From the Rav’s Desk: 1) Blessing on Gluten products; 2) trimming the mustache on Rosh Chodesh

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  1. Question: [Monday, 30th Nissan, 5781]

What blessing should be recited in non-grain products that contain gluten within their ingredients?

Answer:

The gluten has the status of a Shehakol food. Practically, it is nullified to the main ingredient of the product and one should recite whatever blessing the main ingredient deserves.

Explanation: Gluten is the protein of the wheat and does not provide sustenance as does the flour. Therefore, it is not viewed as the main product of the wheat that deserves a special blessing of Mezonos or Hamotzi.

Sources: Vezos Habracha Beirurim 24; Piskeiy Teshuvos 208:2

  1. Question: [Monday, 30th Nissan, 5781]

May a man trim his mustache on Rosh Chodesh?

Answer:

One is not to do so.

Explanation: Rav Yehuda Hachassid adds the word “Zakan” in his warning against cutting hair on Rosh Chodesh, which seemingly comes to include that one may likewise not trim the mustache on Rosh Chodesh even if done in order to remove the hairs that interfere with eating. Vetzaruch Iyun as why the Poskim who record the ruling of Rav Yehuda Hachassid do not explicitly include the beard in the prohibition.

Sources: See Tzavas Rav Yehudah Hachasid 48

About The Author

Rabbi Yaakov Goldstein is a 6th generation descendent of the famous Chief Rabbi of Izhmir, Rav Yehoshua Avraham Krispin, who authored a number of Sefarim, and was a colleague of Rav Chaim Falagi, and father in-law of the Pesach Hadvir. He currently lives with his wife Shayna, and twelve children K”H, in Tzfas, Israel. Rabbi Goldstein received Semicha from Rabbi Schneur Zalman Labkowski of the Tomchei Temimim headquarters in 2005 and served as a chaplain in the Lotar/Kalatz and K9 unit of the IDF from years 2005-2008. He is also a certified Shochet, and has performed Hashgacha work in slaughterhouses. Rabbi Goldstein is the director of Shulchanaruchharav.com, the world’s leading web-based Halacha database, and is the director of the Home Study Semicha Program, a self-study web-based Semicha program. He is a prolific author of over 50 Sefarim studied by a wide range of readers throughout the world, which is used regularly in Semicha programs around the globe. He is a world renowned Posek, answering questions to a web-based market, and serves as a local Posek, Rav, and Lecturer, in the Tzemach Tzedek community Shul in Tzefas, Israel. His many classes can be heard both from his website, Vimeo and YouTube channel. Students can join live to classes given in the Tzemach Tzedek Shul, through the “בית חבד צפת Chabad Tsfat” YouTube channel.

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