Okay, "chametz" is anything made from wheat, barley, spelt, oats, or rye that isn't matzah. Ashkenazic rabbis decided that many other things fall into the same category
Actually, kitniyos is not the same category of chametz except in that Ashkenzic rabbis don't allow it. Kitniyos doesn't have some of the same restrictions of chometz. For example, one is not allowed to benefit in any way from chometz, so you can't give your pets chometzdik food during Pesach... you can't own it nor can you derive the benefit of feeding it to your animals. Kitniyos, on the other hand, does not have those restrictions. Not only can you own it, you may derive benefit from it. Therefore, rice-based food for your dog or cat? No problem. In fact, many rabbis hold that kitniyos won't chometzify your pesach dishes. You could, theoretically serve green beans to your sephardic guests without having to use separate dishes from your normal Pesach dishes. (Not all rabbis hold this way, and it is, of course, contingent on the kitniyos having been sufficiently checked for chometz).
So, really, it's quite a different category except inasmuch as not being allowed to eat either if you hold that way.
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Date: 2005-04-27 03:01 pm (UTC)Actually, kitniyos is not the same category of chametz except in that Ashkenzic rabbis don't allow it. Kitniyos doesn't have some of the same restrictions of chometz. For example, one is not allowed to benefit in any way from chometz, so you can't give your pets chometzdik food during Pesach... you can't own it nor can you derive the benefit of feeding it to your animals. Kitniyos, on the other hand, does not have those restrictions. Not only can you own it, you may derive benefit from it. Therefore, rice-based food for your dog or cat? No problem. In fact, many rabbis hold that kitniyos won't chometzify your pesach dishes. You could, theoretically serve green beans to your sephardic guests without having to use separate dishes from your normal Pesach dishes. (Not all rabbis hold this way, and it is, of course, contingent on the kitniyos having been sufficiently checked for chometz).
So, really, it's quite a different category except inasmuch as not being allowed to eat either if you hold that way.