ALERT! All bakeries, etc. that had SOURDOGH products right after Pesach (erev Shabbos) was from חמץ שעבר בפסח

 

DE JA VU- Romaine Lettuce, et al- The ONLY reliably clean romaine is and was Postiv, Kosher Garden.

 The Bodek romaine was infested, etc , yet it was approved by Zichron Shmuel, Felder, Feingold Hirsch group, Wagshall, Skver, Magrov, Fallsburgh, etc 

The ones that thought they were using Bodek romaine for the seder, were unaware that they "nebech" ate Postive.

XANTHAN GUM & PESACH

 

XANTHAN GUM & PESACH

A Halachic Synopsis for Consumers & Food Manufacturers

What Is Xanthan Gum?

Xanthan gum is a polysaccharide produced through industrial fermentation. The bacterium Xanthomonas campestris is grown in large fermentation tanks where it feeds on a sugar (carbon) source, producing xanthan gum as a metabolic byproduct. The gum is then precipitated from the broth using alcohol, separated, dried, and milled into powder.

Critical point: Every Pesach and year-round kosher concern flows directly from what the bacteria consumed and what processing agents were used. The final powder may look innocent, but its halachic status is entirely determined by invisible upstream ingredients.

The Carbon Source — Chometz, Kitniyos, or Neither?

The sugar that feeds the fermentation determines the foundational Pesach status of the product. This varies dramatically by country of production:

By Region of Production

Region	Typical Carbon Source	Pesach Status
United States	Corn glucose	Kitniyos (Ashkenazim)
South America	Cane sugar	Preferred — neither chometz nor kitniyos
Europe	Wheat glucose	CHOMETZ — forbidden for all
China	Corn, wheat, or mixed	Uncertain — must verify per lot

The European Problem

European producers routinely use wheat-derived glucose as the fermentation substrate because it is economical and readily available. This makes European xanthan gum actual chometz — not merely kitniyos — forbidden for all Jews on Pesach under every halachic opinion, and subject to the full biblical prohibition of bal yiracheh u'bal yimatze.

The global marketplace compounds this: a product manufactured in the United States may contain xanthan gum sourced from a European or Chinese supplier. The ingredient label will simply say "xanthan gum" with no indication of origin or substrate.

The Non-Pesach Runs — Equipment Absorption (Bliyos)

This is perhaps the most overlooked dimension of the problem. Even at a facility whose year-round production uses wheat-glucose substrate and then transitions to a dedicated Pesach run, the equipment itself presents a severe halachic obstacle.

The fermenters, piping, heat exchangers, centrifuges, and dryers that operate year-round on chometz-based fermentation broth absorb chometz ta'am (flavor/character) deep into their walls through:

•       Prolonged hot contact — fermentation runs 48–100 hours at 28–32°C

•       Aqueous, acidic medium — optimal conditions for bliyah (absorption)

•       Repeated production cycles — absorption accumulates over time

Why 'Eino Ben Yomo' Does Not Help

The normal leniency that equipment unused for 24 hours (eino ben yomo) renders absorbed taste pagum (degraded) and less problematic does not apply to chometz on Pesach. Chometz is unique in halacha: even a degraded, pagum ta'am of chometz absorbed in a vessel prohibits that vessel and its contents on Pesach. Simply stopping production the day before Pesach is halachically meaningless.

Full kashering of industrial fermenters — enormous stainless steel vessels — requires hagalah (purging by boiling water) reaching every interior surface. This is an enormous undertaking requiring a complete operational shutdown under mashgiach supervision, and in many facilities it is practically impossible.

The Recycled Alcohol — A Chain of Chometz Contamination

One of the most economically significant steps in xanthan gum production is solvent recovery. After the gum is precipitated, the alcohol-water mixture is collected and redistilled, recovering approximately 85–95% of the alcohol for reuse in the next production cycle.

At a facility running chometz-based year-round production, this recycled alcohol is chometz-contaminated: it has been in full, prolonged contact with the chometz fermentation broth and the chometz-grown gum curd. It cannot be used for Pesach production.

