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My understanding is that most Ashkenazic communities today don't eat green beans on Passover, treating them as kitniyot (a bunch of legumes for which the custom arose to avoid on Passover). What's the earliest source/discussion on this?

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When it comes to Pesach, you can find customs prohibiting almost anything, from potatoes to carrots to coffee. Are you looking specifically for an opinion that green beans are kitniyos? – Matt Mar 18 '15 at 6:30

Sefer She'arim HaMetzuyanim BeHalacha (published appx 1950), commenting on the Kitzur Shulchan Aruch (Siman 117, Si'if Katan 7), mentions that green beans and, apparently, peas, may be considered Kitniyos as well.


I have since found online in the name of Rabbi Elazar M'Vermiza רבי אלעזר מוורמייזא that he said in a Pesach Drasha that we do not eat "Polin V'Adashim" since there is wheat mixed in with them.

בדרשה לפסח של רבי אלעזר מוורמייזא הוא מספר בקצרה "ומה שאין אוכלין פולין ועדשים, מפני שיש בהן חיטין"

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Do you have an approximate year for that source? – Isaac Moses Mar 24 '11 at 19:04
@Isaac Moses - Google Books has it as 1948. books.google.com/… – WAF Mar 24 '11 at 19:26
Hm, it seems like every source he's quoting is saying green beans should be okay, no? – Shalom Mar 24 '11 at 19:57
I spoke over this question with Rav Ephraim Greenblatt. He was clueless as to why anyone would say that green-beans are kitniyos. He seemed unaware that people did not eat them on Pesach. I spoke to Dayan Fuerst (of Chicago) about it one Purim and (I do not believe he was being serious) he said "It's because they are called beans! Another point: Shearim Metzuyanim BeHalacha and other recent "Likut Seforim" and responsa call it "Gezeiras Kitniyos". There never was a gezeirah. Rav Moshe Feinstein explains that the Rabbanim were manhig (led, guided) their followers to not eat it. It is a minhag. – Yahu Mar 25 '11 at 13:41
Why do you translate פולין as green-beans and עדשים as peas??? – Double AA Mar 20 '15 at 5:04

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