Five Grains, Five Vegetables, and Forbidden Leaven: Passover Laws of Matza, Maror, and Hametz (Mishnah Pesachim 2:5-6, 3:1)

This piece is in honor of Passover. Chag Sameach!

This passage from the Mishnah outlines core practical rules for Passover observance: which grains are valid for the mitzvah of eating matza, which vegetables qualify as maror (bitter herbs), and which leavened substances violate the prohibition of hametz.

The five grains—wheat, barley, spelt, rye, and oats—are the only species eligible for baking matza that fulfills the commandment on Seder night. These are also the only grains that can become halakhically leavened.

The Mishnah allows matza made from certain halachically problematic grain sources (e.g., demai, or redeemed second tithe), but excludes matza from untithed or unreclaimed consecrated (hekdesh) grain. Matza made for private use as part of a sacrificial offering¹ is not valid.

As for bitter herbs, the Mishnah lists five species, mostly obscure and debated in identification, but traditionally substituted today by horseradish or romaine. One can eat any combination of them, fresh or dried (but not cooked or pickled), and even the stalk suffices. The permissibility criteria for tithed produce are nearly identical to those for matza.

Finally, the Mishnah expands the scope of hametz: not just bread or cake, but many other bread- or grain-based products—Bread sauce (כותח), beer, vinegars, cosmetics (תכשיטי נשים)—can trigger the prohibition against owning leavened substances on Passover. While eating such items may not incur the severe penalty of karet, possession itself is still biblically forbidden.

Outline

1. Grains Valid for the mitzvah of Matza on Passover (Seder night) (Mishnah Pesachim 2:5)

   1. A person fulfills the obligation to eat matza with matza made from the 5 grains: wheat, barley, spelt (כסמין), rye (שיפון), and oats (שיבולת שועל)

   2. This applies even if the grain is demai (doubtfully tithed), first tithe with teruma removed, or second tithe and hekdesh that were redeemed; Priests may also use ḥalla and teruma

   3. …. Invalid cases include untithed produce, first tithe without teruma removed, and second tithe or hekdesh not yet redeemed.

   4. Matza loaves for the todah offering or nazir wafers qualify only if made for sale, not personal use

2. Vegetables Valid for the mitzvah of Bitter Herbs on Passover (Seder night) (Mishnah Pesachim 2:6)

   1. Five types of bitter herbs valid for the mitzva on Seder night (of Passover)

   2. …. whether fresh or dry; However, pickled, overcooked, or boiled versions are invalid

   3. All types combine to make the requisite ke-zayit (olive-bulk); the stalks are also valid, and the halakhot for produce tithes parallel those for matza

3. Substances That Incur Leaven (Hametz) Violations on Passover (Mishnah Pesachim 3:1)

4. One violates the hametz prohibitions on Passover by owning grain-derived products that became leavened, even if they are not food

5. ...The rule: anything leavened from these is prohibited, but not punishable by karet

Appendix - table summarizing the permissibility of various types of produce for fulfilling the mitzvot of Matza and Maror, based on Mishnah Pesachim 2:5-6

Grains Valid for the mitzvah of Matza on Passover (Seder night) (Mishnah Pesachim 2:5)

Mishnah_Pesachim.2.5-6

Summary:²

A person fulfills the obligation to eat matza with matza made from the 5 grains: wheat, barley, spelt (כסמין), rye (שיפון), and oats (שיבולת שועל)

See Wikipedia, “Five species of grain”:

In Judaism, the five species of grain³ refer to five varieties of grain which have special status for a number of rituals.

These species are commonly considered to be wheat, barley, oats, rye and spelt.

And ibid., section “Laws”:

A number of laws apply only to these five grains:

• Only bread made with these grains requires the blessing of hamotzi before eating, and birkat hamazon after eating.

• Only bread made from these grains is obligated in challah

• Matzah can only be made from these grains, and conversely only these grains can become chametz […]

• The prohibitions of eating and harvesting chadash only apply to these grains.

אלו דברים שאדם יוצא בהן ידי חובתו בפסח:

1. בחטים,

2. בשעורים,

3. בכסמין

4. ובשיפון

5. ובשבלת שועל

These are the types of grain with which a person fulfills his obligation to eat matza on the first night of Passover:

1. With wheat (חטים),

2. with barley (שעורים),

3. with spelt [כסמין - kusmin],

4. with rye [שיפון - shifon],

5. and with oats [שבלת שועל - shibbolet shu’al]

This applies even if the grain is demai (doubtfully tithed), first tithe with teruma removed, or second tithe and hekdesh that were redeemed; Priests may also use ḥalla and teruma

ויוצאין

1. בדמאי

2. ובמעשר ראשון שנטלה תרומתו,

3. ובמעשר שני

4. והקדש שנפדו,

5. והכהנים

   1. בחלה

   2. ובתרומה

And one fulfills his obligation by eating not only matza made from properly tithed grains, but even

1. with matza made from doubtfully tithed produce (דמאי),

2. and matza made with first tithe (מעשר ראשון) from which its teruma was already taken,

3. or second tithe (מעשר שני)

4. and consecrated food (הקדש) that were redeemed.

