Fall 2024

True to Hashem’s promise, the children of Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov are today scattered in countries across the globe, upholding the teachings of the Avot and perpetuating our beautiful mesorah, each according to his own traditions.

A Brief History

Until the 1970s, American Jewry – then comprised mainly of Ashkenazim – was largely unfamiliar with the minhagim of Sephardi Jews[1] and the Bnei Edot Hamizrach.[2] That changed after 1976, when Rabbi Herman Neuberger zt”l embarked on a daring mission to travel to Iran and bring a small group of young Iranian bochurim to Baltimore to learn at Ner Israel. Iranian Jewry in those days had few opportunities to study Torah. This took place during the reign of the westernized, secular leader Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. Rabbi Neuberger’s plan was that once they earned semicha, the newly ordained rabbis would return to Iran to teach.

Hashem had other plans. In 1979, the Shah was overthrown during the violent Islamic revolution and the Ayatollah Khomeini established a ruthless regime. Rabbi Neuberger not only ensured that the bochurim at Ner Israel would stay in Baltimore, but he also redoubled his efforts to help thousands more Jews to escape. He successfully petitioned the U.S. State Department to recognize Iranian Jews as refugees and he waived the tuition of Persian students learning at the yeshiva. Through his incredible foresight, Rabbi Neuberger is credited with enabling 60,000 Persian Jews to resettle in the U.S.

For all of this, we could say dayeinu, but Rabbi Neuberger went even further. It was very important to him that the bochurim preserve their beautiful Sephardi minhagim and mesorah. To accomplish this end, he established for them their own minyanim, complete with Birchat Kohanim throughout the year! Their limud was specifically focused on the world of Edot Hamizrach and on preserving the practices of Sephardi halachot, age-old minhagim, and the teachings of Rabbi Yosef Caro, the Mechaber – Maran Beit Yosef zt”l.

The Creation of STAR-S

Ner Israel is credited with producing a new generation of Sephardi roshei yeshiva, rabbanim, poskim and mechanchim, thereby enabling their beautiful mesorah to be perpetuated into the next generation. Largely to the yeshiva’s credit, strong and vibrant Sephardic communities have been established throughout the U.S. To meet their kashrut needs, as well as those of Sephardim and Bnei Edot Hamizrach around the globe, STAR-K developed STAR-S, a subsidiary certification, which addresses their specific minhagim and halachot.

While there are many areas in which they differ from their Ashkenazi brethren, Sepharadim abide by chumrot in four key areas: Bishul Beit Yosef, Chalak Beit Yosef, Yashan and Hamotzi. There are also a host of differences with respect to the halachot of Pesach. We will review each of these briefly below.

Bishul Beit Yosef

While Ashkenazim require Bishul Yisrael, Rama permits foods cooked by an aino Yehudi, provided the fires are lit by a Yisrael.[3] Per Maran Beit Yosef, these foods may not be eaten and should be considered Bishul Akum unless at least the first third of the cooking is performed by a Yisrael. This halacha has implications in restaurants, manufacturing facilities and in tuna fish productions. STAR-S certified establishments and products meet Bishul Beit Yosef requirements.

Chalak Beit Yosef

A cow’s lungs are the key determinant of its health. A healthy lung will be perfectly smooth –chalak in Hebrew or glatt in Yiddish – and free of any blemishes, sirchos (adhesions) or punctures.

Poskim differ widely as to the acceptability of the various imperfections that can be detected in the lungs. While all of them agree that a hole or puncture in the lung is a treifah and indicates that the animal was ill (and would have died within a year), that is not the case regarding sirchos.[4]

If a sircha is detected, removing it could create a hole, thereby resulting in a treifah. If the removal can be done gently, by lightly rubbing, and a hole does not result, Rama allows it. The Gra and Maran Beit Yosef do not. According to the latter, sirchos of any kind disqualify the animal. STAR-S certified beef abides by this ruling. Note that this stringency only applies to beef. Glatt lamb and veal do meet the standards of Beit Yosef.

Yashan

While many Ashkenazic communities outside of Eretz Yisrael are lenient concerning grain products that are not Yashan, Maran Beit Yosef and all Sephardic communities are machmir in this regard.

Hamotzi Bread

Rama rules that all bread that qualifies as turita d’nahama – i.e., it looks like a bread – is considered to be Hamotzi. Maran Beit Yosef rules that bread that has a taste (e.g., from sugar, honey, cinnamon and the like) is Mezonot. Therefore, Sephardim consider egg challot or sweet rolls to be Mezonot. The same is true of matzah ashira, year-round and on Pesach, as will be discussed further below.

Kitniyot on Pesach

Kitniyot, or legumes, includes rice, corn, peas, certain seeds and all beans, including green beans. The halachic definition of kitniyot are products that can be cooked and baked in a fashion similar to chametz grains but are not halachically chametz.

The Rishonim, who mostly lived in Spain during the Golden Age, permit the usage of kitniyot on Pesach, as does Maran Beit Yosef. Ashkenazim refrain from doing so.

STAR-S pioneered domestic production of Kitniyot l’Pesach to a Mehadrin standard for Sephardim. This is also beneficial for Ashkenazi cholim and infants, who may consume kitniyot on Pesach with separate keilim.

Using Rice on Pesach

Ashkenazim may not be aware of the intricate halachot involved to permit rice on Pesach. To be acceptable for Sephardim, the rice must be:

• completely natural and unadulterated – enriched varieties are not permitted
• packed in sacks that had never been used for grains
• carefully checked, grain-by-grain, three times, to ensure there is no foreign matter present (e.g., wheat or barley)

STAR-S certified rice for Pesach must still be checked prior to usage as per Sephardi minhag.

Matzah Ashira on Pesach

Ashkenazim consume “lechem oni” during Pesach – literally, “poor man’s bread,” which is made only from flour and water. Sephardim use lechem oni for their Sedarim, as per the halacha, and use it to wash for Hamotzi. Otherwise, they may partake of matzah ashira with a good Kosher l’Pesach certification. Matzah ashira is made of a dough mixed with a liquid other than water – such as wine, fruit juice, apple cider, honey or eggs. Rama permits matza ashira for Ashkenazim for cholim only.

A Welcoming Table

The Shulchan Aruch encompasses the halachot of the Mechaber, Maran Beit Yosef, and the commentary of Rama. One who studies the Shulchan Aruch is learning from both poskim. Our chachamim describe their relationship as that of a shulchan aruch – a table set by Maran – with the mapah (tablecloth) of Rama. It is a testament to the incredible respect our mesorah has for the minhagim of both Sepharad and Ashkenaz, and how different minhagim and halachot can dwell peaceably side by side – giving nachat to the Ribono Shel Olam when He sees His children living in harmony.

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[1] Refers to descendants of Jews expelled from Spain and Portugal in 1492.

[2] Refers to Jews of African-Asian origin who adopted the customs of Sephardim. These include Jews originally from Ethiopia, Egypt, Iraq, Iran, Yemen and the Caucasus region – Georgia, Azerbaijan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Armenia.

[3] Y.D. 113.

[4] For a deeper discussion on this topic, and to understand why cattle raised in South America are much more likely to be healthier and free of sirchos, see “Produccion de Carne Kasher,” Kashrus Kurrents, Spring 2024, https://www.star-k.org/articles/kashrus-kurrents/13972/produccion-de-carne-kasher-shechita-flies-south/.