Tuesday, December 07, 2010

Rabbi's unreasonable chumrah makes matzah more expensive

Oldtimer writes: 

Dear Dov Bear:

I am sure you have heard of [my shul] in [my neighborhood] which used to be [called something else]. When [the old rabbi] departed the shul went without a Mora D'Asra for almost [number] [unit of time] until they found the perfect candidate who was [Rabbi X].

Last [day], [Rabbi X] had the gabbai send out an e-mail to all the mispallelim that Chanukah is the time when we should all start thinking about baking matzos for Pesach. In previous years we had arranged to go to the [Hasidic] bakery in [place] for our matzos which were baked under the strictest of conditions and cost us $21 per pound. [Rabbi X] feels that bcause the mitzvah of matzo is so important we should institute additional chumrahs over and above what is normally done at [the bakery].

During the baking process it is standard practice to put 4 matzos at a time on the stick before it is placed in the oven. [Rabbi X] wants the amount reduced to 2 in order to speed up the baking process and reduce the time that matzos remain outside the oven waiting to be baked.

 The end result is that the price per pound of matzos will rise to $30 . For those of us with big families who purchase in excess of 20 pounds, we are looking at an additional $2,000 that we have to shell out. But the Rav thinks that it is necessary because the mitzvah of matzo is so important. In future years I can visualize a higher standard of placing only one matzo on a stick with a $50 per pound price tag.

When will all this madness end?

I am sure that the readers of your blog would find this matter very interesting.

Search for more information about ruinous Rabbis  at 4torah.com.

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