Furthermore, the distillation columns used to recover the alcohol are themselves chometz-absorbed. Even bringing in virgin new alcohol and running it through unkashered recovery columns would contaminate it. The entire solvent recovery infrastructure must either be kashered or bypassed entirely for a legitimate Pesach run.

Bypassing solvent recovery means the full cost of new, virgin, kosher l'Pesach certified alcohol is borne for that production run, with no offset — dramatically increasing the cost of Pesach production and explaining why genuine kosher l'Pesach xanthan gum is rare and expensive.

The Nitrogen Source — A Hidden Year-Round and Pesach Concern

Beyond the carbon source, the fermentation medium requires a nitrogen source — protein-based nutrients that feed bacterial growth. The nitrogen source used at a given facility is rarely disclosed on product labels, yet it introduces its own layered concerns:

•       Yeast extract — most common; kosher certification required; brewer's yeast raises additional questions

•       Soy peptone / soy flour — plant-based but requires certification

•       Ammonium salts — inorganic, generally not a concern

•       Casein peptone — derived from milk protein; renders xanthan gum dairy (chalav), not pareve — a year-round concern for any meat or pareve application

•       Animal peptone / meat extract — derived from animal tissue; a non-kosher concern year-round without certification

•       Malt extract — CHOMETZ GAMUR year-round and on Pesach; derived from germinated barley

The Malt Extract Problem

Malt extract is produced by germinating barley in water — it is categorically chometz, not merely kitniyos. A facility could be using cane sugar as the carbon source — the preferred Pesach substrate — yet simultaneously using malt extract as the nitrogen source. The resulting xanthan gum would be chometz regardless. A plain kosher symbol does not address which nitrogen source was used.

The Alcohol Used for Precipitation

The alcohol used to precipitate xanthan gum from the fermentation broth carries its own kosher concerns:

•       Isopropyl alcohol (IPA) — synthetic, petroleum-derived; generally, not a kosher concern

•       Ethanol from grain (wheat, barley, rye) — CHOMETZ; if grain-derived ethanol is used in precipitation, it contacts the gum directly

•       Ethanol from grapes — non-kosher (yayin nesech) concern

•       Ethanol from sugar cane or beet — preferred; no chometz or kitniyos concern

In Europe, where grain ethanol is abundant and inexpensive, this is an active concern even for the precipitation step independently of the carbon source.

What the Certification Labels Actually Tell You

Certification	What It Guarantees	What It Does NOT Guarantee
Plain OU / OK / Star-K	Year-round kosher compliance	Pesach suitability; substrate identity; nitrogen source
OU 'Chometz-Free'	No wheat/rye/oats/barley/spelt in inputs	Free of kitniyos; suitable for Ashkenazim on Pesach
Kosher L'Pesach (OU-P)	Dedicated Pesach run under full supervision	The gold standard for Pesach use

For a genuine Kosher L'Pesach certification, a facility must demonstrate:

•       Non-chometz, non-kitniyos carbon source (typically beet or cane sucrose)

•       Fully certified nitrogen source — no malt, no animal-derived, no chometz components

•       Full kashering of all fermenters, piping, dryers, and milling equipment

•       New, virgin, kosher l'Pesach precipitation alcohol — no recycled stock

•       Kashered or bypassed solvent recovery system

•       Continuous mashgiach supervision throughout the entire production run

•       Separate, dedicated Pesach-labeled packaging

Practical Guidance for Consumers and Food Manufacturers

Do not assume. A kosher symbol on xanthan gum — even from a major agency — does not confirm Pesach suitability, particularly for products sourced from Europe or China. For any product containing xanthan gum that is intended for Pesach use:

•       Verify the specific substrate used (carbon source) for that production lot

•       Verify the nitrogen source and confirm it is free of malt, animal-derived peptones, and chometz

•       Confirm the precipitation alcohol is not grain-derived

•       Require a specific Kosher L'Pesach certification letter for the lot in question, not merely a year-round kosher certificate

•       Contact the certifying agency directly — not just the manufacturer — for clarification

 

For halachic guidance on specific products or production facilities, consult your posek and the certifying agency's Pesach documentation.OU Pesach Guide • cRc Pesach List • Star-K Pesach Database •

KEDEM GRAPE JUICE- non-mevushal pasteurized at 155F, non-mevushal wines are pasteurized at below 175F- high end wines non-mevushal is not heated at all- sounds confusing

Wine requires 2 seals , cooked wine Requires 1 seal.

