A PESACH QUESTION

Question: Can you please help me understand why someone might need to eat chametz on Pesach? I haven't been introduced to this concept before.

Our answer: 

It's important to know that many (but not all) people have enough flexibility and choices around eating that they can eliminate chametz for Pesach, and still get enough nourishment. Many Ashkenazi Jews are able to get enough nourishment when eliminating both chametz and kitniyot, while others may need to eat kitniyot in order to be fully nourished.

Other people may have chronic conditions or disabilities where they have very little or no flexibility around food. In fact, they may require very specific foods or meal replacements year round. If foods that are required to survive contain chametz, it is pikuach nefesh (making sure that life take precedence) to eat them.

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