5. And priests may eat matza prepared

   1. from ḥalla, the portion of dough that is given to priests,

   2. or with teruma, as priests are permitted to eat these portions

…. Invalid cases include untithed produce, first tithe without teruma removed, and second tithe or hekdesh not yet redeemed.

אבל

1. לא בטבל,

2. ולא במעשר ראשון שלא נטלה תרומתו,

3. ולא במעשר שני

4. והקדש שלא נפדו

However,

1. one may not fulfill one’s obligation to eat matza made with untithed produce (טבל),

2. nor with matza made from the first tithe from which its teruma was not separated,

3. nor with matza made either from the second tithe,

4. nor from consecrated grain that was not redeemed.

Matza loaves for the todah offering or nazir wafers qualify only if made for sale, not personal use

1. חלות תודה

2. ורקיקי נזיר --

עשאן לעצמו --

אין יוצאין בהן.

עשאן למכר בשוק --

יוצאין בהן

1. With regard to one who prepared loaves of matza that are brought with a thanks-offering (תודה),

2. or to the wafers (רקיקי) brought by a nazirite (נזיר),

the Sages drew the following distinction:

If he prepared them for himself,

then he does not fulfill his obligation to eat matza with them.

However, if he prepared them to sell them in the market to those who require these loaves or wafers,

one fulfills the obligation to eat matza with them.

Vegetables Valid for the mitzvah of Bitter Herbs on Passover (Seder night) (Mishnah Pesachim 2:6)

Summary:

Five types of bitter herbs valid for the mitzva on Seder night (of Passover)

See Wikipedia, “Maror”:

Maror⁴ are the bitter herbs eaten at the Passover Seder in keeping with the biblical commandment "with bitter herbs they shall eat it." (Exodus 12:8).

The Maror is one of the symbolic foods placed on the Passover Seder plate.

And ibid., section “Types of maror”, with slight stylistic adjustments:

The Mishnah⁵ specifies five types of bitter herbs eaten on the night of Passover:

1. ḥazzeret (lettuce), ʿ

2. uleshīn (endive/chicory),

3. temakha,

4. ḥarḥavina (possibly melilot, or Eryngium creticum),

5. maror (likely Sonchus oleraceus, sowthistle).

The most common vegetables currently used as bitter herbs are horseradish and romaine lettuce.

ואלו ירקות שאדם יוצא בהן ידי חובתו בפסח:

1. בחזרת

2. ובעלשין

3. ובתמכא

4. ובחרחבינה

5. ובמרור

And these are the vegetables with which a person can fulfill his obligation to eat bitter herbs on Passover:

One can fulfill his obligation

1. with ḥazeret (חזרת),

2. and with endives [עלשין - olashin],

3. and with chervil [תמכא - tamkha],

4. and with field eryngo [חרחבינה - ḥarḥavina],

5. and with maror (מרור).

…. whether fresh or dry; However, pickled, overcooked, or boiled versions are invalid

יוצאין בהן

• בין לחין

• בין יבשין,

אבל

• לא כבושין

• ולא שלוקין

• ולא מבשלין

One fulfills his obligation with them

• whether they are fresh (לחין - literally: “moist”)

• or whether they are dry (יבשין).

However,

• one does not fulfill his obligation if they are pickled (כבושין) in water or vinegar,

• nor if they are over-boiled [שלוקין - shaluk] in hot water,

• nor if they are boiled [מבשלין - mevushal].

All types combine to make the requisite ke-zayit (olive-bulk); the stalks are also valid, and the halakhot for produce tithes parallel those for matza

ומצטרפין לכזית.

ויוצאין

1. בקלח שלהן,

2. ובדמאי,

3. ובמעשר ראשון שנטלה תרומתו,

4. ובמעשר שני

5. והקדש שנפדו

The mishna adds: And all these different types of vegetables combine (מצטרפין) to the measure of an olive-bulk (כזית), i.e., it is not necessary to eat this amount from one specific type of vegetable.

