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I know rice is Kitniyos. Yet, if one can make Matza with ingredients that have potential to become Chametz, one should be allowed to make it from Kitniyos ingredients.

Does anyone make it and if not, is there a Halachic reason why not?

In other words: Is it permissible for someone who does not eat Kitniyos to take rice, grind it, put water on it and bake it within 18 minutes and eat it on Pesach?

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  • Inspired by the comments on the question of can one have Mezonos on Pesach without gebroks
    – ertert3terte
    Commented Mar 17, 2015 at 3:06
  • Please clarify your question: What do you mean by rice "Matza"? Are you asking if it's good for the Seder? The mitzvah of eating Matza? Are you asking if it's Chametz? Are you asking about the concerns brought by the Chasam Sofer and co? It's an interesting discussion, but please clarify your question.
    – LN6595
    Commented Mar 17, 2015 at 20:47
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    @LN6595 Can one take rice, grind it, put water on it and bake it within 18 minutes and eat it on Pesach
    – ertert3terte
    Commented Mar 17, 2015 at 21:16

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(To fulfill the Mitzva of eating Matza at the Seder the Matza must be made with proper grains (Mishna Pesachim 2:5) not Kitniyot. The foods being discusses here are being called "Matza" more as a pseudonym because of the similarity of the baking process involved.)

Chayei Adam 127:1 says explicitly that rice Matza is allowed.

Shulchan Arukh HaRav 453:5 says Kitniyot is only prohibited if water fell on it such that it would have made it Chametz were it wheat. So seems like he'd be ok with it too.

Maharsham 1:183 quotes that as well as R Shlomo Kluger (Nidrei Zerizin 8) and the Peri Megadim (444:2) permitting.

Chatam Sofer (OC 121) seems to permits it qua Kitniyot. He cautions though that one should make with a Heker (a la YD 96, I presume) lest anyone confuse them with real Matza to fulfill the Mitzva with Seder night. (He expresses doubt if there is really a need to change the way we keep Pesach (absent some sort of localized stress, eg. famine), but doesn't claim there is formal Minhag to avoid it. This seems just general Chatam-Sofer-conservatism.)

Binyan Tziyon (HaChadashot 6) is hesitant to be more lenient than the Chatam Sofer lechatchila, but certainly allows such Matza to be eaten if already produced.

Be'er Yitzchak (OC 11) justifies a common practice in his communities to bake such Matza (from רעצקע (?)).

Avnei Nezer (OC 534) writes that "Chachamim made Kitniyot like the 5 grains" and therefore a Kitniyot derivative which was made with out water will still become prohibited if later mixed with water. It sounds from that like rice Matza would be ok.

I note that major Kashrut organizations nowadays such as the OU permit selling "Matza" from non-grains (with a printed disclaimer) without concern for mixing it up for use in the Seder (see for instance this product or this product made from tapioca and potato). It seems they are not too concerned with the worry of the Chatam Sofer.

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  • (I don't know what Nidrei Zerizin 8 is, but that's what the Maharsham cites.)
    – Double AA ♦
    Commented Mar 17, 2015 at 3:54
  • Comments removed. Please take extended discussion to chat. Please also remember derech eretz; keep it civil.
    – Monica Cellio
    Commented Mar 17, 2015 at 19:34
  • The Shulchan Arukh (453:2) actually discusses making a rice/wheat mix Matza and the Acharonim all discuss the details and no one says this doesn't apply anymore because of Kitniyot.
    – Double AA ♦
    Commented Apr 3, 2018 at 20:27
  • judaism.stackexchange.com/a/141682/759
    – Double AA ♦
    Commented Apr 4 at 12:34

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