"Janet Wilder" > wrote in message
...
> On 9/7/2010 12:09 AM, Ellen K. wrote:
>> Janet,
>>
>> Your family experience may be prescriptive for you. It is not
>> prescriptive for me.
>>
>> If you are interested to learn more about the issues I mentioned, here
>> are two url's you can look at:
>>
>> http://www.friendswithdiabetes.org/guides.html - download the pdf
>> Tishrei 5764 part 2 in the Tishrei section. This is written from the
>> (litvishe) Ashkenazi standpoint, does not mention that anyone else holds
>> differently, and includes in a box on page 2 some examples of how big a
>> kezayis is for different bread types according to this shita.
>>
>> http://www.berachot.org/halacha/13_shiurkazayis.html
>> The first part of this goes into quite some detail about the (litvishe)
>> Ashkenazi method of calculating a kezayis. Toward the bottom of the page
>> the Sephardi method is discussed. Near the top they also have a diagram
>> illustrating how different a kezayis looks depending on the original
>> shape of the food, i.e. a kezayis of matzo looks a lot bigger (still by
>> the Ashkenazi method). In the middle of the page are detailed
>> explanations of how to calculate a kezayis for different shapes of foods
>> according to the Ashkenazi shita.
>>
>> Here are a few important sentences from this article, which the author
>> notes are summarized from Rav Bodner's "Halachos of K'zayis":
>>
>> "if someone ate less then a k'zayis of bread he is not required, nor
>> PERMITED to bentch."
>>
>> "Knowing how much food equals k'zayis is not an easy matter. A k'zayis
>> is a measure of volume. (Volume - the amount of space the item
>> occupies). Two items which when measured have the same volume; will
>> often not be perceived as such."
>> "The Mishna Berura and most Poskim rule that with regard to brocha
>> achrona we adopt the most stringent view, not to make a brocha achrona
>> unless one ate an amount equal to ½ an egg."
>>
>> Thank you,
>>
>
>
> Ellen,
>
> I'm sure you have to do what your heart tells you to do.
>

It's not a question of my heart.

I am relatively newly diagnosed and as such I am in the process of
*experimenting* with bread on Shabbos. If I can't get to an acceptable
result eating bread, I will not eat bread at the Shabbos meals, which means
I will also not say the full grace after meals. I might say it without
using Hashem's names (not substituting Hashem Elokeinu either, just omitting
them) if my rov agrees that this would be ok.

Due to a tendency to kidney stones I have to drink water on Yom Kippur. I
was hysterical the first year even though I had a painful ACTIVE stone at
the time, but I did it. I get one ounce every 11 minutes, which means I
daven the day services at home. It's as much of a mitzva for me to drink
the water as it is for others to refrain.

> I can't eat even the tiniest bite of matzoh. I have half a tongue and
> diminished saliva. I choke on matzoh. I cannot chew it and I cannot
> swallow it. I still participate in the seder.
>

First of all I'm very sorry to hear about your condition, that must make
your life quite difficult in general. Given those medical issues it would
be an AVEIRA for you to eat the matzo. That doesn't mean you can't
participate in the seder, which includes many other mitzvos, at least one of
which (telling over the Exodus) thankfully does not involve eating and
therefore should definitely be able to be fulfilled.

> I have the same problem with bread. I can manage a marble-sized piece of
> challah if I compress it with my fingers.
>
> Klal Yisrael prays for the entire nation of Israel. There are very few
> prayers that are individually oriented.
>
> I will make the bracha on matzoh at a seder because I am making it for
> klal Yisrael, not just myself. The same with my less than halachic piece
> of challah. I will say the bracha acharona for klal Yisrael, not myself.
>

It says in Pirkei Avos, "Aseh lecha rov", make a teacher for yourself. This
means, follow the psak of your rov. If you have an orthodox rov and this is
his psak, you should follow it.

> I will say the al chait for a bunch of things this Yom Kippur but I can
> assure you it will not be for blessing G-d for the gift of bread that I
> can't, medically, eat.
>
> BTW, this is fine with my rabbi.
>
> Shannah Tova
>

I wish you a ksiva vachasima tova l'shana tova umesuka, with all possible
blessings, starting with good physical health.

> --
> Janet Wilder
> Way-the-heck-south Texas
> Spelling doesn't count. Cooking does.