And one fulfills his obligation by eating

1. their stalk (קלח), as it is not necessary to eat the leaves.

2. And one fulfills the obligation with doubtfully tithed produce (דמאי),

3. with first-tithe produce whose teruma has been taken and given to a priest,

4. and with both second-tithe produce

5. and consecrated property that were redeemed.

Substances That Incur Leaven (Hametz) Violations on Passover (Mishnah Pesachim 3:1)

Mishnah_Pesachim.3.1

Summary:

One violates the hametz prohibitions on Passover by owning grain-derived products that became leavened, even if they are not food

One violates the hametz prohibitions on Passover by owning⁶ grain-derived products that became leavened, even if they are not food, including Babylonian “kutah”, Median beer (שכר), Edomite vinegar, Egyptian “zitom”, dyers’ broth (זומן), bakers’ dough (עמילן), and scribes’ paste (קולן).

R' Eliezer adds women’s cosmetics (if they contain flour).

אלו עוברין בפסח:

1. כתח הבבלי,

2. ושכר המדי,

3. וחמץ האדומי,

4. וזתום המצרי,

5. וזומן של צבעים,

6. ועמילן של טבחים,

7. וקולן של סופרים.

רבי אליעזר אומר: אף תכשיטי נשים

And for possessing these one transgresses [overin] the prohibitions of “It shall not be seen”, and “It shall not be found”, on Passover, although not all of them are considered food:

1. Babylonian kutaḥ, a dip with a sharp flavor that contains flour;

2. Median beer;

3. Edomite vinegar;

4. Egyptian zitom, a type of beer;

5. dyers’ broth [zoman];

6. bakers’ well-worked dough;

7. and kolan of soferim.

R' Eliezer says: The same prohibition also applies to women’s adornments, i.e., cosmetics, that contain leaven.

...The rule: anything leavened from these is prohibited, but not punishable by karet

זה הכלל:

כל שהוא ממין דגן --

הרי זה עובר בפסח.

הרי אלו באזהרה,

ואין בהן משום כרת

This is the principle:

If one possesses any substance that is derived from a type of grain that became leavened, although it is not actually bread,

one transgresses the prohibitions of: It shall not be seen, and: It shall not be found, on Passover.

These substances are included in the warning, i.e., the biblical prohibition of possessing leaven,

but there is no element of karet if one eats them.

1. Loaves of a Toda animal sacrifice, or of a Nazir’s animal sacrifice.

On the former offering, see my note in yesterday’s piece

2. This visualization, as well as the ones in the next two sections, were generated by Claude AI, you can see all three visualizations at the link here (all or parts can be copy-pasted and/or remixed).

3. “Hebrew: חמשת מיני דגן, romanized: hameshet minei dagan”

4. “Hebrew: מָרוֹר mārōr”

5. The Mishnah I’ll be quoting here.

See there in the Wikipedia entry, for a broader discussion of each of these.

6. The technical terms for the prohibition of owning hametz on Passover are “bal yera’eh / yimatze”.

See Hebrew Wikipedia “חמץ“, section “מצוות חמץ בפסח“, my translation, with slight adjustments:

The Bible lists several distinct commandments regarding hametz (leavened food) that apply from midday on the eve of Passover until the end of the seventh day of the festival.

These include prohibitions against eating “actual hametz” (חמץ גמור) during Passover, deriving benefit from it (see איסור הנאה), and even owning it (“bal yera’eh” and “bal yimatzeh” - see below).

"Actual hametz" refers to food made primarily from one of the five grains that has undergone leavening.

These prohibitions commemorate the story of the Exodus, where the Israelites’ dough did not have time to rise as they fled Egypt, resulting in their eating matza instead of hametz.

To commemorate this, there is a positive commandment to eat matza and a prohibition against eating hametz.

The count of commandments (מניין המצוות) includes one positive commandment (מצוות עשה) and five negative ones (מצוות לא תעשה) related to hametz on Passover [including]:

• Destruction (tashbitu, see Hebrew Wikipedia, “השבתת חמץ“): Command to eliminate hametz and se’or (sourdough starter) on Passover eve […] nullification (ביטול) and destroying (ביעור) hametz derive from this [….]

• Eating Hametz on Passover: Prohibition of eating hametz during the festival itself. This is the most severe, with the penalty of karet (spiritual excision) if violated intentionally.

• Mixtures (תערובת): Even mixtures containing any amount (משהו) of hametz are forbidden […]

• Bal Yera’eh (בל יראה): One may not “see” hametz in their possession during Passover.

• Bal Yimatzeh (בל ימצא): One may not “find” hametz in their possession.