Page 323 - Tzurba M'Rabanan Volume1

ןנברמ אברוצ ׳ב רדסה ליל תוכלה · 321

In modern times, the question has arisen that the taste of romaine lettuce does not appear to be particularly
bitter, and sometimes lettuce even tastes a bit sweet. The reason for this is that lettuce today is grown in
such a manner that during the earlier stages of its growth, it is somewhat sweet, while in its later stages
it becomes bitter. The lettuce is generally harvested before it has completely finished growing in order to
preserve the sweetness. If so, can one fulfill one’s obligation with such lettuce?
The poskim in fact dispute whether it is sufficient to simply use a species defined as maror or must one be
capable of actually tasting the bitterness. According to the Chazon Ish, this type of lettuce is invalid for
fulfilling the mitzva. He understood that one must actually taste the bitterness, and therefore the lettuce
used for maror must be harvested at a later stage of growth.

p Chazon Ish, Hilchot Pesach חספ ׳לה | שיא ןוזח 6 .
Siman 124, Pesachim 39a .טל םיחספ ,דכק ןמיס
The main usage of lettuce [today] is before it becomes bitter, ררמוהש םדוק אוה תרזחה שומיש רקיעד
and the chazeret commonly spoken about and used by people וב ןימשמשו םדא ינב תויפב ארקנש תרזחו
is the sweet one. Therefore, it is logical that it isn’t included in ללכב וניאש רבתסמ ךכיפלו קותמה אוה
the maror [required] by the verse. Now the Chacham Tzvi writes אוהד בתכ יבצ םכחה הנהו ,ארקד םירורמ
that it [chazeret] is “salad” in the vernacular [i.e., lettuce], but רהזיל ךירצו )ונימי לש הסח( ז”עלב טאלאס
one must be careful not to fulfill the mitzva with it until it has רמ אוה ופוסבו ררמתיש דע וב תאצל אלש
become bitter, but in the end it is as bitter as wormwood, as the
Chacham Tzvi has written. So one must pick it before it becomes חקיל ךירצו יבצ םכחה בתכש ומכ ,הנעלכ
bitter to this extent. 1 .ךכ לכ ררמתיש םדוק

Some have the custom to use horseradish as maror or to place a bit of horseradish together with the lettuce
used for korech in order to taste the bitterness, in compliance with this opinion of the Chazon Ish. However,
most poskim hold that one can fulfill one’s obligation with lettuce even if it is slightly sweet and not bitter,
as the determining factor is that it is defined as a maror vegetable. They cite proof for this position from the
following passage in the Talmud Yerushalmi.

h Talmud Yerushalmi, | ימלשורי דומלת 7 .
Masechet Pesachim 2:5 ה:ב םיחספ תכסמ
“Just as chazeret is sweet in the beginning and bitter in the end, so ךכ ,רמ הפוסו קותמ התליחת תרזח המ
did the Egyptians do to our forefathers: In the beginning [they הליחתב ,םירצמב וניתובאל םיירצמה ושע
said], “in the choice of the land place your father and brothers” 'ךיחא תאו ךיבא תא בשוה ץראה בטימב'
(Bereishit 47:6), and in the end “they embittered their lives with תא וררמיו' ךכ רחאו ,)ו:זמ תישארב(
hard work” (Shemot 1:14).
.)די:א תומש( השק הדובעב םהייח

It seems from the Yerushalmi that although the chazeret is initially sweet and only later becomes bitter, it is
still defined as maror, and in fact it is specifically this species that is chosen as the ideal one for fulfilling the
mitzva. This position is adopted by the Shulchan Aruch Harav in addition to other Acharonim.

1. The Chazon Ish means that on one hand, one may not use romaine lettuce that was picked at an earlier stage of growth when it is not yet bitter. On
the other hand, if one waits too long, then it gets excessively bitter and is inedible. Rather, the lettuce must be at a stage of growth in between these
two extremes. See also the Dirshu version of the Mishna Berura, Siman 473, #56 and the additional sources quoted there. [Addition of the editors
of the English edition]

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