Question:
I read with interest your recent article on gluten-free mitzvot. I have non celiac gluten sensitivity and do not tolerate oats at all (I tried gf oat matzah and felt ill from it). There is no kosher gluten free wheat flour available where we live. Is there a way I can still bentch? A friend bentches on wine, how does this work please? What about Pesach, I feel bad not to do the mitzvah of eating matzah. I appreciate your assistance and information, thank you.
Answer:
Hello,
Bentching or birkas hamazom can only be recited only after one eats bread from the five grains, or pas habah b’kisnin (cake, pretzels etc.) if the person ate enough of it. As far as I know it is never said after drinking wine, if the meal isn’t a bread meal, rather we say “al hagefen” after drinking wine. I would be interested to hear the source of what your friend is doing. It is possible that someone is confusing the idea that when we bentch with a zimun, many people bentch over a cup of wine. But not that one can bentch after merely drinking wine.
Regarding eating matzoh on Pesach there are a number of companies that sell gluten free spelt and oat matzohs. If you would like some contact information, I can help you with that.
As a side point, nowadays one can buy gluten free oat flour, from companies called Bobs Red Mill, or Gloriously Free. You can also get it from Iherb.com, free and quick shipping .There is also a gluten-free flour available from a company called Malino. You might be able to find one of these flours online. This would solve your problem for the Shabbos meals, etc.,
Best wishes