There are certain of the larger size Grape Juice by Kedem that is "NOT MEVUSHAL" hence it would require 2 seals at all times.

There are wines that are also NON-MEVUSHAL. Check the label carefully.

One should be careful about leaving the wine & Grape Juice without proper seals when having workers or domestic help in ones home.

They just had a mamzeres named Layah, per blessing of Sholom Kamenetsky and Rabbi Gershon Bess et al

A Typo for Shlomo? Shlomo Maimon

If "Shalom" happened to be a typo for "Shlomo," you might be thinking of Shlomo Maimon (1753–1800). He was a brilliant Lithuanian Torah prodigy who abandoned traditional Judaism to join the Enlightenment (Haskalah) as a secular philosopher, becoming a notorious example of a great mind lost to heresy.

Does anyone know when Sholom K. became a Heretic, as a bochur, yungerman, Rosh yeshiva?

TAMAR EPSTEIN REMARRIed WITHOUT A GET!

This is an urgent notification in regards to a woman who has now crossed the line and done the unthinkable. We at Mamzer Alert were very saddened to hear about the recent union of Tamar Epstein with her new boyfriend Mr Adam Fleischer. This tragic act of joining together a halachically married woman with a partner who is not her husband was consummated through Rabbi Nota Greenblatt, and with the approval of Rabbi Shmuel Kamentsky. We at Mamzer Alert condemn in the strongest terms possible this adulterous travesty, which encompasses nothing less than the utter trampling upon and total disregard for our holy Torah's marriage laws. The public needs to be aware that any of her future offspring will be considered mamzerim. See  http://daattorah.blogspot.co.il/2015/10/tamar-epstein-rav-gestetner-condemns.html

Shatnez Alert

 

­ אדר-ניסן תשפ"ו Shatnez Notice! Shatnez found in Daniel Tissu Woolen Suits! ­ Dear Friend,   It's essential to exercise caution with your wool garments and linen garments, even when purchased at a Jewish owned store. Please ensure they're tested for shatnez at a certified shatnez laboratory. Pictured above is a linen armhole tape from a Daniel Tissu brand woolen jacket, that has been discovered at the Flatbush Shatnez Laboratory. The Flatbush Shatnez Laboratory has released the following notice: "Many local merchants have recently started selling clothing made in Turkey. Turkish clothing is more likely to contain shatnez. A new men's suit brand, "Daniel Tissu," sold in Boro Park and Flatbush, has been found to have linen armhole tapes. As you may know, armhole tapes are very difficult to completely remove." ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ Pictured above is the fabric label of the Daniel Tissu suit. This finding underscores the importance of testing for shatnez, even when purchased at a Jewish owned store. Important: It is essential to have shatnez testing done only at a qualified shatnez laboratory. Proper garment testing and shatnez removal, as indicated in this notice, can be very challenging and should only be conducted by a qualified shatnez laboratory. Please share this information widely!   Vaad L'Mishmeres Shatnez

The Lakewood "Freezer" Policy: Torah, Science, and the Shidduch Crisis Rabbi Yair Hoffman

 https://dusiznies.blogspot.com/2026/03/how-lakewoods-freezer-fatwa-goes.html

The Lakewood "Freezer" Policy: Torah, Science, and the Shidduch Crisis Rabbi Yair Hoffman

There are several thousand more young women than young men currently in shidduchim — daughters of yungeleit, struggling baalei batim, and ordinary families, many of whom have not received a single shidduch inquiry in months. The Torah commands us not to stand idly by. The time to act is now.

