From the Rav’s Desk: Dairy on Pesach according to Chabad custom

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Question: [Wednesday, 5th Nissan, 5782]

In Chabad we are accustomed to avoid eating processed foods. Does this also apply to dairy, such as milk and cottage cheese and the like which contains certification of being kosher Pesach. It is very difficult for me to avoid eating dairy throughout the entire week of Pesach.

Answer:

You may choose to eat Kosher for Pesach dairy products if you wish, even if in general you do not eat processed foods during Pesach. Indeed, the Rebbe and other Chabad Rabbeim ate milk and other dairy products on Pesach. Nevertheless, some are particular not to eat dairy products during Pesach due to the fact that they are processed.

Explanation:

There is no officially recorded Chabad custom to avoid eating processed foods during Pesach, and it is simply avoided due to the tradition to avoid relying on the Kashrus of foods of others during Pesach. Nonetheless, certainly one may choose to be lenient regarding certain products which for him are a necessity, such as wine, oil, and milk.

Sources: Regarding the custom of the Chabad Rabbeim: Sefer Haminhagim p. 80 and Sefer Hasichos 5703 regarding the Rebbe Rashab drinking milk; So I Heard from the Rebbe’s secretary, Rav Binyamin Klein and Rav Leibel Groner, that so was the custom of the Rebbe and the Rebbe Rayatz to eat dairy products on Pesach

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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