK Kosher does not require certified products to be yoshon; however, if a company labels their product as yoshon or if a restaurant advertises it as yoshon, we ensure that all the ingredients are yoshon. Yoshon at a restaurant or a factory producing retail products is identical to yoshon at one’s home, albeit on a grander scale. Yoshon at the mill that is grinding the flour can be ensured in one of two ways. There can be a mashgiach temidi who segregates the yoshon grains/flour and then returns to supervise the relevant productions, or the kashrus agency can rely on documentation from government agencies about when the spring/new crop goes into circulation and all flour produced before that date is yoshon.

So, to respond to your original questions:
Should you take it on?
This is something to discuss with your Rav.

How difficult is it to keep yoshon?
You need to put thought into your meals daily.

When do I have to worry about yoshon?
About 6-9 months a year.

Does it affect the taste of your food?
No.

Can I be stringent if my family is not?
Yes, and you do not require separate pots and pans.

I will leave you with one thought, in recent years, society has become accustomed to everything on demand (think grab ‘n go food, “Googling” the answer to a question, 2-day shipping, Instacart, etc.) and we often take the kosher status of food for granted. Sometimes we even pick up a product that was kosher for years and don’t realize that it is no longer kosher. If you are stringent with yoshon, then you will always read the product label. Oh, and your nutritionist may start relying on you for the nutrition facts.

1 Some say 3 days, and some say 2 weeks; ש”ך יו”ד סי’ רצ”ג ס”ק ב’ ונקודות הכסף שם
יו”ד סי’ רצ”ג סעיף ג’ 2
שם 3
שו”ע הרב או”ח סי’ תפ”ט סעיף ל’ 4
שיחות קודש תש”מ, אחש”פ 5
עיין שער הציון סי’ תפ”ט ס”ק נ”ד 6
סי’ תפ”ט ס”ק מ”ה 7
8 The fact that people in Europe had very little to eat, and there wasn’t easy access to food staples from other locales, was another reason people were lenient.
9 There is an interesting historical tidbit that the USA used to have a major surplus of wheat and all consumers were getting wheat from a few years prior, so essentially all the wheat on the market was Yoshon. However, in the early 1970s, President Nixon sold all the surplus wheat to Russia as part of a deal to aid in ending the Vietnam War. (https://thislandpress.com/2016/12/06/the-secret-wheat-deal/)