What the Science Shows

The Midrash teaches: Chochma baGoyim — taamin. The empirical wisdom of the nations is to be taken seriously. Three world-class scientists have produced findings that apply with precision to the shidduch crisis.

Nobel Laureate Alvin Roth (Stanford, 2012 Nobel Prize in Economics) documented a phenomenon called "unraveling" — when one side of a matching system is held back and released in a synchronized wave, the result is catastrophic congestion. Participants are stranded not due to any shortage of partners, but purely because of structural timing failure. The parallel to the Freezer is not metaphorical — it is exact.

MIT's John D.C. Little proved mathematically that once a timing imbalance is introduced into a matching system, the backlog will grow inevitably — regardless of the goodwill, effort, or intentions of any participant. No amount of harder work by shadchanim or families can overcome a structural distortion. The math is the math.

How the Pipeline Breaks

The primary cause of the crisis is the age gap — bochurim typically marry girls several years younger, and since the Jewish population grows each year, more girls enter shidduchim than boys. The Freezer compounds this: while bochurim are restricted from dating for three and a half months, girls continue entering the pool unimpeded. When the boys are released, they gravitate toward the newest, youngest entrants, bypassing girls who have been waiting longest. Over thirty years, the Male Dating Start Date has crept from roughly 20 to 23 or 24 — and each incremental delay, compounded over a growing population, has left exponentially more young women without prospects.

The Halachic Record Is Unambiguous

The greatest poskim of the previous generation — the Chazon Ish, Rav Shach, Rav Elyashiv, Rav Shteinman, Rav Kanievsky, Rav Gershon Edelstein, and others — all ruled that a yeshivah Freezer policy constitutes masneh al mah shekasuv baTorah — a condition contradicting a Torah obligation — and is therefore null and void. Rav Shach stated plainly: "You cannot make a bas Yisroel wait three months. If a good shidduch comes your way, you are obligated to pursue it." Rav Kanievsky wrote in his own handwriting that no bachur in any yeshivah is obligated to adhere to such a restriction.

It Has Been Done Before

In 1160, a structural shidduch crisis gripped medieval Jewry — young women could not find matches because of dowry laws that followed from the devastation of the Crusades. The Gedolim of Shum convened in Troyes, enacted a takanah, and resolved the crisis. It is codified in the Shulchan Aruch. They identified the structural cause, legislated a fix, and saved their daughters. We need a Takanas Shum 2.0.

The Obligation Is Now

Torah and science speak in unison. We call upon yeshivos to eliminate the Freezer entirely — or at minimum allow bochurim traveling home for Chanukah to date. The halacha is clear. The science confirms it. We have no excuse to stand by.

V'ahavta l'rei'acha kamocha — this is not merely a suggestion. It is a chiyuv.

U.S. Supreme Court — Case Alert

 

Galette v. New Jersey Transit Corp. Decided March 4, 2026 | Justice Sotomayor | Docket 24-1021

In a significant ruling affecting public transportation liability, the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously held that New Jersey Transit Corporation is not an arm of the State of New Jersey and therefore cannot claim sovereign immunity to shield itself from personal injury lawsuits filed in other states.

The case arose from two separate incidents — one in New York, one in Pennsylvania — where individuals were struck by NJ Transit buses. NJ Transit sought dismissal of both suits by arguing it was entitled to New Jersey's sovereign immunity as a state entity. The two state courts reached opposite conclusions, creating a conflict that the Supreme Court agreed to resolve.

The Court's ruling turned on a straightforward but consequential point: NJ Transit is structured as a legally independent corporation that is responsible for its own debts and judgments. New Jersey's own founding statute for NJ Transit explicitly states that its liabilities are not the State's liabilities. That separation, the Court held, is decisive — you cannot claim a state's immunity if the state itself has disclaimed responsibility for your obligations.

Practical Impact: Injury victims struck by NJ Transit buses in other states may now pursue their claims in their home state courts without facing dismissal on sovereign immunity grounds. The New York ruling was affirmed and the Pennsylvania dismissal was reversed, with both cases sent back for further proceedings.

