Question:
I suffer from a very weak stomach. Regular matzo, although i can eat it, causes me to have alot of stomach problems. Is it ok to use Oat matzo for the seder? Thank you!
Answer:
Yes. you can, but you should just know that spelt matzos are the most appropriate grain for people with problems of the digestive system. There is also a halachic preference to spelt matzos over oats, because the Minchas Yitzchok says that it isn’t clear how long it takes for oats to become chametz. therefore spelt matzos are better in a certain way. Around the world there are different companies that sell oat matzos, however due to the difficulty of producing oat matzos, it is very hard to make them within 18 minutes, and therefore most oat matzos are not 18 minute matzos. There is however a company called Tiv Hashibolet that sells chaburah oat matzos that are 18 minute matzos. They can be ordered in E. Yisroel by calling 077-901-5645. At that number you can also order spelt matzos, if you would like to order spelt matzos instead. Incidently, spelt matzos are also much tastier than oat matzos. Oats have bitter enzymes that are normally extracted by steaming the oats. Since for Pesach this process would make the oats chometz, oats used for oat matzos are not treated for the removal of the bitter enzymes and therefore they do have a slightly bitter aftertaste.
