Actually, that’s not entirely true. There is oat matzah and spelt matzah. The daughter of our very close friends will get deathly ill if she eats wheat, so she uses oat matzah.
Thanks for the replies, guys. I have always wondered about what exactly one celebrates Passover, and you have successfully fought some ignorance. Happy Passover to all!
You could also (theoretically) have barley and rye matzos, but I have yet to see those made anywhere.
Zev Steinhardt
While I have you all here…
Why does Matzah taste so bad? Matzah stuffing is one of the most awful things I’ve ever eaten, yet stuffing made from saltines is palatable.
Probably because it’s only flour and water.
Saltines have salt and other additives as well…
Zev Steinhardt
Mike G:
It might be what Zev said, or it might be indicating the day of the Omer that that day is. The word “Lag Bomer” that you saw means, in Hebrew, “33rd day in the Omer” (which is a 49-day timespan). The days of Passover are, beginning with day 2 of Passover, days 1-7 of the Omer.
Masonite:
Not really. By Biblical law, leaven only applies to five species of grain: wheat, barley, rye, oats and spelt. However, the Talmudic Rabbis, in order to “build a fence around the Torah” (i.e., to keep people from transgressing inadvertently due to confusing grains of one species for another) also forbid the eating of many grain-like species, such as rice, millet and legumes. This category is called “Kitniyos” in Jewish law. When corn was discovered, the Ashkenazic (central-eastern European) Jewish authorities declared it to fall into the category of “Kitniyos” as well.
Corn is perfectly well permitted during the rest of the year, and Sephardic Jews eat it on Passover as well, never having accepted them as being “Kitniyos.”
Knighted Vorpal Sword:
I’m not Zev, but in Queens, I’ve been seeing $14. One store had for $13; that’s the least expensive I saw.
gobear:
Sounds like my message you were referring to. Soups, salads and vegetables are fine, I just didn’t mention them because I rarely have them myself. I don’t like vegetables very much, and soup I usually have only at formal meals.
No, we do actually eat a meal at the seder, right after the matzo and bitter herbs. And, just for the record, the broiled lamb bone is not eaten at the Seder, but is just there as a reminder of the Passover sacrifice from Temple times.
Outside of Israel, it’s the first two nights, in Israel, the first night only. That’s (this year) the night of March 27, and March 28 (for those of us outside Israel).
carnivorousplant:
Well, saltines have salt, don’t they? Matzo is nothing but flour and water.
I imagine the matzo stuffing might taste better if you compensate for the lack of salt when making the stuffing rather than simply substituting matzo for saltines.
Chaim Mattis Keller
Can somebody post (in english) the Four Questions? I think that, in addition to keeping the story of passover alive, they are good for non Jews to see where the story comes from.
The four questions:
(Introductory)Why is this night different from all other nights of the year?
(1st question)On all other nights we eat both leveaned food and matzo, on this night, we only eat matzo.
(2nd question)On all other nights, we eat other vegetables, but on this night, we eat bitter herbs as well.
(3rd question)On all other nights, we are not required to dip our food at all, on this night, we are required to dip our food twice.
(4th question)On all other nights, we eat either sitting erect or reclining, on this night, we all eat reclining.
Chaim Mattis Keller
Chaim, were you just lurking, waiting for somebody to ask that weren’t you? ;j
No, this is the stuff that Mrs. Manischewitz puts together as stuffing in a box, so I would expect it to have the normal stuffing seasoning in it.
Maybe it sits around for a year because it’s only eaten at Passover and becomes stale? 
adam yax:
I had just posted my last response and returned to the forum directory, and I saw there was another post there.
And this time, there are two!
carnivorousplant:
Well, does the ingredients listing on the box include salt and other spices? That might give a clue.
Chaim Mattis Keller
Thanks for the answers! As for working on the 30th, we are closed every Saturday andSunday isEaster so I geta four day weekend:)woo!
Now if I can just survive the next two days, we have ~15 Jewish clientswho all need their projects completed by noon tomorrow:eek:
I’ve never been to a Seder, I think I will try to wrangle an invitation to next years as it sounds like a good occasion.
Actually, Lag B’Omer is April 30th, a Tuesday.
Sorry to burst your bubble.
Zev Steinhardt
Thanks, but I’m trying to keep that particular stuffing out of the house. It’s that bad.
The Saltine dressing from my youth was made from seafood, so maybe it was very, very salty.
Thanks again, if Mrs. Plant sneaks some into the house I’ll check the ingredients.
CP
Chaim,
What’s the reason for these customs you observe, that the LORD ordered you to observe?
Hey - that’s wise son, not wise guy! 
Chaim Mattis Keller
Ah, but it isn’t. For by Captain Amazing asking why YOU observe it, he is excluding himself. Thus, he is the insolent son.
_ <------me laughing at Zev’s unleavened smilie.