ילקוט שמעוני- ישעיה

 אמר רבי יצחק: שנה שמלך המשיח נגלה בו, כל מלכי אומות העולם מתגרים זה בזה. 

מלך פרס מתגרה במלך ערבי, והולך מלך ערבי לארם ליטול עצה מהם, וחוזר מלך פרס ומחריב את כל העולם כולו.

 וכל אומות העולם מתרעשים ומתבהלים ונופלים על פניהם, ויאחוז אותם צירים כצירי יולדה.

וישראל מתרעשים ומתבהלים ואומרים: 'להיכן נבוא ונלך? להיכן נבוא ונלך?' 

ואומר להם: 'בניי, אל תתיראו! כל מה שעשיתי לא עשיתי אלא בשבילכם. מפני מה אתם מתיראים? אל תיראו, הגיע זמן גאולתכם!'"

Kosher Consumer alert

 

THE KOSHER CONSUMERS UNION, INC.

⚠ CONSUMER ALERT ⚠

APEEL COATING ON FRESH PRODUCE

SERIOUS KASHRUS CONCERNS

 WHAT IS APEEL?

Apeel (also marketed as Edipeel) is an invisible, plant-based edible coating applied directly to fresh produce to extend shelf life. It works by sealing the outer layer of the fruit or vegetable, slowing moisture loss and blocking oxygen. It is designed to withstand normal rinsing and cannot simply be washed off — it is intended to be consumed along with the produce.

AFFECTED PRODUCE

Apeel is currently being applied to the following produce items:

•      Avocados, Cucumbers, Limes, Mandarins, Apples

The concern is most acute for produce where the skin is eaten — cucumbers, apples, limes, and mandarins — as the coating is designed to be consumed along with the fruit.

KASHRUS CONCERNS

1.  No Kosher Certification

Apeel carries no kosher certification of any kind. While the manufacturer has stated that its ingredients are not derived from animal sources, there is no rabbinic supervision or hashgacha of any sort over the production process.

2.  Stam Yeinam / Yayin Nesech — The Grapeseed Issue

Industry reports indicate that Apeel frequently uses grapeseed oil — a cheap byproduct of the commercial wine industry — as its fatty acid source. Uncertified grapeseed derivatives raise a severe Stam Yeinam / Yayin Nesech concern, which is among the most serious kashrus issues in this matter.

3.  Mono- and Diglycerides

Apeel’s active ingredients are mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids — the same emulsifiers that are routinely derived from non-kosher animal fat (tallow) in commercial production. Even where a plant-based source is claimed, physical verification of the facility and supply chain is required before any hechsher can be granted.

4.  Shared Equipment and Processing Solvents

The chemical extraction and purification process uses heat, solvents, and catalysts. Without verified supervision of the processing facilities, there is no assurance that the equipment is free from cross-contamination with non-kosher oils or animal fats.   

 Until a thorough review of Apeel’s specific manufacturing facilities has been completed and proper rabbinic supervision is obtained, produce bearing this coating should not be used without guidance from a competent halachic authority.

The Kosher Consumers Union, Inc.  •  EIN: 16-1719040  •  New Jersey

Pesach Hotels Update:

 A Pesach program with a private Seder,

Executive Suites, Reading areas, 24 Hr Tea-Room,

Flexible itinerary, On-site Parking, 

Shul seats for the entire Family, Familiar guests,

Your standard of kashrus, Very Heimish atmosphere.

                                                                    Called Home, sweet, home.

If it's a MUST that one has to go to a hotel for Pesach, 

Oppenheimer's Hotel is under the Hashgocha of KAJ  (Breuers) all year including PESACH

The Lakewood SESAME store does not remove all the insects from pineapple

 

Supreme Court of New Jersey Opinions- Employee without valid Social Security card-Labor & Employment Law

 

Lopez v. Marmic LLC Docket: A-27-24-Opinion Date: March 19, 2026 Judge: Stuart Rabner Areas of Law: Labor & Employment Law A realty management company in New Jersey hired an individual to serve as superintendent for two buildings. When the employee applied for the position, he provided an invalid Social Security number. Initially paid in cash, his compensation arrangement changed to a rent-free apartment in exchange for his labor after the employer learned of the invalid Social Security number. The employee continued to perform superintendent duties for several years without receiving regular wages. The employer did not maintain records of the employee’s hours or wages. After being terminated, the employee filed a claim alleging violations of New Jersey’s wage and hour laws for unpaid wages and overtime. The Superior Court, Law Division, following a bench trial, dismissed the employee’s claims with prejudice, finding that he was not credible due to his use of an invalid Social Security number and had not provided specific evidence of hours worked. The Appellate Division affirmed, concluding that the employee, as an undocumented worker, could not have an employee-employer relationship under federal law and was thus barred from relief. The court also found the barter arrangement established a relationship outside the scope of wage and hour protections. The Supreme Court of New Jersey reversed, holding that neither the employee’s undocumented status nor the barter arrangement precluded his right to recover wages for work already performed. The Court ruled that federal immigration law does not conflict with or preempt state wage and hour laws in requiring payment for work actually performed. Employers have the statutory duty to keep records, and failure to do so results in a rebuttable presumption in favor of the employee’s claim. The Court also held that evidence of an invalid Social Security number should be carefully scrutinized for prejudice under evidence rules. The case was remanded to the trial court for a determination of damages.

Pros & Cons of "MUST go" to Seminary in Israel- BTW- The boys & their family doesn't care which "sem", nor if she went at all.

Bochurim, should not go to learn for a year or so in Eretz Yisroel, but should get married earlier.

There has been lately many that strongly oppose the ingrained concept that "must go to Seminary in Israel" in order to marry the right Ben-Torah.

The Pros are not so self evident.

The Cons;
Don't go to Seminary, get a job or training and get married earlier.

The huge expense that most can't afford.

That $20,000.00 plus [saved] can help the new young couple.

Training for a parnosah delayed by at least a year.

They don't receive the tools needed to prepare for a Torah marriage, etc.

Delaying marriage by at least a year.

A girl should be under the supervision of their parents (enough said!)

Pan-handling for a place for Shabbos, etc. at families that can't afford the basics.

We have heard of the tragic experiences in some Israel seminaries.

If we are talking about hashkofah, yahdus, etc in order to go into chinuch? Gateshead is more geared to that element.

Conclusion- It's advisable- not go to seminaries or yeshivas in Eretz Yisroel

Lakewood שלום בית-Therapists (terrorists) are not the solution, they are the root of the problem!

Advice on Responding to a Restraining Order

Unfortunately many women are receiving bad advice from therapists, attorneys and Pseudo Rabbonim who know nothing about Halachah. Their only interest is to pander their client and keep them satisfied. They will never advise their client to do the proper thing according to Halacha, when the client will not be happy with this advice. 
               The result has been a large increase in the issuance of RO’s to Yeshiva Leit. The proper response is to go to Bais Din and request that they commence proceedings to render the sender of the RO a מורדת. If the Bais Din sees that there is no justification for the RO and the issuer does not retract they will commence with the proceedings. The details of what Bais Din has to do are described in Even HaEzer Siman 77. 

As more women get declared a מורדת the reputation of the advisors will deteriorate since we can now quantify that they are giving bad advice and it is producing negative consequences to their clients.

A second benefit is that after the proceedings are finalized there are financial advantages such as no KESUBAH (see Siman 77 for more details)

A third benefit is after 12 months you can give a GET on your terms, and remarry according to most Poskim without a HETER MEIOH RABBONUM if she refuses to accept the GET (see Siman 77 for more details).

A fourth benefit is public relations “He left her because she was a מורדת sounds better than “she threw him out”.

I hope and encourage anyone who has received a RO to go forward with this advice and may הקב"ה give you ס"ד to end these issues with Shalom.

TOSHAV MONSEY

toshav@optimum.net

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                                                                   Lakewood- שלום בית

Therapists terrorists are not the solution, but the root cause of the problem.